Fava Bean Fritters

I got some nice whole wheat pita to use up so I quickly whipped up these fritters and enjoyed them in a sandwich with some fresh lettuce and garlicky cucumber sauce. Yummers.

Fava Bean Fritters
(makes about 10-12 fritters)

1 14oz. can cooked fava beans (foul mudammas), drained and rinsed
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
handful of shelled, unsalted sunflower seeds
1 TB tahini
2-3 TB whole wheat, corn or all purpose flour (for binding)
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
handful chopped cilantro
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degreesF.
Combine all ingredients in large bowl. If you want a smoother mix, you can pulse everything in a food processor. I like to mix it up with a spoon and then get a dough blender or potato masher and roughly mash everything together. Make sure it's seasoned the way you like. ( I should have seasoned mine with more salt as I found it lacking a bit in flavor.) Roll bean mixture into balls and flatten into little 2" patties and place on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with oil. Bake for 30 minutes flipping halfway.

Variation: You can fry these in some olive oil too. They will be more crispy and probably even more tasty!

Detox Week 2, Day 9

Moving along...moving along...

Had millet porridge for the first time today. I think I undercooked it because it wasn't as soft and mushy as I expected. And I made way too much and was only able to eat half of it. No need for a pre-workout snack apparently.


Here it is with sliced bananas, raisins, sesame seeds and a nice drizzle of brown rice syrup.

Lunch was pretty boring. I had a bunch of red grapes and a medium bowl of spinach soup. Yawn. No need for pictures.

Snacks: some macadamia nuts and raisins and later after a dog walk, a nectarine.


I finally made Gillian McKeith's infamous Chickpea Burgers. These guys are supposed to be a favorite of most people on her diet plan. They are much like falafel except they have sunflower seeds, carrots and tahini in them. They were very tasty. I served them with rocket salad, brown rice and garlic aioli from 'The Country Life Vegetarian Cookbook'. The aioli is made with unsweetened soymilk, garlic, lemon juice and some olive and canola oil. I also added some chopped cucumber to it. Because of the bit of fat in it, I didn't have very much.

Smoky Tofu-Black Bean Burger

Last night we went out to eat and I was craving a veggie burger and fries but the restaurant we went to had no veggie burger options. I settled for a nice plate of vegetable skewers, rice, beans and plantains instead. It was delicious but a part of me wanted a burger! So today this is what I planned for dinner. The recipe is the same as this one but using black beans instead of kidney beans. They are seriously delicious and a perfect palette for all the condiments you can handle. I go for Vegenaise, mustard, ketchup and sometimes bbq sauce and hot sauce. I didn't have time to make baked fries so I opted for Ore-Ida Golden Fries (not pictured).


Here they are before going into the oven. Kinda pale and unassuming don't you think?


But after 35 minutes in the oven, all lovely and browned and dressed with grilled onions.

Smoky Tofu and Red Bean Burgers

Another successful burger recipe. These were inspired by a recipe that Gillian McKeith featured on her show "You Are What You Eat". I liked the idea of beans and tofu together to create a tasty burger. These came out really tasty (omni husband approved yay!) with a hint of smoky flavor, not overwhelming at all. I served them on a hamburger bun with grilled onions, lettuce and tomato. On the side are baked regular and sweet potato fries and for condiment I made a homemade thousand island dressing that was spiked with Frank's Red Hot Sauce!

Smoky Tofu and Red Bean Burgers
(makes 6 patties)

1 14oz. can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
7 oz. firm tofu, squeezed of excess water and crumbled
1 carrot, grated
1/2 onion, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, minced
handful of parsley, chopped
1/2 cup whole grain breadcrumbs
2 TB flour
1/4 tsp liquid smoke
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp all purpose seasoning (like Mrs. Dash or Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute)
1/2 tsp each of garlic and onion powder (you may add less if you like)
1/2 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste

Mash beans in a bowl and add the crumbled tofu. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. I like to use a pastry cutter/blender or fork to help chop and smoosh the mixture which will make it form into patties easier. You may have a taste in order to adjust seasonings. Refrigerate mixture in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Shape into patties and place on oiled baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway at 400 degrees F or until browned and crispy.



Thousand Island Burger Sauce With A Kick

1/2 cup vegan mayo
2-3 TB ketchup
1 TB chopped dill pickle
a squirt of lemon juice
1/4 tsp all purpose seasoning blend
salt and pepper to taste
5-6 drops of hot sauce

Combine all ingredients and chill.

Chickpeas in a Burger.

The good old veggie burger. I love 'em. When I don't feel like eating a highly processed frozen veggie burger (which I do from time to time), I like to make my own. There are so many ways to make them - with various kinds of beans or tofu, grains, nuts, veggies, seasonings and so on. This recipe was supposed to have only red lentils in it but I found that they were too soft to hold up on their own. This is where my beloved chickpeas come in. Great tasting lowfat burger to enjoy in a bun or on a plate with rice and veggies. To go on top of it, I made a quick burger sauce which has all the yummy flavors of your typical burger condiments all in one!

Chickpea and Red Lentil Burgers

3/4 cup split red lentils
1 3/4 cups water
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 14oz. can chickpeas drained and rinsed
handful of cilantro, chopped
1 tsp baking powder
1 TB flour
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp all purpose seasoning (I used Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute)
1/2 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste

Burger sauce:
3 TB vegan mayo
2 TB ketchup
1 clove garlic, minced
2 TB finely chopped onion
2 TB chopped dill pickle
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 squirt of lime juice
salt and pepper to taste
pinch of cayenne pepper
Combine all ingredients and chill.

Make the sauce and store in fridge to let the flavors combine. Combine lentils and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until lentils are soft and mushy and water is absorbed. Let cool. Mash chickpeas in a large bowl and add the lentils and the rest of the ingredients. If you find the mixture too wet, add a little more flour or breadcrumbs. Chill mixture in the fridge for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Shape into patties and put them on an oiled baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes, flipping burgers over halfway or until browned and dry on the outside (don't worry, they will be tender on the inside!). Variation: You can also fry the patties in oil if you're not worried about the fat content! They will turn out very crisp and really yummy this way too.


I served mine open face on toasted sesame ezekiel bread with lettuce and tomato. It was delicious.

Chickpea & Fava Bean Burgers with Cucumber Sauce

I am a chickpea fanatic. I get made fun of when I make too many dishes with chickpeas in it. Lentils also. My brother says: "Kim is always eating lentils." And my husband says: "What's for dinner? Chickpeas?" I like that these beans as well as other varieties are a perfect ingredient to make burgers with and can be enjoyed with your favorite sauce. They are a great source of protein and are much more exciting to eat than a bowl of beans. I make falafel (middle eastern chickpea fritters) often. These are similar to falafel but not quite a traditional recipe because I add a bunch of other seasonings to it. I also made a garlicky cucumber sauce which is kind of like tzatziki sauce except I use rich vegan mayo instead of yogurt. These burgers are delicious. They are crispy on the outside and moist and tender on the inside. Note: If you can't find fava beans, you may use all chickpeas and the results will be just as good.

Chickpea & Fava Bean Burgers

1 15 oz. can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
1 15 oz. can foul mudammas (cooked fava beans), drained and rinsed
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
handful cilantro, chopped
1 TB nutritional yeast (totally optional)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp Trader Joe's 21 salute seasoning (or any salt free all purpose seasoning blend)
1/2 tsp salt
freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 cup corn flour (masa harina) or all purpose flour for binding
canola oil for frying

Cucumber sauce:
3 TB vegan mayo (or more if you like)
1/2 cup finely chopped cucumber
1 clove garlic, minced
1-2 tsp fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
Stir to combine all ingredients and chill.

Drain and rinse beans. Put them into a large bowl and with a potato masher or fork, mash the beans until there are no whole beans left. Add the remaining ingredients and using your hands, mix the ingredients until they are all combined. If you find the mixture a little wet or sticky, use a little more flour to bind it together. Form into 6 or 7 medium sized patties and place them on a plate and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
On the stove, heat a shallow layer of oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Fry the patties about 2 minutes on each side, just until they are browned. Then transfer patties onto the baking sheet and finish cooking them in the oven for about 10-15 minutes. Serve with cucumber sauce as is or as a sandwich inside of a pita pocket with lettuce and tomato.