Curried Chickpea Cakes

These aren’t just a perfect vegetarian and gluten free weeknight dinner. They also work great on a party buffet!

Yield: 5 servings

1 can chickpeas (15 oz), drained and rinsed

1/2 cup zucchini, grated

1/2 cup squash, grated

1/2 cup carrots, grated

1/2 cup green peas, cooked

1/4 cup chickpea flour

1 tbsp ground flaxseed

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp curry powder

1 tbsp garlic, grated on a microplane (about 3 cloves)

1 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

3 tbsp ghee or neutral oil

Sauce:

1 cup greek yogurt

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves and some stem

1 tbsp fresh mint leaves

1 tbsp green onion

1 clove garlic, grated

Sea salt to taste

Freshly cracked black pepper to taste

To make the sauce add the greek yogurt, cilantro, mint, green onion, grated garlic and buttermilk into a blender. Season with salt and pepper and puree until smooth.

To make the curry chickpea cakes assemble your food processor with your grater attachment, or using a hand held grater, grate the squash and zucchini. Set the grated veggies in a large bowl. Don’t worry about cleaning the bowl of the food processor.

After draining and rinsing the chickpeas, add them to your food processor and pulse it on and off for about 45 seconds. You want a lot of texture, the chickpeas should be starting to stick together, but you still want to see chunks of unsmashed chickpeas. You could also use a potato smasher as well as a mortar and pestle.

Add the chickpeas to the large bowl with the veggies, along with the shredded carrots, peas, chickpea flour, flaxseed, turmeric, curry powder, grated garlic, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix well until combined.

Divide the mixture into 10 patties, or 20 if you would like to serve them as a small appetizer. Use your hands to shape them into cakes.

Heat a cast iron grill pan or a large sauté pan on high heat. Add enough ghee to coat the pan, and then lay the cakes in the pan in a single layer. Cook on both sides, about 5 minutes each, letting a nice golden crust form. Serve the hot cakes on a platter with the sauce in a small bowl on the side.

This roasted eggplant and quinoa salad tastes like a big ol’ bowl of sunshine. It’s a delicious, healthy addition to any backyard bbq, tailgate or potluck!

Quinoa and Eggplant Salad

yield: 4 servings

3/4 cup Quinoa

1 cup Chickpeas, raw or canned (if canned, rinse well and skip cooking step)

1 cup ripe yellow Tomato, diced

1 medium Eggplant, sliced ½” thick rounds

1 cup baby bell red Peppers, sliced thinly

1 bunch Basil, lightly chopped (about ½ cup)

1 cup Red onion, sliced thinly

¼ cup Sherry vinegar

1 to 2 Lemons, for juicing

1 cup Olive oil, divided by 1 teaspoon, ¼ cup, ½ cup

1 cup Parmesan, freshly grated

Salt and pepper, to taste

To cook the chickpeas place them in a pot and cover with water. Boil until tender, about 2 hours, covering with more water if necessary. Cook the quinoa by combining the ¾ cup of quinoa with 1 ½ cups water, a healthy pinch of salt and a teaspoon of olive oil. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 18-20 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy. Allow the chickpeas and quinoa to cool down to room temperature.

Pickle the onion by tossing the thinly sliced onion with sherry vinegar and salt. Mix well, then allow to sit for 15 minutes. The onion will turn pinkish and become softer in flavor and in texture.

Preheat the grill, and drizzle a quarter cup of olive oil on the eggplant. Season with salt and pepper. Grill the eggplant until it chars a little on both sides, about 4 minutes per side.

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, check for seasoning and serve right away or refrigerate. The salad will last for 2-3 days.

Tag: #mealprep

Curried Chickpea Cakes

Roasted Eggplant and Quinoa Salad