Falafels with Quinoa Tabouli
Spicy falafels and light and herby tabouli are a deliciously perfect match.
Flavour bursts from the plate with this dish, and so does nutrition and nourishment.
Falafels are made using chickpeas, and sometimes, like mine below, also have fava beans. Both are a great source of plant protein and full of fibre. They are definitely something that needs to be part of a regular balanced diet.
This is the perfect meal to enjoy for lunch or dinner, but because of the fresh lightness of it, it's such a nourishing meal to enjoy after a workout or yoga session. If you've just had an energy healing, continue with your physical healing and fuel your body with some love from nature.
Gluten free and vegan.
Serves 4 with
INGREDIENTS:
Falafel
270 g dried fava beans (broad beans) or lima beans
90 g dried chickpeas
water, for soaking
300 g brown onion, cut into quarters
leaves from 5 fresh coriander sprigs
leaves from 10 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs
1 - 2 tspns salt
½ tspn ground black pepper
2 tspns gluten free plain flour (I love to use Bob's Red Mill)
½ tspn ground cumin
1 tspn ground coriander
1 tspn bicarbonate of soda
3 tspns baking powder
sunflower oil, enough to cover the falafel in your pan
Tabouli
1 cup white quinoa
1 cup of water or vegetable stock for cooking, plus extra for soaking
100 g fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped finely
60 g fresh mint leaves, chopped finely
zest of ½ lemon
35g lemon juice (approx ½ lemon)
90 g red onion, finely diced
7 roma tomatoes, deseeded and finely diced
1½ tblspns extra virgin olive oil
big pinch salt or to taste
1 pinch ground black pepper or to taste
METHOD:
Night before preparation
Cover dried fava beans and chickpeas with water in a bowl and set aside to soak overnight.
In another bowl, cover the quinoa, making sure water is quite a few cms above quinoa, and set aside to soak overnight.
Falafel
Drain beans and chickpeas and set aside.
Place garlic, onion, fresh coriander, parsley, salt, pepper, gf flour, cumin, ground coriander, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and drained beans and chickpeas into a food processor bowl and blend for 30 seconds on high until the mixture is mostly pulverised. Scrape down the sides with a spatula and blend again on medium speed to fully incorporate.
Transfer into a bowl, cover and place in the fridge for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, prepare tabouli, instructions below.
Warm the oil in a deep saucepan over medium high heat. Working in batches, fry heaped tablespoonfuls of falafel mixture for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown and crisp (makes approx. 35 pieces). Try adding sesame seeds to the coating for a slightly different taste. Carefully transfer with a slotted spoon onto paper towel to drain.
Tabouli
Drain the quinoa in a fine mesh sieve and rinse.
Place quinoa in a saucepan with water or stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook at a simmer for 15 minutes, until the water/stock has been absorbed. Remove from the heat, cover and let sit for 5 minutes.
Transfer the quinoa to a large mixing bowl, fluff with a fork and add all remaining ingredients. Gently combine with a wooden spoon or spatula.
Serve the falafels and tabouli with hummus and/or tzatziki for a non-vegan option.
This is great as a light meal for lunch or dinner, and if you have leftovers, why not make a yiros salad or use it for a flavourful filling in a wrap.
Enjoy!
The Enchantress
