Split Pea Burgers

I just love it when veggies are center stage of a meal and this one doesn't disappoint. It'll take you about an hour and a half to two hours from start to finish and I adapted it from this recipe.

You'll need:

• Olive oil and vegetable oil
• About 2 cups of chopped onion (2 medium sized onions)
• 2 large cloves of garlic
• 1 Tbsp. ginger
• 1 Tbsp. cumin
• 1 cup dried split peas
• 3 1/2 cups water
• 2/3 cup brown rice
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1/2 lb (one medium sized) eggplant
• 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
• 1 green pepper, seeded

Garlic Sauce:
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt (or just use all mayo)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2-1 tsp smoked paprika

Let's get started:
1. Preheat your oven to 400 F. If you have a convection setting on your oven, this will work.  Just be sure to reduce the heat to 350 and/or watch your oven thermometer if you have one.

2. Peel your eggplant and cut it into cubes (it doesn't matter what size because you'll be processing it anyway).

3. In a large saucepan, add a tablespoon of olive oil and heat on medium high. Add the onion (remember chopping onions with Austin?) and garlic.  Sauté for a few minutes. Add the ginger and cumin. Cook until the onions are soft.

4. By now, the oven should be preheated. Put the eggplant cubes on a baking sheet (no oil necessary) and toss in the oven until they're soft--just a few minutes is all they need. (You could even do this in a toaster oven if you don't want to turn on your main oven.) Turn off the oven and let the eggplant cool for a few minutes.

Fresh bread crumbs really are delicious... and easy

5. Meanwhile, add the split peas and water to the saucepan. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat, cover and simmer for about 8 minutes.

6. While that's cooking, throw your green pepper and eggplant in a food processor and process until it looks mashed. Add the bread crumbs and pulse until they're mixed throughout.

Brown rice

7. Add the rice to the saucepan and simmer for about 45 minutes or until the water is absorbed.

8. Mix the ingredients for the garlic spread and do some dishes (I'm a big fan of doing dishes as you cook... unless there's a four month old nearby who's begging for attention).

9. Combine the bread crumb mixture and the split pea mixture. (Make sure it's mixed throughout. If not, some of your burgers won't be as firm.)

10. Form the mixture into six or seven patties. Pan fry in a skillet with a tablespoon of vegetable oil until the edges are a little crispy. (You may have to add more oil for the last few burgers.)

11. Serve on whole wheat hamburger buns with a slice of tomato and the garlic spread, or cut in half and serve in a half slice of pita bread.