Ah, the good old Fast Food. I´m guessing nobody can resist the temptation that comes from the local burger restaurant. Especially not when it´s 6 in the morning and you are on your way home from a night out dancing. We have all been there! While I love French fries I usually ignore the burger and instead order some falafel and bread. It´s just that the regular fast food restaurants never seem to satisfy my cravings for a good burger. The first bite seems right but half an hour after you have eaten the burger all you feel is full and slightly nauseated. But fear not my friends, I´ve got just the thing for you.

Homemade burgers are one of my favorite things. Every time I make them, I understand why people get so excited about fast food. It´s deliciousness between two burger buns. Some fries on the side and I am the happiest girl in town. Especially when everything is homemade – buns, patties and fries. Can´t get any better than that. Now, I know what you are thinking. This recipe must take forever. No, it does not. The dough for the bread rises overnight so all you have to do is put them in the oven in the morning. The fries pretty much bake themselves and the patty is not that hard to make either. Trust me, that little time you might be spending is well worth it.

Since I don´t eat meat I had to find a vegetarian alternative. I´ve been searching for a good vegetarian burger patty for quite a while until I discovered a recipe for quinoa patties. I loved them right away and they make a dang good substitute for the meat. So even if you are not vegetarian, you might want to try this recipe. The patties are also very delicious as a quick lunch with a salad or a cold snack in between.

The sweet potato fries are quick and easy to make. I love sweet potatoes but you could of course use normal potatoes instead if you like.

For the sweet potato fries:

3 sweet potatoes

Salt

Olive oil

1) Peel the sweet potatoes. Cut them into slices, place them on a baking sheet, drizzle with oil and salt and bake in the preheated oven at 200°C until crispy.

Makes about 10 hamburger buns:

250 g all-purpose flour

250 g whole wheat spelt flour

340 ml warm water

20 g fresh yeast

Salt

1) In a bowl, mix flour and salt. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add water to the flour-mixture and knead until you have a firm dough. Let the dough rise for at least two hours or overnight in the fridge. If you let the dough rise overnight, sprinkle with water so it doesn´t turn dry. After the dough has risen, form little buns and bake in the preheated oven at 220°C for about 20 minutes.

Makes about 10-12 Quinoa Patties:

150 g red quinoa

600 ml vegetable broth

½ zucchini

2-3 carrots

1 onion

1 garlic clove

½ feta cheese

1 egg

4-6 tbsp. rolled oats

1) Chop onion and garlic clove. Heat oil in a pot and steam onion and garlic. Wash the quinoa, add to the onions and let steam for a little while. Add vegetable broth and let quinoa cook for about 10 minutes.

2) Peel the carrots, wash the zucchini. Grate carrots and zucchini and add to the cooking quinoa. Let quinoa cook until it is soft. If you need more broth, add more, if the quinoa is done and you still got broth left, drain quinoa in a strainer.

3) Place the quinoa in a bowl. Add feta cheese, egg and rolled oats and mix well. Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes. Afterwards, you should be able to form little patties. If the mixture falls apart, add more oats.

4) Cook the patties in a pan with some olive oil from each side for 4-5 minutes. Assemble the burger with salad, tomatoes, onions, ketchup and mayonnaise. Serve with sweet potato fries.