Man, these were good. I changed Brian’s definition of a burger when I made these for us. I haven’t had a burger (a meat one) in years, but these are just as hearty, just as juicy, and just as satisfying as their (ahem, unhealthier) counterparts.

They’re super easy to make and even more versatile. I served them on a bed of kale with sliced tomatoes and some homemade spicy dressing. (I’ll post that recipe soon, but it’s a mixture of vegenaise, lemon juice and sriracha.) You could easily put them on a bun if you like, with ketchup and mustard as you would a burger of meat perhaps, or you could serve them atop any green.

The original recipe is from Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop, of which I am a huge fan, but you’ll see I adapted it a bit.

1. We want it to be healthy.

2. We want it to fill us up and be satisfying.

3. We don’t want it to weigh us down.

4. We don’t want it to cost as much as dinner.

We all on the same page? Cool. What I started doing — when I have the time on Sunday afternoon — is to make a giant portion of something I’ve wanted to make for dinner, then bring it with me to work and eat it for lunch the next few days. Granted, you have to be down with eating the same thing for lunch days in a row, which I have no problem doing. I think I ate a tuna wrap everyday for lunch my freshman year of college, but that’s a story for another time. You also have to be cool with bringing your own food to work. That means there needs to be a refrigerator, plates, utensils, etc…

Enter this farro salad with chickpeas and leeks, which fits all our criteria from above. (If you’re not familiar with farro, it’s an easy-to-make grain and a fantastic alternative to rice and quinoa.) It’s healthy, light but filling, and easy to dish out and shovel in as you type away at your desk. Add more lemon and/or chili pepper flakes to your tasting, and when your stomach starts growling halfway through the day tomorrow at lunch, you can smile knowing you have a delicious lunch waiting for you in the fridge.