Its just another Manic Monday….WAIT… not anymore…HELLO meatless Monday!  I used to dread Monday mornings like the other 99% of the population does. When I started moving into a plant based diet, so many things in my life started to change for the better. Now I get to add one more thing to my PROs list. I get to experiment with new recipes to help people just like you find some great meals that make you feel great.

Wow, sorry for being that irritating Monday morning person. It’s just a pretty cool thing to know you are helping someone live a happier, healthier life. Ok, we can skip the Kumbaya. You get the picture.

These savory chickpea cakes are packed with flavor, thanks to the delicious mélange of spices. Let’s not forget the amazing Red Bell Pepper Coconut Curry Sauce that they bathe in. Yummmmm

Ingredients:

Curry Sauce

3 Red Bell Peppers

1 Tablespoon of olive oil, plus a touch more for brushing

1/4 cup Grapeseed Oil

1/2 cup chopped yellow onion

 

1 cup Coconut Milk

2 teaspoons of your favorite curry powder

2 teaspoons of ground cumin

1 teaspoon sea salt

3 tablespoons of tomato paste

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Arrange the peppers on a rimmed baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Roast until tender, about 50 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit for about 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel and chop the peppers.

Heat the grapeseed oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Let cool. Put the peppers, onion, coconut milk, curry powder, cumin, salt, tomato paste, and cilantro in a Vita Mix or blender and mix until smooth.

Transfer the mixture back to the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 15 minutes. Reheat just before serving.

This sauce will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Moroccan Chickpea Cakes

Ingredients

1 cup of dried chickpeas soaked overnight

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning (Did you know it was Gluten Free?)

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/3 cup Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour

1 cup gluten free bread crumbs

 

Directions

Put the dried chickpeas in a bowl and add water to cover by about 3 inches. Soak overnight. Drain and rinse.

In a sauté pan, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and the celery and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.

Put the chickpeas, parsley, paprika, Old Bay Seasoning, salt and cumin into a food processor, and pulse until ground. Add in the flour and pulse a few more times to mix. You don’t want to over do it though…or soon you will have hummas. If the mixture seems too dry, add some water one tablespoon at a time to help it stick together. Transfer to a large bowl and fold in sautéed vegetables. With your hands fold the mixture into patties.

Dredge each patty into the bread crumbs to coat the entire patty.

Place on a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat on it. Refrigerate patties for 30 minutes.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a sauté pan and fry until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. For a healthier version, skip the final step of the breadcrumbs and bake the patties in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes per side.

To serve, pour a 1/2 cup of the curry sauce into the middle of each plate. Place 2 warm cakes in the center, and sprinkle toasted almond slivers on top for garnish.

Delish!

 

Recipe adapted from Candle 79.