One of my favorite cuisines is the well-known Arabic oriental. The first dish that made me fall in love with this enriched world of flavors was a portion of falafels. Traditionally falafels are made from chickpeas and spices, and then rolled into small balls and deep fried until crisp and golden on the outside, and soft and creamy on the inside. This balance of textures makes the dish so enjoyable for many people. As I’ve mentioned before, I try to follow a healthy diet, which doesn’t include fried food. That’s why I challenged myself to make this fatty indulging dish into something as delicious, but better for my body and health. I came up with the idea, instead of frying the falafels to bake them and surprisingly they turned out tasting amazing. Complimented by some leafy greens and my special garlic tahini sauce, this falafel salad is bursting with fresh bright flavors from the cilantro and greens. It still makes a hefty hearty meal due to the protein rich chickpeas and fatty tahini dressing. Another great thing about baking falafels is that they can stay in the fridge for up to 5 days. Even if you are not a big salad lover, you can still have them on their own or serve them in some pita bread. Trust me after trying this recipe you will want to have this falafel salad for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Ingredients:

Can of chickpeas

2 garlic cloves

1/2 onion

1tsp. Cumin

1tsp paprika

1/2 tsp spicy paprika

1/2 cinnamon

1/2 lemon

1 tbsp. Flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup of Parsley

For the garlic tahini dressing:

1/2 lemon

2tsp tahini

1 garlic clove(minced)

salt and pepper

1/2 tsp honey

What to do?:

1. In a food processor blend the onion, garlic and parsley
2. Add the spices and mix until nicely blended
3. Pour the thick mixture in a large bowl
4. Put the chickpeas in the food processor and blitz
5. Add the chickpeas to the spice mixture and stir until combined
6. Add a table spoon of flour
7. Form small thick patties and place on the baking your generously oiled baking thin, so they don’t stick
8. Place in the oven for 30minutes in total
9. After 15-20 minutes turn the patties over and put back in the oven for another 10 minutes
10. Meanwhile make the sauce, combine tahini, lemon juice, garlic and cumin in a glass and stir
11. To loosen up the dressing gradually add water
12. When your falafels look golden brown, take them out of the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes
13. Lastly plate everything and serve

There you have it! Your healthy version of the traditional falafel recipe. To make the salad taste even better I added also some hummus and chopped tomatoes.

* If you want crispier outside here are my tips:

• Make small thick patties
• Refrigerate the mixture before forming into patties
• Oil the baking pan
• Let the falafels cool slightly before serving