Southern Fried Chick Pea Patties

Confession: during my days as a carnivore, one of my very favourite guilty pleasures was Fried chicken with fries and gravy, followed closely by a crunchy chicken burger or wrap, so when I discovered that chick peas can truly mimic that fried chicken experience, I was excited to say the least!

These patties are just great served on their own or with any topping you like. And I'm here to tell you, they're also amazing with mushroom gravy and fries!

I think one of the best kept secrets of going vegan, though, is how much money you save.

These patties are made with dried chick peas which cost about $2.00 for a big bag. I've tried recipes using canned chick peas before but I find they're often too moist and you just don't get the same great texture. But never fear the dried bean... I have a super easy method for getting them food processor ready in an hour. Basically, you prep the chick peas, put them in a food processor with other yummy ingredients, form them into patties, and have your way with them.

Have I mentioned, they also freeze like a dream!

Don't even get me started on the taste and texture.

If you have kids, you can easily turn the chick pea dough into chick pea nuggets to serve with dip (and if you wanted to sneak some pre-cooked veggies like carrots and broccoli into the food processor with the other ingredients, I won't tell anyone ;)

The pattie pictured above also has broccoli and carrots in it. 

 The other way I love these patties is on burgers. I like mine with fresh tomato, lettuce, vegan mayo, and a dill pickle on the side.

You can freeze these patties before cooking. But you can also fry em up, cool em down, and freeze like that.

Defrost over night, take to work, microwave on high for one minute, and Holy McYumm Batgirl!

KAPOW and KAPLEWY and all that jazz.

Sorry, I got excited.

But it's just so exciting to discover this whole new world of food that doesn't involve any kind of cruelty, is great for the environment, is amazing for your spiritual energy, health, and pocket book.

I mean, who knew?

Okay, whatever, y'all knew.

Leave it to me to show up fashionable late.

But I'm so happy with this recipe, I've decided the next thing on my agenda will be a chick pea breakfast sausage.

Doesn't that sound great?

Thank you so much for stopping by and if you feel so inclined, say hello and introduce yourself in the comments.

I am a speaker, writer, tarot reader, and chef who has slowly turned vegan over the last few years.

If you would like to learn more about the other things I do, please visit me on my website: Lyndsaywells.com

Southern Fried Chick Pea Patties  
For printable recipe click HERE

Prep Time: 80 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Yield:  8 patties


Ingredients

• 1 cup dried chickpeas
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp chipotle powder or smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground chili pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp fennel seeds
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1/4-1/2 Cup high heat oil

Directions

1. Rinse and strain chickpeas and add to a large pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat for 5 minutes. Cover, remove from heat, and let sit for 1 hour. Drain and set aside until cool.
2. Place the chick peas, onion, baking powder, spices, brown sugar, and nutritional yeast into the food processor and process until you have a dough that resembles a paste. This might take a few minutes. Add a little water if the mixture is too dry. Taste for seasoning and add additional salt if desired. 
3. Once the mixture can easily be formed into patties, take about 1/3 - 1/2 cup of the mixture per patty, roll into balls, and using your hands, flatten and form into even patties.  Cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour, or lay flat on a baking sheet and freeze. Once frozen tranfer to a freezer bag for up to one month and thaw before frying. 
4. To fry, heat a large stainless steel or cast iron skillet over medium/ medium-high heat. Once hot, add enough oil to create a thin layer on the bottom of the pan and wait 1-2 minutes for the oil to get really hot. 
5. Place 4 patties at a time in the hot oil and cook 2-3 minutes on each side. Once the bottom side is evenly browned, flip gently and continue cooking until all burgers are golden brown.
6. Once they are all done, place on a baking sheet and finish in a 350 oven for 7 minutes.

These are great on a bun with tomatoes, lettuce, and vegan mayo, or served as patties drizzled with mushroom gravy. 

Black Eyed Pea and Spinach Bowls

Never in a million years would I ever have guessed the love affair I was going to end up having with legumes.

As a chef, recipe developer, and hard core carnivore for most of my life, dried beans, lentils, and chick peas were an aisle I completely avoided at the grocery store.

In fact, truth be known, the only beans I ever bought came from a can - and that was usually to make chili... or lentil soup.

But the first time I ever made a curry with dried chick peas, I was converted. The flavour, texture, and versatility of them belw me away and sent me on a quest to learn more and taste more from these nutritional (and very inexpensive) power house foods.

Which brings me to black eyed  peas. As a food blogger, I've been aware for years of the Southern US tradition of serving black eyed peas for good luck on New Years day and this year I decided I just had to try it.

Now I know dried beans can seem daunting because there's a certain amount of cooking required, but if you have a trusty slow cooker, I'm here to tell you, this super economical, delicious, and healthy meal is a SNAP to prepare!

You just saute up a little mirepoix of onions, carrots, celery, and garlic, diced tomatoes, dump in the beans, some veggie stock, a few spices and aromatics, put on the lid and simmer on low for 8 hours.

I like to get it all ready in my slow cooker the night before and then turn it on before I leave for work in the morning.

Serve with your favourite rice, and some cooked spinach, and you've got an awesome bowl of deliciousness on a cold winter night. Better still, it makes a ton and freezes like a dream for lunches and dinners later in the month!

Black Eyes Peas and Spinach 
Visit printable recipe HERE

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours

Ingredients

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 3 carrots, diced
• 2 large stalks celery, diced 
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 large cloves garlic, diced
• 2 chopped tomatoes
• 2 cups dried black eyed peas
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 1/2 tsp liquid smoke
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp chili flake
• 1 tsp chopped parsley
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 8 cups baby spinach

Directions

1. Saute the vegetable in olive oil until the garlic becomes fragrant and everything is well coated
2. Put everything but the spinach into a crock pot and cook on low 8 hours.
3. Steam spinach until tender and drain well.
4. Serve spinach and peas with your favourite rice in bowls.