On-The-Go Falafel Bites
If you’re looking for a savory snack that can double as a lunch option, be made ahead for a week’s worth of nutritious nibbling, and are full of flavor and nourishing ingredients, then look no further than this recipe for On-The-Go Falafel Bites and tahini sauce from holistic nutritionist Sarah Britton. There are a few tools you’ll need to make sure you have on hand in order to make these, like a food processor and blender, but these come together in a few minutes and need just 15 minutes in the oven. They’re easy to pack along with you and taste great on their own with the tahini sauce or in a wrap.
Falafel Ingredients:
3 cloves garlic
3 cups / 500 g cooked chickpeas (about 2 cans)
1/2 cup chopped + packed / 45g flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup chopped + packed / 35g cilantro
1 1⁄2 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 1⁄2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. ground coriander
1 1⁄2 tsp. fine grain sea salt
1 tsp. cracked black pepper
Zest of 1 lemon
3 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2/3 cup / 115g chickpea flour, sifted
1/4 cup / 60ml water, as needed
1/4 cup / 35g sesame seeds
Tahini Sauce Ingredients:
1 clove garlic
Zest of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed juice
1/4 cup / 60ml tahini
2 Tbsp. cold-pressed olive oil
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. ground smoked paprika or chipotle
1-2 tsp. pure maple syrup, to taste
A few pinches of sea salt, to taste
Water to thin, as needed
Pre-Recipe Tips:
Soak your chickpeas overnight and cook them ahead of time. Canned chickpeas are convenient but don’t have the same texture.
If you opt for canned chickpeas, taste them beforehand to check how salty they are and adjust the salt in the recipe accordingly.
Chop up your fresh herbs before putting them in the food processor. This will ensure they won’t get bruised beforehand and keep their flavor intact.
Choose organic or unwaxed lemons to avoid unwanted pesticides and preservatives.
Look for a cold-pressed olive oil to use in the tahini sauce. Heat processing causes the olive oil to lose a lot of vital nutrients.
Directions:
Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Wash and chop the fresh herbs.
Place peeled garlic in a food processor and pulse to finely mince. Add the remaining ingredients, except for the chickpea flour and water, and pulse to blend.
Add the chickpea flour, blend, then add water as needed – you’re looking for the mixture to hold together when pressed.
In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast sesame seeds, stirring often, until fragrant, about 3-4 minutes. Remove heat and transfer seeds to a small bowl.
Preheat the oven to 450°F / 230°C. Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Take a tablespoon worth of falafel mix, roll it into a ball, and roll into the sesame seeds. Place on the baking sheet and repeat until you’ve made about 30 balls. Place in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes until golden.
While the falafels are baking, make the tahini sauce by blending all ingredients in a blender on high. Season to taste. Pour into a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid.
Remove falafels from the oven and enjoy warm with the tahini sauce or let cool. Your falafel balls are done when there’s a firmness on the outside and they’re tender on the inside. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to five days.
RECIPE COURTESY OF SARAH BRITTON:
Sarah Britton (BFA, CNP) is a Holistic Nutritionist and Certified Nutritional Practitioner. Following her philosophy of “making healthy choices every day”, she has been creating recipes for her readers all over the world since 2007.
Winner of the 2014 Saveur “Best Food Blog – Special Diets Blog” Awards, Sarah currently teaches cooking classes, runs workshops on detoxification and cleansing, food as medicine, and nutrition fundamentals. She creates exclusive menu plans and recipes for various media and gives lectures and speaks in public forums such as TEDx.
