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Sweet Potato Burgers

Sweet Potato Burgers

I'm always looking to find a way to eat more of this superfood!  Sweet potatoes are one of the best post recovery foods you can eat.  Sweet potatoes have a ton of health benefits for the endurance athlete.  They are extremely high in magnesium and potassium which aids in reducing cramps and preventing muscle spasms.  They also are full of Vitamin-C and Vitamin-E which have anti-oxidant properties and aid in muscle recovery and removing free radicals from your body.  Sweet potatoes have more of the anti-oxidant Beta-Carotene than any fruit or vegetable as well as a ton of iron, which is important in oxygen production. Sweet potatoes complex carbohydrates are stored and then broken down by the body for future energy and with the lowest glycemic index for any root vegetable, it causes a gradual rise in blood sugar so you feel satisfied for longer.  

I love this recipe because the sweet potato is not over powering in its flavor as my wife is not a huge fan of sweet potatoes.  So this is a great option for me to get more of the nutritional benefits and still make her happy with a meal.  And I am not the best cook, but this recipe is simple to put together and freezes well for future meals.  I cut the sweet potato into blocks to speed up the cooking (softening) process.  So total time took about 1 hour 20 minutes, but don't let that scare you. Prep time is only about 10 minutes and hands on cooking maybe another 20 minutes.  The rest is waiting for the sweet potatoes to bake and soften. You can get about 6-8 burgers out of this depending on the size you make.

Sweet Potato Burgers 

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 70 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and baked
  • 1 can (425 gram) White Butter Beans (rinsed and drained)
  • 1 medium Zuchini (Chopped into small pieces)
  • 1 Small White or Sweet Onion
  • 2-4 Garlic Cloves (Depending on how much you like garlic)
  • 2-3 Tablespoons Tahini
  • 1 Small Chia Ball (1/2 Tablespoon chia seed + 2 Tablespoon Water, let soak for 5 minutes)
  • 2 Tablespoon Hemp Seed (Optional)
  • 3/4 Teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Small handful of fresh Cilantro (about 1/2 cup before chop) finely chop
  • Large handful of fresh Spinach (about a cup before chop) finely chop
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric
  • 1/4-1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
  • 1/3 Cup Coconut Flour (You can substitute your favorite such asBuckwheat, Oatmeal, Almond, Coconut, Etc)
  • 1 tablespoon Coconut Oil (for skillet)
  • Vegan Buns of your Choice

Toppings:  

Your choice such as Avacado, Tomato, Vegan Mayo, Ketchup, Mustard, Greens, Etc. 

Instructions:

  1.               Peel and chop Sweet Potatoes.  Bake covered with foil until soft (you do not need to cook all the way) for about 35-45 minutes @ 425.  Keep oven on but turn down to 200 when done.
  2. Once Sweet Potatoes are soft combine with Beans and mash together.  I used the back of a ladle.  
  3.              Saute Onion, Zuchini, and Garlic in skillet for 4-6 minutes.
  4. Add Onion, Zuchini, and Garlic to large bowl.  
  5.               Add remaining ingredients and continue to mash and combine in large bowl:Tahini, Chia Ball, Hemp Seed, Apple Cider Vinegar, Chopped Cilantro, Chopped Spinach, Salt, Smoked Paprika, Turmeric, Black Pepper, Coconut Flour
  6.              Heat a skillet and add coconut oil.  Form a "patty" in your hands with mixture to the size you want for your burgers.  Once skillet is hot, sauté 2-3 minutes on each side just to brown and hold together.  Continue until mixture is used up.
  7. Place burgers on baking sheet and pop in oven for 10-15 minutes until cooked through.  
  8.              Serve burgers on toasted buns with toppings and sides you wish.  Fix it up just like any kind of burger you like.  Lettuce, Tomato, Avocado, Mustard, Vegan Mayo, Ketchup, etc.  
  9. Enjoy and Freeze the rest for another day!

 

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MEET SOME OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS

In 2022 we had 100 Team Members. BE APART OF THE FAMILY AND SHARE YOUR STORY

Meet Team VPA member Renee @runtrails_eatplants . It is her second year on the team and she has been helping out behind the scenes on our IG @team_vpa and our FB pages"Life is too short to stay inside your comfort zone, reach for the sky. I’m Renee and I am an ultrarunner living outside Atlanta, Georgia. 14 years ago, I went plant based for my health and I never looked back. After a bad foot injury, I discovered I loved lifting as much as I love running the trails. So, at the age of 50 I added lifting heavy to my training plan. I am passionate about spreading the message that age is no limit and you can not only thrive on a plant-based diet, you can help end animal cruelty and have a positive impact on the environment too. So, get out there and go for it!"

Welcome to the team@monica.strattonSport: Triathlon, Cycling, Running

"I have struggled for my entire life with food. It seems everything I ate made me feel sluggish or sick. My husband and I decided to try the vegan lifestyle and we have never felt better. My digestive system is running so much better and I feel I have more sustainable energy through my workouts and life. Being vegan has helped me fuel better for all my races and training.
I am very proud to be a vegan athlete. I have seen what it has done for me and my performance in all my sports. I want to share my story of how being vegan has changed my life in terms of how I feel on a daily basis and in sport. Being a professional athlete my students look to me and how I live my life and I am very proud to tell them how much better my body feels being vegan "

Welcome back@rjsacksVeganism saved my dad's life many years ago. He had horrible blockages in his heart and faced stents and a very dangerous operation, or seeing what would happen if he went whole food no oil plant based. He reversed his heart disease and is healthy as ever and still vegan. He never needed heart surgery. He is now 61 years old and still doing distance cycling rides. I started changing what I was eating during high school when my dad switched his diet. I made the complete switch after I met my boyfriend, a collegiate vegan runner at the time. I was mostly looking at veganism through a health lens until I met him and he helped me face the ethical dilemmas of eating animal products as well. Since I went vegan, my sister went vegan, my mom went vegetarian almost plant based, and my brother (who I thought would never change) has cut a significant amount of meat and dairy from his diet. My dad, boyfriend and I are all vegan cyclists currently. My whole immediate family is very open to veganism and eats vegan at family gatherings. Being vegan has been easy with supports like mine.
I feel strongly about spreading a positive message and hopefully helping make a change. Veganism saves so many animals, it can save people like my dad, and can save our planet. I can show other athletes that vegans aren't frail and sickly, we can compete and do well without eating animal products.

Welcome to the team@prost_1969I had high cholesterol high blood pressure and was 40 lbs over weight. The doctor said statins for the rest of my life because high cholesterol was in my family so I took things into my own hands. Since then I lost the 40 lbs and reversed all the other issues . I now also realize the impact going vegan has on the animals and the environment. I love cycling and running and by joining the team I can reach more people and show them that you can’t just survive without the use of animal products but thrive!!

Meet Team VPA athlete Shari. We are glad she joined us Meet“Hi team, this is my first year with Team VPA. I'm overjoyed to have found this team. I adore the mission statement because it reflects my beliefs too. I'm 48 years young, a small business owner, yogi, group fitness instructor, and outdoor enthusiast. My primary sport is Triathlon, but running will always be my first love with more than 6 marathons under my belt. Vegan for over 15 yrs. Before that vegetarian for 3 years. My biggest vegan athlete accomplishment was completing my first Ironman last year after many years doing Triathlons. This year I'm looking forward to enjoying long cycling tours in Europe! Follow my adventures on IG @sparks_vegan”

Welcome to the team@mattd_team_vegan_athletics"My name is Matt Dellaro. This is my first year as a Team VPA member as well as my first new year as an endurance athlete. I decided last February to buy a road bike and start cycling again after not having done it since my teens...I'm 51 now. I heard about short course triathlons and decided to see what I could do. I have 3 sprints behind me now as well as a 5k and 8k trail running races, a 5k road, two 10k races and a half marathon. I'm looking forward to longer triathlons as I get more comfortable with open water swimming, and working up to a 70.3 or even a 140.6. I've been vegan for over 8 years, and am so loving this new chapter in my life. Thanks to everyone at Team VPA who has been so helpful, supportive and just plain cool."

We are so glad you joined us@barefootjei"My name is Jérémie alias@barefootjei, I'm 28 years old and I'm from Normandy in France.

I have been vegan for 3 years now. I'm vegan for the animals! I'm so happy to have joined the team and to wear our colors in my country.

In 2022 I will be running every day to raise funds that will be donated to two Vegan associations.

My goal for 2022 is a 55km in May and another probably longer race by the end of the year."

"My name is Gloria Perez and I live in sunny Southern California. This is the first year I'm on Team VPA. I have been vegan for 4.5 years. I made the switch after my son inspired me. Becoming vegan has been one of the best decisions I've made for my health and of course for the animals and for the planet we all share. I have 3 sons and 2 grandsons. I've been running for 8 years. I've ran many distances, but my favorite distance is the half marathon. I enjoy both road and trail running. I also enjoy backpacking, cycling, lifting weights, OCR and traveling. One of my goals for this year is to start racing duathalons. I'd also love to do R2R2R (Grand Canyon). I'm also currently learning to speak French. "