Chickpea Burgers

First off let me say Happy New Year!  Have you been making resolutions?  Most people do this time of year.  It's a time of rebirth and new beginnings so it's only natural that we decide we must lose 30 pounds in 3 days or work out 7 hours a day, 8 days a week.  Right?  Well, not me.  I think I've mellowed as I've gotten older.  I no longer see the need to be seen as "having it all together".  Oh, who am I kidding, I've always been a little off (wonderfully weird, I like to call it).  Who cares what others think?  As long as I'm the best version of me, that's all that matters.  So, on that note, here's my resolution:  eat a little healthier.  That's it.  I find if something is too restrictive I won't stick with it.  And with that in mind I made a pretty healthy lunch today, which also tasted good.  Imagine that!

CHICKPEA BURGERS

1 (15.5 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
1 small clove garlic
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp dried dill
Salt/pepper to taste
1 egg
2 TBSP all-purpose flour
oil for frying (olive or canola)

Get out your food processor for this recipe.  It makes it a lot easier!  Pulse the carrot until chopped into tiny pieces.  Remove to a bowl and set aside.  Add the garlic clove to the processor and pulse to chop.  To the garlic, add drained chickpeas, cumin, dill, salt and pepper to taste.  Pulse until it becomes a rough paste, then add carrot, egg and flour.  Pulse until its evenly mixed but not too much.  You want it to still have some texture.  Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Divide the mixture into patties.  You can make them big or small, whatever you like.  (I made them small so I could stuff them into a lettuce wrap.  Kinda like falafel)

Fry them in the hot oil for 2-4 minutes on each side depending on how big you make them.  Drain on a paper towel.

These were very tasty and super healthy!  And if you are worried about the oil from frying, just remember that our bodies need fat to work properly!  Especially good fats, like olive or canola oil.

I ate them in a lettuce wrap with some hot salsa.  Yum!  They make a perfect light, but filling lunch.  I think this resolution thing might work out.  Happy New Year!