Healthy Vegan Chickpea Zucchini Carrot Nuggets

I had a zucchini laying around and I wanted to make something fun and healthy for the kids. Kids love nugget type things so I figured why not try to get a small nugget shaped veggie snack that I could brown and crisp in the frying pan. We came up with this healthy vegan chickpea zucchini carrot nuggets recipe and it was a hit!

The kids loved it and I did too. This recipe is easy, vegan, and healthy. It's great for breakfast, lunch, snack, or dinner, and you could easily make a large batch and freeze or store for leftovers or lunches.

They tasted great with a little organic ketchup!

I think bite-sized things are perfect for little kids and toddlers.

I made them small enough for a kid to put the entire nugget in their mouth!

The kids couldn't keep their hands off. Yum!

Makes 4 small servings

Ingredients:

1 small zucchini
1/2 cup chopped carrots

1 large clove of garlic

1 Tbsp flax seed meal or chia seed meal (I processed chia seeds in my blender)

1 15 oz can or 1 1/2 cup chickpeas or garbonzo beans

1/2 tsp salt (more to taste)

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 flour (your choice of flour)

1-2 Tbsp breadcrumbs or more flour (you can toast and process the bread instead of buying breadcrumbs)

Optional - add your favorite spices (sometimes we use paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, cardamom - seriously whatever you like here)

Instructions:

Finely chop or grate zucchini, carrots, and garlic (I put each in the food processor) and transfer to a large bowl.

Add salt, pepper, flax or chia meal, flour, breadcrumbs and spices and mix well. 

Process chickpeas in the food processor until well chopped and stop right before it becomes a paste.  

Add chickpeas to veggie and spice mixture and combine well.

Form into small balls and flatten.

Place on low/medium on nonstick frying pan, turning once, browning on each side.

You can serve with ketchup or your choice of dipping sauce.