Sweet Potato & Black Bean Burgers

Now I'm no vegetarian, but I can absolutely say that good food is good food, meat or not. On my never-ending quest to create delicious and healthy options for everyday feasting, I stumbled upon a recipe for veggie burgers that looked, well, really good. I made a few tweaks, whipped it up and was very pleased with the results! The texture came out great, they were super flavorful and the healthy factor was through the roof. 

But the thing that really made this whole experience great for me was having my good friend Garrett over to be a guest photographer to this post. Garrett's a super talent and an upright individual, you can find out more about him and his excellent photography skills here: http://www.garrettborn.com/ 

Sweet Potato Black Bean Burger: (Makes 6-8 patties)

1 can black beans, drained

1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 1" chunks 

1/2 c. Crispin Original Cider, reduced to 1/4 c. 

 1 Egg

 1 Tbsp. dijon or stone ground mustard 

 Juice from one lime 

1/2 tsp. ground coriander

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. kosher salt 

1/4 tsp. cayenne

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/4 c. chopped cilantro 

1/4 cup + wheat flour

 2 c. Panko crumbs 

3-4 Tbsp. canola oil for frying
Burger buns 
Toppings: Heirloom tomato, red onion, avocado


*Gluten Free? Substitue the flour for gf ap flour, breadcrumbs for smashed up corn chex cereal, 
  and buns for your fav gf brand or serve on top of greens for an even healthier meal! 

1) Begin by reducing your cider over low heat, 10-15 minutes and also by boiling your sweet potato

    until tender. You could also bake it in the oven to achieve a richer flavor, but I'm impatient, so 

    that's that.

2) Whisk together the cumin, cayenne, coriander, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside. 

3) Combine sweet potato, beans, reduced cider, mustard, cilantro, and lime juice in a large bowl.

    Using a potato masher, pastry cutter or some other mashing device, mash all together until 

    Well incorporated. Add the spice mixture and stir to combine. 

4) Take your egg, lightly beat, and stir into the mixture. Add the flour little by little until the 

    mash is able to hold its form in a patty. 

5) Flour your hands for easy handling and form mixture into 6-8 patties. 

6) Spreading the breadcrumbs onto a plate, lightly press each patty into the crumbs to coat well on 

    all sides. Set aside. 

7) Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium high heat, add 1 Tbsp. oil at a time (you'll have to 

    work in batches), cook each patty until the breadcrumbs are nicely browned on each side, 

    about 8-10 min. total. 

8) Lightly salt your tomato slices and avocado and allow to sit for 5 min. before topping your 

    burger. Assemble toppings as desired! 

patty cake, patty cake 

Nit Wit wanted to help, it was a nice gesture but...

Looking back on all of these delicious food pictures is making me really hungry! These burgers were definitely delicious and are well worth a try. Because the recipe is so basic, it's really easy to make it your own and mess around with the spices and toppings, you could even add some delicious cheese if you're feeling crazy! 

Thanks again to Garrett Born for the amazing pictures!