Step 1

Preheat your oven to 375˚F. Then line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.

Step 2

Wash the sweet potato and pierce with a fork 4-5 times. Place the sweet potato on a microwave-safe plate and cook for 6 minutes in the microwave turning half-way through. If the potato isn’t tender after 6 minutes simply microwave in the 30-second increments until it is easily pierced with a fork. Remove the potato, let it cool for a couple of minutes, and peel.

Step 3

Drain and rinse the chickpeas then add them to a large bowl with the sweet potato, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin. Mash until the chickpeas are completely mashed. Taste and season with black pepper and salt as needed. (NOTE: you could also place the ingredients into a food processor and pulse until everything is well combined.)

Step 4

Add the red onion, cornmeal, and BBQ sauce. Mix until everything is well combined.

Step 5

Scoop out 1/2 cup of the mixture, form into burger patties, and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, flip the burgers and bake for 20 more minutes or until the burger patties are firm. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.

Step 6

NOTE: use 1/3 cup of the mixture for smaller patties.

Step 7

Serve on a whole-grain bun with your favorite toppings. My favorites are lettuce, tomato, thinly sliced red onion, avocado slices, and BBQ sauce.