Rustic Chipotle Cilantro Burgers

These are delicious, but not very sexy.....not flamboyant in any way, not pompous, just simple, delicious and nutritious.  They're kind of unassuming and shy, actually...but they hit the spot.  They can be eaten as is, out the door in a napkin, or between some home made bread, avocado, and lots of delicious sweet onion. 

If you like veggie burgers but you don't like the price, these are great for that reason also.  Filled with heart-healthy fiber, and packed with a kick, they are a snap to make...and to boot, they freeze well (which is why they are on my regular rotation).  

I regularly use my pressure cooker (1) because it's fun, (2) I feel like I'm using heavy machinery, (3) it's a gadget, and I love gadgets, and (4) it's so super cheap to make beans! And they always come out perfect.  Just make sure you soak your beans overnight and cook them with kombu in the pressure cooker, based on the manufacturer's instructions.  Otherwise, you can use canned beans (but please buy BPA free like Eden brand, and give them a good rinse).  

1 zucchini, shredded

1 onion, chopped fine

1 teaspoon coconut oil

1 teaspoon chipotle powder

3.5 cups cooked chickpeas

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped

salt and pepper, to taste

First, saute the zucchini and onion in the coconut oil until they start to sweat, about 5 minutes.  Place these in the food processor with the chickpeas, chipotle, & oats. Add the cilantro, and blend (not too much - you should still be able to see some of the cilantro vs. creating a green batter). 

By 1/3 cup full, create patties and place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  These will be pretty sticky and will not want to leave your hands, but just pass them between your hands until they resemble a semi-flat shape (about 3/4 inch thick).  If this is too sticky for you, let the batter sit for 10 minutes and the oats will draw in some of the moisture and solidify the batter a bit more.  

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Enjoy!

I like to salt/pepper these right out of the oven.  The reason being that I want the salt taste to hit my tongue, rather than it being dispersed in the whole batter.  I end up using less salt that way. But you can salt as you'd like.