the best veggie burger...

This is a nutrition-packed veggie burger that even omnivores love! As someone who doesn't like the flavor or texture of vegan "meats," I was constantly on the lookout for the perfect vegan burger, one that we could eat and enjoy together. I found various sweet potato and black bean burger recipes and decided to invent my own version based on our favored ingredients. This past week, I introduced them at the dining hall where I work as a chef, and I think they may be a new favorite!

Black Bean-Sweet Potato-Quinoa Burgers serves 8-10

Ingredients:

1 small organic sweet potato

½ cup fairly-traded quinoa

1 (15 ounce) can or 1 lb of cooked organic black beans, drained

1 cup organic old fashioned oats

2 teaspoons cumin powder

1 ½ teaspoons mild chili powder

½ teaspoon of The Spice Hunter's Mexican Seasoning

dash of cinnamon

Juice of ½ lemon

1 ½ teaspoons Real Salt

2 organic green onions

½ cup organic cilantro leaves

1 clove garlic

1 Tablespoon grape seed oil

Process:

1. Rinse and cut the sweet potato into three or four round pieces. Boil in a medium saucepan for 10 minutes, until soft. Rinse with cold water, drain, and then slice into small pieces. An inch by an inch is a good size, but if precision isn't your specialty, then just mashing them also works well!

2. Rinse quinoa in a fine sieve with cold water. Combine with 1 cup of filtered water and ½ teaspoon of Real Salt and boil on medium heat until tender and the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Stir constantly to avoid a charred flavor!

3. Grind the oats in a blender or food processor until fine. Combine in a bowl with seasonings and mix until well combined. 

4. Finely chop peeled garlic, green onion, and cilantro. Add to oat and spice mixture. Mix in mashed sweet potatoes and quinoa and then add black beans. Stir well.

5. Refrigerate until ready to use. Shape mixture into 4” patties, about ½ cup each, and fry in a cast iron skillet or frying pan with grape seed oil for 3-4 minutes on each side. Enjoy! J 

Special note for gluten-free friends: these burgers are gluten-free! The only thing to check are the oats--if you or a loved one have a serious intolerance, check to make sure they haven't been processed in the same facility as wheat. The burger pictured here is topped with a special sauce (Vegenaise, Red Hot, and smoked paprika), parsley, and shredded carrot-daikon salad. Yum!