Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers

Remember my goal of making three new recipes this spring break??

Well, I am up to two!

Maybe for my third recipe I will find something tasty in the cook books and recipe cards I got passed down from my grandma today.  I went over there to see her and was able to clean out her cupboards as a bonus.  I got some dishes that will definitely come in handy when I move into an apartment all by myself in May!

In an effort to use up things from around the house, I modified a recipe I found online and made sweet potato black bean burgers for my mom and I!

I found them to be mighty tasty! And they were pretty easy to make, too!

Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers

• 2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 2-inch chunks (this was about 3 medium-sized potatoes for me)
• 1 cup cooked organic black beans, divided into two 1/2 cup servings
• ½ cup breadcrumbs
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour plus more if you need it
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon chile powder
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 2-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more if you need it

Fill a medium saucepan with water, add the sweet potato chunks and cover. Cook over a medium-high heat for 15-20 minutes until very tender. Drain in a colander until very dry.

Once dry, place sweet potato chunks in a large mixing bowl with 1/2 cup of the black beans and mash with a potato masher to break up the big bits. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of beans, salt and pepper, breadcrumbs, flour, and garlic, and mix with your hands to form a smooth batter. Make sure that the breadcrumbs and flour are mixed throughout and there are not huge chunks of potato. If the mixture is too wet, add more flour. It should be quite sticky though.

Prior to cooking

In a non-stick skillet, heat two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over a medium-high heat. Form round, flat patties about 3-inches in diameter (this is about three tablespoons of batter per patty). Cook four or more at a time for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown. Transfer finished patties to a paper towel-lined plate to cool slightly. Add more oil as needed to continue cooking the remaining patties. If you wish to save the rest to cook later, form the patties and place on a plate covered in plastic wrap. They can stay in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Pull them out from your fridge and cook as mentioned above.

Ready to eat! We also made homemade sweet and russet potato chips! YUM.

The pictures may not do them justice as I didn’t have my camera on hand, but the meal totally hit the spot for me.  It was like a burger and fries…minus the meat!

Well, as some of you may know, it is a very special hockey night in Pittsburgh.  Pens captain Sidney Crosby is BACK! I’m off to watch the game!

Have a good night!

Anyone have a favorite non-meat burger recipe?

And don’t forget, my digital kitchen scale giveaway ends tomorrow!!