Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Quick & Simple Chickpea Patties

I had an epiphany the other day -- I don't need meat at every meal. That statement may seem silly to a lot of you, but I always thought that in order to feel adequetly full at the end of a meal, a meat-based protein was needed. You see, I was doing it all wrong before. I would create a vegetarian or vegan meal, usually some sort of large salad and I would still be hungry by the time my plate was clean. The problem was that I didn't replace my meat protein with a non-meat protein -- I just ate your typical salad vegetables. Solely eating veggies can certainly work, but for me, I would need a lot. And a lot of filling, dense veggies and so I turn to beans.

Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans are a big favorite of mine and my goodness are they versatile. I often use them to make homemade hummus and baked, spiced chickpeas and now I have a new favorite: chickpea patties. These little gems are so quick to put together and are quite filling. And the recipe is easy to tweak; use whatever savory spice you're craving. I wanted a little kick to mine, so red pepper and garlic powder were my spices of choice, but curry would be a nice addition as well. This basic recipe would work well with most types of beans, so I'll be trying black bean patties soon, too.

Quick & Simple Chickpea Patties, serves 2 (gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian)

Adapted from a recipe found in Hannaford Supermarket's magazine

1 15 oz can of rinsed, drained chickpeas
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon chopped, fresh chives
1 tablespoon gluten-free flour (I used brown rice flour)
1 egg, or egg substitute
1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil

Put the first six ingredients in a small food processor and blend until a paste forms. Put the olive oil in a skillet on medium-high heat, meanwhile, form the paste into patties and cook on both sides (should make four), about five minutes on each side.

Enjoy in a sandwich, top with salsa, chutney; they're even good plain.

10 comments:

Vittoria said...

these look great! I wonder if they'd work on a 'Foreman' grille. But I'm definitely gonna try them soon. :)

Liz said...

Thanks Vittoria! I definately think they will work on a Foreman. You just might want to make sure they don't get pressed down too hard. I used to have a Foreman and I totally miss it. I came home to my old apartment one day about a year ago and it was on the ground, cracked. So sad. :(

Tiffany said...

These sound great! I'm glad you brought this up, because I feel the same way about protein. I dont like to eat meat a whole lot, but I never feel full enough if I leave it out.

I love black bean patties too, so I will definitely try these.

Anonymous said...

Glad you found some non-meat protein that works for you! These look yummy--and I love the fact that they're so easy! :)

Ginger Carter Miller said...

I love the recipes on your blog. I am going to list it on my blog, if you don't mind...

Love this recipe -- gonna try it.

Ginger GFinGF.blogspot.com

Liz said...

Hey Tiff! It's funny how ingrained some things are since childhood: meat = meal. I'm slowly discovering it's not the case.

Thanks Ricki! I can't get over how simple they were to put together.

Hi Ginger! Thanks for stopping by. I would be honored to be on your blog list :)

Paula said...

Yum! I found your blog via The Crispy Cook and I'm so glad that I did! This chickpea patty recipe looks so good, as well as your Chix Satay My Way recipe. My wheat-free littlest one will enjoy these, as well as the entire family. Thanks!

a :) said...

These looks delicious! I can't wait to try them out!!
amber :)

Anonymous said...

Sounds great. I love chick peas, so I copied this recipe and plan on trying it. Thanks!

Anonymous said...

My son really doesn't like beans, but I try to cook a variety of veggie and non-veggie meals, so just maybe I can get my little guy to eat this since the beans are disguised. It's worth a try!

My 3-year-old son had severe eczema until he was diagnosed with food allergies a few months back. I have a blog that shares our family’s battles with eczema, allergies, and asthma (yes, lucky guy has that too).

I think the key is to learn from one another, so the more information out there to the masses, the better. With this in mind I’ve started a blog hop for anyone dealing with allergies, eczema, or asthma, either for themselves or as a caregiver. If you’re interested in joining, please add a comment. I’d love to welcome you to the group. http://itchylittleworld.wordpress.com/blog-hop/


Thanks.
Jennifer