PS: Sweet Potato & Bean Burgers

Chef:  Jessica Meyers-Altman
Makes:  5 servings
Prep Time:  15 minutes
Cook Time:  35 minutes
Total Time:  50 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Raw Pickled Onions (adapted from www.rouxbe.com, best if made ahead of time)

• 2 medium red onions, sliced thinly on mandolin
• ½ c red wine vinegar
• 1½ T agave nectar
• ¼ t sea salt

Burgers

• 1 c of cooked sweet potato (1-2 sweet potatoes)
• ½ c of chickpeas or black beans
• ¼ c of pitted Nicose olives (can use Kalamata)
• ¼ c roasted red pepper, diced (to make this I heat a red pepper on open flame until blacked and then place into a paper/cloth bag, close and allow to steam for 15-20 mins, peel blacked skin off and cut)
• ⅛ c oat flour
• 3 T red or regular onion
• ¾ T minced garlic
• 3 T freshly chopped parsley or cilantro
• ¾ t cumin
• ¼ t  black pepper
• ⅛ t chipotle powder
• ¼ t salt

DIRECTIONS

Pickled Onions

1. Mix all ingredients in a non-reactive bowl (glass) and massage with your hands, tossing them in the liquid.
2. Best made the day ahead.
3. Can be stored for 2 weeks.

Veggie Burgers

1. Mash sweet potato and beans in a large bowl.
2. Add remaining ingredients and mix, taste for seasoning (you CAN eat this, unlike a traditional burger-it's all good-no salmonella or E.Coli!
3. Preheat oven to 400. Place silpat mat on a cookie sheet, or if you don't have one, use parchment paper. Using a ¼ or ⅓ measuring cup, scoop and drop onto cookie sheet. I flatten ours out a little with the back of the measuring cup. If you want to make these appetizers, use an ice cream scoop.
4. Bake for 25 minutes on one side (you want them to set) and then gently flip. Cook for another 8-10 minutes.

Tips

1. These freeze perfectly once baked. Just store by layering between wax paper.
2. To reheat, cook on 375 and rewarm on a cookie sheet with silpat or parchment for 15 minutes, until warmed.
3. They can go in frozen (if doing this, add a little more time on).
4. Or serve right away, topped with pickled onions, and my chipotle hummus, with some sweet potato "fries" on the side.

Jessica Meyers Altman
Associate Professor of Whole Food Nutrition & Living
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."  Margaret Mead

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