Spinach Chickpea Cutlets, Broiled Zucchini and Tomatoes, Basil Sauce

Hearty chickpea and spinach cutlets spiced with lemon zest, red pepper flakes and creamy yukon gold potatoes, pan fried until crispy and golden brown and served with basil sauce and toasty zucchini and cherry tomatoes dusted in nutritional yeast until caramelized.

Spinach Chickpea Cutlets
1-15oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp fresh grated lemon zest
1 cup packed fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
1/4 cup vegetable broth or water
1 medium sized yukon gold potato, peeled and fully cooked
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
3 tbl extra virgin olive oil

Pulse the chickpeas, garlic, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, rosemary, thyme and lemon zest in a food processor until chunky. Add the baby spinach and vegetable broth and pulse until the mixture turns green. Add the cooked potato and pulse a few more times, keeping small chunks of potato in the mixture. Transfer to a bowl and add the breadcrumbs. Stir to combine and taste to adjust seasonings.
Saute in a large pan with olive oil until browned on both sides, 10-12 minutes total. Add more oil if necessary.

Broiled Zucchini and Tomatoes
2 zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into 1" pieces
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
salt and pepper
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 dried rosemary
1/4 tsp dried thyme
3 tbl large flake nutritional yeast

Season the zucchini and tomatoes with salt and pepper.
Preheat the oven to broil.
Add the oil, garlic, rosemary and thyme to a saute pan and bring up to a medium heat. Add the zucchini and tomatoes, cut side down and saute over medium heat for 10 minutes until browned.
Flip the zucchini over, cut side up and sprinkle with nutritional yeast. Put under the broiler for 1-2 minutes until toasted.

Basil Sauce
1 cup loosely packed basil leaves
juice of half a lemon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 garlic clove
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Pulse the basil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and garlic in a food processor and puree. Slowly stream in the oil until the sauce combines and becomes thick.
Transfer to a small sauce pot and bring to a very low simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes and serve over Spinach Chickpea cutlets.