Yellow Squash Burgers with Middle Eastern Flavor and Chickpea Salad

The summer squash in our garden has been growing so fast the past week.  All of a sudden we have around 8 pounds of squash.  What do I do with it?  I made a squash gratin (I will post the recipe soon).  But that only used half of a gigantic squash.  I still have 3 more gigantic squash to use.  So I had to figure out how to make the squash be the main component of the meal.  So, I liked the idea of a veggie burger.  I know I JUST posted a veggie burger recipe, but I want to post this now to stay within the right season.  I decided to go with middle eastern spices and flavors.  Tahini does well to hold pureed food together, so you don't even need eggs.  The beans add some protein, and creaminess.  Pine nuts work well to create a firm structure.  I tried to make it without panko or bread crumbs, but it was just too wet.  The panko crumbs really helped them stick together.

The salad is similar to a dish I had many times in Dubai. It complements the meal perfectly.  The best part is, this meal is pretty low calorie, but really keeps you full for a long time.  If you need a big meal, you can do two patties, each on 1 piece of bread to make it open-faced.

This recipe makes 8 patties.  So you can make it for a small BBQ, or freeze half for another day.  To freeze them, prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Lay patties on the paper.  Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag.

Yellow Squash Burgers and Chickpea Salad

Recipe makes 8 servings

What you'll need:
For the Burgers
- 1 large yellow squash
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1/3 cup chopped yellow onion
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1/4 cup fresh curly parsley leaves
- 1 tsp paprika
- 2/3 cup chickpeas
- 1/3 cup Panko crumbs
- 4 burger patties, or flatbread sandwich thins, toasted if desired
- lettuce and tomato for toppings

- 1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1/8 tsp cumin
- 1/8 tsp ground coriander
- 1/8 tsp paprika
- 1/8 tsp cayenne (or more if you like spicy food)

For the Salad
- 1 medium tomato, chopped
- 1 cup chickpeas
- 1/2 cup chopped cucumber
- 1/3 cup chopped red or sweet onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/8 tsp cumin
- 1/8 tsp ground coriander
- 1/8 tsp paprika
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh curly parsley

What to do:
1.  Preheat oven to 375*F.

2.  Trim ends off squash.  Cut squash in half lengthwise.  Remove seeds from one half and discard.  Combine squash and all ingredients through chickpeas in a food processor.  Process until smooth.  Scrape down the edges and process again if necessary.

3. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Use your hands to make 8 patties and place them on the baking sheet.  Bake 25 minutes.  Turn oven to 'broil' in order to toast the tops for 2 minutes.  Pull the baking sheet out, flip the patties, and broil for 2 more minutes.

4.  While the patties are in the oven, make the yogurt sauce by combining the ingredients Greek yogurt through cayenne.  Set aside int he fridge.  Make the salad by combining all ingredients in a bowl.  Set aside in the fridge.

Caramelized Onion, Goat Cheese, and Eggplant Open Sandwich

It's a long title, but you can't read that and not get hungry! This is a nice vegetarian sandwich for dinner, or a weekend lunch.  It is best when it is served warm.

It does take some time to caramelize the onions, but I think we can all agree that it is so worth it!  The eggplant is pretty easy to cook.  Just make sure you salt it, let it sweat, then dry up the sweat (and brush off the extra salt) with a paper towel .

Caramelized Onion, Goat Cheese, and Eggplant Open Sandwich

Recipe makes 2 servings

Ingredients:
- 1/2 an eggplant
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/3 cup goat cheese
- 4 slices bread (thin ciabatta, french baguette, or sandwich thin)


What to do:
1. Cut eggplant in half lengthwise, then in half crosswise.  Using two of the quarters, cut 1/2 inch slices.  Sprinkle salt on both sides and let side for 10-15 minutes.

2.  Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.  Add onions.  Cook 3 minutes, then reduce to medium-low heat. Continue stirring occasionally for 20 minutes.

3. Use a paper towel to remove sweat and excess salt from eggplant.  Heat a flat pan over medium-high heat.  Cook each side 4 minutes, until tender and lightly browned.

4.  Toast bread, if desired.  Mix together the hot caramelized onions and the goat cheese.  The goat cheese will soften and become easier to spread on the bread.  Top with eggplant.  Enjoy while it is warm!


Slight Variation:
I tried this with ricotta cheese instead of goat cheese (because I didn't have any goat cheese).  That was a bit bland, so I drizzled some wonderful balsamic vinegar (from the Great Falls farmers market) over the top.  And I also added a little bit of basil.  That was quite delicious, too!