Burger Dry Rub and Sassy Sweet Potato Rounds

Friday night before the triathlon, I cooked (bunless) burgers and sweet potatoes (to get a little extra carb/starch in there.) I searched for an online recipe for a paleo seasoning or marinade for the burgers and I ended up on Everyday Paleo. This post also included a sweet potato recipe... Looks like they had the same idea as me. :)

I was really pleased with both! Here are the recipes...

Everyday Paleo Dry Rub Burgers
1 ½ tbsp chili powder
2 ½ tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
¼ tsp ground white pepper
2 1/2 lbs grass fed ground beef (makes about 7-9 medium sized burgers)
sea salt to taste

Mix all dry rub ingredients together.  Form hamburger meat into patties and cover both sides generously with the dry rub.  Let the burgers sit in the fridge for about 30 minutes before cooking.  Either grill or pan fry about 4 minutes each side for medium, less for rare, more for well… (sprinkle on sea salt once the burgers are in the pan or on the grill).

*We love eating burgers with butter leaf lettuce and stoneground mustard. You can throw a tomato slice or avocado on top as well! 

Everyday Paleo Sweet Potato Rounds
2-3 yams
3-4 egg whites
21 seasoning blend from Trader Joe’s or Oregano, Thyme, and Garlic Powder
ground black pepper
sea salt
olive oil

Slice sweet potatoes into round discs.  Separate eggs and add as much 21 seasoning spice blend and black pepper as you like.  Dip each sweet potato round into the egg mixture and lay flat on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.  Drizzle the rounds with olive oil and sprinkle on more seasoning – this is key – and then sprinkle on a little sea salt.  Bake at 350 for 30 -40 minutes.  The egg whites make these a little crispy, and I actually finished them under the broiler for about a minute which made them even crispier, but still soft and yummy in the middle.

*If you don't have parchment paper, I recommend using a glass baking dish coated with olive oil. The egg mixture really makes for a mess. Stir the sweet potatoes around half way through to make sure they don't stick!