Food rut...over!

I guess I really just needed to rant a little because I think I quickly got past both my yoga and food rut. Today was so beautiful but also unseasonably warm, so I had to almost force myself to go for my run. I'm glad I did! I feel so much more energized now and it was surprisingly cooler in the gym than it was outside, so it was nice. I ran about 2 miles and then came home and cooked the dinner I prepared in advance. Side note: prepping things ahead of time is awesome.

Rewinding a bit, but lunch today was divine:


"Cheese" pizza made with a Joseph's whole wheat/flax pita, hummus, Trader Joe's salsa authentica (best salsa ever), oregano, basil, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, sea salt and a generous sprinkling of nooch. It really does taste like cheese pizza! Amazing. Served with a bowl of honeydew and a glass of fresh brewed pomegranate white iced tea.

Dinner, though, was spectacular. I was a skeptical Sally about it, but man did it exceed expectations.

I came across this recipe for "sweet potato black bean burgers" and knew I wanted to play with it. So, I made my own version:

Teriyaki sweet potato & bean burgers with pineapple chutney
Serves 2

Ingredients:
- 1/2 sweet potato, baked and de-skinned
- 1/2 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/4 cup rolled oats
- 1/8 cup sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp ground flax + 1 1/2 tbsp water (or preferred egg replacer)
- 1 green onion
- Ginger, cumin, garlic powder, and to taste (I don't measure, so just feel it out)
- Small dash of sriracha, if you want a little kick.

Instructions:
- In a small bowl, combine flax + water and allow to sit for a few minutes until thickened.
- In a large bowl, mash the sweet potato. Add the black beans and mash to desired consistency (I like to leave some whole).
- Add oats, onion, seasonings and egg replacer. Combine thoroughly.
- Form into patties and refrigerate for at least an hour. This is important because chilling allows it to firm up even more.
- Coat both sides with teriyaki sauce*, and grill for 3-5 minutes on each side, or until grill marks form and sauce begins to caramelize. You can also bake or pan fry, which I think I'll try next time.

* For the teriyaki sauce, I used the same recipe from my teriyaki tempeh.


Before being cooked.

For the pineapple chutney, I used a pretty rough recipe. I basically diced up some pineapple (enough for at least one burger), 1 shallot, and put both ingredients in a sauce pan with a couple tablespoons of rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon of agave, crushed red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt. I simmered until thickened and let it sit at room temperature until served.


Voile! Served with some steamed kale.

This was so good. So, so good. Really, I doubt you'll be disappointed. It's the first veggie burger I've made that didn't completely fall apart and had enough flavor to keep my mouth excited. It was moist but not total mush. If you prefer yours on the drier side, though, add 1/2 cup oats instead of 1/4. Enjoy!