For a while, I had a rule that one night a week had to be vegetarian. I was just tired of feeling like every dinner needed to revolve around meat. The only problem is that I’m married to a man who will eat a vegetarian meal and tell me he’s starving again two hours later.
I quickly learned that if vegetarian night was going to stick, it needed some real staying power- usually beans, peas, or another hearty protein. Which is exactly why I love chickpeas so much. Chickpeas have a low glycemic index and help you hit you’re protein AND fiber goals. They’re filling, versatile, and, in the case of falafel, very good at pretending they’re the main event. If I’m being completely truthful, the falafel and pita are mostly just vessels for getting as much dip into my mouth as possible. The best thing about this recipe is that it feels very cohesive even though the only “prepared” part of it is cooking falafel and slicing vegetables.
Ingredients:
1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked for 12-24 hours, then drained very well
1/2 small white onion, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp chickpea flour or all purpose flour
1 bunch of parsley, about 1/8 cup
1 bunch of cilantro, about 1/8 cup
Cooking spray
Instructions:
-Soak the chickpeas: pour plenty of cold water to cover chickpeas in a pot with a lid. Allow to soak for 12-24 hours. Okay to leave at leave temperature or in the fridge. You want your chickpeas to double in size.
-Drain chickpeas and pat dry.
-In a food processor add chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley, cilantro, cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper. Pulse until finely minced and crumbly. Add baking powder and flour
-Place mixture in fridge for 30-60 minutes if you have time. This makes it easier to shape.
-Form into roughly 1.5 inch balls.
-Spray falafel with cooking spray. Airy fry for 12-15 minutes at 375 F, flipping 1/2 way, until crispy and golden brown.
-Serve immediately with pita or rice and choice of vegetables and dips.
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