Let’s face it: If your a carnivore reading this, you have most likely already dismissed the idea of making this recipe. Why? Because sadly, most veggie patty recipes out there seem deliciously healthy… but once you click over to read a recipe, you encounter a potion-like list of ingredients and steps. What was meant to be healthy and easy ends up becoming a mission.
I’ve personally rejected the idea of attempting to make falafel at home, with the excuse that most recipes call for deep frying, prodigious amount of starches, chilling, freezing, breading… with the express purpose of making them hold together and not come apart in a pan full of oil.
So yes, I’ve tried it in the past and I’ve failed. BUT last Sunday I was feeling like eating something flavorful and ‘healthy-ish’ and all I had at hand were the ingredients I’m about to list below. You’ll be surprised at how geniously creative we can be when we’re limited. Who was it that coined the phrase, “Necessity is the mother of invention.”? Well, that person was spot on.
This time, I came at it from a simpler direction: only using the ingredients I had at hand, not caring if my falafel would offend any falafel-know-it-alls AND most importantly, forgetting about frying. Who has the time and the stomach for that, anyway?
Now, before I FINALLY move on with this recipe, let me just say, eat these as you wish. I went the wrap way because I was craving a nice wrap – but you can eat these as you wish. The idea is to make this recipe work for you. Open your pantry and bask in your options. Who knows, maybe we can swap notes at some point? I’d love to get more ideas.
To make baked falafel:
• 1 can of cooked chickpeas(I can hear the above mentioned know-it-alls gasping at my suggestion of not using dried chickpeas... but it is what it is)
• 1 tablespoon of grated onion
• 1 small grated garlic
• 2 tablespoons of fresh parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric
• 1 teaspoon of cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon of paprika
• 1/2 tablespoon of tahini paste
• A dash of fresh lime
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
Steps
1. Use a food processor to combine all the ingredients
2. Make small patties (about 2 TBS portions)
3. Pace them in a pan lined with baking paper or greased with olive oil
4. Bake in a preheated oven at 180ºC for 20 minutes or until they look golden and dry
5. Let them cool off before removing them from the pan so they don’t stick
Serving suggestion
Tzatziki• 1/2 cup of natural greek yogurt
• 1/3 cup of grated, seedless cucumber
• 1 clove of minced garlic
• 1/2 lime juice
• 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley (replace with dill if you want authentic tzatziki)
• 1 tablespoon of chopped mint
• Salt and pepper to taste
Wraps
I make these wraps at home whenever I crave a good sandwich – and realistically they don’t take a whole lot of extra time, but it does involve gluten, kneading and more dirty dishes... so instead, you could also use some paleo bread or gluten free tortilla if you wish.
I also served this one with radishes (because, obsessed!) but the falafel alone is deliciously enough.
Add more tahini paste over the top and get really to have your mind blown by a simple falafel wrap.
