Cheap, easy and healthy: you can't beat these patties
.JPG)
I have a lot of people ask me for recipes that might help them transition into a vegetarian lifestyle. You know, they want meat substitutes.
I have never been a big advocate of such things. Probably because I never really missed meat. But, we need to have protein on our plates so this recipe for Chickpea Patties is just that.
For those who miss meat, this can be substituted for a baked chicken patty and eaten by itself with a salad and some grains or you can put it on a sub roll with some veggies and the condiments of your choice.
Chick peas (like most legumes) have long been valued for their fiber content. Two cups provide the entire daily value of fiber. New research shows that the fiber benefits of chick peas may go beyond the fiber benefits of other foods. It has been observed in one study that people who got their fiber from chick peas had better blood fat regulation, including lower levels of LDL-cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglycerides.
On top of that, they are pretty inexpensive. For less than a buck, you can have a couple of meals. You can't beat that.
These patties are easy to make and can be made ahead for a couple of days of snacks.
Chickpea Patties
1 can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 egg
1 tablespoon of Greek yogurt
2 small sweet, mild peppers (use spicy ones if you like)
1 cup of seasoned bread crumbs
Salt and pepper to taste.
Preheat the oven to 375º F.
Put the chickpeas, the cumin, the egg, the yogurt and the peppers together in a blender (or the bowl of a food processor) and pulse them until they are a creamy mix.
Put in a bowl and mix in the bread crumbs. Stir until they pull away from the side of the bowl.
Form patties and put into a greased baking pan.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Flip them over and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Vegetarian
