Sweet Potato-Lentil Burgers and Kale Pesto

I often rely on microwavable veggie patties for lunch when I’m rushed, but I want to eat foods that are whole and fresh so that I know exactly what I’m eating. These take a little time, but you’ll have lunch ready-made for the whole week. Plus they are perfectly well-rounded with a good balance of high-quality protein, carbs and fat to keep you satisfied.

This recipe is a shout out to a fellow WordPress blogger Wayfaringteacher.com, who inspired these burgers.

Ingredients:

• 2 small sweet potatoes – shredded
• 1 large carrot – shredded
• 1 1/2 cup cooked lentils – drained
• 1/2 cup black beans
• 1/2 cup almond meal
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 tbs chia seeds
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp agave
• lots of black pepper
• 1 tbs EVOO

Directions:

Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.

1. Mix the chia seeds with 1/4 cup of water and set aside. This will create a gel that replaces the egg.
2. Cook and drain your lentils.
3. Shred the potatoes and carrots together and heat in a pan with the oil for 5 minutes, just until soft.
4. Grind almonds (and sunflower seeds together) if you don’t have almond meal. Put the meal, lentils, chia gel and agave into a food processor and process until mixed but slightly chunky.
5. Combine the processed mixture into a bowl with the cooked vegetables and hand mix. If the mixture is too wet, add more almond meal, if it’s too dry add some water. If it’s too dry it will fall apart in the oven.
6. Shape even patties from 1/4 cup mixture and back for 20 minutes on each side, until crispy.

Kale Pesto: an amazing pairing with these burgers. I was surprised how much this tastes like pesto sauce!

Ingredients:

• 3-4 cups of washed kale, steamed for 5 minutes
• 1-2 tbs agave
• 1 tbs dry basil
• 1 tsp dry oregano
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1/4 tsp salt

Pulse all the ingredients in a blender until mixed and chunky. Top your burgers with this, along with some grilled onion, tomato, mushroom and bell peppers like I did 🙂

Coconut Banana French Toast

Need I say more?

Okay, I’ll say a little more. Like how awesome and easy this recipe is! I used Cinnamon and Raisin Ezekiel Bread which makes the result even sweeter, plus I like to eat sprouted grains for it’s health benefits. Pair this with a nice glass of orange/carrot/ginger juice and you’ve got yourself a fine brunch 🙂

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup coconut milk
• 2 tbs coconut creamer
• 1/2 mashed banana
• 1 tsp cinnamon and nutmeg
• 1 tbs coconut oil (or EVOO)
• 2-4 slices of bread
• shredded coconut for garnish

Mix all the ingredients (except oil and bread) in a pan and soak the bread in the mixture for 30 seconds on each side. Meanwhile heat the oil on a large pan. Drain the bread a little before adding to the pan, then cook for about 3 minutes each side or until golden brown. I also caramelized a couple slices of banana and brown sugar next to them for the top of the french toast. Finish with shredded coconut, blueberries, maple syrup, whatever your heart desires! Enjoy 🙂