Beetroot falafel burgers (vegan)

This beetroot falafel burger is not only packed with plant-based goodness but when you serve it in a toasted bun with crushed avocado, baby gem lettuce, beef tomatoes, red onion and a dressing of your choice (I served it here with a lemon tahini dressing) it delivers every bit of the feel good food factor you’d expect from biting into a mighty burger.

I’ve taken all the delicious, fragrant traditional flavours of falafel such as cumin, coriander, garlic, mint and parsley and blended them with the sweet earthiness of beetroot, a vegetable I favour for its nutritional values. The betacyanin which gives beetroot its fabulous colour can help support blood health, heart health, skin health, liver function and brain function thanks to its’ antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and detoxification properties. High in vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin C, iron, magnesium and potassium, it really is the original superfood. Add to this some avocado and raw salad vegetables and you can exploit the joys of a burger knowing you’re doing your body some real good at the same time. It’s a win-win.

Ingredients:

Makes 6 burgers

1 cup of dried chickpeas which have been soaked overnight in 2 -3 cups of cold water and 1tsp bicarbonate of soda – drain and rinse before use but don’t cook

1 large handful of fresh parsley

1 large handful of fresh mint

1 large handful of fresh coriander

1 onion chopped

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp seasalt

Black pepper to taste

1 tbsp olive oil

200g cooked beetroot

To make:

1. Place the drained chickpeas in the food processor along with all the other ingredients, apart from the beetroot

2. Blitz ingredients together, scraping down the sides of the food processor a couple of times, until well combined – chickpeas should be crumb-like at this stage

3. Add the beetroot to the chickpea mixture and blitz again, for a couple of minutes, making sure the beetroot is completely blended in and the mixture is coming together

4. Transfer the mixture into a bowl and press down. Cover with cling film and leave to firm up in the fridge for at least a couple of hours

5. When ready to use, pre-heat oven to 200 c

6. Form the mixture into burger shaped patties. The mix will be relatively soft to work with so it’s best to form the patties and place them directly onto a baking sheet a couple of inches apart. They will expand slightly during cooking.

7. Brush patties with olive oil and bake in the pre-heated oven for 25 – 30 minutes

8. Serve in a toasted bun with add-ons of choice: see above for suggestions.

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Spicy sweetcorn chowder with an avocado and sweetcorn salsa (vegan)