Smokey and sweet with a little chilli kick… everything a good burger should be!

Makes 4-6 burgers

Ingredients:

2 sweet potatoes

1 tin of black beans, drained, rinsed and padded dry

1 cup of cooked rice - we used a mixture of brown and black rice but you can use whichever type you have in the cupboard

1 onion finely diced

2 1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp smoked paprika

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp chipotle chilli flakes or powder

olive oil

Extras:

Ciabatta buns or burger buns of choice

Sliced avocado

Sliced red onion

Sliced tomato

Sliced red chilli

Spinach or lettuce leaves

Mustard or your favourite sauce

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200c/ 400f /gas mark 6

2. Wash the sweet potatoes, cut them in half lengthways and rub with a little olive oil. Place them on a baking tray, cut side up and pop in the oven to bake for 35 minutes or until tender all the way through. Once cooked set aside to cool.

3. Cook rice by bringing 2 cups water to a boil, then add 1 cup very well-rinsed rice, reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for about 20-25 minutes or until tender.

4. Put the black beans in a large mixing bowl and roughly crush them with the back of a fork for a varied texture. Scoop the sweet out of their skins into the bowl and add 1 1/2 cups of the cooked rice, the diced onion, ground cumin, smoked paprika, chipotle and salt. Mix everything together until well combined, adding a little extra cooked rice if the mixture is a bit too wet.

5. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and brush with little olive oil and turn the oven down to 180c/ 350f/ gas mark 4.

6. Divide the mixture into 4, 5 or 6 depending on big you would like them. Form each portion into burger-shaped patties with your hands and place them on the baking tray.

7. Place in the oven and bake for 30-45 minutes, flipping them half way to ensure even cooking.

N.B The longer you bake them, the firmer the burgers will be… the choice is yours.

We love to serve these piled up on a board alongside the toasted bun and the selection of extras for everyone to helps themselves and build their own burger.

XX