Sweet potato, quinoa & chickpea burgers

 (makes 5-6 medium-sized burgers)


Sweet potato, quinoa & chickpea burger

Ingredients:
1 medium sweet potato, peeled & cubed
1 can chickpeas (400g), drained
50g - 75g dried quinoa
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 - 2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp ground coriander powder (optional)
chilli flakes or fresh chilli to taste
salt & pepper
coconut oil or other oil suitable for frying
a large handful of maize flour for coating

Method:

1. Bring a pan of water to the boil and add the peeled & cubed sweet potato as well as the quinoa (saves on washing up - always a bonus) .  Add salt and cook for 15 - 20 minutes or until the quinoa is done (see packet instructions).
2. Once cooked, drain the potato/quinoa mix, add half of the drained chickpeas and mash with a potato masher.  Leave to cool for a few minutes.
3. Now add the rest of the chickpeas, garlic, cumin, chilli flakes and mix well.  Add more seasoning if required.
4. Form 5 or 6 burgers out of the mixture and coat evenly with the maize flour. 
5. Place on a plate and chill in the fridge for 10 - 15 minutes.
6. Heat a little oil in a frying pan and fry the burgers in batches until golden brown on both sides (they will be soft to start with, so careful when turning them over). 

Ideal served with salad, herb yogurt and chutney but also great inside pitta bread or just on their own. 
If you are missing meat in this dish, you could serve these with cumin-spiced chicken breast.

Change the recipe by replacing the chickpeas with kidney beans, the quinoa with lentils,...use whatever you have to hand and enjoy the most.