This recipe is inspired by falafel—vegetarian balls or patties that are usually made from chickpeas. My version features similar ingredients, but the use of lentils as a substitute for chickpeas gives the patties a sturdier, almost meaty taste, which is why I like to serve them as I would burgers. Topping a lentil patty with sautéed mushrooms, kale leaves, and a curried mayo (p. 19) results in a sandwich that is guaranteed to please everyone, even serious meat lovers.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon (15 mL) butter
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 zucchini, grated
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons (30 mL) Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon (15 mL) honey or maple syrup
Two 19-ounce (540 mL) cans lentils, drained and rinsed
2 eggs
½ cup (125 mL) grated Parmesan cheese
1⅓ cups (320 mL) bread crumbs
⅓ cup (80 mL) Greek yogurt, strained (see instructions on p. 19)
½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
In a nonstick skillet, melt the butter and sauté the onion and garlic. Add the zucchini and bay leaves, and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the bay leaves.
Transfer the mixture to a food processor, then add all the remaining ingredients. Process until the ingredients are combined and you reach a texture that resembles ground meat.
Create twenty 2-inch (5 cm) patties. If the mixture is too sticky, add more bread crumbs.
In a lightly oiled nonstick skillet, cook the patties over medium-high heat.
Serve in slider buns, seasoned with curry yogurt mayonnaise (p. 19).
Notes
Hubert's Tip: You can freeze the cooked lentil patties for up to 3 months. As an alternative, serve them with curly lettuce and tomato slices.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: for 4 patties Calories: 502 Fat: 8.9 g Saturated fat: 3.3 g Carbohydrates: 76 g Sodium: 595 mg Fiber: 11 g Protein: 31 g Cholesterol: 88 mg
Recipe by Food Bloggers of Canada at https://www.foodbloggersofcanada.com/yogurt-every-day-review/