The simplest dish you can make

I'm being totally, 100% honest. Your blind Uncle who has never cooked in his life could do it. Well maybe not but he could definitely do 80% of this meal. He might need your help with the poached egg but hell, if he doesn't feel like having an egg, he would be the chef!

So, who can tell me what this is? First one to write in will get a special pat on the back! I'm sure that you all know by now. Yep it's little old quinoa. That super grain from Peru. I have talked about it in the past here, but you know. When a girl falls in love, she falls hard! This is one of those times *swoon*. If you're a vegan you should include quinoa in your diet and with it being so versatile there really is no excuse! It's a complete protein and has managed to overcome one of the shortcomings normally associated with grains, it's high in fat. And that is good fat by the way. It's also got a pretty good calcium content so munch away people, munch away.

Aren't these colours amazing?! The minute I saw them in the shop I knew, deep down in my heart that I had to have them. Some people go for shiny pretty clothes, I go for pretty veggies. Bright colours that entice you and hold a wealth of goodness for our bodies. This is ruby and golden chard. Both yummy and without a huge variation in taste. Some people compare it to spinach, I my friends am not that person. I prefer, whole heartedly I might add, chard. I love it when the leaves are young and tender for salads, I love it when it grows tall and proud and it's great to cook with. We all know the benefits of eating a green and leafy diet, yes? Well chard, is one of those exceptional cases. It contains at least 13 different antioxidants, one of which is syringic acid. Now don't get scared by the name. This has actually be getting a heap of attention with researchers concerning the regulation of blood sugar levels…hip hip hooray!

RECIPE:

50g quinoa per person

3 leaves of chard per person

1 egg per person

salt and pepper

oil

Get your quinoa on first of all (in a pan cover the quinoa with water, get it boiling and the grains will start to go translucent. I like mine with a bite so try it and see if it's cooked enough for you). Meanwhile  put a pan of water onto boil for your poached egg and wash and chop the chard. Keep the stalks and leaves separate as the stalks will take longer to cook. Drizzle some oil into a pan and heat. Once hot add the chopped stalks and cook until change colour slightly, add the leaves and season. Drain the quinoa and let stand. Once the chard has cooked add the quinoa. Stir through on a low heat whilst you put your egg into the swirling water to poach. 

Poaching an egg: There is only one technique that works for me! A very fresh egg is needed and that is it. Boil water, stir to make a vortex. Crack egg into a teacup and gently lower egg into the vortex of boiling water. Cook till you are happy with it. 

Serve your quinoa/chard mix with a poached egg on top…enjoy the healthiness!

One last summer salad

With the 1st of Setpember came rain, wind and my mind wandering to sunnier climes. Can I cope in this climate for the next 6months? Will my feet cope with constantly being wet and cold and my body with the shivers?

Luckily enough, I managed to escape for a few days, to lands filled with golden sunshine and white beaches and although I feel invigorated I'm now back in the midst of storms, mist and rain.

This salad is a hommage to the last of the summer days. I'm quietly praying for an Indian Summer to come bounding into Ireland but if not, this is my last dish.

Beetroot is one of my favourite veggies of all time. I love how it leaves a reminder that it's been near you with it's purpley pink hue. I never wear gloves. I'm one of those people that love having something put their mark on me. As we all know veggies that are vibrant are better for us. This root veggie is great for improving stamina and contains vitamins such as potassium, magnesium and iron. Research has proven that beetroot can actually lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes due to the amount of nitrates it contains. Nitrates produce a gas called nitric oxide in the blood which widens blood vessels as well as lowering blood pressure.

I use red onions in this salad which compliments the natural sweetness of the beetroot. White onion would be fine, but not perfect!  Onions, particularly red onions are a great source of Chromium which helps control glucose levels which as we all know are related to insulin resistance. There has also been some talk that the outer layers are the most beneficial but there isn't a huge amount of research to prove this.

You can eat the skins of beetroot if you want, for this dish though I've taken them off but, if I was roasting them I would totally leave them on. Parsley is another ingredient and it is so good for your digestion. Please if you have bowl problems eat as much as you can. It will help no end!

RECIPE:

6 small to medium beetroots boiled till a knife slides in and out easily

large handful of parsley, washed and chopped

1 medium red onion, sliced finely

olive oil

salt and pepper

Once your beetroot is cooked peel them carefully and cut into wedges. Slice your onion and add along with the parsley. Cover with a generous glug of good quality olive oil, salt and pepper and serve.

This dish would be great with the beets red hot and a sprinkle of toasted pumpkin seeds!

A side dish

It's been one busy week here in Dublin at Cookbook HQ but it's over. Well, book 1 at least. Yesterday was a 12 hour day and although bloody tiring it definitely cemented that this is what I want to do. If I can do it for 12 hours and not be totally grumpy (maybe I was a little coming down from a sugar high, apologies #dreamteam) then this is right.

Although I loved doing this book, I think I will be heading back, or at least trying, to go the no sugar route. Just the inhaled sugar fumes over the last two weeks, let alone the consumed sugar have put my weight sky rocketing! We celebrated the end by having a Wendy House Party. No cakes though. Just savoury stuff.

And while I have been so busy this week that recipe making has not been on my mind, what I do have for you this week is such a simple yet wonderfully tasty side dish. I love to eat this by itself and often have it as a weekend afternoon snack it's so good. The key is to not overcook the broccoli and lemon zest.

I love sprouting broccoli and when homegrown, nothing beats it. When eaten raw this green goodness contains as much calcium as a glass of whole milk. One of the reasons that you never ever want to over cook it is because the more you cook it the less green it is and the less green it is the less chlorophyll will be left to counteract the sulphur compounds which form gas. So, not just because it turns mushy! The brassica family, to which the broccoli belongs, is well known for it's anticancer and antioxidant properties. They are also pretty good at livening up the liver out of a deep sleep.

RECIPE:

however much sprouting broccoli for the people you're feeding ( I go with roughly 5-6 stalks pp)

lemon zest freshly grated

parmesan cheese freshly grated

salt and pepper

good quality olive oil

Cut off any ugly looking ends (the ends without the flowers on) of the broccoli and put a pan of water on to boil. Once boiling a good roll, throw broccoli in with a pinch of salt. Cook for maybe 5 minutes depending on size of broccoli. If unsure, stick a knife in the stem. If can't get knife through  leave a little longer. If there is a slight effort to get knife in take out. If knife goes straight through with no effort, remove very quickly. Drain, arrange on plate. Grate lemon zest, parmesan and sprinkle with flaky salt and freshly ground black pepper with a drizzle of olive oil. Eat immediately!

Warm lentil salad

Yes, lentils. Those tiny little pearls of goodness that come in so many colours. Sunday I talked about red lentils, today I'm talking about green lentils and maybe next week I'll talk about black lentils…
They are just so good for us, I can't stop telling people! And this salad is one of my favourite (and most versatile) ways of eating them.

So you already know that these bad boys are great for preventing blood sugar levels to rise rapidly after eating food. But did you know that they not only are a source for 6 important minerals, two types of Vitamin B but also protein?! Isn't that great? All for 230 calories a cup. They are also one of those things you can cook in big batches and keep for a couple of days. And cooking couldn't be easier. Put lentils in a pan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Adding a bouquet garnis will add flavour as will adding spices to the water.

The sweet potato. Oh, how I adore you. Since starting my insulin resistant way of eating I have had to take out all carbs, starches and a whole bunch of other deliciously bad things from my diet. One of those ticked-off-my-list-things is the potato. How I miss mash…chips…crisps! However, the sweet potato is a completely different matter. These little orange potatoes can actually regulate our blood sugar! Research has shown that extracts of it can 'significantly increase blood levels of Adiponectin'. This, is a protein hormone produced by our fat cells that is an important modifier of insulin metabolism! Yes, you can eat this potato on your insulin resistance diet…happy days.

In this dish I use both red onion and spring onions. For two reasons; they both have very different tastes but work together beautifully and, spring onions are in season. Even though I talked about onions here, there is always so much to say and maybe one day I will have to treat you with a whole post just about the blessed onion! For now though, let's just say you should be eating onions every day.

In my local farmers market I can buy fresh garlic and I have to hang it up to dry for a couple of weeks before really getting the full flavour of it. I love the colours and smells of garlic. It's another great one for regulating blood sugar levels as well as strengthening the immune system. Ever notice the sticky feeling on your fingers after working with garlic? That's the sulphur containing compounds being released.

At this time of year when the weather is hot, ok, supposed to be hot. There is no better 'cooler' than mint. No-one can quite decide how many species of mint there are but, it's anywhere from 13-18. This green crawling sprawling plant has a number of properties that range from helping with depression to aiding digestion. I use it when I've eaten too much (happens quite often you'll be surprised to know). Add a few fresh leaves to boiled water and drink. Yum. In this dish it works wonderfully to counterbalance the sweet caramelised red onion and what can be the heady deep flavour of sweet potato to make this perfect and light for summer.

RECIPE:

1 med-large sweet potato

6 spring onions

1 large red onion

2 whole garlic bulbs

300g green lentils

big bunch of parsley and mint

aged feta cheese

1lemon

On a parchment lined baking tray place the spring onions, quartered red onion (held together by the root end!), half an inch thick sliced sweet potato and halved garlic bulbs. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Put into a preheated 200C oven and leave till cook with an occasional turn. Usually 20mins.

In the meantime, cook the lentils in water and drain. Finely chop the parsley and mint and put into bowl. Mix with the lentils and a drizzle of olive oil. Mound the veggies in the centre of the lentils, crumble feta around and squeeze the lemon all over. Eat warm or cold!
- You can of course make this vegan by leaving out the feta and also making it for meat eaters. Add strips of cooked chicken breast or steak to the mix. Switch it up by sprinkling the veggies with some cayenne/paprika or adding some cumin seeds.

It's a Dahl of a Sunday

The weather has closed. Summer has gone. Everybody will be white rather than red soon and I want colour, smells and flavour. Dahl is that dish. That dish that can bring back the feel of summer. It's full of goodness, totally vegetarian and vegan and one of those great dishes that you can make a bunch of and freeze. Technically, Dahl is not a dish, it's actually the name Indians use for lentils. Meaning that anything with lentils in is Dahl.  There are so many different types of Dahl and every family will have their very own recipe…this is mine.

It starts like most of my cooking with onion, garlic, ginger, cumin and coriander. Take a minute and picture the smell that is coming off these 5 ingredients once you add a little heat. Just take a minute.

Let's talk about the eye watering onion. Ok, we all know that there are a huge amount of types of onions; red, white, spring, chive, small, large etc etc. But to think that the onion family has 325 members and is one of the oldest vegetables known to man is pretty full on. There are so many legends and old wives tales about this veggie; to strap it to the soles of your feet during a cold will suck it out. Peel it under water to avoid crying (never works for me!). Fell over? Strap some slices over the bruise and overnight it will have gone….have you tried any?

This veggie has so many healing abilities that if you don't include it in your diet you really should. It's known for it's antibiotical, disinfectant, diuretic properties as well as helping with asthma, dissolving blood clots, regulating blood, infection fighting, the list goes on and on. Basically, EAT IT!

Another oldie but goodie. Ginger….that nobly dry-on-the-outside root that is so tasty! The older it is the more fibrous but, you can still use it. Make a lemon and ginger tea or rhubarb and ginger jam. Don't throw it out. A great overall promoter of circulation in the body, ginger has again, been around for years and years. Those oldies knew what they were doing back in the day! Used instead of garlic and onions to spiritually and physically cleanse, Ancient Indians preferred ginger as it produced a sweet smell that didn't offend their Gods.

I've talked about cumin here so let's have a little chat about coriander today. One thing I found when I was researching is that the oil can be used to lower glucose levels and regulate insulin. Great for us Insulin Resitant peeps or those with PCOS. It's been used as a digestive aid for years and has been found in Bronze Age ruins.

Tomatoes! I love tomatoes that grow in summer. You cannot get any sweeter, tastier little mouthfuls than fresh off the vine. And, as Rory O'Connell would say 'eating tomatoes out of season is too horrific to think about'. Ok, I'm paraphrasing but you get the gist. Don't eat veggies out of their season! Tomatoes are over 93% water and when eaten raw are super effective at reducing liver inflammation..munch away while it's the season peeps especially with all those Pimms doing the rounds.

The other vital ingredient is the lentil. I love the red variety in this dish as it gives it that bright sun shinning glow. All varieties are good for you. Scrap that. Great for you. Really really great. Especially for those of us with Insulin Resistance and blood sugar level problems. Their high fiber content helps to slow down the rise of blood sugar levels after eating. They are also a massive source of oestrogen..so for those with hormone troubles, something to research and, yes, there's more. They are great for lowering cholesterol.

RECIPE:

1 large red/white onion 

3+ cloves of garlic (depending on your taste. I use 5)

1-3 chillies depending on heat

2 inches peeled and grated ginger

1tsp tumeric

1tsp whole cumin seeds

1tsp coriander seeds

1tsp curry powder 

1tsp garam masala (optional)

4/5 big tomatoes/10-12 small tomatoes

250g of cooked red lentils

Slice the onion, garlic cloves and chilli finely. Add to some hot olive oil/ghee and cook till soft. Add the spices and cook some more. Slice the tomatoes and add to the pan. Stir and add some water to help cook the tomatoes. Put on a low simmer. Meanwhile cover red lentils in water and put on to cook. Once the tomatoes have broken down and the lentils are cooked add together. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve with some mint yoghurt.

Courgette Burgers

I love these little crispy pancake type burgers. They burst and pop with flavour in your mouth, are easy to make (although a bit of a process) and reheat/keep warm in the oven super duper well.

It is another recipe inspired by Yotom Otolenghi and I'm going to say that mine is easier, less time consuming and just as good as his (originally leek fritters).
Bold I know but I have to go in guns blazing.

My recipe is also great for gluten free diets. Through trial and error (aren't you glad I'm doing it for you) I've found that a cup of mixed buckwheat and quinoa flour works exactly the same as the quantity of flour Yotom uses in his. Yippeeee.

It's summer and the glut of courgettes was in. This uses up a good amount and you could use more just double the batter mixture and hey presto. Easy.

Courgettes or zucchinis depending on which side of the pond you come from are part of the summer squash family. Lower in sugar, carbs and Vit A than it's winter counterparts it is still a great alkaliser and supposed to help with inflammation according to the Chinese. Cooked per 100g it's only 16 calories..not bad my friends, not bad.

I love this spice. Can you guess what it is? I'm sure all you clever clots did and of course, why wouldn't you! Cumin. Fragrant and utterly reminiscent of India even though, it's native to Eastern Mediterranean. I always buy whole seeds and spices if I can. The flavours hold better for longer and will have more of an impact than powder. Who knew that such a tiny seed helps with the secretion of digestive juices, stimulate circulation and relieve pain and cramping. Wonder seed if I do say so myself.

I've already spoken about quinoa here so I'm going to focus on Buckwheat. Whilst reading up about this grain I was happily shocked to find that it is the best stabiliser of blood sugar out of all the grains. As someone who suffers with insulin resistance this is great! I have a little issue with the smell of cooked buckwheat but when I mixed it with quinoa flour I didn't even notice it. This grain is a power house of goodness containing all 8 essential amino acids. Lore says that buckwheat inhibits melanin and that's why you'll find that people living in warmer climes tend to eat more. I'm not sure about this but if you know more, tell me!

However, if you suffer from skin allergies or problems try not to eat to much as it prevents cells from cleansing themselves. It is however gluten free so great for celiacs and when roasted becomes  one of the few alkalinising grains.

RECIPE:

4 courgettes washed, topped, tailed and grated

1 cup of quinoa and buckwheat flour combined

1 large egg

⅔  cup of milk (I use goats)

big bunch of parsley/coriander

2 small chillies

garlic cloves

2 tbsp cumin

olive oil 

salt and pepper

In a frying pan, grate the courgettes, add the cumin seeds and cook so they release their water. Strain them a little but don't get stressed out about this as you don't want to lose the cumin seeds. Leave to cool.

In a blender whizz the parsley/coriander, chillies and garlic cloves. Meanwhile mix the egg, flour and milk. Add the whizzed up mixture to the batter and stir. Once the courgette is cooled add to the batter. Make sure that it's well stirred. Season.

In a frying pan heat some oil. Make sure it's really hot before you add the mixture and start cooking. Once it is hot to trot, place spoonfuls of the mixture and spread out a little. Cook till golden then turn over and repeat.

I normally cook mine 3 hrs ahead. When the time comes I heat in 100C oven for about 15/20mins. Makes 30.

Serve with a refreshing yoghurt and cucumber dip or a fresh salad.

It's all about being spicy

That's right and you know it! Spice not only helps appease our hunger but it also gets those endorphins buzzing and whizzing and tingling all over your body. And boy do I need some tingling and whizzing. The weather has turned foggy and misty (in other words, nasty), I'm feeling pretty blue and missing summertime. This recipe is adapted from the fabuloso Yotam Ottelenghi and his book Plenty. Having grown up on mediterranean/middle eastern food I'm a fan of his most of the time. A lot of the time I find his recipes have so many blinking ingredients that I give up reading what I need before even trying. Yep, that's the type of person I am. Don't judge.

So taking that in mind and having a bunch of aubergines, egg plants to those stateside, a magical creation was formed! One that had the bosses tell me they want it repeated a lot! Brownie points for Jette *happy face*.

One thing you need and can make is the genius that is THE chilli oil creation that is: whacking some dried chillies/chillies going off/chillies looking wrinkly in the blender with some oil. This keeps in the fridge for Yages. Literally yages. Yes, that word is Yages.

Cut into the flesh to make diamonds trying not to cut through the skin. Stick a garlic clove in as many 'x' as you want. I used roughly 3 clove per half an aubergine the first time and then my peeps asked for more.

At only 28 calories cooked per 100g, this is one veggie to keep around. The latin name is Solanum melongena which means 'soothing mad apple' due to it's reputation back in the day of producing 'instant insanity in the unwary eater'. Genius.

Now it's time to whack on that chilli oil. Slather on a good amount as the aubergine is a sucker for oil. Literally. If you like it really spicy make sure you get lots of the flakes in. The longer the oil as has been sitting the spicier it gets!

While we're are on the subject, let's talk chillies for a moment. Now, we all know there are a ton of varieties and every country worth their chilli metal wants to be the one that introduced the world to the chilli. They are a massive source of antibacterial, antiseptic and stimuli properties (did you read the first paragraph about the whizzing and tingling?) Things that chillies are said to help with are: normalising blood pressure, improving circulatory system, feeding cell structures. They contain Vit A+B+C but, they come with a highly addictive warning. You've been warned.

As part of the nightshade family which is a poison you should be afraid. Afraid of how much goodness this veg has. People use it for helping tumours, preventing cancer, the bioflavonoids it contains are great for renewing arteries, preventing strokes and other haemorrhages. It's a pretty powerful thing. Give it a go. Try and put it into your diet at least once a week when in season. The thing I love most about aubergine this way? The crispy bits around the edge with a spicy tang fading to soft flavourful flesh. Nom nom.

RECIPE:

half an aubergine per person

chilli oil

garlic cloves

oven

2tsps greek yoghurt

buttermilk/goats milk/milk

chilli flakes/lemon/coriander

Cut aubergines in half and score the flesh. Peel the garlic cloves and stick into the 'x' of your cuts. Brush with chilli oil. Put into an oven 200C for about 20-30mins. When they are ready they will be squidgy to the touch and a knife will go in no problem. The bigger the aubergine the longer time in the oven.

Mix 2tbsp of greek yoghurt with enough buttermilk/goats milk/milk to turn  into sauce consistancy. Add some more chilli flakes/squeeze of lemon/chopped fresh coriander or all of theses. Drizzle a little over the middle and serve warm.

P.S. If you make too many halves or have left overs. Remove flesh from skin, blitz with a little oil and you have a fabulously yummy dip. You're welcome.

In a right Pickle

It's summertime. I don't blame you for not realising, noticing, seeing the sun. I haven't in a long time.. This Irish summer is supposed to better than the last 2 years. Heaven help me, and all the Irish, thinking this is better than last year. Wow.

With summer comes the new things. Buds, sprouts, summer veggies and while there is this abundance why not make the most of it and get pickling. In America they call it canning. And while I kind of get this, I do not use cans, I use jars so I'm going to stick with pickling.

Today it was cucumbers. Bright green prickly baby cucumbers. They are crunchy and sweet with a bitter taste on the peel. It's the perfect time while they are at this stage to get them in a jar.

I did three separate jars with three varieties of flavours. A crushed garlic and peppercorns. A chilli flakes and a wild garlic. It's pretty idiot proof. Three sterilised jars. Make sure they are sterilised. Should I say this again? MAKE SURE THEY ARE STERILISED.

Cucumbers are hugely alkaline and rich in minerals that neutralise blood acidosis. This lowly green member of the gourd family is the best natural diuretic known and rather than excreting waste through our skin it allows waste to be excreted through the kidneys. It's also known to contain erepsin, an enzyme which helps to digest proteins meaning that it is a beneficial digestive aid and for those of you with worms, it helps. A lot. If you've got high or low blood pressure you should eat a lot. This summertime veggie is high in potassium. There are a huge number of benefits to eating this crunchy green thing so get to it!

RECIPE:

As many cucumbers as you can squeeze into the jar you have (I used 4)

3tbsp white wine vinegar

½-1 tbsp salt

Add any flavour to taste, I used 4 garlic cloves in the first one, 6 chilli peppers. The second one I used 1 tbsp chilli flakes. The third jar I used a large handful of wild garlic.

Topped up with filtered water.

This recipe hardly seems a recipe. It's easy peasy! Promise. Literally put everything in the jar. Make sure you pack in the cucumbers. Once everything is in the jar, top up with filtered water. Every 12 hours turn the jar upside down. Enjoy after about a week. Enjoy.

A view from the Castle

It's my second week at my job. I'm growing to love it. I love living in the countryside, I love choosing what I cook for the family, I love looking out my window and seeing the mountain.

The last couple of days have been a heat wave here in Ireland, today the rain and grey came back and it's not pretty. But at least the elderflower is blooming, the wild garlic is still growing and I'm meeting people.

I've had some mishaps in the kitchen, thankfully not ones I've had to serve but I've been trying new recipes. Let's say that they still need some work, but mistakes are good right?  They help us learn, teach us what to do differently. Like this one. I'm trying to make a dahl crisp bread. First attempt = no go. But I'll keep trying!

I've made Greek salads, raw slaws, nut bars, fresh breads, spicy soups and much more. Here's to the future menus.

My quinoa and chickpea burger

It's been showering us with sunshine in Ireland. I'm loving it. The dresses haven't quite found their way past my wardrobe but, it's sunny enough to sit outside with sunnies and no jumper! Am I lucky or what? Who knew that my first Irish summer would be so sweltering (pinch of salt people).

The job is going well, great infact. I'm still getting into a routine but the fact I'm living in the countryside and the sun is shinning and I'm creating new recipes is pretty sweet. Life is good.

One of my latest creations came around from leftover quinoa and mint peas. There are plenty of quinoa/amaranth/chickpea burgers out there. And I'm sure they're all fantastic. Personally I've always been a bit of a 'I eat meat, why the hell would I make a burger without?' kind of person. Cue this job where the meals are all vegetarian and as vegan as possible. Cue, my veggie burger.

Quinoa is a fantastic little ball of grain goodness. For those of us who try to exercise, you may have heard of it being a complete protein and gluten free. Good for those allergic to wheat. Did you know that it contains more calcium than milk? A pretty nifty little grain.

And then, I present the chickpea. For those of you living across the pond, you will know it as the garbanzo bean. I'm sticking to chickpea you hear?!? These golden balls are one of my all time favourite things to eat. Give me some chunky homemade humus or some chickpeas with turmeric, onion and garlic any day of the week. Yum. 

It's spring/summer time and I love spring onions. The spicy freshness that is so similar and yet so unlike an onion is something I love, plus the fact you can eat all of it is a winner. And since moving to Ireland I find myself cooking more and more with these green and white sticks.

The garlic clove is beautifully packaged. A food stylists dream that comes with it's very own packaging. And so pretty it's packaging is. Known throughout the world to prevent disease, keep away vampires and make armies stronger.

My favourite quote concerning garlic comes from John Harrington and The English Doctor: 'Garlic then have power to save from death; Bear with it thought it maketh unsavoury breath; And scorn not garlic like some that think; It only maketh men wink and drink and stink'

Now we all know the chilli. There are so many different varieties and so many contentions for where they originated it's a chilli minefield. I'm a fan. I love hot but you may not. The recipe will be just as good less spicy so you can decide how much you want to put in.

RECIPE:

2 cups of cooked quinoa (mine had peas in from yday)

2 cups of cooked chickpeas

5 different sized spring onions

6 garlic cloves (less if you love vampires)

2 big chillies (less if you're not a hot person)

2 large eggs (or enough to bind)

large handful of herbs (parsley, coriander, basil. Anything you want)

Salt and pepper

Mix all the ingredients together. I used a food processor and roughly chopped all the ingredients. I'm new to the wonders of food processors so didn't really need to but. You CAN do this by hand. Mash the chickpeas and chop everything else finely, then mix.

Use 2 spoons to keep burgers even-ish. Cook in coconut the oil of your choice till crispy and golden then flip and repeat. 

This mix made roughly 20. They freeze really well.