Baked Falafel Bowls

A little over three years ago I was faced with falafel for the first time. Josiah and I were on our honeymoon and although I would consider myself an adventurous eater, was very hesitant of the Mediterranean cart that he had chosen for lunch. I had zero experience with falafel and minimal experience with any Mediterranean food. I once had a packaged gyro that ended up being okay, but other than that I had no experience. That food experience ended up being great, but admittingly not great enough to make me jump on the falafel bandwagon at that time. My biggest hangup was the warm hummus they served on it. Am I the only one that finds this insanely off putting? I still do! 

Fast forward another year. While we were living in Denver we found a meditanean shack (which is probably a super accurate description of it) and although it somewhat satisfied our mediteranean cravings, we weren't blown away. 

Fast forward again to last March. I was working in Lincoln Park when I stumbled upon Chicago Halal, a food truck turned brick and morter that has the falafel that changed my life. No exaggeration. We've quickly become regulars there. Like, first name basis with Steve and his crew. (HI STEVE!) It's our go-to cheap lunch or dinner when friends are in town or we're not feeling like cooking. I always order the same thing: the salad with half falafel and half gyro meat and ALL THE TAHINI! And yes, I emphasize the tahini like that every single time. I usually end up with about three containers and use all of them and would use more if they gave it to me. This is where my love affair with falafel happened. I can get a gigantic salad for $7 and I generally get two meals out of it, which is such a bargain! However, as much as I would love to run down to Lincoln Park every time I have a craving, it's a bit of a trek so I wanted to create a version I could make right at home. 

This recipe stemmed from no less than #689 attempts so the ability to deliver it to you brings me so much happiness. I love eating the falafel in a bowl form because it allows me to maximize my veggie consumption. It also adds some interest  Something worth mentioning, the dried chickpeas are NOT optional. You can produce good falafel with canned chickpeas, but if you want GREAT falafel (which I mean, come on guys, that's what we're after!) you will need to soak your beans for 24 hours.  

Baked Falafel

Makes 12

• 1 cup dry chickpeas, soaked for 24 hours in the refrigerator
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• Zest of one lemon
• 1/2 cup packed fresh parsley 
• 1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro 
• 1 3/4 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• Big pinch of sea salt 

• 1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, for brushing before placing in the oven

Preheat oven to 400˚F. Grease a small baking sheet and then set aside set aside. Drain the water from the chickpeas then add them to the base of a food processor along with the remaining ingredients. Process mixture until paste-like, scraping down the sides as needed. Be sure not to over-puree. There should be some chunks still remaining in the mixture.  Scoop the mixture out in 2 tablespoon increments. Drop the falafel mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and roll into round balls. Brush with the oil then bake at 400˚F for 22-24 minutes. Let the falafel cool before moving to an air tight container. The falafel can be refrigerated for us to a week.

To assemble the falafel bowls place the falafel on top of a bowl of your favorite spring mix and add in various toppings including shredded carrots, olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, onion slices, pickles, lemon wedge, herbs, hummus, and this tahini recipe.  

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Dried Cranberries + Sunflower Seeds

Are you a brussel sprout fan or do you push them to the side of the plate and do everything in your power to avoid putting them in your mouth? I used to be the later. The problem though, I disliked brussel sprouts, but had never even put them in my mouth. Brussel sprouts get such a bad reputation so I just assumed that I wouldn't like them and never tried them. A few years into my health journey I decided to try roasting brussel sprouts as a side because there were so many bloggers that were doing it (trend follower obviously) and it was love at first roast! What I had formerly thought of as a soggy, unpleasant way to consume nutrients was actually a crispy and delicious side dish that I started to crave. Although I'm always down for some classic roasted brussel sprouts, I love to mix things up and add in different ingredients to keep things interesting. The combination of sweetness from the cranberries and crunch from the sunflower seeds make this dish something worth craving. 

roasted brussel Sprouts with sunflower seeds + cranberries

• 16 ounces of brussel sprouts, halved 
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
• pinch of salt 
• 2 TBS sunflower seeds 
• 2 TBS dried cranberries 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Place the brussel srpouts on a baking sheet. Drizzle the coconut oil over the brussel sprouts and toss. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the brussel sprouts. Place the coconut oil covered brussel sprouts in the oven for 12 minutes. 

While the brussel sprouts cook, cover the dried cranberries with two tablespoons of boiling water to soften them. Once the brussel sprouts are done baking, toss them together with the cranberries and sunflower seeds and enjoy. 

Spring Greens + Strawberry Salad with Toasted Cashews and Balsamic Vinaigrette

My mother-in-law has a massive strawberry patch that she tends to every year. One year, prior to Josiah and I getting married, I spent an afternoon with her picking some strawberries and quickly came to appreciate the labor that goes into harvesting these precious gems. I gained a lot from our time together: 1. life advice and appropriate convincing to not apply to Pharmacy school (even though I actually love chemistry) 2. knowledge that store bought strawberries would never be the same and 3. insight into the work that goes into harvesting strawberries and a much stronger appreciation for them. 

From this new found appreciation I've come to learn that I absolutely love to eat strawberries straight up, so that's what I tend to do. However, when I'm in need of a more substantial meal and not just a treat, I like to throw some strawberries on a salad, top it with nuts, drizzle with a little dressing and call it a day. It's become a regular rotation around here because it's as delicious as it is simple. I've come to love this salad as a quick lunch and an easy dish to take to potlucks.  It's dairy-free and gluten-free if those are concerns for you, but if not, I'm certain you'll enjoy it too! 

A few notes before you jump in:

Nuts toasted using the stove top method will not be uniformly browned, but more mottled in appearance. Make sure to keep watching the nuts. Take your eyes off the progress at the wrong point for 30 seconds and you'll find yourself throwing out a pan full of burnt and bitter nuts.

The dressing recipe stays the same every time I make it, but the ratio of strawberries and nuts to lettuce really just depends on what I have on hand because that's how I roll. 

Spring Greens + Strawberry Salad with Toasted Cashews and Balsamic Vinaigrette 

• 6 cups spring greens
• 1 cup strawberries, sliced
• 1 cup cashews, toasted 

Dressing: 

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 
• 1/4 cup olive oil 
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon honey (optional) 
• salt and pepper to taste 

For toasting the cashews, heat a skillet on medium and then add the cashews. Spread the nuts out in an even layer and heat over medium, shaking often – don't overcrowd your nuts. Keep stirring or shaking for about 5 minutes, or until nuts are fragrant and browned. Nuts toasted using the stove top method will not be uniformly browned, but more mottled in appearance.

For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a mason jar and shake. Or whisk together in a small bowl. 

To assemble the salad, place the lettuce in a large bowl and top with the strawberries and cashews. Serve with the dressing on the side.