Lentil, Quinoa, and Mushroom Sliders

I’ve been working hard on a new recipe for veggie burgers. I usually make them with chickpeas, but my husband doesn’t like the texture. They tend to be somewhat dry. But he likes lentils, and lentils have a smoky, almost meaty taste. And the texture is ideal. Makes sense to use them in a veggie burger. In this case, I made sliders and added quinoa for a bit extra texture and protein.

Ingredients: (makes about 10 sliders or 5 burgers)

1 cup dried lentils (cook until tender and drain)

1/2 cup dried quinoa (cook and drain)

1 cup chopped mushrooms

1 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 egg

1 bunch fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

1/3 cup sunflower seeds

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon honey

1 Tablespoon dijon mustard

dash salt and pepper

swiss cheese (to melt on top of the sliders)

Directions: After preparing the lentils and quinoa, combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

Form the mixture into small patties and place in a heated skillet. The egg helps hold the mixture together, but it won’t be as sticky as ground beef, so you’ll have to be gentle when forming the patties and when flipping them in the pan. (Start with one egg,. If the mixture isn’t sticky enough to bind together, add a second egg.)

Cook patties for about 4 minutes (on high heat) on each side. The sides should start to brown and crisp up.

Melt a slice of swiss cheese on top.

You could serve these on a bun with all the fixins, but I served mine on a leaf of bibb lettuce with a side of pickled okra and some spicy mustard. You could also serve these on top of a leafy green salad.