Mushroom Chickpea Burgers

I'm always on the lookout for savory, meatless dishes that feature whole foods instead of processed meat substitutes. When I found this recipe a few weeks back, I knew I had to give it a go. Mushrooms are not only adored for their distinct texture and umami taste, but perhaps more importantly for their incredible healthfulness. The variety featured here- cremini, portobello, and shiitake - are loaded with B vitamins like riboflavin, niacin, and pantothenic acid that help maintain a healthy metabolism, in addition to minerals such as potassium, copper, manganese, phosphorus, and selenium. The chickpeas and their flour tout high levels of folate, which plays a critical role in DNA synthesis, repair, and methylation, as well as a slew of essential minerals. Serve these burgers on buns or salad greens, garnishing with your favorite condiments (I recommend a little 'kraut or pickled onions and cucumbers), cheese, or thinly-sliced veggies.

Mushroom Chickpea Burgers

Ingredients:

• 1 lb portobello mushrooms
• 1 lb cremini mushrooms
• 1/2 lb shiitake mushrooms
• 1 cup cooked chickpeas
• 1 1/2 cups chickpea flour (or 1 cup chickpea flour & 1/2 cup nutritional yeast)
• 1 cup mirepoix (equal portions diced carrots, celery, & onion)
• 3 tbsp tamari
• 1 tbsp Sriracha
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1/4 cup packed soft herbs, finely chopped (tarragon and basil work well)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste
• olive oil for sauteing and frying

Directions:

Remove stems from shiitakes and trim the bottom half-inch from portobellos. Dice all three mushroom varieties to a small, uniform size.

Heat a wide, heavy-bottomed sauce pan over medium heat; add 2 tbsp olive oil, followed by the mirepoix, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring often. Add the mushrooms and cook for another 4 minutes, again stirring frequently. Add the tamari and stir, then remove from heat; transfer the mixture to a large bowl and set aside.

When the mixture has cooled enough to handle, add the chickpeas, flour, cumin, and nutritional yeast, if using. Using your hands, mash the mixture until about half of the chickpeas are crushed. Fold in the Sriracha, herbs, and lemon juice; season to taste with salt and pepper.

Shape the mixture into six-oz patties. Coat the bottom of a large pan with olive oil; when the oil begins to shimmer, add a burger; cook for 3 minutes or until golden and crisp, flip, and repeat.

Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to five days.

Pairs nicely with some freshly-baked or toasted honey whole wheat rolls!

My two cents: I really enjoyed these burgers. BUT I do want to tell you that the next time I make them, I will chop up the mushrooms more (not for texture, for stickability) and be more careful to use the author's recommended amount of flour (I didn't measure and definitely did less than what was written).

Rebekah

Images by Rebekah Carter (2012). Recipe by Brian Van Etten of Veggie Galaxy via STUFF Magazine (Boston).

Muhammara

Muhammara is one of those foods that upon first taste I thought to myself, "why have I NEVER had this before?!" Lightly-toasted walnuts and roasted red bell peppers are chopped, blended, and seasoned to make a bold and heart-healthy spread, sandwich-filler, or salad-topper. Smooth or chunky, you can't go wrong with this combination of flavor. If serving as a dip, garnish the bowl with pomegranate arils and fresh mint for a more elegant presentation.

Muhammara
Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw walnuts
• 1 large or 2 small red bell peppers
• 2 garlic garlic cloves
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tbsp pomegranate molasses (available at most Middle Eastern, natural, and whole foods stores)
• 1/2 tbsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• salt to taste (I used 1/2 tsp)
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F; toast walnuts until fragrant, about 10 minutes (they should not brown much or at all). On your stove top, roast your bell pepper over an open flame, turning every few minutes with tongs to ensure all sides become charred. Remove the bell pepper from heat and allow to cool until you are able to handle them. Use your fingers to rub and peel off the bell pepper's skin and gently rinse to remove stubborn, sticky charred bits; reserve the pepper flesh in a small bowl and discard the charred skin, stem, and seeds.

In a food processor or blender, pulse or blend all ingredients until desired texture is achieved (chunky for fillers and toppers, smooth for a dip or spread). If you are like me and don't have such equipment, simply chop the nuts (I pulse roughly chopped pieces in my coffee-grinder-turned-flaxseed-demolisher for a smooth spread), peppers, and garlic* into pieces that will yield desired texture. Combine all ingredients in a stand up mixer and blend (or vigorously stir by hand in a medium bowl) until well incorporated. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to a week.

*I love garlic, and it sure loves me back. However, I do not enjoy having the taste of raw garlic on my tongue for an entire day, which is what happens to me if I consume it raw cloves. To tone down its bite, I like to crush or slice the garlic and let it sit in the olive oil in a stainless steel measuring cup on the stove while the walnuts roast and peppers toast. After the oil warms and the garlic becomes fragrant, I discard the cloves and continue on with the recipe.


Rebekah

Images by Rebekah Carter (2012). Recipe adapted from DedeMed Mediterranean Cooking.

Roasted Eggplant Salad

I've had eggplant on my mind for sometime now. Though I've written about it here and there, I most recently wanted to cook up something that involved the whole fruit (that purple skin is loaded with phytonutrients) and would be well-suited as a nutritious, on-the-go meal (warm or cold, in a wrap or pita, on some greens, etc). The following recipe satisfies these requests as well as it does a hungry belly at lunchtime.

Roasted Eggplant Salad
Makes about 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 large eggplants (about 2 pounds)
• salt
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 4 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tbsp)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 cup flat parsley leaves, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup almonds, roughly chopped and toasted
• 2 ounces crumbled goat cheese or feta (optional)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped scallions

Directions:
Heat the oven to 400°F. Cut the eggplant into 1-inch cubes and put in a large bowl. Sprinkle lightly with salt and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, cider vinegar, honey, smoked paprika, and cumin. Dab away any extra water that has beaded up on the eggplant and toss with the dressing. Stir in the garlic. Spread the eggplant on a parchment-lined baking sheet and slide onto a rack placed in the center of the oven. Roast at 400°F for about 40 minutes or until very tender and slightly browned; be sure to stir one or twice to ensure the eggplant is not burning. As the eggplant roasts, chop and toast the almonds in a small pan over medium heat until they start to become slightly browned and fragrant.

Remove the eggplant from the oven and let it cool slightly. Whisk together the lemon juice and soy sauce. Return the eggplant to the bowl and toss with the lemon juice mixture. Stir in the parsley leaves, almonds, and most of the cheese, reserving a little. Spread the finished salad in a serving bowl and sprinkle the reserved cheese and scallions on top.


Rebekah

Images by Rebekah Carter (2012). This recipe was slightly adapted from the Kitchn.