With the arrival of summer, meals lighten up, becoming more fun and casual. In other words, BURGERS! Who doesn’t like a nice bbq on a hot summer day?

I decided to cook these in an oven this time. If you would prefer to bbq, just make sure that you start the burgers on a baking sheet lined with parchment, as they are pretty soft when in raw form. Once they’ve cooked for a bit, if you want to give them grill marks you can definitely finish them on the grill.

Quinoa is one of my favourite grains! It is practically the perfect food- a complete protein, full of fiber, magnesium, lysene and riboflavin- and of course it’s gluten free! Quinoa also has a quintessentially nutty taste that works well when used in an application such as this, as it adds a nutty sweetness and a rich texture to the burgers. I also love sweet potato for this recipe- it’s filled with vitamins, minerals and fiber, and it adds a lot of moisture so that the burgers don’t dry out during the cooking process.

For seasoning, I chose to use smoked paprika. It lends a nice smokiness, and a hint of spice, picking up the flavours of the potato and quinoa nicely.

Every burger needs a good sauce. I have made quite a few cashew based dips before, so I thought it would be the perfect topping for these burgers. Cashews contain vitamins E, K and B6, along with copper, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron, to list a few of their benefits. They are sweet and creamy, and puree well to mimic egg-based mayonnaise. Nutritional yeast provides a tangy flavour, and is full of protein and complex B vitamins. Basil is also full of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and has a great flavour that compliments the smoky burgers nicely.

This weekend, grab your family and friends and try these yummy, nutritious burgers! I guarantee even the meat eaters will gobble them up! Eat well to live well!

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Sweet potato & Quinoa Burgers with Cashew & Basil Dip

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Ingredients

For Burgers:

• 1 cup Quinoa
• 2 Sweet potatoes small
• 1 tbsp Smoked Paprika
• olive oil
• Himalayan pink salt

For Cashew and Basil Dip:

• 2 handful Cashew nuts (soaked)
• 10 g fresh Basil
• water
• 1/2 lemon (juice)
• 1 tbsp Nutritional Yeast

Instructions

1.  First, make the dip- Soak cashews in water for at least 2-3 hours

   2. Using a blender, puree the cashews with the basil, lemon and nutritional yeast until smooth.
   

   3. Refrigerate until ready to use.
   

   
   

   To make Burgers:

   
   

   1. Preheat oven to 185C (330F).

   2. Peel Sweet potatoes, slice and spread onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Pour the olive oil evenly and thinly  over the sweet potatoes.

   3. Bake at 185C for 20-25 minutes, until soft.

   4. Meanwhile, cook Quinoa according to package instructions.

   5. Mash baked sweet potatoes with a potato masher, or toss them into a Kitchenaid mixer and beat on medium speed with the paddle attachment.

   6. Preheat oven to 185 C (370F)

   7. Mix mashed Sweet potatoes with cooked Quinoa , Smoked paprika and Himalayan pink salt. Mix well

   8. Form balls with your hands and press them flat.

   9. Bake in the oven at 185C for 10 min