BLOG: Kirstal Moffett - Meatless Monday Turns Into Meatless Meals
As I read the paper this morning and come across an article about Mad Cow Disease being confirmed in California it reminds me of many reasons I moved to a more plant based diet. Mad Cow was not the reason for my switch to vegetarianism, but it does remind me more about the condition so many animals are kept in that wind up on our dinner tables.
The unsanitary conditions that lead to meat having to be washed with chemicals to kill all the bacteria that may be on it. I don’t find that process appetizing at all! So, I looked for an alternative. I spoke to my doctor about foods that were proteins. He gave me a list and I got going with it. The first one is Quinoa and my favorite. Quinoa is a grain and very versatile. It cooks up quickly and can be turned into quinoa burgers, added to salads, eaten plain, put under vegetable stews, really anything. I buy
red quinoa, black quinoa and plain. My children love it and it is so easy to cook with.
I also cook with a lot of beans. All kinds. My children love bean salad and bean soup. They come in so many varieties, and again can be made into anything. They are easy to clean, haven’t been run through chemicals, and are filled with nutrients. I purchase all my grains and beans from my bulk bin at my health food store. It is extremely cost effective and, yes, grains and beans are much cheaper than meat! It was shocking the first week we went meatless and I got the bill and realized the savings! My family loves their meatless meals, and so do I. I hope you will consider giving it a try. It’s good for our bodies and for the planet.
Super Yummy Meatless Burgers Recipe
Vegetarian Times
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup quinoa
- 1 small onion, finely chopped (1 cup)
- 6 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped (1/4 cup)
- 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, or 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
- 2 tsp. dried steak seasoning
- 8 whole-grain hamburger buns
Method
- Stir together quinoa and 1 1/2 cups water in small saucepan, and season with salt, if desired. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. (You should have 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa.)
- Meanwhile, place onion and sun-dried tomatoes in medium nonstick skillet, and cook over medium heat. (The oil left on the tomatoes should be enough to sauté the onion.) Cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until onion has softened. Stir in 3/4 cup black beans, garlic, steak seasoning, and 11/2 cups water. Simmer 9 to 11 minutes, or until most of liquid has evaporated.
- Transfer bean-onion mixture to food processor, add 3/4 cup cooked quinoa, and process until smooth. Transfer to bowl, and stir in remaining 3/4 cup quinoa and remaining 3/4 cup black beans. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and cool.
- Preheat oven to 350°F, and generously coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Shape bean mixture into 8 patties (1/2 cup each), and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes, or until patties are crisp on top. Flip patties with spatula, and bake 10 minutes more, or until both sides are crisp and brown. Serve on buns.
