Farm Fresh: Fresh Edamame-Chickpea Burgers with Lemon & Cumin Roasted Veggies

The result of farmer's market inspiration, here is a sneak peak of the recipes to come in this post:

Running down a hill....I promise I don't always heel-strike!

Running Updates: Not much new in the world of running. It has been pretty hott down here in SoCal so my goal for most of my runs is to not die of dehydration and to not go any slower than a 9:00 pace. I know that sounds slow, but if I run any faster than 8:30 pace, I just feel like I'm going to start dry-heaving (it was 90 degrees today....come on)! Also, totally random, but I finally downloaded the race pictures from that half way back in January where I PRed, and well, lets just say that I should definitely NOT consider modeling as a full-time profession. My eyes are closed in half of the pictures, and in the other half I either look crazy or like I'm not running......what's up with that? Anyways, I found one picture in which I don't look like a man or a sleep-walker, so I hope you enjoy (or not).

Marathon Training Updates: I am still definitely training for a marathon, but it was simply too hot last Sunday to run over 2 hours. I am still planning on doing a 16 mile run soon (within the next 2 weeks), so I'll probably just have to grow a pair and wake up uber early one morning. Also, in case anyone was worried about me staying properly hydrated and fed during my longer runs (because I know my electrolyte levels are everyone's number one priority ;) ) I have informed my father and brother that they have officially been bestowed with the lovely job of hydration station managers since I plan on doing most of my longer runs in loops that go be my house once every mile. Say what?! YOU wanted that job?! Well don't fret, I am still taking applications, the only qualifications are that you have to know how to pour water, hand water and snacks to me without making me stop running, and be a 6 foot tall, tan, athletic male with blue eyes, a great sense of humor, and a nice car would be a bonus......I don't ask for much.

Seasonal & Local Recipe: Fresh Edamame-Chickpea Burgers with Lemon & Cumin Roasted Veggies

Look at those beauts!

The Inspiration: I went to an amazing farmers market in Calabasas with my good friend Arik this past Sunday (will do a separate post entirely on this market cause it was THAT awesome) and was inspired by the seasonal ingredients. I went to another farmers market on Tuesday and ended up buying a lot of the same types of produce I saw on sunday. I also bought garbanzo beans....which it turns out are in season? I still don't quite understand how bean seasonality works, but this persian wasn't about to question her favorite bean (and the favorite bean of so many middle eastern people for centuries) being in season! In addition I ended up with colorful heirloom carrots, new potatoes (which are basically small gold, red, and purple potatoes that you don't have to peel), and broccoli. 

Nutrition Note: There are three recipes that follow; one for edamame-chickpea burgers and the two are for roasted root veggies and roasted broccoli & carrots. They are intended to go together to make a well rounded meal, but you can certainly mix and match some of these recipes with other recipes to create your own ideal meal. The edamame chickpea patties are pretty good on protein, the edamame, as well as the pairing of chickpeas and tahini provide a complete protein.....not to mention they provide lots of great fiber and antioxidants. The veggies add some delicious, slow digesting carbs, fiber, and lot of color and antioxidants to make this meal pretty awesomely well-rounded if I do say so myself. Also it all taste delicious together....so that's pretty good too.

Edamame-Chickpea Burgers (Gluten Free)
I remember trying a recipe for Edamame-Chickpea burgers from a Vegan website as my "experiment" in Food Science Lab, and everyone loved them! I couldn't find the recipe, so I decided to try to come up with one that was similar, and although these aren't exactly as I remember, they are definitely delicious in their own way.

This is about the color/texture that you should achieve
after step 2.

Ingredients:

- 1 3/4 cup cooked chickpeas/garbanzo beans (about 1 can)

- 1 1/2 cup cooked, shelled edamame

- 2-3 tbsp tahini

- 1/3 cup water OR lemon juice

- 1/2 cup quinoa flour (you can also use rice flour or conventional wheat flour)

- 1 tbsp soy sauce

- 1 1/2 tsp cumin

- 1 tsp marjoram

- 1 tsp corioander

- 1/2 tsp garlic powder

- 1 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a food processor process the first 4 ingredients (chickpeas, edamame, water/lemon juice, and tahini) for 30 seconds. Scarpe down the sides and continute to process until relatively evenly colored. There may still my some random chunks which is totally fine.

Burgers AFTER being flipped over! NOMSSS

3. Add in all of the rest of the ingredients and process for at least another minute, periodically scraping down the sides. Continue to process until it looks like everything is evenly mixed.

4. Line a large baking sheet with tin foil.

5. Using you (freshly washed) hands shape the mixture into patties that are 2-3 inches in diameter and about 3/4 of an inch thick. Place the patties on the lined baking sheet. You should have somewhere between 9-11 patties.

6. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes and remove when you notice a slight crispy crust form on the patties.

7. Let the patties cool, and then remove them from the foil and flip them over before serving. (This is just a silly step, you don't have to flip them over, but I like the way the golden bottom of the patties looks.....definitely more aesthetically pleasing)

Lemon & Cumin Roasted Root Veggies:

This is about the size that your potatoes should be cut.

Ingredients:

- 1 bushel of carrots cut diagonally into inch thick slices (I got multi-colored heirloom carrots that were gorgeous)

- 1 lb of new potatoes (this means small red, purple, and gold potatoes that you don't have to peel) cut into quarters or eighths like in the picture to the right

- 3 tbsp lemon juice separated

- 1 tbsp olive oil **optional, I tried the recipe with & without it, and it works well both ways**

- 3 large cloves of garlic

- 1 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp black pepper

- 1/2 tsp salt

Potatoes & Carrots, finished baking & ready to go!

Directions:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 410 degrees and line a baking sheet with heavy duty tin foil.

2. Grate the garlic cloves into the lemon juice. If you are using olive oil, add that as well.

3. Add the cumin & pepper to the lemon juice mixture and stir for a minute.

4. Spread out all of the potatoes and carrots in one baking sheet and pour the lemon juice mixture over them.

5. Sprinkle the salt evenly over the potatoes and carrots and then mix them all around in the tray to make sure everything is evenly coated.

6. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, basically until you see the potatoes starting to get a little golden around the edges.

Lemon & Cumin Roasted Broccoli & Carrots: 

Yes, this is a variation of the recipe above, but it taste very different so I thought I'd share despite the similarities.

Ingredients:

- 3 cups broccoli florets

- 1 bushel carrots cut diagonally into inch thick slices
(as mentioned, if you can get heirloom carrots, bonus points for you)

- 3 tbsp lemon juice

- 1 tbsp olive oil **optional, I tried the recipe with & without it, and it works well both ways**

- 3 large cloves of garlic

- 1 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp black pepper

- 1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 410 degrees and line a baking sheet with heavy duty tin foil

2. Place the carrots on the sheet and put them in the oven to bake for 5-10 minutes. I like my carrots al dente so I do 5 minutes, but if you like them super soft, then you should leave them in for 10.

3. Grate the garlic into the lemon juice. If you are using oil, this is the time to add that as well.

4. Add the cumin & black pepper to the lemon juice mixture and stir for one minute.

5. After the carrots are done with their solo time in the oven, remove them from the oven and reduce the heat to 375 degrees.

6. Add the broccoli florets to the same baking sheet as the carrots, and pour the lemon mixture over the veggies.

7. Sprinkle the salt over the veggies, and then mix them all around in the tray so that everything is evenly coated.

8. Place in the oven for another 10 minutes.

9. Remove the veggies from the oven, let them cool, and enjoy!