Sweet potato black bean burger

Ingredients

For the burger:

• 1 ½ cups rolled oats
• 1 cup mashed sweet potato, peeled and cooked
• 1 cup mashed black beans
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon chipotle powder (optional)
• Drizzle of cooking oil
• 4 whole wheat burger buns
   

For the sauce:

• ¼ cup toasted pepitas
• ¼ cup salsa verde
   

Toppings:

• 1 avocado, sliced
• ½ cup sliced kale, loosely packed
• Pickled or thinly sliced raw red onion
   

Preparation

1. To make the patties, pulse the rolled oats in a food processor until coarsely ground. Set aside.
2. Combine the sweet potato, black beans, salt, and spices; then incorporate the ground oats.
3. Let this sit for about five minutes so the flavors can marry.
4. Form the mixture into four equal-size patties.
5. In a skillet, heat a thin layer of oil over medium heat.
6. Add the patties and fry on both sides until crisp, about 4 minutes per side.
7. To make the sauce: Puree the pepitas and salsa verde in a food processor or blender and set aside.
8. Build your burger: Mash the avocado and spread it on the bottom bun. Then, add your patty and top with the pepita sauce. Finish off the burger with kale and red onion, then the top bun.
    

Yield: 4 servings