maple sweet potato pecan burgers

It’s Super Bowl time, my friends! I’m crazy excited because this is the first season that I’ve cared about NFL football.

I’m not rooting for either team, I’m just hoping for a very close game with lots of passing plays, several chances for me to yell, “SACK!” and a winner that is determined on a last-second play, preferably in double overtime. Is that too much to ask?

I’m also excited for the very best part of the Super Bowl…Puppy Bowl!

Awww so cute! Gimme a wittle puppy wuppy face to snuggle wuggle, please!

I’m planning to stuff my face with these burgers throughout the human game, the doggie game and the Kitty Halftime Show.

These burgers are sweet, but not overwhelmingly so. There’s a hint of cayenne and the nuttiness from the pecans and quinoa helps to make these burgers savory and delicious.

 

They definitely don’t taste like dessert burgers. (Although, note to self: make dessert burgers). Pretty please do me a favor and make the sweet onion topping to go with the burgers. These babies are good on their own, but the caramelized onion topping takes it to a whole new level of yum. Oh and p.s., the burgers have kale in them, which means that if you eat just one of these burgers, the nutrients from the kale will cancel out any calories ingested from beer or desserts. That’s just how science works.

Maple Sweet Potato Pecan Burgers
Makes 4 burgers
Printable recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cups peeled, cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
• 1/4 cup uncooked quinoa
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup dry roasted pecans, chopped
• 1 cup chopped kale
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (plus a sprinkle for the onion topping)
• 1 sweet onion
• sprinkle of fresh ground black pepper
• 4 buns of your choice

If your pecans aren’t already dry roasted, you can roast them easily by spreading them out on a baking sheet and baking for 5 minutes at 350 degrees.

To make the burgers, preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Since sweet potatoes come in all shapes and sizes, I opted to include a measurement of the potatoes already cooked and mashed rather than a total number of sweet potatoes to use. I ended up using three potatoes for this recipe. I microwaved them until soft, then removed the skin and mashed them with a fork in a large bowl.

While your potatoes are cooking, bring the water and quinoa to a boil in a small saucepan.

Turn the heat down to a low simmer and cover the saucepan, allowing the quinoa to cook for 8-10 minutes. Check the quinoa every couple of minutes since stove temperatures vary. It may cook faster or slower than expected. You’ll know it’s done when the water is almost gone from the pan and the quinoa appears to be nearly transparent instead of its original whitish color.

Remove the quinoa from the stove and let it sit, covered, for 5 minutes.

In a separate saucepan, or in a microwave, melt 1 tablespoon of Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread and then stir in 1 tablespoon of maple syrup and the cayenne pepper.

Stir the maple syrup sauce in with the mashed sweet potatoes, then stir in the the cooked quinoa, pecans, kale and sea salt.

Form the mixture into four patties and place on a baking sheet sprayed with olive oil or another cooking spray. Bake for 45 minutes, turning once at the halfway point.

When the burgers have around 15 minutes left to cook, make the onion topping by roughly chopping the sweet onion and melting the remaining 1 tablespoon of Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onion to the melted Earth Balance, sprinkle with sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, and cook for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn the heat down to low and pour in the remaining 1 tablespoon of maple syrup. Allow the onions to cook for 3 more minutes, stirring every 30 seconds or so.

Remove the onion mixture from the heat and spoon over the tops of the burgers once they have finished baking.

 

Tagged as: baked, burger, cayenne, dinner, kale, lunch, maple, onions, pecan, quinoa, super bowl, sweet potato, sweet potato burger, vegan