Recipe | Mediterranean Chickpea Burgers with Stuffed, Oven-roasted Avocados

FOR THE BURGERS:

1 15oz can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1 egg, beaten.
1 carrot, shredded
1 zuchinni, shredded
1/2 onion, chopped
2 gloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes
1 roasted red pepper
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese - save 1/4 cup for after you combine it in the food processor
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup chia seeds
1 cup flat leaf parsely, roughly chopped
the zest of one lemon
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp fennel seed
1 tsp dried tarragon leaves
salt and pepper to taste
a couple tbsp extra virgin olive oil

(makes 8 burgers)

Add all of the ingredients into a food processor and pulse until everything is combined into a smooth-ish mixture. Transfer the mixture to a separate bowl and incorporate the reserved 1/4 cup feta cheese. Add more bread crumbs if the mixture feels too soggy. To make these vegan, just omit the cheese and use an egg substitute - like arrow root or a flax mixture (i don't know the exact measurements. just google it)

Set a large skillet or griddle to medium heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray or add a little bit of extra virgin olive oil. Form the mixture into patties. Sear on both sides for about 3-5 minutes each. The burgers WILL be squishy and a little messy, this is OKAY! They won't fall apart, but they will be mushy.

FOR THE AVOCADOS:

4 ripe avocados, halved and de-pitted

1 cup button mushrooms, sliced

1/2 onion, chopped

1 soy sausage, diced

1/2 tomato, diced

some fresh mozzarella, diced

a couple tbsp extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 450°F. 

Scoop out the majority of the avocado's flesh from each half, mash up with salt and pepper, and set aside in a bowl.

Set a large skillet to medium heat and add some oil. Brown up the soy sausage pieces - about 3-5 minutes on each side. Remove from the pan, chop up into tiny pieces, and set aside.

Saute the onions in the left over oil for 3-5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and some salt and pepper. Cook together for another 5-7 minutes, or until the onions get caramelized and the mushrooms soften up and brown a little bit. 

Combine the sausage pieces and the mushroom and onion mixture with the mashed avocado you set aside. 

Fill the avocado halves with the mixture... about 3 tbsp should fit into each. It really depends on the size of your avocados, though.

Stick in some pieces of the diced tomato and mozzarella in each avocado half. 

Bake at 450°F for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Enjoy!