picnic for two (+ beet veggie burgers)

It's a constant theme of growing older: coming to terms with a lack of constancy that slowly nudges you toward self-sufficiency. Sometimes you go from seeing people every day - people you grew up with - to not seeing them for ever-widening gaps of time. It becomes normal, expected. When I see old faces, I always worry beforehand that conversation will dissolve into recollection, that the time apart is insurmountable and we no longer stand on common ground. So often, I find those worries unfounded.

The thing about food is that it brings people together; if nothing else you can talk about the meal or savor bites in easy silence. I made lunch plans with an old friend the other day, and we decided on a picnic - the quintessential summer meal. We tried taking it to a public garden, but were thwarted by the no food rule (and our very obvious picnic baskets) so instead claimed a spot at a nearby park. A lot can happen in two years, and it was so good catching up. I'm learning that although time apart in friendships is becoming all too common, it no longer seems like such a big deal. What's a few months, a year? We're young, we're only just beginning to understand just how young we are. There's time to talk, there's time to grow, there's time to enjoy summer picnics in the grass.

We munched on bread and butter, kale salad (kale, berries, candied walnuts, feta cheese and balsamic vinaigrette), fresh fruit, brussel sprouts (halved, steamed, then sautéed in a pan with butter, onion, salt and pepper), and wholesome beet-based veggie patties that I'll include a recipe for below. 

veggie burgers with beet & corn

recipe

for 8 patties

ingredients

1 cup cooked beets

1/4 cup millet flour

1/4 cup quinoa flour

1 tbsp ground flaxseed

1 cup cooked quinoa

1/2 onion

2 cloves garlic

1 tbsp olive oil

2 hefty pinches brown sugar

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 egg

1 cup cooked corn

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp thyme

olive oil, for cooking

to serve

hummus

sliced fresh avocado

to make

Mash beets in a large bowl, set aside. 

Mince onion and garlic. Sautee in a pan with 1 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat until soft and translucent, then stir in brown sugar and balsamic vinegar and cook for 1-2 more minutes. Place cooked onion and garlic in bowl with mashed beets, then add the flours, cooked quinoa, flaxseed, seasonings, egg and corn. Gently stir mixture until all ingredients are well incorporated. 

Heat olive oil in a pan on medium heat, then plop double spoonfuls of mixture onto pan in circles about the size of the palm of your hand. Flatten gently with the back of a spoon, then cook until the bottom is browned and the entire patty feels firm and sturdy, about 5 minutes. Flip, repeat. Watch the stove temperature carefully; if it's too hot it will burn without cooking through, and it it's too cool the bottom won't get the right color or texture. 

Cool on a wire rack before packing in containers to picnic. When you've taken them out to eat, serve with sliced avocado and cucumber - it's an absolutely heavenly combination. To make this a one-dish meal, serve stacked with roasted or grilled fresh veggies: bell pepper, mushroom; fresh pickles and tomato, in addition to aforementioned accompaniments.  

It was a perfect afternoon, cooler than the scorching summer heat I've become accustomed to in my time home. It was a lazy meal, eaten steadily and enjoyed in good company. Food never tastes better than when eaten outside and shared, and this was no exception. Here's to the best of summer days.