Syn Free Falafel Burger with Salsa Recipe

I used to make this recipe all the time and completely and utterly forgot about it. However, I have recently rediscovered it and of course it has quickly jumped up my list of top ten recipes that I have to make on a regular basis once again. Now, there is a little bit of prep involved in this one, however, it does make 8 burgers and they are suitable for home freezing, meaning you can make one batch last quite a while especially if you are a single mummy like me. I have included some little sides as this is great with a homemade salsa and jacket potato wedges meaning that you don’t even need a bun because this will be super filling. This recipe is syn free, vegetarian, low fodmap and completely delicious. Looking for a veggie burger for the summer? Try this out for size!

Quick List of Ingredients (makes 8 burgers):

150g dried quinoa

2 carrots, grated

1x 400g can of chickpeas

1x tbsp of harissa spice mix

30g fresh coriander

10g fresh mint

10g fresh dill

8 spring onions, chopped

2 eggs, beaten

Jacket potatoes (1.5 per serving/person)

Fry light spray

1 red onion, chopped (for low fodmap use the spring onion once again)

Salad tomatoes, diced (2 per serving/person)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees, prick some jacket potatoes ( I say 1 and a half per person/serving) and pop them in the oven to bake.

2. Put 150g of dried quinoa in a saucepan, cover with 300mls of water or stock if you prefer (check your packet as different brands say different amounts of liquid) pop on the hob with a lid on and cook on a low-medium heat for 15 minutes. Make sure you check it occasionally so it doesn’t burn.

3. Whilst the quinoa is cooking, to a food processor add 2 carrots grated, 1 400g can of chickpeas drained and rinsed, 1tbsp of dried harissa spice mix or half a teaspoon of the paste, 30g fresh coriander, 10g each of mint and dill and 8 spring onions roughly chopped. Crack 2 eggs into a separate bowl and lightly whisk, then add 80% of this to the food processor and keep the other bit back for in a minute. Add the quinoa which should now have puffed up with all the water having evaporated, then hit the switch and blend the whole lot together until it is a thick chunky paste. Leave to sit for 10 minutes.

4. While the mixture is sitting, take 1 red onion (or spring onion) and chop into small pieces and place in a small bowl along with some diced salad tomatoes (2 per person eating.) Add some salt and pepper to taste, cover with cling film and pop in the fridge until serving.

5. Take a large baking tray and cover with baking paper, then using spoons (for the sophisticated) or your hands, divide the burger mixture into 8 roundish mounds on the baking paper pressing each down slightly. Don’t worry about leaving too much space as they don’t tend to spread. Then coat each one with the rest of the egg mixture. Pop them in the oven for 20 mins.

6. By this point hopefully your potatoes have jacketed, so remove from the oven along with the burgers, and allow to cool until half an hour before you wish to serve (this waiting time can be removed if you are cooking to eat straight away and not advance cooking like I do.)

7. Take an oven tray, and cut each jacket into 4 wedge shaped pieces and place them on the oven tray. Spray with fry light or drizzle a little oil, then pop the wedges and the burgers back in the oven for 20 mins.

8. Serve immediately with some of your tomato and onion salsa from the fridge on top. Delish!

**ADD SOME HEAT : Lightly sprinkle paprika or mild chilli powder on your jacket wedges before returning them to the oven.

**ADD SOME MEAT: in desperate need of some meat? Add some grilled bacon to the burgers with the fat removed!