EASY BAKED FALAFEL

When I lived in Berlin there was absolutely no shortage of delicious falafel. The turkish culture is quite prominent over there, which means there are falafel and doner shops on just about every corner! I recently had the craving for one again and I remember having this simple 5 ingredient recipe pinned on my pinterest board. I thought I would test it out, add my own spin to it and see if a baked falafel would satisfy my cravings. To my surprise, it did and I have officially added this recipe to my top 10 easy dinners!

Baked Falafels (makes 9 – slightly adapted from Pinch of Yum)

2 cups cooked lentils
1 cup fresh cilantro, stems and all
1 cup fresh parsley, stems and all
1 large clove garlic
half a jalapeno (if you like it spicy, add the seeds)
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1.5 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon whole wheat flour
juice from half a lemon
freshly ground pepper to season

Avocado Cilantro Spread

1 avocado
handful of cilantro
1 tablespoon vegenaise (found at most supermarkets)
1 tablespoon plain low fat yogurt
half a jalapeno (seeds removed)
juice of 1 lime
zest of half a lime
salt and pepper to season

Other ingredients for the meal: 

Whole wheat pitas or naan bread
Roasted carrots and sweet potatoes, these add great texture in the pitas and I always have them on hand. Just peel and roast them with a bit of cumin and olive oil in a 425 degree oven for 30-40 minutes.

Directions: 

Preheat over to 350 degrees F

For the falafels, pulse everything in a food processor (except the flour) until combined. If the mixture doesn’t hold together too well, just mix in (with a spoon) 1 tablespoon of flour. Form into 9 balls and place on a baking sheet lined with foil. Bake for 18 minutes.

While your falafels are baking, make your avocado cilantro spread. Pulse everything in a food processor and season to your liking. This will make more spread than you may need, store the rest in an air tight container and use for sandwiches and wraps.

Assemble your falafels as you want!