Chickpea Burgers with Tomato Salad

It's meatless Monday!!!  I recently made veggie burgers for the first time and I am a big fan now!  They were very easy to put together and very tasty.  Feel free to jazz these up any way you want as this is a pretty basic recipe.  I could see using tzatziki sauce instead of plain yogurt (here's a recipe).  You could also top these with guacamole!  If you wanted to make an Italian twist substitute parsley for the cilantro and top them with provolone or mozzarella cheese and a smear of pesto!  The possibilities are endless!

Chickepea Burgers with Tomato Salad (adapted from Every Day with Rachael Ray, October 2013)

5 hamburger buns
2 (16 oz.) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3/4 c. cilantro 
1 large egg
1 large red onion, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
1 lb. roma tomatoes
1 T. + 2 t. extra virgin olive oil
2 t. white wine vinegar
1/4 c. plain Greek yogurt
1 head butter lettuce

In a food processor, pulse 1 hamburger bun into crumbs.  Mix 1/2 c. of the crumbs (reserving the remaining crumbs for future use - I froze mine) with chickpeas, cilantro, egg, 1/3 c. red onion and 
1/4 t. each salt and pepper until combined but still chunky.  Form into four patties.

Cut the tomatoes into large chunks.  In a medium bowl, toss the tomatoes with the remaining onion, 2 t. olive oil, vinegar, 1 t. salt and 1/2 t. pepper. 

In a large skillet heat 1 T. olive oil over medium heat.  Cook the patties until golden brown and crisp, about 3-4 minutes per side.  Meanwhile, split and toast (although, not as toasty as my picture here) the remaining 4 buns.  Slather the bun bottoms with yogurt; top each with a patty, lettuce and a bun top.  Serve with the tomato salad on the side.

4 servings (518 calories each serving) according to my calculator on loseit.com