Barbecue Black Bean Burgers

PREPARE GRAINS Bring quinoa and 1⁄2 cup water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool; fluff quinoa with a fork. PREPARE PATTIES Saute onions in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly. (As the onions release water the remaining sugars will concentrate and start to caramelize the onions in the pan. You can add a splash of water if needed to prevent burning.) When onion is fragrant and soft, after 5 to 7 minutes, remove from heat and set aside. Place black beans in a bowl and mash well with a fork, leaving only a few whole beans. Add cooked quinoa, sautéed onions, breadcrumbs, tomato paste, barbecue sauce, tahini, chili powder, cumin, paprika, and garlic powder to black beans; mix well with a wooden spoon until a moldable dough forms, 1 to 2 minutes. If mixture is too dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons more barbecue sauce; If too wet, add more breadcrumbs. Season with salt and pepper to taste; adjust seasonings as needed. For each burger, scoop ⅓ to ½ cup of mixture and use your hands to shape into a patty. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place patties in hot skillet and cook until well-browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip carefully, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more. ASSEMBLE & SERVE Slice tomatoes and avocados, separate lettuce, and toast buns, if you’d like. Serve burgers on buns, topped with fixings of your choice.