Vegetable Burgers

I just LOVE trying different vegetable burger recipes. They are all just slightly different. This is one I've adapted from a recent edition of the Australian magazine 'Women's Day'. This is a recipe which offers the scope for varying the ingredients to suit individual tastes.

• Ready In: 20 mins
• Serves: 4
• Yields: 4 burgers

Ingredients

• 2 (300 g) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 2  tablespoons water
• 1⁄4 cup olive oil
• 1  medium onion, finely chopped
• 1  leek, chopped
• 4  garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 50  g  baby spinach leaves, chopped
• 1⁄2 cup  tasty cheese, finely grated
• 3  baby carrots, grated
• 2  eggs, lightly beaten
• 1⁄4 cup wheat germ

Directions

1. Place the chickpeas and water into a food processor, and process until the mixture is the consistency of a coarse paste.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large non-stick pan over a medium heat, and sauté the onion, garlic and leek until they have softened, about 4 minutes; then add the cumin and sauté, stirring, for another minute; then add the chopped spinach for about 1 minute, still stirring, until the spinach begins to wilt.
3. In a large bowl, combine the chickpea paste, onion mixture, cheese, carrot, eggs and wheat germ; and season to taste; then shape into 4 even-sized patties.
4. Heat the remaining oil in the same pan that was used earlier, and cook the burgers until golden, about 2 minutes on each side; then drain on paper towels.
5. Serve in a crispy roll with hummus or tzatziki and salad greens.