See? You can eat burgers AND bolognese AND pizza AND fudge on a healthy eating plan!
Granted, they’re not dripping with cheese, oil and meat, but I promise that these are just as tasty and far more nourishing. Plus, we’re rolling towards summer so there’s nothing wrong with moving towards lighter foods with beach season looming!
I absolutely love making these burgers, as they’re so simple, cheap and yummy. Just how I like my men! I kid, I kid.
But the spices I used really lift the natural sweetness of the sweet potato, and the caramelised onion relish finishes it all off perfectly.
Rather than a stodgy bun, I simply baked slices of sweet potato to use as a base for the burgers. Sweet potato is such a great starchy veggie for giving us a healthy glow and filling us up with low-fat, high-fibre goodness. The chickpeas are a great source of complete protein, making this a well-balanced meal option.
These make a great evening meal, or lunchbox filler.
- 1 medium sweet potato
- 200g cooked chickpeas
- A handful of baby spinach
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp tamari dressing
- Pinch of ground black pepper
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 2 tbsp flaxseed
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 2 tbsp brown rice flour
- 1 medium red onion, finely sliced
- 1 tsp coconut palm sugar (optional for extra sweetness)
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
- Pinch of Himalayan pink rock salt
- Preheat the oven to 190C and prepare a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
- Peel the sweet potato and chop it into chunks.
- Steam the sweet potato for about 10 minutes until it softens.
- Add the sweet potato to a blender or food processor along with the chickpeas, spinach, smoked paprika, garlic, lemon juice, tamari, black pepper, coriander seeds, flaxseed, curry powder and cumin.
- Process until the mixture forms a thick dough. You may need to scrape down the sides occasionally to allow it to blend.
- Place the mixture in a large bowl and fold in the flour, mixing it well. It should be soft and pliable but not sticky. Add more flour if the mixture is too sticky.
- Use a tablespoon to divide the mixture into balls, and then press them down gently onto the baking tray to form burger patties.
- Bake them at 190C for 20-25 minutes, until they become firm and a light golden-brown in colour.
- While the burgers bake, prepare the relish.
- In a saucepan over a medium heat, place the coconut sugar and allow it to gently heat up.
- Add the sliced red onion and let it cook until it begins to sweat gently.
- Add the balsamic vinegar, salt and fennel seeds, and continue to stir it for 4-5 minutes until it begins to caramelise.
- Take care not to allow it to burn, and add some warm water if it begins sticking to the bottom of the saucepan.
- Remove the burgers from the oven and allow them to cool for five minutes before serving.
- I like to serve them on a medallion of roast sweet potato and piled high with relish!