Depending on the day, I will “cheat-eat” quinoa. Here I use it to create a meatless “burger” the kids love, but since there’s only 1 cup quinoa in this whole recipe, my conscience remains intact. I use a bit of nutritional yeast to up the savory taste of the burgers, but feel free to leave it out if you’re being extra-vigilant about Candida.
Serves 8 to 10
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower with 2 tablespoons of the oil, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and ¼ teaspoon of the pepper. Spread on a large baking sheet and roast until the cauliflower is browned and has shrunken slightly, 20 to 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until they release some of their water, 4 to 5 minutes.
Transfer the cauliflower and the onion-mushroom mixture to a large bowl and add the quinoa, kale, parsley, hemp seeds, eggs, flax meal, nutritional yeast (if using), chia seeds, the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper. Mix well to combine. With damp hands, form the mixture into 8 to 10 equal-sized patties.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Working in batches, cook the burgers until browned, 4 to 5 minutes per side. To bake, arrange the burgers on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until golden, 20 to 22 minutes. Wrap in lettuce leaves to serve, if desired.