I constantly crave perfectly crispy, flavorful falafel…
With a soft, tender interior.
Sigh.
Not too long ago, I (for some odd reason) thought falafel would be a huge pain in the rear to make at home.
Plus frying can be quite the ordeal, and not the most healthy thing ever.
After having tasty (but way too garlicky) falafel at one of my favorite “French-ish” restaurants in Seattle, hi Bastille, I absolutely had to make up my own healthy, cheap, and simple version.
Yessir.
There is no frying involved.
Yippee!
And no garlic or onions.
May your breath remain inoffensive, and your stomach exist in peace.
Whew.
I decided to pair my falafel with a fresh, lightly dressed Greek salad.
No need to whip out the tahini or make a non-vegan (although delicious) yogurt sauce.
Simply place your baked falafel on top of your salad and then pile a bit of every ingredient onto your fork before sending the stuff straight into your mouth.
So what goes into these special baked chickpea bites?
Convenient canned chickpeas (of course), zesty lemon juice, nutty toasted almonds, extra virgin olive oil, a bit of whole wheat flour (use gf if necessary), fresh Italian parsley and mint, earthy ground cumin, plus a pinch of salt, to taste.
Bake those guys until pleasantly crispy, then serve over a bowl of juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumber, red bell pepper, spicy pepperoncinis and salty Kalamata olives tossed in extra virgin olive oil, a splash of red wine vinegar, chopped Italian parsley, dried oregano, plus a little salt, and peppa.
Chow time!
P.S. If you’re a cheese consumer, feel free to toss some tangy cubed feta into the salad. I have to admit, feta can be hard to resist sometimes all the time.
P.P.S. You could also plop a blob of creamy hummus right on top of your bowl for even more flavor and protein.
P.P.P.S. Anddd if you really have to, add a dollop of nonfat plain yogurt on there too.
P.P.P.P.S. I used Tieghan’s falafel recipe as a starting point. Her photos are always sooo beautiful.