I think I actually like vegetarian burgers more than real meat burgers themselves (except for that time I bought that bison burger from Aubrey’s Meats..that was really freakin’ good).

Since I began Hilary Makes almost two years ago (!!), I’ve made several alternatives to the traditional beef-lovers burger. It’s not that I don’t like the succulent meatiness of the original, it’s more that I’m not not fond of the lengthy “buy the ground beef, freeze it because you’re too busy with school to use it at the moment, defrost it for a whole day (who can wait that long?!), and cook it in a pan for 20 minutes until it’s not pink anymore” process.

And so, because I really just want to take a stroll down memory lane, here are all the non-meat burgers that I’ve made over time…

1. Black bean burger (my personal favourite so far)
2. Portobello mushroom burgers with provolone cheese and red pepper mayonnaise
3. Gluten-free quinoa burger
4. Chick pea burger 

Last week I decided to go one step forward and turn what is traditionally a burger side into a burger itself. The birth of the sweet potato burger hath cometh!

And, because I am of the firm belief that you can never eat too many potatoes (must be the Irish gene in me), I made a simple side of red potatoes fried in…wait for it…duck fat! Don’t worry, I’m not turning into  Paula Deen or anything, I just heard that this was a killer combination, and needed to try it out for myself. Sure enough, my house spelled like roasted duck (and more importantly, my potatoes tasted like it). Deliciousness that was off the hizzle.

PS: I realize that you are all going to think I’m addicted to avocado. This is an accurate diagnoses  and, though I see no reason to try and justify my love in any way, I do apologize for the non-creative dish toppings. I just think they’re fantastic (and were on sale this week!).

Run out of proper forks. Use a knork instead (there’s also a spoon at the base of the handle…now that’s practical!)

Recipe: Sweet potato burger
Adapted from Healthy. Happy. Life
– 1 cup mashed sweet potato (about 1 large sweet potato)
– 3/4 cup dark red kidney beans
– 1 clove garlic, minced
–  Dash of cayenne pepper
– 1/4 tsp lemon pepper
– 1/2 cup bread crumbs

Roast the sweet potato on a lined baking sheet at 400ºF. Roast until it can be easily pierced with a fork, about 45 minutes.

Break up the sweet potato into small slices. Put it in a Magic Bullet or blender cup, alongside the kidney beans, cayenne pepper and lemon pepper. Pulse until well blended.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the blender mixture with the breadcrumbs, using a wooden spoon to stir. Shape the mixture into burger patties using your hands and fry on a lightly-oiled non-stick pan for about 15 minutes, flipping to ensure the sides don’t get burned.

Serve on a toasted hamburger bun with mayonnaise and avocado.

Makes two servings.