Chickpea Burgers & Tahini Sauce

I made these last Wednesday for a friend's baby shower as "Falafel on a Stick" by making 24 tiny patties. I cut Persian cucumbers in rounds, and laid a patty on top of the cucumber round, with half a grape tomato on top. I served them on a plate with the yogurt tahini sauce and a ton of radish sprouts sprinkled over the plate.

They were a real hit! Only the sauce was left. It was REALLY good.

The first time I made it, the mixture was pretty wet, so I ended up adding an additional tablespoon of flour, but I was using Brown Rice flour instead of AP, so the AP may be fine. The second time I made it, it was fine as written (still using Brown Rice Flour). Could have been the weather.

Husband approved also!

As far as WW is concerned, except for the Tahini, it's pretty much core. I didn't actually use the pitas called for in the recipe. I think Wheat Pita tastes like nothing, so I'd rather save the calories. I think wrapping in lettuce would be really good.

Chickpea Burgers & Tahini Sauce

Source: Eating Well Magazine, Summer 2006.
View Online: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/chickpea_burger.html

Yield: 4 servings
Active Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Ease of preparation: Moderate

Rather than a heavy, fried falafel, here's an updated version of this
pocket sandwich: a light chickpea patty served in a whole-wheat pita
with a flavorful but light tahini sauce.

Chickpea burgers
1 19-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
4 scallions, trimmed and sliced
1 egg
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 6 1/2-inch whole-wheat pitas, halved and warmed, if desired

Tahini sauce
1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
2 tablespoons tahini (see Ingredient note)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. To prepare burgers: Place chickpeas, scallions, egg, flour,
oregano, cumin and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor. Pulse,
stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides, until a coarse
mixture forms that holds together when pressed. (The mixture will be
moist.) Form into 4 patties.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add
patties and cook until golden and beginning to crisp, 4 to 5 minutes.
Carefully flip and cook until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes more.
3. To prepare sauce & serve: Meanwhile, combine yogurt, tahini, lemon
juice, parsley and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Divide the
patties among the pitas and serve with the sauce.

Per serving: 399 calories; 16 g fat (3 g sat, 8 g mono); 55 mg
cholesterol; 53 g carbohydrate; 15 g protein; 9 g fiber; 742 mg
sodium. Nutrition bonus: Fiber (37% daily value), Folate (32% dv),
Vitamin C (30% dv), Iron (20% dv).

Ingredient note: Tahini is a smooth, thick paste made from ground
sesame seeds and commonly used in Middle Eastern foods. Look for it in
the Middle Eastern section or near other nut butters in large
supermarkets.

To make ahead: Cover and refrigerate the uncooked burger mixture and
tahini sauce for up to 2 days.

If you haven't seen Eating Well, check it out at the newstand. I am starting to like it more than Cooking Light, which I have subscribed to for 14 years. I think I'll be subscribing to Eating Well soon, maybe for a Christmas present to myself?