“What’s for Lunch?” Healthy Recipe Series #14 - Vegetarian Chickpea Burger

I may still be having a hard time cutting beef and pork from my diet, but I’ve been trying my best to make more creative choices… one of which included trying this chickpea burger for lunch! I was especially excited to cook this meal because it will be my entry into the #livesustainably “Cook it Fresh” competition being run by @livesustainably!

Ingredients:
- 1 Can Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 Carrot, roughly chopped
- 1 tsp Garlic, minced
- 1.5 tsp Ground Cumin
- 1.5 tsp Ground Coriander
- 1 Egg
- 2 tbls Flour
- Whole Wheat Burger Bun
- 1 Tomato, sliced
- Lettuce, shredded
- Mayonnaise
- Salt & pepper

Instructions:
1. Process the drained and rinsed chickpeas in a food processor along with the chopped carrot, minced garlic, and spices until evenly mixed but still slightly “rugged.”
2. Mix in egg and flour until thoroughly combined. More/less flour can be added depending on consistency - you should be able to make patties at this point.
3. Fry the patties in an oiled pan for approx. 2-3 minutes on each side.
4. Place the patty on a burger bun along with some mayonnaise, lettuce, and tomato slices.
5. Enjoy!

I was such a fan of this recipe! I usually use the same spices over and over but I’m glad I expanded my horizons by using some cumin and coriander! You could definitely taste the unique flavors especially against the delicate chickpea and crisp carrot. Maybe next time I will try to make it spicy with a teaspoon of horseradish!

The best part is that many of these ingredients can be grown in your backyard garden which means less miles travelled to get to your plate! Tomatoes, garlic, and leafy greens are especially easy to grow and if you raise chickens on your homestead, then you already have farm fresh eggs ready to use!

The only complaint I have is that the patty had a tendency to fall apart. I think more experimentation is needed to find the perfect consistency using varying amounts of egg and flour.

P.S. I ran out of burger buns so yes, this is a english muffin!