Juice Pulp Balls & Burgers

I can’t believe it has taken me so long to post this recipe since it’s such a staple in my fridge. The majority of the time, I’m really good about using up leftover juice pulp, and this is what I do with it every time. The best thing about these little juice balls (or burgers, if you prefer), is that you can easily mix up the seasoning and legumes each time. (Well, maybe the real best thing is being able to enjoy frequent green juices without worrying about food waste.)

I thought there was no way my husband would like these. He usually likes all of the food I make, but there are certain things I always think are too “hippie” for him. I was wrong about these though — he actually loves them! Of course, they aren’t reminiscent of actual meatballs or burgers (the base ingredient is juice pulp after all), but they are really good as their own thing to add onto salads, wraps, burgers, pasta bowls and more. I also like to treat them like falafels and have them with tahini or hummus.

So in case you are sitting there wondering what to do with your leftover juice pulp, give this a go. It’s a great feeling to minimize food waste as much as possible, and it’s even better when you can make something super easy, tasty and packed with protein. One cup of cooked quinoa has over 8 grams of protein while one cup of lentils has 18 grams of protein — so these little juice balls definitely help in the protein department!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups dry juice pulp
  • I think it’s best to use juice made mostly from vegetables. I typically include celery, kale, ginger, cucumber, lemon and parsley.
• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 2 tbsp milled flax seed
• 4 tbsp water
• 1 can or about 1 1/2 cups of cooked legumes (I prefer lentils, cannelloni beans or red kidney beans)
• 1/4 cup gluten-free bread crumbs (can omit but I think it adds a nice texture and flavor)
• Spices (feel free to have fun here — below is what I used for the balls in this post)
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp mustard seed powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 2 tsp Italian herb spice

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375F
2. If not already done, cook your quinoa. I highly recommend you use vegetable broth instead of water to cook your quinoa. It very much enhances the flavor. I also like to add turmeric.
3. Make your flax egg by combining the milled flax seed and water in a small bowl or cup, and allow this to thicken for a couple minutes. This will help bind the balls together.
4. Check your pulp to make sure it’s as dry as possible and check for any weird pieces you won’t want to bite into such as peels or stems. Discard those pieces.
5. Add the dry pulp, cooked quinoa, legumes, flax egg and spices to a large bowl. Use your hands to mix this up until well combined. Add the bread crumbs last, and combine well.
6. Shape into tightly-packed balls or burgers and place on a baking sheet. I like to place them on a parchment-lined sheet.
7. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, turning once to get them browned on both sides.
8. Remove from oven and allow to cool, then enjoy!