Burgers are a well-loved dish by many. We have decided to share with you these plant-based burger recipes, replacing meat with more eco-friendly ingredients which are better for the planet and also for your health.

Spicy Sweet Potato and Chickpea Burger

Ingredients (serves 4) 1 cup mashed sweet potatoes 1 cup chickpeas 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 small shallot, minced 1 tablespoon scallion, finely chopped 2 tablespoons hot sauce 1/4 teaspoon cumin 1/4 teaspoon turmeric 1/2 teaspoon paprika Salt and pepper, to taste Coconut oil, for brushing Preparation To Prep the Sweet Potato: Chop a medium sized sweet potato into chunks and place in a small pot with enough water to cover. Don’t use too much water as it will take longer. You do not need to peel the sweet potato, as it is much easier to do so once it's cooked. Just be sure to wash thoroughly before cooking. Cook for approximately 15-18 minutes. To Make the Burgers:

1. Pre-heat oven to 200°C degrees.
2. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray or brush with coconut oil.
3. Blend all the ingredients in a food processor until all the ingredients are combined. If the mixture is too thick adjust by adding some water, more hot sauce or oil.
4. Make your burger patties by scooping the mixture from the processor and forming the burger (the size and thickness is a personal preference). Place on the oiled baking sheet. Repeat until all of the mixture has been used up.
5. Bake for a total of 40 minutes carefully flipping the burgers halfway through.
6. Serve hot in a bun with your choice of toppings.

Quinoa and White Bean Burger

Ingredients (serves 4) ½ cup quinoa 1 cup water 1 teaspoon garlic powder 3 teaspoons thyme, divided (oregano would be good too) ½ - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika ½ teaspoon ground chipotle pepper, optional 1 can white beans (cannellini), drained and rinsed ½ cup corn, fresh or frozen ½ cup red bell pepper, finely diced ½ cup shallot or red onion, finely diced Juice of one lemon 1/3 cup oat flour, or flour of choice 1 Egg replacer or 1 flaxegg (1 tablespoon flaxseed meal + 3 tablespoons water), (optional) Mineral salt & cracked pepper, to taste Coconut or olive oil, to grease Toppings Tomato, sliced Leafy greens Avocado, sliced or mashed Red onion, sliced Whole grain or dijon mustard (hummus or vegan mayo is great too) Sriracha Burger buns of choice Preparation

1. Start by making your flaxegg or egg replacer and set aside.
2. If baking in the oven, turn oven to 190° C. You can also fry these so you can skip this part.
3. In a medium pot, bring water, quinoa, garlic powder and 1 teaspoon thyme to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Once done, remove cover and let set for 10 minutes.
4. While quinoa is cooking, prepare your corn, shallot and red pepper. Be sure to dice your onion and red pepper into small pieces, about the same size as the corn kernels.
5. Next, mash about ¾ of your beans, leaving a quarter of the batch whole or somewhat whole.
6. Once the quinoa is ready add it to the beans, together with the shallots, red pepper, corn, remaining 2 teaspoons thyme, smoked paprika and optional chipotle powder and lemon juice. Mix well.
7. Next add in the flour and egg replacer and mix again. Add the salt, pepper and more of the other spices, depending on how strong you like our spices.
8. Divide the mixture into 4 sections of equal size. Take each section and pack it tightly into a ball in the palm of your hands. Flatten to form the patties.Cook one of two ways:Oven – place on a greased parchment and cook for 30 minutes, turning once after 15 minutesOR Fry – Heat 1 tablespoon coconut oil or olive oil over medium to high heat on a large skillet. Cook patties about 4 - 5 minutes on each side.

Indian Lentil Burgers With Dill Yoghurt Sauce

Ingredients (serves 4) For the Burgers: 1 large red beet 1 ½ cups of cooked lentils 1 tablespoon curry powder 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric 1/2 teaspoon dill 1 teaspoon salt 4 cloves garlic 1/4 cup olive/coconut oil For the Sauce: 1 cup of vegan yoghurt 2 teaspoon dill Zest of 1 lemon 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon agave or other natural sweetener ¼ teaspoon salt Preparation

1. First make the sauce by combining all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
2. Peel and roughly chop the beet. Place into a food processor and pulse until it’s in small pieces.
3. Add all the remaining ingredients (except for the oil) to the processor and pulse again until the mixture becomes quite coarse and holds together.
4. Heat the oil in a skillet. Form patties from the mixture and place on the hot skillet. Use wet hands to make this shaping process easier. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Next, flip over to the other side and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the burger is golden and heated throughout.
5. Serve the burgers in buns with shredded greens, sliced tomatoes and avocado, and the lemon dill sauce.

Herby Chickpea Burgers

Ingredients (serves 4) ¾ cup dry chickpeas (2 cups after soaking) 1 onion, roughly chopped ¾ cup parsley 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, minced 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon maple syrup 1 teaspoon cumin ¼ cup unsalted almonds 1 teaspoon harissa sauce 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon baking soda Juice of 1 lemon ¾ cup flour Oil Preparation

1. Prepare the chickpeas by putting them in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover them by at least 5cm. Let them soak for 4-6 hours, then drain. They will increase in volume which will provide you with 2 cups.
2. Preheat oven to 190˚C.
3. Chop up the remaining ingredients, except for the flour, in the food processor until they are finely chopped.
4. Add the drained, uncooked chickpeas. Process until blended, but not puréed.
5. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, add the flour, mix well, then shape into patties.
6. Quickly fry the patties in a non-stick frying pan with some oil for about 3 minutes on each side until lightly golden. Continue to cook for a further 15 minutes in the oven.

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Source: 15 Homemade Plant-Based Burgers You Must Make!, 2019, https://www.elephantasticvegan.com/vegan-nice-cream-recipes/ [Accessed on 23 August 2021]

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