The Baking Biker Chic

We’re nearly there and I don’t know about you but there’s a distinct lack of festive food in our restaurants and cafes for vegans. So I decided I’d create a festive burger, which I’d also use as a base for trying out a new vegan smoothie mix for a challenge from Indigo Herbs – sponsors of 2016 Veganuary.

Smoothie in a burger I hear you cry – whatever next? Well it’s not just any smoothie mix. This is a kick ass vegan smoothie mix and was developed in collaboration with Sam Taylor, an international Taekwondo competitor.

Sam struggled with consumption of enough protein to fuel her competitive training while having to keep to her weight category. This smoothie mix was the perfect result and saw Sam bring home bronze medals from the World Championships in Bulgaria this year.

My challenge from Indigo Herbs was to create a recipe, which could incorporate this mix high in protein, dietary fibre, vitamins A, E, C and B2 and is also high in calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc. To incorporate into a smoothie, you simply add one heaped teaspoon to your fruit and veg mix.

So back to burgers – if you can incorporate this powder into drinks, you can add it to your burger mix surely? Well I think you can and the results prove you can.

And here it is – my kick ass festive burger, packed full of extra goodness thanks to Indigo Herb’s super food – Kick Ass Vegan Smooth Mix.

Fruity Festive burger

• ½ cup of cooked white quinoa
• ½ cup of cooked black or red quinoa
• 170g cooked and mashed sweet potato
• 7 sundried tomatoes
• 50g dried cranberries/blackberries
• 10g kick ass vegan smoothie mix
• 2 tsp sage
• 2 tsp thyme
• 1/2tsp ground black pepper
• Dash of cinnamon
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp onion powder
• 2 tsp orgran

1. You’ll need to prepare your quinoa, you can use any variety you like, however I’ve selected black and white because it gives a combination of texture – crunchy and soft
2. Blend your sundried tomatoes and add boiling water to your dried fruit to plump it out a bit.
3. Grind your sage and thyme
4. In a bowl simply mix all your ingredients then shape into 6-8 burgers
5. Bake in an oven heated to 180 degrees centigrade for approx. 30 minutes or until firm – place on a non stick baking sheet. Carefully turn over after 15 minutes
6. Serve with your favourite toasted bun, how about some sweet potato fries? A little cranberry sauce would be perfect in a toasted wrap or Panini. Just remember – it’s packed full of extra goodness so exceptionally good for you.

I think it tasted like Christmas in a burger – I can’t explain it any other way – you’ll just need to make it for yourself and see if you can make it out.

The powder is green in colour and this gave the burgers pre cooked a lovely rich healthy green colour. There was no bitterness and I couldn’t have told you the mix was in the burgers – so this could be an excellent way for folks to get additional nutrition into their existing diet.