Homemade Veggie Burgers

Wash and dry the fresh produce. Add the tofu to a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Peel and mince the garlic and shallot. Slice the buns in half horizontally. Peel and cut the carrot into thin matchsticks. Pick the cilantro leaves off the stems; discard the stems. Place half the cilantro leaves in a small bowl. Finely chop the remaining leaves. Finely chop the chickpeas then, using the flat side of a knife, smash until smooth. Remove and discard the core of the cabbage; thinly slice the leaves.

In a medium bowl, combine the cabbage, carrot, miso paste, rice vinegar, sesame oil, mirin, half of the garlic and half of the finely chopped cilantro. Drizzle with olive oil and toss until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. In a separate, small bowl, combine the mayonnaise and hoisin sauce.

In a medium bowl, combine the tofu, mashed chickpeas, shallot, chia seeds, panko breadcrumbs, remaining garlic and remaining finely chopped cilantro. Mix until thoroughly combined and season with salt and pepper. Using your hands, divide the mixture into 2 equal parts and flatten into patties.

In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the burgers and cook 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crispy. Transfer the cooked burgers to a plate and wipe out the pan.

In the same pan used to cook the burgers, heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil on medium until hot. Add the buns, cut-side down, and toast for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden.

Lay the toasted buns out on a work surface. Spread a thin layer of the hoisin-mayonnaise onto both halves of each toasted bun. Place a burger onto each bun bottom. Top each burger with the cilantro leaves. Complete the burgers with the tops of the buns. Serve with the carrot and cabbage slaw on the side. Enjoy!