Smoky BBQ Black Bean Burger

Steps

1. Cook quinoa and set aside to cool.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C). Spread black beans on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake 6 minutes. Add pecans and bake 10 minutes more, until nuts are golden and beans are dry and cracked. Cool, then increase oven temperature to 375°F (190°C).
3. Heat a skillet over medium heat with oil. Add sweet potato, cover, and cook 3-4 minutes per side until tender and golden. Remove from pan.
4. In the same pan, add mushrooms and coconut aminos (or a pinch of salt). Cook 4-5 minutes, stirring, until browned and reduced in size. Set aside.
5. In a food processor, pulse beans and pecans into a coarse meal.
6. Add cooked sweet potato, mushrooms, half the quinoa, salt, chili powder, cumin, and BBQ sauce. Pulse a few times to combine, keeping some texture.
7. Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in remaining quinoa. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
8. If mixture is too wet, add more quinoa; if too dry, add more BBQ sauce or coconut aminos.
9. Divide mixture into 4 portions and shape into patties. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
10. Heat a skillet over medium heat with a bit more oil. Cook patties 4-5 minutes per side until browned.
11. Brush patties with BBQ sauce, then transfer pan to oven and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 10-15 minutes until browned.
12. Serve on buns or lettuce wraps with desired toppings. Store leftovers refrigerated up to 4 days or frozen up to 1 month.