FALAFELS
These are my homemade falafels that are full of goodness and are perfect for lunch or dinner. Believe it or not they are also 100% vegan.
INGREDIENTS:
400g of dried chickpeas
2 tablespoons of baking powder
6 cloves of garlic
100g of baby spinach
4 tablespoons of warm water
1 small brown onion
1/2 cup of tightly packed, shredded parsley
4 tablespoons of tightly packed, shredded mint
4 tablespoons of tightly packed, shredded coriander
2 teaspoons of salt
4 teaspoons of ground cumin
2 teaspoons of ground coriander
2 teaspoons of lemon zest
about 1/4 cup of Extra virgin olive oil (for frying)
*optional*
1 teaspoon of chilli flakes
about 1/4 cup of bread crumbs for rolling
add a handful of hemp seeds
METHOD:
Put chickpeas in a large bowl with cold water (about 4 times as much water than the peas) and soak overnight or during the day for as long as possible (aim for at least 5-6 hours) in the fridge
The next day drain the chickpeas and place them in a large mixing bowl, then add 4 tablespoons of warm water with 2 tablespoons of baking powder and stir.
then add the chopped spinach, herbs, salt, lemon zest, garlic, onion and spices (all the ingredients) and stir
Then using a food processor blend all the ingredients together until it forms a very thick paste type mixture
Using the mixture, form balls (you can also make these into veggie burgers) I made 18 medium sized balls. (it may help them stick together easier if you lightly roll them in some bread crumbs, this will also make them nice and crispy)
Pan fry the balls on medium heat, cook them in a pan with the base generously covered in extra virgin olive oil (make sure you use a non stick pan) it’ll take roughly 6 minutes to cook the balls, cook until golden brown on each side. (you may have to do them in batches depending on pan size)
Put them on a paper towel to remove any excess oil.
Makes roughly 18-20 balls- depending on size , serves roughly 6 people if 3 is a serve.
Enjoy :)
this recipe makes roughly 18-20 balls- depending on size , serves roughly 6 people if 3 is a serve
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
ENERGY & MACRO NUTRIENT INFORMATION fo: Based on 18 balls,
per ball is roughly= Kj: 496 or Cal: 118
per serve/3 balls= 1487 Kj or 354 cal
macros per ball:
carbohydrates: 15.4g
Fat: 4.4g
Protein: 5g
These balls are full of:
-fibre which is important for gut health and helps you stay fuller for longer
-calcium is important for bone health (helps build and protect bones)
-potassium important for the regulation of body fluids, muscle contractions and nerve signals
-iron is important for the transportation of oxygen around the body via the red blood cells, giving the cells energy
-vitamin A helps with vision, skeletal tissue and skin
-vitamin C helps fight infectious diseases, absorb non-ham iron (which is in this food) and is involved in tissue repair
…and they are low in saturated fat.
This is a balanced meal that is perfect for lunch or dinner. you can add these to salads, wraps, pita bread pockets, tacos or enjoy by themselves with some hummus or tahini sauce.
