Cauliflower Falafel Veggie Burgers
When I initially changed to a whole food, plant-based diet years ago I went on a quest to make a variety of veggie burgers. This was my first experiment and it was a tasty success. I don’t think back then I even knew what quinoa was, much less how to pronounce it!
The recipe can be found at “Cookie and Kate” recipe blog: Cauliflower Falafel Veggie Burgers. I removed the olive oil and used a “flax egg” instead.
Here is how to pronounce “quinoa”: Quinoa
Here is a nice article from “Whole Food Plant Based Diet” webpage about cruciferous vegetables, though focuses on broccoli. Still, what is said about broccoli holds true to some extent for all the cruciferous vegetables including cauliflower. Pay particular attention to the description of Dr. Michael Greger’s “Hack and Hold” technique to get the maximal health benefits from cruciferous vegetables: Broccoli & Sulforaphane vs Cancer
Cauliflower Falafel Veggie Burgers
Ingredients
1/2 large head of cauliflower, broken into florets to yield 3/4 pound florets
1 1/4 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup COOKED quinoa
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed or 1½ cups cooked chickpeas, mashed
1/2 cup chopped green onion (white and green parts)
1/2 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1/2 cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
2-3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 “flax egg” (see instructions)
1 1/2-2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Mix 1 Tablespoon ground flaxseed with 3 Tablespoons water in a small bowl. Set aside for 5-10 minutes to create the “flax egg.”
Transfer the cauliflower florets to the bowl of your food processor. Pulse until they resemble a couscous-like texture, about 15 pulses. Transfer to a large bowl.
Grind the oats: Use a food processor or blender to grind the oats until the flakes are broken up, but not as fine as flour.
To the bowl with the cauliflower, add your cooked quinoa, chickpeas, green onion, cilantro, parsley, garlic, “flax egg,” cumin, salt, cinnamon, red pepper flakes and pepper. Mix well by hand.
Sprinkle the ground oats over the mixture and mix well until the mixture holds together when you shape a portion into a patty. If the mixture is still too dry to shape into patties, mash it until it does. If you have time, cover and refrigerate the mixture for 30-60 minutes for best results (the patties will hold together better during cooking if they are chilled first).
Use a measuring cup to measure out 1/2 cup of the mixture. Gently shape it into a patty about 3 1/2 inches in diameter. Use your hands to gently flatten the burgers and smooth out any jagged edges. Repeat the process for each patty; you should end up with seven.
Pan-fry the burgers without oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Place several burgers in the pan, leaving enough room to flip them. Cook until the patties are golden brown on the underside, about 3 to 4 minutes, then flip and repeat with the other side. If you don’t have a non-stick skillet you could bake them instead at 350 degrees on a parchment paper lined baking tray (I haven’t baked these but most veggie burgers take about 15-20 minutes each side).
Transfer cooked burgers to a plate to cool.
