Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili Burgers w/Baked Cheddar Beer Onion Rings.

This is how you do burgers in the fall.

They need to be big, packed with fall goodness, topped with cheesy beer battered onion rings and finished off with an egg. It’s the only way.

It’s still a totally trashy burger, but healthy because um sweet potatoes, beans, quinoa, onion rings and eggs. All healthiness. All delicious. Don’t you just love when that happens? I certainly do.

So today, I really don’t have a lot of words flowing from my brain to my finger tips. See, the truth is that I live the most boring life and I love it that way, but it’s because of this little blog that I actually have to leave my comfort zone and venture out of my little kitchen and office and into the real world. Which I guess, actually makes my life not all that boring. You could even say that it’s been especially exciting lately, but also especially tiring. Like all I really want to do is make some Halloween cookies with little Asher, but the time is just not there. Story of everyone’s life right? Maybe we’ll get to it on Halloween? Better late than never.

Some days I have loads to say, but today? The only thoughts that are coming to my mind are one, PEACE. You see, Asher, had a friend over… and her friend’s sister (fall break – I swear I never had all these breaks!). Those girls were so stickin loud that my head still hurts, and so demanding. Jeez. You should have seen the house once the friends left, it looked like a tornado or two went through. Amazing the damage that three tiny little girls can do, they even managed to knock over a dirt bike in the garage. Luckily no one got smooshed.

Thought number two? Thought number two is that thought number one makes me so excited that the barn is getting near completion… ok, or at least looking like it will be done this year.  Thank God. It’s so time for the move-out to happen.

Thought number three is all about these Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers. They are so good.

This is one of those burgers that got dreamt up on a recent hike. I came home and immediately made them. They just sounded so good that I had to push the other planned recipes for the day aside and focus on these burgers. I was pretty excited about them…still am…clearly.

This burger has all my favorite things, including sweet potatoes. Wow, sweet potatoes are so awesome. I mean, I knew this, but I somehow always forget about them and tend to just grab my all time favorite butternut squash instead. But I am so into sweet potatoes right now, and they are so good for you too. Hello – B6, C, D, iron, potassium, magnesium, carotenoids (which help fight cancer), and more! And can we talk about their gorgeous color? So pretty, so sweet, yep, I just love um. Hoping you do too because I foresee a lot of sweet potato recipes in the future. YUMMERS.

Anyway, these burgers are like chili in a sweet vegetarian form, with cheesy crunchy onion rings and a fried egg, because fried eggs are meant for pretty much every burger. No really, they are. Gotta love a good fried egg.

I used a combo of my favorite crispy quinoa burger and an oldie recipe from the earlier days of the blog to put together these patties. But here’s the thing about these burger patties, they are delicate. You just have to be careful flipping them. Other than that they are simple, and if you do end up smushing them a little, it’s really no big deal. Whatever they look like they will still taste delicious.

The onion rings are so easy. They’d be delicious fried if you are into that, but baked works great too and there’s a lot less mess to clean up. Plus, they can bake while you cook the burgers, which makes the timing for everything pretty perfect. And you guys, they are cheddar beer battered onion rings. Doesn’t that sound so good? They are. They are.

Also, you’d be my hero if you added a brussels sprout slaw to these burgers. I was so close to adding it, but I didn’t want the recipe to get too long. You should do it though!!

I served these on some homemade whole wheat beer pretzel buns, but we all ended up not eating the top half of the bun. The truth is, these burger would be perfect served in a “lettuce” bun instead of actual buns… wow, did I really just say that? I am not usually a lettuce wrap kind of girl, traditional burgers n’ buns are usually the way I roll, but lettuce just works really well with these since they’re already pretty carb heavy. Don’t get me wrong, buns are still good, but just sayin – lettuce is equally delish. Either way, you’ll love them and they are the perfect healthy dinner for any autumn night.

Oh, and the leftover patties are so good the next day. Think crumbled over a salad or added to a grilled cheese. Double yes!

And you can’t forget a little cheddar cheese too. It’s a chili burger after all.

And you guys, all chili should be topped with cheese. Duh.

Don’t let these pictures mislead you, these aren’t really fork and knife burgers. They’re more of a double hands, get messy kind of burger. Which is obviously the best kind of burger.