For a link to the post where this recipe originates, click here.
The Famous El-Burger
Makes 8-10 burgers
This is a bit of a pitchkey-patchkey, as my mom would say, but worth the effort. It makes a lot & these crisp burgers are wonderful crumbled on top of a big salad or in a bun, stuffed with lettuce, tomato, maybe some avocado--and topped with creamy chipotle dressing--recipe follows.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of canned or fresh chickpeas (garbanzos) rinsed & drained (this is about 1 & 1/3 cans)
- 1 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes with green chilis (drained) Note: you can add 3 ounces of chopped green chilis is you can't find them mixed together. I prefer Muir Glen's Fired-Roasted Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilis (at Whole Foods)
- 1/2 cup chopped sweet onion (this can be rough chopped, & cut-up smaller in the food processor--chopped to small dice if you don't have a processor)
- 1 cup grated carrots (I used the food processor to grate 1 huge carrot)
- 1 cup of cilantro or parsley (will be chopped up in the food processor--hand chop fine if you don't have a processor)
- 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick or instant) Use a high power blender to turn into flour--or process in your food processor. Use oat flour in a pinch--haven't tried it myself.
- 1/2 cup spelt flour (can use any, but spelt flour crisps up the burgers)
- 1 tablespoon of Penzey's freeze-dried shallots or fresh---TOTALLY optional (I just have them around)
- 3/4 teaspoon chipotle powder, or to taste
- 3/4 teaspoon Penzey's salt-free Arizona Dreaming seasoning--see ingredients here to approximate if you don't have this
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, optional
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, optional
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees & line a baking sheet with parchment paper--carefully trimming to fit the pan. This prevents undo browning of the paper
2. Hand grate or use your food processor grater to grate the equivalent of one cup's worth of carrots. One giant carrot worked for me. Place in a big bowl.
3. Use your food processor or high-speed blender to coarsely or finely grind up the oatmeal. Add the the bowl with the carrots. Mix well.
4. Pulse process (with your food processor) the garbanzo/chickpeas along with parsley/cilantro & onion. If you don't have a processor--chop up well.
5. Add the drained chopped tomatoes with chilis to the processor & all the spices (chipotle powder, Arizona Dreaming, cayenne, & salt) & pulse process to combine well with garbanzo/onion/cilantro or parsely mixture. You still want this in small pieces--not mush.
6. Add the garbanzo/chickpea tomato, onion, parsley/cilantro mixture to the big bowl.
7. Add the spelt flour & mix everything up well.
8. Form into 8-10 patties, placing them on the parchment covered baking sheet.
9. Bake for 15 minutes, flip the burgers, & continue baking for 15 more minutes.
10. The 30 minute of total baking time produced a crisp brown burger--but, check on them, & cook only to your desired "doneness". Ovens vary.
Hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
The Healthy Librarian's "Knock Your Socks Off" Creamy Chipotle Topping - Two Ways - Creamy Cashew or Creamy "Nut-Free" Chia
To get to the post where this one originates, click here.
We set up a fabulous taco bar one night during our family beach vacation in July.
Son #1 put me in charge of whipping up a creamy chipotle dressing. I followed his directions & used his made-up-in-his-head-off-the-cuff recipe. He makes this a lot in his own home.
Trust me, this topping can make a mediocre dish into a spectacular one.
Use it as a topping for tacos, enchiladas, burgers, or salads.
I brought it into work for a taste test, & everyone went wild over it. More like, swooned. Wanted the recipe. It's so yummy.
Here's Son #1's very simple recipe:
Creamy Chipotle Cashew Topping
Serves 8 - 1 tablespoon servings
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup of raw cashews soaked in 1/2 cup of water for at least an hour. Longer is fine.
- 3-4 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lime juice (lemon juice works just fine, too!)
- 2 coarsely chopped garlic cloves, less to taste
- 1/2 (preferred) to 1 canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce. Sizes vary, so go slowly--you can always add more
- a few grains of coarse sea salt to taste
Preparation:
1. Soak the raw cashews for at least one hour in 1/2 cup of water
2. Into a power blender (VitaMix works best) add the cashews AND the soaking water, the garlic, the lime or lemon juice, & the chipotle.
3. Blend well until the cashews are a creamy, silky consistency. Check for taste. Add more chipotle, if needed.
4. Add a few grains of salt to taste.
Creamy Chipotle Chia (no-nut) Topping
OK. I know a lot of you don't eat nuts, especially not cashews.
I figured I could come up with a close substitute for the cashew dressing with soymilk & chia.
It's quite good, and very close to the taste of the cashew topping. But, I've got to be honest.
If I had to pick, the cashew dressing would take the gold medal in this contest.
BTW, the secret ingredient to the chia topping is a teaspoon of agave. Turns out, cashews have a natural sweetness that is missing in the chia version. Agave came to the rescue.
Serves 8 - 1 tablespoon servings
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup of Eden Extra Plain Soymilk (richer than other non-dairy milks)
- 3 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lime juice (lemon juice works just fine, too!)
- 2 coarsely chopped garlic cloves, less to taste
- 1/2 (preferred) to 1 canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce. Sizes vary, so go slow--you can always add more
- 3 tablespoons of white chia (I like the Salba brand)
- 1 teaspoon of agave (more to taste, if needed)
- a few grains of coarse sea salt
Preparation:
1. Add all the ingredients into a power blender (I use a VitaMix), adding the chia seed just before you're ready to turn the blender on.
2. Blend well, until the consistency is smooth & silky.
3. Taste, & add extra chipotle, salt, or agave to your own taste.
