I have an embarrassing confession. Although I spend my workdays researching and writing about exotic, far flung foods, I eat the same lunch pretty much every afternoon. And just what is my inevitable meal? It’s a black bean veggie burger with organic ketchup on a slice of high fiber wheat toast. Delicious? Not really. Quick and easy? Absolutely.
After months of dining on this not-so-tasty repast I finally caved in and started considering other fast, protein-rich, high fiber, low fat lunch options. Salads didn’t quite fit the protein criteria. Plus, a few hours after eating a salad, I felt hungry again. Tuna sandwiches proved more satisfying but they didn’t offer much in the fiber front.
What ultimately saved me from a lifetime of black beans was the slender “Meatless Burgers” cookbook. Written by Louise Hagler, “Meatless Burgers” (BPC, 1999) offers over 50 easy, international recipes for this quintessentially American dish. With nutritional values provided at the end of each recipe I had a wealth of healthful lunch options right at my fingertips.
As I love chickpeas, I rightly assumed that I would adore Hagler’s falafel burgers. A Middle Eastern street food that originated in Egypt, falafel are small fried patties or croquettes made from pureed chickpeas and/or fava beans. After being fried, they are stuffed into a pita or wrapped in flat bread and blanketed by such toppings as chopped lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, pickled vegetables and tahini.
Pureed chickpeas likewise form the base for falafel burgers. Mixed together with chopped onions, parsley and bread crumbs, these burgers are light yet filling. As an added bonus, they can be oven-baked as well as pan-fried.
Falafel Burgers
From Louise Hagler’s “Meatless Burgers” (BPC, 1999)
Makes 6 to 8 burgers
2 cloves garlic
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups bread crumbs (Note: I used whole wheat bread and lightly toasted the crumbs under the broiler)
1/2 cup onion, cut into chunks
1/4 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Oil a baking sheet and set aside.
In a food processor mince the garlic. Add the chickpeas, water, salt and black pepper and process until creamy. Add the onion chunks and pulse several times to chop and incorporate them into the chickpea mixture.
Place the breadcrumbs in a bowl. Spoon in the chickpea mixture and stir until well combined. Add the parsley, mix the falafel again and form it into burgers. To ensure thorough baking, flatten the burgers to about 1/4 to 1/2-inch thickness.
Arrange the burgers on the oiled baking sheet and bake for roughly 15 minutes on each side until browned. (Note that these also can be pan-fried in olive oil but they will be higher in fat. As is, the burgers contain only 1 gram of fat, 3 grams of fiber, 4 grams of protein and 101 calories.)
Serve on whole wheat buns with tahini, lettuce and sliced tomatoes.