Burgers, burgers, burgers! How can you go wrong with a big, juicy burger topped with a slice of melted, gooey cheese, covered with perfectly cooked caramelized onions, and piled (like a set of jenga blocks) with homemade sweet potato fries?! Well that's just it, you can't - even when the burger is made entirely of veggies and grains! That's right, no meat to be found, whatsoever.

Now before you turn your nose up and click away, let me defend the "Ultimate Burger." Let's start with the actual burger patty. This burger has so much flavor. The seasonings, the beans, the quinoa, the cheese - all of these elements compliment each other in the perfect way to bring it to life. First there is cheese. I think this is the secret weapon, because not only does it help to bind all the ingredients together, but it doubles as a flavor enhancer and then triples as a burger moistener. It really plays a key role in the entire life cycle of this burger. 

Next, there are the seasonings, of course. You must never forget those. The combination of seasonings for this burger creates the the perfect amount of heat (although Brenden can never really get enough spice, but it was perfect for me). I was weary about the chipotle chili powder the recipe called for at first, but after wafting the smell and then tasting it, I realized it was must. This spice adds yet another depth of flavor. You don't get this taste with regular chili powder. And, remember less is more when it comes to seasoning. You don't want to drown out the flavors by adding a bunch of your favorite other seasonings. Trust me on this one, the few the recipe calls for really is enough, anything more would just take away from the burgers greatness.

Now when I say less is more, take it with a grain of salt because this "Ultimate Burger" is nothing without its toppings. Melted Gruyere cheese, caramelized onions, and homemade sweet potato fries, need I say more?! Yes. I need. All the toppings are just melt in your mouth goodness - in fact my mouth is watering as I type. The biggest surprise was the sweet potato fries. Brenden and I were both hesitant of the added work these would entail, but our curiosity got the best of us, plus we wanted to try all the components (although we did skip the added fried egg from the original...next time though). And, the added effort was well worth it. The burgers would haven fallen short without them. The fries truly enhanced the flavor and texture of the overall dish that much more. The fries were seasoned with similar spices as the burger rather then the traditional sweetly seasoned sweet potato fries. This made the burgers just that much more spicy, but the sweet potato itself balanced the spice nicely making it enjoyable rather then overwhelming (salty and sweet...sweet and spicy...you get the idea). Honestly, I could not stop reaching for that "one last fry" and tucking it between my burger and the bun to be devoured.