Butternut Squash Nut Burgers With Roasted Garlic Aioli

Ingredients

• 1 large butternut squash, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• One 540 ml can of white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup of uncooked quinoa; rinsed
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 cup of pumpkin seeds
• 1 cup of chopped walnuts
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup of whole wheat bread crumbs (or gluten-free bread crumbs)
• 12 whole wheat burger buns (or gluten-free burger buns)
• Roasted Garlic Vegan Aioli (recipe to follow)
• Garnish: sprouts, finely sliced red onion, dijon mustard, tomato slices

For the roasted garlic vegan aioli:

• 1 block of soft organic tofu, drained of excess water
• 1 head of garlic, roasted
• 2 tablespoons of cider vinegar (or 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice)
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Roast the garlic: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice the top off of the head of garlic. Place garlic in a pocket of tinfoil. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle on some salt. Pinch the tinfoil around the garlic leaving a little bit of room for steam. Place garlic in oven and allow it to roast for about 35 minutes, or until soft. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

2. Cook the butternut squash: In a large saucepan, bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Add the butternut squash and reduce to low. Cook the squash until it is tender (about 15 minutes). Drain and set aside.

3. Cook the quinoa: While the squash is cooking, bring 1/2 cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the quinoa, cover and simmer on low for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

4. To make the burgers: In a mixing bowl, smash the cooked butternut squash, white kidney beans and quinoa together using a potato masher. Using a wooden spoon, mix in the shallots, garlic, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper.

5. Add bread crumbs as necessary until the mix holds together well. Mould bits of the mixture into patties about the size of a hockey puck. You will get about 12 patties from this recipe.

6. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Make sure to spread the oil around the entire pan to ensure even cooking. Place patties onto the skillet and pan-fry the burgers for about 4 minutes per side (or until the sides are crispy and the burgers are cooked through). Note: I added a bit more oil between each batch to ensure even browning.

7. To make the aioli: Remove the roasted garlic cloves from the skin. Mash well with a fork.

8. Using a blender or food processor, mix the mashed roasted garlic, organic tofu, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper until smooth.

9. Serve each butternut nut burger on a toasted whole wheat or gluten-free bun. Slather on some of the delicious roasted garlic aioli. Top with some fresh tomato slices and some sprouts. Add dill pickles for good measure.

10. Enjoy!