Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 3 medium sized potatoes)
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans (divided, or 1 15-ounce can rinsed until water runs clear and drained)
  • 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter (optional)
  • 4 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 heaping tablespoon minced ginger root (or 1 heaping teaspoon ground ginger)
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
  • 1 teaspoon grains of paradise (crushed, or ground black pepper plus 1/4 tsp. ground cardamom)
  • 1 teaspoon salt (if desired)
  • 1/2-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (depending on your heat tolerance)
  • 1 large onion (finely diced)
  • 1/2 large green pepper (finely diced)
  • 1/2 cup oats (quick or old fashioned rolled oats, uncooked)
  • 1/4 cup vital wheat gluten (or a gluten-free flour blend)

Instruction

  • Cook the sweet potatoes until tender. You may microwave them, but for best flavor, pierce them several times with a fork and bake at 425 F until they are tender but still firm, 30-50 minutes depending on size of the potatoes. Allow to cool until you can easily peel them. (You can prepare the potatoes in advance; just bring them to room temperature before continuing with the recipe.)
  • Place the sweet potatoes into a food processor. Add HALF of the drained black beans, along with the peanut butter, garlic, and all the spices. Process briefly until everything is combined and the potatoes are mashed. (You can also do this in a bowl with a potato masher and lots of wrist action.)
  • Scoop the potato mixture into a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining black beans, onions, green pepper, and oats. Stir well to combine. Add the gluten or other flour and stir well to make sure that it’s distributed evenly. The mixture should be very thick and not too wet; if it seems wet, add a little more oats or gluten to get a very heavy “dough.” Set aside while you preheat your oven to 425 F and line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. (You may also oil a non-stick baking sheet.)
  • Form the mixture into 10-12 burgers, using 1/3-1/2 cup per burger. Burgers should be no more than 3/4-inch thick. Bake for 25-35 minutes, until outside is firm and brown but center is still a little soft. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a couple of minutes before removing from baking sheet and serving.