Carrie Underwood and Sweet Potato Burgers

Let's face it: Southerners love anything with sweet potato. Sweet potato biscuits, fries, pancakes...you name it. Thankfully, one of my recent issues of SELF not only featured newly vegan Carrie Underwood on the cover, but had the genius to create (vegan!) sweet potato burgers. (Yes, this issue was from 2 months ago. Yes, that's how far behind I am in my magazine reading. So shoot me.)

Carrie Underwood, Queen of Vegans

Since I have nothing if not impeccable timing, I decided to create and photograph these rigggghhht when my roommates were in the middle of cooking their own dinner. Woops.

The look says it all: Please. Stop. Annoying. Us.

Hey, a blogger's gotta do what a blogger's gotta do. (Plus, I was really hungry and needed to take pictures before I scarfed them down.)

Will I eat both of these? Yes, yes I will. 

My $15 lighting set up , thanks to Taylor Takes a Taste

The verdict? Totally light and tasty, though probably not firm enough to hold their own on a grill. They tasted great coming right from the oven, which was just fine with me. (Especially since I wouldn't know how to light a grill if you paid me.) Plus, despite stuffing them into buns and slathering them with vegan mayo, I convinced myself that they were the healthiest food I'd ever eaten since (hello!)  they're made from sweet potatoes. Feel free to indulge and still look great in that Lilly bikini.

Ingredients

• 1 14 oz. can chikpeas, rinsed and drained
• Cooking spray
• 3 tablespoons tahini
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1 small sweet potato, peeled and grated

Directions

1. In a food processor, combine chikpeas, tahini, black pepper, baking powder, and 3/4 tsp. salt. Pulse until mixture holds together when pinched. (Scrape down sides as necessary.)

2. Transfer mixture to a bowl. 

3. Stir in grated sweet potato and add last 1/4 tsp salt. 

4. Form mixture into 4 burgers, place on baking sheet, and cover tightly with foil.

5. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, coat burgers with spray, and and bake until crisp underneath, 20 to 25 minutes.

6. Flip burgers, coat with spray, and bake until crisp on opposite side, 10 to 15 minutes. 

Serve on a whole wheat bun with some vegan mayo and Dijon mustard. Serves 4. 

Cheers, y'all!

Fashion Friday: Svelte Summer Sundresses

Summer has officially hit in Edenton. We almost made it to Cinco de Mayo before temps rose precariously into the 90s, but not quite.

Which means I'll just have to sip my margs while floating in the water vs. sitting on the dock. I think I'll survive.

Once Southern humidity descends, I stash my blow dryer for the season and dig out all of my light cotton sundresses. (There's something about sweltering heat that gives me a deep distaste for anything with a waistband. Or a bra strap.)

Since I plan on spending this summer recovering lounging, lounging, and (that's right) lounging some more, I'm considering the purchase of some comfy, go-anywhere cotton sundresses an investment. ("An investment" sounds a lot better than "I put this on my credit card", don't you think?)

This one's too cute for lounging on the back porch, but I wish I had a place to wear it:

Thea Maxi dress $69.99

Strappy and light, this aqua one would be perfect to throw on after a shower on my summer days that consist of nothing but working out, reading, and blogging:

j.crew Factory Drawstring Drop-Waist Dress $39.50

Strappy, cotton, and did I mention it was $20.00?

Target Juniors Skater Dress $20.00

This little yellow number would look great with some strappy sandals and wavy boho hair:

Target Slub Jersey Dress $20.00

I know there's not much to this one, but it looks like it would allow that whole no-bra thing that I'm really going for, which is #1 in my book:

Strapless Essentials Dress $24.99

Sigh. Unfortunately things like paying my bills tend to eat up my teachers salary before I can hit the stores. But hey, all that laying around this summer hopefully means that I'll be stashing plenty of cash that I can guiltlessly blow on slinky sundresses. Agreed?

Happy Friday ya'll!