Falafel-Inspired Veggie Burger

Hello! I've been so busy lately, it seems like there's not even enough time to cook, yet alone have the patience to take pictures and blog about it. Well, this is what I had for dinner last night- a chickpea burger! It tastes like a falafel, minus the deep fryer! It's great with a slather of tahini on top and a couple of cucumber slices too. It's super easy to make, all you need is a food processor or blender!

A little more than a week until my vegan month is over, and I'm still not missing meat, but I do envy those ice cream and chocolate-eaters lined up at the Purdy's...and I will definitely not miss the miso-soup consistency coffee ;)

Eating vegan is really no different than eating vegetarian, except you really have to watch what has eggs/dairy in it, and sometimes that can be hard (and teasing!) A lot of the time, I would have to turn down many different kinds of cereals or snacks at the store because they have "modified milk ingredients".

I'm still thinking about what November's going to look like but I'll keep you posted as soon as it's decided!

In the meantime, enjoy this veggie burger if you can! It's super healthy, easy to make, and great for the non-tofu-eaters. And if you like middle eastern food, hey, it's perfect for you!

Falafel-Inspired Veggie Burger makes 4 patties

• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas (1 1/2 cups), drained and rinsed
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander (I omitted this)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup plain bread crumbs

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.

Pulse chickpeas in a food processor or blend in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add rest of ingredients (except bread crumbs) and mix until combined. Slowly add breadcrumbs until the mixture holds together, you may need more or less. Shape into 4 patties on the cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. Flip patty and bake another 10-12 minutes on the other side. Alternatively, you may fry this in a frying pan with a little bit of olive oil. Serve on buns or pita pockets!