Felafel

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I use this recipe adapted from Vegan with a Vengance by Chandra Moskowitz.

Note: you really, really must eat it with the tahini dressing. Those yogurt dressings I've seen are just nasty! Tahini is the way to go!

Felafel

2 C chickpeas (I tend to use canned but cook them for a few minutes to make it easier to mash them)

1/4 C ww bread crumbs

2 TBS ww flour

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander

1/4 tsp cayenne

1/4 C fresh chopped parsley

sea salt to taste

fresh ground black pepper to taste

Mash the chickpeas by hand and set aside. In food processor, pulse remaining ingredients until smooth but somewhat coarse. Add chickpeas, combine and set in fridge for an hour or (best) overnight).

Shape the batter into little patty/balls, roughly 2" in diameter and fry in oil until brown (3 minutes each side).

Serve in pocket pita with lettuce and tahini dressing (recipe below).

Tahini Dressing (again, adapted from Vegan with a Vengance, notes in recipe)

8 tsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 C tahini

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp salt (I omit this, the vinegar is salty enough)

juice of 1 lemon

black pepper to taste (I omit this, too)

1/2 tsp paprika (again, I omit)

1/4 C fresh parsley

1/2 C water

Heat the garlic in the oil over low heat 2 minutes. Strain garlic pieces out, combine all ingredients in food processor or blender and puree until smooth.

(the orginial recipe had several steps in there to keep the parsley from being blended, but I just don't like multi-step recipes. If you would like your dressing with flecks of green, add the parsley at the end and pulse lightly).

Hey, can I attach a photo? Here's my felafel (with zucchini and pilaf):

xoxo...