Quinoa and Sweet potato veggie burger

Next time I will try these grilled on the Weber - Gordy.

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Dinner at my maternal grandmother Jenny's, (we called her 'Nanny') always included a platter of well cooked burgers. As soon as you stepped off the elevator (The Marquesa Apartments on Bathurst Street) you could smell onions frying.  Her burgers were well seasoned with salt,  pepper, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, breadcrumbs, and eggs and always cooked in an electric frying pan drowned in shmaltz (chicken fat) and mound of fried onions. She made enough burgers for a small army, (my mother would say) and we each had to eat at least two, my father was expected to eat three, (out of sight he called them hockey pucks).  When we left we took home leftovers and the scent of the frying onions clinging to our clothes.  I never forgot those burgers.

I think my Nanny would like these veggie burgers, mine were cooked on a cast iron skillet.

This recipe makes 6 burgers that your Granny would love.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups water
• 1 medium sweet potato, diced, (about 2 cups)
• 1 cup uncooked red or white quinoa
• 1 cup cooked chickpeas
• 1 small zucchini, grated (1 cup)
• ½ cup pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
• 6 Tbs. hemp harts or flaxseeds
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• ½ tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp finely chopped fresh thyme
• 2 Tbs olive oil

Directions:

1.  Bring water, sweet potato, and quinoa to a boil in saucepan over medium heat. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the quinoa is cooked. Transfer to bowl to cool.
2.  Stir chickpeas, grated zucchini, seeds, hemp hearts or flaxseeds, parsley salt, pepper, chili powder, and thyme into the quinoa mixture.
3. Mix well, mashing the chickpeas and sweet potato but leaving some chunks. I used my potato masher.
4. Shape mixture into patties.
5.  Preheat oven to 400°F.
6.  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook patties about 3 minutes per side, or until lightly golden brown. Remove from heat, and place on baking sheet. 
7. Bake for 20 minutes or until crispy.
8. Serve with your favourite toppings.