Chickpea Burger with Tahini Sauce & The Benefits of Meditation

February 22, 2013

chickpea burger

I was speaking to a dear friend today and she was really struggling.

She began sharing a heartbreaking story when suddenly she stopped, and said she didn't want to talk about it anymore. She also said, “I don't want to ever think about it again.”

Well I have read enough Pema Chodron books to know that is not a good idea. The best way to heal is by bringing painful stories into the light of awareness, not by pushing them away.

Often our pain is the result of events from long ago and the power those memories have on us keep us stuck in life patterns that no longer serve us. Once we identify the painful producing stories, we can than reframe them so healing can occur.

That healing begins with meditation.

In the noise and commotion of the outside world, it is almost impossible to hear the voice of your higher self. Our inner silence is our greatest teacher and our greatest tool for healing.  Take the past into the silence and light and write a new script where you leave behind the painful stories.

Meditation will allow you to settle into the deepest recesses of your consciousness and access the gap between thoughts and the field of all possibilities, allowing you to accept that you are loved, lovable and loving.  Meditation will bring more clarity, more joy and less fear into your life!

1. Find a quiet and comfortable place. Sit in a chair or on the floor with your head, neck and back straight but not stiff.

2. Try to put aside all thoughts of the past and the future and stay in the present.

3. Become aware of your breathing, focusing on the sensation of air moving in and out of your body as you breathe. Feel your belly rise and fall, the air enter your nostrils and leave your mouth. Pay attention to the way each breath changes and is different. Count 1 on the in breath and 2 on the out breath. Counting keeps you focused on your breath.

4. Watch every thought come and go, whether it be a worry, fear, anxiety or hope. When thoughts come up in your mind, don't ignore or suppress them but simply note them, remain calm and use your breathing as an anchor.

5. If you find yourself getting carried away in your thoughts, observe where your mind went off to, without judging, and simply return to your breathing. Remember not to be hard on yourself if this happens.

6. Now visualize yourself leaving your painful memories behind. Communicating with your subconscious mind and higher self is the most powerful tool you possess.

7. As the time comes to a close, sit for a minute or two, becoming aware of where you are. Get up gradually.

Now, on to food.  Next time you're craving a burger, enjoy this delicious plant-based chickpea burger with tahini sauce. I served it in pita bread, but you could also serve it on a burger bun with your favorite toppings. I will worn you that they sort of fall apart whether you fry them or roast them but they are so delicious that I decided to leave them in the recipe box. I recommend serving these chickpea burgers with some sweet potato fries and use that extra tahini sauce for dipping. So yummy! Hope you enjoy.

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Chickpea Burger with Tahini Sauce

Chickpea Burger with Tahini Sauce
 
Vegan Chickpea Burger with Tahini Sauce
Author:
Recipe type: Entree
Serves: 4
Ingredients
Tahini Sauce:
  • 1 tablespoon hot water (or more depending on consistency you enjoy - it is suppose to be a thin dressing)
  • ¼ cup tahini (sesame-seed paste)
  • 2 tablespoons minced shallot
  • 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • Dash of salt
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
Chickpea Burgers:
  • 1 teaspoon of olive oil
  • 1 (15.5oz) can of cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
  • ½ cup chopped red onion
  • ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp ground black pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ cup dry breadcrumbs and ¼ cup for dredging
  • 2 tablespoons of flax egg (combine two tablespoons of ground flax seed with 4½ tablespoons of water - leave in refrigerator for 10 minutes to thicken)
  • (I also like to add some red pepper flakes to spice it up ¼-1/2 tsp)
  • 4 mini whole-wheat pitas
  • 1 tomato, sliced
  • ½ cup sliced red onion
Instructions
  1. To prepare sauce, combine all sauce ingredients into a bowl and whisk until smooth.
  2. To prepare the patties, combine all of the patty ingredients except the breadcrumbs in a food processor and mix until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
  3. Transfer that bean mixture into a large bowl; stir in ½ cup breadcrumbs.
  4. Divide the bean mixture into four equal portions, shaping each into a patty.
  5. Place ¼ cup breadcrumbs in a shallow dish. Dredge patties in breadcrumbs.
  6. Heat 1 teaspoons vegan margarine or oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until nicely browned.
  7. Or: heat oven to 375 degrees F - place patties on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Cook for 20 -25 minutes.

 


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5 thoughts on “Chickpea Burger with Tahini Sauce & The Benefits of Meditation

  1. Going to try this in a nonstick pan with no oil. My hubby is a heart patient, so we no longer add oil in any recipes or cooking methods. Heart research show that there is no such thing as heart healthy oils. Check out McDougall’s site and Engine2diet. Also, Prevent and Reverse heart disease. My cholesterol went down 50 points in 2 months changing to Lowfat vegan diet.

    1. Hi Chantal – I agree and use very little oil. A trick I use is adding a little veggie broth instead of oil in my nonstick pans. Thanks for being part of our community!

    1. Hi Jeanine – Yes the sauce is a little runny but you could always make it thicker by cutting back on the amount of water. Glad you likes the patties. Thanks for being part of our community!

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