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Buffalo Chickpea "Meatballs" & Southwest Salad

Ingredients
  

  • 12 baby carrots or 2 medium large carrots, peeled
  • 1/3 sweet yellow onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup green onions, diced
  • 1 tbsp avocado oil
  • 1/2 tsp Himilayan salt
  • 1 can (15oz) Chickpeas, drained & rinsed
  • 2 1/2 tbsp bread crumbs
  • 2 1/2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 cup Buffalo sauce
  • 1 tbsp clarified butter

Southwest Salad

  • 3 heads Romaine Lettuce
  • 1 can sweet corn kernals
  • 1 can black beans
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • 8 Tbsp nuts or seeds I use pistachios & sunflower seeds

Avocado Crema Dressing

  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, plain
  • 1 1/2 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1/2 avocado, sliced
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp hot sauce
  • 1/4 cup avocado oil
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 3/4 tsp Himilayan salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400 F.
  • Add the carrots, onion and green onion to food processor and pulse until finely chopped, but not pureed. Stop and scrape down the sides if needed.
  • Heat avocado oil in non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add vegetable mixture and salt. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occaisonally. While the mixture cooks, add the rinsed & drained chickpeas to the food processor.
  • When vegetable mixture is done cooking, allow it to cool for 2 minutes, then add to food processor. Process on low until well blended, scraping down the sides as needed.
  • Transfer chickpea mixture to a medium bowl. Add bread crumbs, nutritional yeast & cayenne pepper. Mix thoroughly until well combined.
  • Add about 3 tablespoons of mixture to your hands and form into a ball. Place on parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.
  • While chickpea "meatballs" are cooking, melt clarified butter over medium-low heat on stove. Once melted remove from heat and add buffalo sauce. After the first 15 minutes are over, remove "meatballs" from oven. Use a silicone pastry brush to baste each ball with Buffalo sauce mixture.
  • Return baking sheet to oven and cook for 15 more minutes. Then broil for 1 minute. Brush balls 1 more time with remaining Buffalo sauce mixture. Set aside to cool.
  • Prepare the salad: Add all Avocado Crema Dressing ingredients to a bowl and whisk until smooth. Chop Romaine lettuce and add to bowl. Top with rinsed & drained black beans and corn (1/4 cup for each salad). Add 1/4 of a sliced avocado to each salad. Toss with Avocado Crema Dressing. Add 4-5 chickpea balls to each salad and enjoy!