Before I get to sharing this recipe, lets talk about my month of whole30. Though I really should say whole29.5 because I cut the challenge short Saturday afternoon to have my annual fix of mini donuts from our local fair. It happens once a year and since they called for rain on Sunday, we spent our Saturday afternoon there. I haven’t missed one Brome Fair since I was a baby and the donuts were always such a treat! That said, I regret nothing. Though the headache that followed that indulgence was a good warning to take it easy.
I barely cheated on this challenge. I had peanut butter until I realized I should not – oops. So then I switched to almond butter. I also had some pre-packaged hummus for lunch one day while visiting a friend out of town and wasn’t sure it was properly prepared. The other exceptions I made were the occasional smoothies in the morning – which are frowned upon because your body doesn’t register liquid food the same way. I also probably ate more fruit than was suggested (I didn’t keep count) and if I bought a package of dried fruits or nuts, chances are I ate the whole thing in one sitting. (sorry, not sorry).
Now that I am a few days into normal eating, I am still sticking pretty closely to the rules. I am making an effort to keep enjoying my coffee sugar-free (which never happened before) and I am still stocking the fridge with tons of veggies and not buying bread so that I keep up the habit of making proper meals with lots of eggs and market produce. I did however indulge in a delicious chocolate croissant on Sunday and it was heavenly.
So to sum up my 30 day experiment, I am glad I did it. It forced me to cook proper meals for myself and to start reading the labels on the food I buy. It also gave me a good habit of stocking my fridge with tons of fruits and vegetables every week – and I plan to keep that up in an attempt to thwart temptation to make something quick and easy. I also start paying more attention to better portioning of certain foods and eating when I’m hungry – not bored. I’m more aware of how my body feels and what it needs. After a hard month of being disciplined, I don’t wish to throw that work out the window.
This is a recipe I tried a few weeks ago while on the whole30 and I think I would make these again and enjoy them with a slice of cheese, some chipotle hot sauce, between 2 bakery buns! They are nice and solid which is often hard to find in a veggie burger.
adapted from this recipe.
INGREDIENTS
1 3/4 cups dry chickpeas, soaked overnight
2 garlic clove
3 tbsp chives, chopped
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp dry mustard powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp Coconut aminos (or soy sauce for a non whole30 recipe)
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1 egg, beaten
3 tbsp coconut flour
2 tbsp olive oil for frying
DIRECTIONS
1. When you are ready to prepare the burger, drain the water and rinse. Place half of the chickpeas into a food processor and pulse for 10 seconds until they have broken down into smaller pieces. Place into a large bowl and set to the side.
2. Place the remaining chickpeas into the food processor with the garlic, chives, baking soda, mustard powder, salt, lime juice, coconut sauce. Mix until you have a paste.
3.Place into the bowl with the small chickpea pieces, and combine with a spoon.
4. Add the sesame seeds and combine. Add the beaten egg and combine. Finally, add 3 tbsp of coconut flour and combine.
5. Once the mixture if fully combined, scoop a 1/2 cup into your hands and squeeze into a ball. Flatten into a patty, and lay onto a baking sheet. Continue in the same manner until you have 6-7 patties. Place the tray into the fridge for 15 minutes.
6. While the burgers are chilling, heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large frying pan or wok on medium heat.
7. Gently place the patties in the oil, no more than 4 at a time. Fry for 2 – 3 minutes on each side, or until the burger has turned brown.
8. Remove from the oil and place onto a paper towel to soak up any extra oil.
Burgers can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for a couple of days, although they are much better eaten hot out of the oil.