Mushroom Quinoa Veggie Burgers

This is the perfect veggie burger, and this recipe came to me via my mom. I probably changed something about it and tweaked it to my liking. I've been making these burgers for a year now, and they are great for freezing in batches so you can pull out a couple for a quick dinner. The mushrooms and zucchini provide the "meat," the quinoa brings the protein, and the egg and bread crumbs hold it all together.

Ingredients

3/4 cup uncooked quinoa

8 oz. mushrooms

1 small zucchini

2 tbsp. coconut oil

1 shallot

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cups gluten free bread crumbs

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 F. Cook quinoa according to package and set aside to cool. Shred zucchini (grate or use a food processor) and roll in a paper towel to absorb some of the moisture. Finely chop mushrooms or pulse in food processor, and combine with zucchini in a bowl. Heat oil over medium heat, add shallot and saute 2 minutes until soft. Add mushrooms and zucchini and saute 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat, cool,  toss with quinoa, and chill in the fridge for a few minutes. Mix in eggs, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper. Shape burgers and arrange on a cookie sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, flip, and bake another 15 minutes on the second side.

I like to eat my veggie burger on toasted gluten free seeded bread with lettuce, hummus, and ketchup. Goat cheese or melted cheddar is an amazing addition as well. Enjoy!