Quinoa and Black Bean "Taco" Burgers - Wheat and Soy Free and Vegan

 When I set out to make these I was sort of picturing something like a flat taco flavored falafel eaten in a tortilla with shredded lettuce and other taco toppings. Well it didn't quite work like that, what I ended up making were black bean/quinoa burgers that were flavored spectacularly and topped with Daiya pepper jack shreds and a (now Jack friendly) dairy free chipotle sour cream that was absolutely fantastic. These would have been great topped with fresh salsa and shredded lettuce also, and we certainly will be making these again.

Vegan Quinoa and Black Bean Taco Burgers

2 cups cooked quinoa (cooked in vegetable broth instead of water)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, diced
2 tsp olive oil
1 Tbl chili powder
1/4 tsp oregeno
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup Daiya Pepper Jack Shreds (plus more for topping, optional)
2 Tbl ground flax meal
3 Tbl cold water

In a medium skillet, heat olive oil. Saute onion, bell pepper, and garlic until onion is transparent and bell pepper begins to lose it's vibrant green color, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a measuring cup or ramekin, mix flax meal and cold water and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, mash black beans with a fork or potato masher. It's not necessary to smash up every one but get a good amount of them smooshed. Stir in quinoa, sauted onion mixture, seasonings, Daiya cheese shreds, and flax gel, making sure to evenly mix everything. Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.
Heat a griddle to 375. Form dough into ping pong size balls and them flatten to form patties. Grill about 5 minutes on each side.

Serve with 1 Tbl Sunflower Seed Sour Cream mixed with 1/4 tsp chipotle powder and 1 tsp lime juice.

Sunflower Seed Sour Cream

3/4 cup raw sunflower seeds (you can use roasted unsalted seeds, the flavor will be a tad nuttier though)
1/4 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder

Blend until completely smooth (if you have a Blentec, the "Sauces" button works perfectly for this.) Keep refrgerated in a tightly sealed container for up to a week.