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It’s that time to start thinking about holiday recipes too! It’s easy to associate Christmas with candy, cookies and gingerbread. However, there’s also so much you can do nutritionally, using herbs and Christmas flavors.

Today I’m sharing a holiday veggie burger with a sweet twist that you can share with your loved ones or bring to your next holiday gathering!

I tried something I’ve never tried before with these veggie burgers – adding a touch of sweetness with a fruit spread.

And let me tell you – your veggie burger will never be the same.

Firstly, I should preface by saying that we are huge peanut butter and jelly fans in our house. It’s an easy pre/post run snack providing the perfect combination of carbohydrates and protein.

So, when I learned that Smucker’s now has new Smucker’s Fruit & Honey Fruit Spread flavors – we’re talking strawberry, concord grape, blueberry lemon, strawberry jalapeno, and triple berry – I knew I needed to pick some up.

I found these fruit spreads at Walmart in the peanut butter and jelly aisle. And my favorite part? Since they are naturally sweetened with honey, there’s no crazy additives or high fructose corn syrup.

The holidays are a crazy time in and of themselves, so having a go-to holiday spread is so worth it, in my opinion.

I settled on trying the Triple Berry and Strawberry first.

Christmas Traditions

My family has a Christmas Eve tradition of eating burgers. I don’t know why or what sparked it, but it’s our thing. This year, I’ll be introducing veggie burgers to them.

As I’ve discussed before, there are so many benefits to incorporating meatless meals a few times a week, so I’m quite excited for this year’s substitute.

It’s likely that from here on out, veggie burgers will always remind me of the holiday season. A veggie burger that gets its protein from quinoa and chickpeas, sneaks in a few servings of veggies, and tops it all off with a strawberry holiday cheer. My kinda thing.

Like these quinoa pizza bites or cheesy herb quinoa, quinoa is a great vegetarian protein and filler!

These are so easy to make, friends! Just cook the quinoa, mash the beans (I used a food processor the second time around which made things easier), saute the veggies, and mix everything in a bowl.

Then just plop them in the oven for 20-25 minutes, and you’ll have your burgers done!

Sidenote: Approximately 33% of my recipes include quinoa in some way or form if that says how much I adore that gluten free grain.

It’s so easy to work with and the perfect base for so many flavors, like quinoa and chocolate, lime quinoa salad, quinoa apple crumble.

While the burgers are baking, you’ll make your strawberry balsamic spread. This is the real winner and what sets this veggie burger apart.

Simply mix the Smucker’s Fruit & Honey Strawberry Fruit Spread with a little balsamic vinegar and sugar, and you then have the perfect hint of sweetness for your burger.

Throw some additional rosemary or thyme in there, and it’s like tasting Christmas in your mouth.

Then, you can have some fun with the toppings. To keep with the Christmas theme, we topped ours with green and red peppers, spinach, and grape tomatoes.

And rosemary! That herb is so underrated – it gives such a holiday twist.

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Yield: 6 -8 burgers

Strawberry Balsamic Veggie Burgers

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A perfect recipe for Meatless Monday, this veggie burger is high in protein and full of flavor. The strawberry balsamic marinade adds a subtle sweetness and provides the perfect holiday twist!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 15 oz can garbanzo beans
• ½ cup quinoa, uncooked
• ½ medium onion, diced
• 1/4 cup mushrooms, diced
• ¼ green or red pepper, diced
• ½ cup spinach, washed and cut
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup shredded cheese, I used mozzerella
• 1/3 cup oats, or bread crumbs
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp ginger
• 2-3 twigs of rosemary, for topping
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• For the strawberry balsamic marinade:
• ½ cup Smucker’s Fruit & Honey Strawberry Fruit Spread
• 1 ½ tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp sugar, I used coconut sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Cook quinoa according to package directions (typically 1 part quinoa to 2 parts water). Sautee onion, pepper and mushrooms over medium high heat for 5-10 minutes.
3. Mash beans in a medium bowl or in food processor to a paste-like texture. Add cooked veggies, cooked quinoa, spinach, egg, cheese and spices, and mash together with hands.
4. Bake burgers for 20-25 minutes, or until done.
5. While the burgers are cooking, combine Smucker’s Fruit & Honey Strawberry Fruit Spread, balsamic vinegar and sugar for your marinade. Let sit for 15-20 minutes.
6. Let burger cool for 5-10 minutes after baking. Serve over a bun or greens.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 291Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 39mgSodium: 346mgCarbohydrates: 46gFiber: 8gSugar: 14gProtein: 12g

Did you make this recipe?

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Since the holidays can get crazy, these would be great to prepare ahead of time and freeze until you need them. An easy freezer meal for new moms.