Carrot Veggie Burgers

(vegan, gluten-free)

My wife prefers carrots cooked. My sons and I prefer carrots raw. Creating carrot veggie burgers seemed to please all of us, especially when we put the patties on homemade gluten-free buns and covered them with lettuce, tomato, onion, and barbecue sauce. It’s all about compromise.

These patties are delicious, and they have a good amount of fiber, protein, and healthy fats from the tahini, walnuts, and olive oil. They can be baked or pan fried, and they can be eaten plain or smothered in your favorite sauce. More importantly, they are a great way to use up that bag of carrots that you bought with the best of intentions but can’t bare to turn into yet another boring veggie platter.

INGREDIENTS

• 12 ounces carrots
• ½ cup walnuts
• ½ cup raw spinach leaves
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2-3 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 1 tablespoon miso paste
• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
• 2 tablespoons water
• ½ cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Peel and grate the carrots (do not finely chop). Finely chop the walnuts, spinach leaves, and garlic and mix with the grated carrot.
2. Heat about 1 tablespoon olive oil in large frying pan. Cook carrot mixture on medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, or until the carrots have released their water and softened.
3. Remove pan from heat and let cool. Mix flaxseed in water and let sit for 5 minutes to thicken.
4. Add tahini, miso paste, flaxseed, flour, and spices to carrot mixture. Mix thoroughly.
5. Divide the carrot mixture into 6 x 1/3-cup balls. Press each ball into a patty about a half inch thick.
6. Heat enough olive oil in a frying pan to just cover the pan with a thin layer. Fry each patty on medium heat for about 4 minutes, then flip over and fry the other side another 4 minutes.

Makes 6 patties.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Per patty: 213 calories, 13.8g fat, 3.6g fiber, 4.3g protein

NOTES

1. Grating the carrots works better than finely chopping. The long carrot strands hold together better in the patty.
2. The tahini can be replaced with smooth peanut butter for a slightly different but incredibly tasty version.
3. Patties can be baked at 400°F for 15-20 minutes instead of fried.