In the kitchen

{Sweet potato burger with avocado}

Today's recipe comes from Kathy Patalsky of Healthy Happy Life -one of the few authentic vegan food sites online. She also contributes her yummy recipes for Babble's family kitchen. I can't wait to try this recipe.  What really attracts me to this recipe is its versatility.  I could substitute sweet potato with any other hardy root vegetable, such as yams, squash, yucca or boniato (a less sweet version of sweet potato). Find recipe below. Bon apetite!

makes 7-8 large patties

2 cans cannellini white beans, drained
1 large sweet potato, baked/peeled/mashed (about 2 cups)
2 Tbsp tahini
2 tsp maple or agave syrup
1 tsp lemon pepper seasoning OR Cajun seasoning (or another fave spice!)
1/4 cup wheat flour optional: additional seasoning (whatever you have on hand - I used a few dashes cayenne, black pepper and a scoop of nutritional yeast)

salt to taste if needed plentiful Panko crumbs and safflower oil for pan

burgers: avocado, Dijon mustard, grain buns, romaine, onion, olive oil, pepper

Directions:

1. Bake sweet potato. Peel, place in large mixing bowl.
2. Add drained beans to mixing bowl. Mash beans and potato together.
3. Mash in seasoning, flour and any additional seasoning. Your mixture will be quite soft and moist. But you should be able to form a patty. Add more flour or a scoop of breadcrumbs - or dry rice to thicken the mixture if needed.
4. Heat 1 Tbsp safflower oil in a pan over high heat.
5. Form a patty from mixture and coat in Panko crumbs. Thick coating. Then drop the patty in the pan. Repeat until the pan is filled. Cook until browned on both sides. You could also bake. If baking, use less Panko.
6. Transfer cooked patties to paper towel. Cool for a few minutes.
7. Serve on toasted bun with lotsa toppings. Note: yes this patty does fall kind of apart as you eat it. But that is OK because it tastes yummy.