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Ethiopian Lentil BurgerFit Burger
Jamie Szybala and Alane Boyd
Jump to RecipeEpisode 7 of Cooking with My friends brought Alane to Tuscon, Arizona, to see Jamie Szybala, owner of Thrive Wellness Collective. Alane and Jamie have been friends for years, and her last trip to see Jamie inspired Alane to start the Cooking with My Friends series! In this episode, Alane and Jamie made the Ethiopian Lentil BurgerFit burger and Dirty Quinoa.
“The last time I saw Jamie, she inspired me to start Cooking with My Friends! It was so fun to see that come full circle and have her as a guest on the show.”
Why eat the Ethiopian Lentil BurgerFit Burger?
Lentils are considered “pulses,” which are the edible seed parts of legumes. It is recommended that we eat ½ cup of pulses a day for extra fiber, potassium, and folate. The lentils in this burger provide slow burning, complex carbohydrates to fuel your body and brain. The spices in this burger add flavor and complexity, as well as a boost of antioxidants. Cumin and garlic both have antioxidant properties, which help keep the body healthy. Kale’s sturdy structure holds up well in this burger, providing a boost of potassium and vitamin A.
Get the Recipes
These recipes are super easy to prepare and you’re going to have a blast making them!
Ethiopian Lentil BurgerFit Burger
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon cooking fat
- 2 cups collard greens
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt divided
- 2 cups cooked lentils
- 2 teaspoons garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons coriander or cumin
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 lb ground meat
Instructions
- Heat a skillet on medium heat with 1 teaspoon cooking fat. Add the collard greens and ½ teaspoon salt, and saute until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Once the collard greens are cooked, add the collard greens, lentils, garlic, ginger, paprika, coriander or cumin, and tomato paste to the food processor (or finely chop collard greens and mash lentils with hands). Let the mixture cool completely.
- In a large bowl, mix the ground meat and remaining teaspoon of salt. Gradually incorporate vegetable mixture into the ground meat. Add as much as you can while still being able to form your burgers as normal.*If you end up adding too much vegetable mixture, don’t worry! Just form your burgers and cook in the oven for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
- Cook burgers on medium heat on the stove for 5 minutes each side or to your preference. Cooking times can vary.
- Optional: Serve with remaining collard greens on the side.
Nutrition
Dirty Quinoa
Equipment
Ingredients
- For the quinoa:
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup dry quinoa soaked for 8-12 hours if possible
- For the vegetables and tempeh:
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or cooking oil of choice
- 1/2 cup celery finely diced
- 1/2 cup green pepper finely diced
- 1/2 cup onion finely diced
- 1/2 mushrooms such as shiitake, oyster, baby portabella (or all three!), roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons berbere seasoning if you can't find it in the store, make your own; try this recipe from https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/ethiopian-spice-mix-berbere-104015
- 2 tablespoons liquid aminos or soy sauce
- 2 cups cooked tempeh
Instructions
- Bring the water and salt to a boil.
- Add the quinoa, reduce heat, add cover, and let simmer until the water is absorbed, about 15-20 minutes. Take off heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
- While quinoa is cooking, heat a skillet over medium heat with 1 tablespoon avocado oil.
- Fine chop the celery, onion, and green pepper, and add to skillet.
- Add berbere seasoning and liquid aminos to the skillet.
- Cook for about 5 minutes.
- Rough chop the mushrooms and tempeh (if necessary) and add to skillet.
- Saute everything until soft, about 15 minutes.
- Once the vegetables and tempeh is cooked, add them to the cooked quinoa and stir.
Notes
- Carrot & Thyme
- Spinach and Mushroom
- Ethiopian Lentil
- Kohlrabi
Nutrition
Pairs Nicely With
This may sound surprising, but this burger tastes amazing with kimchi! Your tummy will love those probiotics.
BurgerFit Tip
This recipe for Dirty Quinoa is vegan!
Tag us in your #getburgerfit creation on Instagram if you liked this recipe!
Meet the Hosts
Alane Boyd
Alane has kept her 40 lb weight loss off since 2013, and created BurgerFit and Cooking with My Friends as a way to get her family eating better. Her health journey started in 2012 after being diagnosed with high blood pressure and obesity. Frustrated and determined, Alane decided to make small, sustainable changes in her diet so that it would be maintainable for a lifetime. Now Alane maintains a healthy weight range and has incorporated quick and easy recipes that keep her picky family members eating better!
Jamie Szybala
Jamie is a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist, and has a Master of Science in Traditional Oriental Medicine. She is the owner of Thrive Wellness Collective in Tuscon, Arizona.
How We Met
I met Jamie when my husband and I started dating. Jamie and her now husband, Graham, were his neighbors in San Diego. They were the first people he wanted me to meet. You cannot help but love Jamie and Graham. Talk about the coolest couple ever!! Jamie owns Thrive Wellness Collective and is an acupuncturist and Graham is a carpenter. I still want to be like Jamie when I grow up. She was the first one that taught me how to cook beets and to pair goat cheese with them. She is the inspiration behind the Beet BurgerFit burger! Too bad she didn’t pick that one to cook for our episode but I’m glad she picked the Lentil BurgerFit burger, it is delicious too.
Can you save an overcooked quinoa? Please advise. Thank you.
Hi Tessa. You can make a quinoa oatmeal by mixing in your favorite milk, and add-ins of choice like fresh fruits, dried foods like coconut, nuts, and such. But one of the most ways people reuse their soggy, mushy or overcooked quinoa is by making a quinoa tabbouleh. Hope this helps.