New Recipe: Chickpea walnut flax burger (and a bbq tofu taco preview)

Okay, I know, it's been forever since I've posted a recipe. Honestly, I've just been busy with work and writing and other things and have been eating the same old and not making many 'new' things for the blog like I Should.

Today I made two though!

First things first, my Chickpea Walnut flax burger:

Okay, honestly, these burgers are a PAIN to make. They make the kitchen an absolute disaster, but seeing as how they are the only burger I've ever gotten to STICK TOGETHER, I say make a big batch. I would've made 24, but my legs are flaring so I only made 12. :(

Things you need:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• 2 16 oz cans of chickpeas
• 1 cup ground flax meal
• 1 cup walnuts, whole
• .5 onion
• 2 tbls chili powder
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1.5 tbls garlic salt
• 1 tsp cumin
• 2 tbls steak sauce (make your own, or you can buy it vegan, I'll post a recipe for it eventually)
• 1 tbls earth balance vegan buttery spread
• Some type of blender/food processor and a coffee grinder (optional, but preferable)
• 1 cup veggie broth
• 3 tbls cornstarch

Directions:

• Drain chickpeas and place in large mixing bowl
• Put walnuts in food processor (I use a ninja)
• Add all seasonings to walnuts and chop
• Add seasoned chopped walnuts to coffee grinder, this will grind it into a smooth powdery paste. This texture is ideal for helping to bind the chickpea batter into a burger (as does the flax meal)
• After it's a fine powdery paste, add to chickpeas
• Add .5 cup flax meal
• Mix well
• Saute chopped .5 onion in earth balance and add to batter
• Add all contents of mixing bowl to the ninja/processor
• Add a bit of broth slowly as you process the chickpea mixture into a thick batter.
• Transfer back into mixing bowl and add 3 tbls cornstarch, one tbls, then mix, one more, then mix, then the last, and mix, by the end it should be getting more difficult to mix it because it'll be getting thicker. 
• Add .5 cup of flax meal
• Let sit in the refrigerator until cold and firm

Directions for forming into patties:

• This batter is very THICK and very STICKY. I suggest leaving some cold water running and forming the patties near the sink, placing onto a oil coated baking pan, maybe with foil or wax paper
• You want to wet your hands, then grab some batter, and it's really a delicate process of rolling/smooshing into patties. YES the dough is going to feel slimy, it'll feel and look kind of like wet clay, this is good, if this is the case, you're doing it right! If not, it'll stick to your hands and there is no getting the patties onto the pan in one piece. If your hands are wet and the batter is a bit slimy on the outside, they will slide off your hands and onto the pan. 
• I suggest re-wetting your hands every two patties, if you don't, it will stick.
• In the end, they should look like this:

Pop them in the oven for 15-20 mins, or until lightly browned. Like a cookie, when it comes out, let it cool before trying to transfer it to a plate or bread, because it will crumble and fall apart. I generally freeze them individually, then reheat in the oven (you dont want to cook these in oil if you want them to stay firm.) This is a heavy, hearty, thick burger. Two cans of chickpeas should yield about 12 patties. You can pick the patties up and eat them, they should hold together.

Sometimes I eat them without bread and dip them in ketchup like a nugget and they hold up just fine. I've been trying to make a burger that stayed together for quite awhile, I'm glad these turned out to be so firm. Please, give them a shot and let me know how they came out! But sorry, I won't be there to help clean your kitchen. ;) 

Later this week I will hopefully be posting my korean bbq 'flank steak' tofu taco recipe, here is a preview: