Friday, January 9, 2009

Light & Hearty...



Light: \ˈlīt\ adjective. Low in calories or fat, easily digested, not heavy in the stomach

Hearty: \ˈhär-tē\ adjective. abundant, rich or flavorful enough to satisfy the appetite

Is it possible for a meal to be light, yet hearty? Low-calorie, yet filling? Is it possible to please your waistline and your tastebuds? This vegan recipe will prove to you that the two can coexist. Bold African-inspired flavors and naturally filling, fiber-filled ingredients offer up a lunch or dinner that will keep you going, smiling all the way. These "burgers" are not pretending to be meat, and there will be no mistaking them. They have a sweet, spicy nuttiness that's all their own. And the entire meal (1 burger with accompaniments and 1 cup of chickpea salad) has under 500 calories and keeps you full all day!

Sweet Potato & Pecan Burgers with Caramelized Onions and Chickpea Salad


2 1/2 cups sweet potato
1 tsp olive oil
2 1/2 cups red onion
3 large garlic cloves
1 cup rolled oats
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon chipotle spice mix
1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp ancho chile powder
1/4 tsp allspice
1 1/2 Tbsp cumin
3 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans
3 Tbsp olive oil
6 whole wheat or whole grain bread or buns
2 cups caramelized onions
Barbecue sauce

1 can low-sodium garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
1/2 large bell pepper, chopped
2 Tbsp minced onion
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp seracha (chile garlic sauce)
1 1/2 tsp cumin

Cut sweet potato into 1/2 inch cubes. Add to a small saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Return heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, or until potatoes are soft. Then strain. Meanwhile, saute onions in 1 tsp olive oil until soft. Add garlic and saute for 2 minutes.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine oats and dry seasonings. Pulse until oats are finely ground. Add sweet potatoes, onions and garlic, and cilantro and pulse until well mixed. Let cool if still warm, then stir in pecans. Form the burgers into 6 patties.

Heat 1 1/2 tsp of olive oil over medium-high heat in a nonstick pan. Sear 3 burgers at a time, until browned - about 4 minutes per side. Serve on whole wheat buns spread with BBQ sauce and topped with Boston lettuce and 1/3 cup carmelized onions.

For Chickpea Salad: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well. Enjoy!

11 comments:

Heather said...

wow - that sounds delicious! what a great alternative to the traditional burger!

Amber said...

I love vegie burgers. So, if we were closer I would expect an invite.
Vanilla chips are usually called 'white chips'. White chips are not white chocolate, they are vanilla. I hate that the government allows companies to trick people into thinking they are buying something and it isn't. Perhaps you have white chocolate chips where you are. Read the ingredients on back and if so let me know okay. Whenever I make something with white chocolate I have to buy the bar and chop it.
Have a good week Dana.

Anonymous said...

Oh my word, those look and sound absolutely fantastic! ~Krista

Lovlie said...

These sound delicious and hearty indeed! Making me hungry! Yum!

Beth said...

My 12-yo decided to go vegetarian a few weeks ago, so I made a big production tonight of testing veggie burger recipes and tweeting the process. This recipe won, hands-down, and will be a regular at our house!

Anonymous said...

Mmm these look great!

Anonymous said...

Wow this is a great recipe! I can't wait to try it!

le bouton said...

Can this really be low-cal? Do you have a ballpark figure?

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the nice recipes.

Anonymous said...

I tried this recipe the other day. Absolutley Fab, thanks for this recipe!

Halle said...

We love this recipe! Would you be interested in letting us include this recipe (with attributions, of course) for a charity cookbook called the Flexitarian Cookbook? We're looking for guest contributors, who have a passion for great food. Please email me! halle@theflexitariancookbook.com

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