Apron Strings to Diamond Rings: Burger with Quinoa and Asparagus

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Burger with Quinoa and Asparagus

With my time in Chicago coming quickly to an end, and spring just around the corner (weather wise, at least), it was time to clean out the freezer and add some color to my plate. When I buy meat, whether it be beef, turkey, chicken or pork, I usually buy more than I'll eat so I can freeze it and have some at my fingertips for a quick meal.

A few weeks ago I made Blue Cheese Burgers and froze a few extra patties. With some fresh asparagus from Trader Joe's, Quinoa, Mozzarella, homemade Pico de Gallo and smashed avocado I threw together this quick meal. I didn't have a burger bun so I used two pieces of whole wheat bread, used a round cookie cutter to make the slices a perfect size for the burger and broiled them (or toasted).

For the roasted asparagus, I drizzled them with EVOO, sprinkled some salt and pepper on top, and put them in a 400˙ oven for 25 minutes, turning once to evenly brown.

I melted a small piece of mozzarella on top of the burger, plated it on the toast, topped with lettuce, avocado, pico de gallo and a sprig of cilantro. Along with the burger I added a 1/2 cup of quinoa and the roasted asparagus on the side. Serve immediately. Happy Cooking, and Enjoy!

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How I Started Cooking

I am no professional chef, nor have I even taken professional cooking or baking classes. I create my dishes from the heart, reading and researching a combination of recipes, putting that knowledge to use and either developing my own recipe or amending one I have read. My love for working in the kitchen began when I was very little, watching my mom bake and cook. In high school I received the opportunity to take two semesters of cooking classes with a wonderful teacher. She is the woman who taught me how to make chicken broth from scratch, properly measure flour and most importantly, read every recipe at least once through before beginning. This is not to say that my mother didn't have a substantial role in my quest to conquer the kitchen. My mother is the one who let me go wild in the kitchen, throwing random ingredients from the pantry into a bowl just to call it 'peanut butter cookies' because they contained peanut butter. That was when I learned that if it contains flour, it most likely has to be baked. Thanks Mom!