Quinoa Burgers

When I think back on the many moves I've made since I left home at 18 to go to U of I, I can remember the ways my dad has supported me in each one. He's the kind of dad that is always there to listen to me whine about one thing or another regarding my new location, and he has that "special power" that only dads have to put everything back in the right perspective. He's also that dad that will put together an IKEA bed frame that barely fits in the new bedroom for which I bought it, or hang bookshelves that might look cute but are treacherous to try and hang correctly, even though he does not love doing either of those things. For my most recent move, my dad was thoughtful enough not only to ship me some things that I left behind (because I didn't have room to drive them across the country with me) and to send me a care package of odds and ends that he thought I might need. In one of these packages were a couple boxes of quinoa...which I am still cooking my way through. Here's a recipe I found (and altered ever so slightly) to use the quinoa in a new way...thanks, Dad!


Ingredients
1 cup uncooked quinoa (equals 2 cups cooked)
3/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1 medium carrot, finely grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 eggs
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. salt
 Olive oil
Sour cream, for serving


Directions
1. Cook the quinoa as directed on the package.

2. Meanwhile, grate the cheese and carrot, mince the garlic and dice the green onions.
3. In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients (except olive oil and sour cream).
*Note: the mixture should be slightly sticky.

4. Heat olive oil in a large skillet until hot. With a 1/4 cup measuring cup, drop the mixture onto the skillet and gently flatten with the back of the measuring cup until it looks like a patty.

5. Fry until golden, approximately four to five minutes on each side.
*Note: when flipping, do so gently so the patties do not break apart.
6. Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream, if desired.

Roasted Chick Peas

Whether you call them chickpeas (from the French word chiche) or garbanzo beans (from the Old Spanish word, garroba), chances are you've come to love these meaty beans once you try them. I love to eat them as hummus...or straight from the can on salads...or cooked in a hot soup. So when I saw a recipe for roasted chickpeas, I thought it a great way to showcase the heartiness of the beans, and get a salty snack with lots of protein and fiber. I was surprised when I made this and it reminded me in some ways of popcorn. Here's what you do:

Ingredients

1 (15 oz) can chickpeas

1 tsp. olive oil

Salt and black pepper

Other spices, to taste

Directions

1. Drain and rinse the chickpeas.

2. Transfer to a paper towel and pat very dry. Let stand for at least one hour to aid in the drying process.

3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

4. Transfer the dry chickpeas to a baking sheet.

5. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, black pepper and desired spices.

*I used garlic powder and lemon pepper, but you can use any combination of spices...the combinations are endless.

6. Toss to ensure that all the beans are coated.

7. Roast for 30-45 minutes, tossing every 10-15 minutes, to ensure they do not burn.

*Note: you may hear them popping, and that's okay. The chickpeas are going to shrink in size and get darker. Don't be afraid to let them really cook. The longer you allow, the crunchier they get! Just watch them toward the end so they don't burn.