Chopped Challenge Thursday: Quinoa, Jalapeños, Red Peppers and Marshmallow Fluff

Thanks to the amazing Chopped Challenge basket you all created, this weeks dish turned into a super healthy, fiber-filled, protein-packed, vegetarian and gluten-free meal that I can not stop eating! The ingredients for this weeks “Chopped Challenge” came from Thomas Kamakani Jr. with Quinoa, Barbara Cervantes with jalapeños and Muffet Bond with red peppers.  Then we have the curve ball pitcher, Miss Allison Davis with marshmallow fluff… there always has to be one!

When it comes to those “curve ball” ingredients each week such as lemon curd, apple butter or marshmallow fluff, it’s all about breaking down the ingredients, what exactly is marshmallow fluff?  Basically it’s corn syrup, sugar and water, in simpler terms, a sweetener.

I thought about what goes well with marshmallow that is not dessert and thought sweet potatoes! Who doesn’t love those delicious sweet potatoes covered in brown sugar and marshmallows with a nicely roasted turkey on Thanksgiving day!

I then decided to combine the jalapenos and marshmallow fluff, as I love the combination of sweet and spicy. I have used a Sweet Jalapeño Sauce to accompany my recipes for Mexican Chorizo Meatballs and Squash Puppies in the past.

I combined the quinoa with the sweet potatoes and added black beans to make a burger that packs 9 grams of fiber and 8 grams of protein, all without meat or gluten!

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients (makes 8 burgers)

• 1 lb sweet potatoes
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• ½ red onion (diced)
• ½ red pepper (diced)
• 1 jalapeño (de-seeded and diced)
• 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground chipotle pepper
• 1 tsp fresh cilantro (chopped)
• 1/4 cup rice chex (crushed)*
• 1 egg

Sweet Jalapeño Sauce (makes 1 cup)

• 1/4 cup marshmallow fluff
• 1/2 cup sour cream (not pictured)
• 1 small jalapeño (de-seeded and diced)
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 tbsp fresh cilantro
• 1 lime (juiced)

Optional Toppings

• Avocado
• Roasted red peppers
• Iceberg Lettuce Leafs (for wrapping)

*Breadcrumbs can be substituted, I simply keep a bag of crushed rice chex on hand to make my dishes gluten-free.

Start by boiling a large pot of water.  Next, peel and cube the sweet potatoes and add them to the boiling water, cook for 20 minutes.

While the potatoes are boiling, rinse and drain the black beans, then add 1 cup of the beans to a large mixing bowl and smash with a fork to create a paste for which to hold the burgers together.

Next, drain the sweet potatoes and add them to the smashed beans. Smash them into the mixture with a fork without turning them into a puree.

Next, add the cooked quinoa to the mix.

Then add the chopped onion, red pepper, jalapeño, garlic and the remaining whole black beans.

Finally, add the spices, cumin, chipotle pepper and cilantro, as well as the binding ingredients including the rice chex and egg.

Mix together, then use your hands to form into 8 patties.

Place the burgers on a grill over medium heat for 10 minutes, then flip and grill for an additional 10 minutes.

*Alternatively you can place the burgers in a 375° oven for 20 minutes, flipping half-way through or bake them in a cast iron skillet on the stove over medium heat for 10 minutes per side.

While the burgers are on the grill, prepare the Sweet Jalapeño Sauce.

Simply place all of the ingredients into a blender or food processor.

Blend until smooth and serve with the Sweet Potato Quinoa Burgers.

Is it just me or are these the prettiest burgers you’ve ever seen?

They say you should have five colors on your plate for a healthy meal, how about 5 colors in one item on the plate!

I served mine with homemade sweet potato tots.

I also wrapped it in lettuce and topped it with roasted red peppers and sliced avocado.

I then drizzled a little of the sweet jalapeño sauce on top…

And voila!  The perfect vegetarian, gluten-free, delicious burger!

It’s time… to dig in!

♣ Vegetarian Option: This recipe is vegetarian.

♦ Gluten Free Option: This recipe is gluten-free.

♥ All pottery seen on the littleleopardbook can be purchased by visiting www.longaberger.com/muffetbond or e-mailing keepsakebl@sbcglobal.net.