This is one of those awesome make-in-bulk-and-freeze kinda recipes. This is something I make big batches of, portion and then store sealed in smaller containers in the freezer for those all too familiar week day evenings when you are stretched for time or don’t feel like preparing something from scratch. There are so many ways to enjoy this Falafel mix. Make into balls or smaller ‘bites’ and serve with a dip or sauce for lunch boxes, social get togethers, or as a healthy filling little snack in between meals. You can create burger size patties and serve with salad or on toasted Clean Multiseed Bread. Perhaps you prefer to serve them between lettuce leaves instead of a burger bun. Or in between sliced and toasted Coconut Buckwheat Flatbreads, (or your choice of locally sourced gluten-free buns).
This recipe is: Gluten-free (GF), Wheat-free (WF), Dairy-free (DF), refined Sugar-free (SF), Plant-based/Vegan (PB), Vegetarian (V)
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Falafel Salad Plate
You will need: food processor or blender NOTE: You can pre-make this mixture a day or few hours before using, for flavours and dough to 'develop' - this is not necessary though of course. If making homemade Hummus, this recipe will take 15 minutes longer to make.
Ingredients
Salad (per person portion)
Ingredients
Salad (per person portion)
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Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F or 180°C. You can skip this and cook on stove top in a pan.
Falafel Patties: Combine everything except Chickpea Flour and Baking Powder in a food processor.
Falafel Patties: Pulse to create a rough, but well combined mixture - don't pulse/blend for too long or else you will make a puree/paste.
Falafel Patties: Pulse in the Baking Powder and half the Chickpea Flour. Only add enough flour to make dough slightly firm to press into shapes.
Falafel Patties: Line a baking tray (or cooking pan) with non-toxic parchment paper or silicon baking mats.
Falafel Patties: Shape the mixture into your choice of either bites, balls or patties and space them out onto the baking tray (or cooking pan).
Falafel Patties: Bake for 10-15 minutes on one side, turn over and bake for a further 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown. If cooking with a pan, cook on low heat for the same amount of time.
Falafel Patties: Optional - You can brown the patties up in a little heated Coconut Oil in the pan to finish them off.
Creamy Hummus: Blend Tahini and Lemon Juice together until smooth, fluffy and creamy - continually scrape sides using a spatula to combine well.
Creamy Hummus: Add Garlic, Cumin, Salt, Olive Oil. Blend well.
Creamy Hummus: Slowly add Chickpeas to the mix, blending in between.
Creamy Hummus: Only add Water if need be to reach desired consistency.
Combine your choice of Salad Ingredients on a plate, add 2-3 tablespoons of Hummus and add the patties to the Salad plate.
Recipe Notes
*Avoid baking/cooking on aluminium and non-stick surfaces - they will bake/leach toxic substances into your food. Cook with stainless steel and ceramic where possible. Or use bleach-free, non-toxic baking paper and food-grade silicon mats to line baking trays or pots and pans when baking, and cooking on stove top. Use a little Coconut Oil in a stainless steel pan if you prefer not to bake.
*As mentioned, this recipe can be made in bulk, portioned into smaller containers, sealed and stored in the fridge or freezer.
*If you can, choose organic Chickpeas canned in BPA-free cans. I use an organic brand called Eden (available in Australia & USA). Haven't yet found a brand in South Africa - please share in our Fresh Life Community Facebook page if you do find one.
*See Creamy Hummus Dip recipe to see how to activate and prepare Chickpeas from scratch.
Serving suggestions:
* Make Falafel burgers, by putting them between two sides of a toasted Coconut Buckwheat Flatbread, served with Hummus and salad ingredients.
* Made into balls they are great for lunch boxes or served with a dip as a pre-dinner snack
You’ll love the creaminess of this Hummus, and there is a trick you’ll learn in this recipe that ensures it comes out with a beautiful smooth consistency. A good Hummus is hard to beat, and can be added to salads, sandwiches and wraps or be enjoyed straight out of the jar. I regularly make and keep a jar of Hummus on hand in our fridge for every kind of occasion.
This recipe is: Gluten-free (GF), Wheat-free (WF), Dairy-free (DF), refined Sugar-free (SF), Plant-based/Vegan (PB), Vegetarian (V)
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Creamy Hummus Dip
You will need: food processor or blender
Instructions
Blend Tahini and Lemon Juice together until smooth, fluffy and creamy - continually scrape sides using a spatula to combine well.
Add Garlic, Cumin, Salt, Olive Oil. Blend well.
Slowly add Chickpeas to the mix, blending in between.
Only add Water if need be to reach desired consistency.
Recipe Notes
Serving suggestion:
* Garnish with a few Kalamata Olives, a drizzle of Olive Oil and a sprinkle of Paprika.
* Serve with fresh slices of Carrot, Cucumber, Capsicum/Bell Peppers or any other veg you like, or Flaxseed Crackers or any preferred choice of gluten-free crackers.
Other Notes:
*If you can, choose organic Chickpeas canned in BPA-free cans. I use an organic brand called Eden (available in Australia & USA). Haven't yet found a brand in South Africa - please share in our Fresh Life Community Facebook page if you do find one.
*I like the above mentioned brand because they prepare their beans with Kombu seaweed, which helps break down the oligosaccharides in beans which can hinder or upset the digestion process (acting as an enzyme inhibitor).
This is good if you don't usually do very well with beans and legumes. Bean’s and Legume’s enzyme inhibitors can cause slightly upset tummies which is why they are joked about as ‘causing gas’.
You can buy your own Kombu seaweed from an Asian supermarket and activate/remove enzyme inhibitors by boiling store bought Chickpeas for 15-20 minutes with hot water and Kombu Seaweed,
*Or you can make your own Chickpeas from scratch:
It's not as hard as it seems, I've recently been doing this and it just takes a little planning/time management.
Day 1 PM - Soak Chickpeas in water (add few extra inches water above Chickpeas - keep covered), with 1 tsp of Sea Salt per litre/gallon.
Day 2 AM - Change water (using same formula as above).
Day 2 PM - Boil Chickpeas until soft. This usually takes a couple hours, so plan to do this while you’re watching a documentary in the evening. Drain and let cool. Store in fridge before bed.
Day 3 anytime - follow recipe above to make your from-scratch Hummus!
I just love finding ways to enjoy favourite foods, choosing to use only the ‘cleanest’ combinations of ingredients possible. This Plant-based Pesto Sauce still packs a tasty punch. All one really needs to do is leave out the traditionally added parmesan cheese and your Pesto will still taste like, well… Pesto! I make this recipe so often and use Pesto in many delicious ways in my own kitchen.
This recipe is: Gluten-free (GF), Wheat-free (WF), Dairy-free (DF), refined Sugar-free (SF), Plant-based/Vegan (PB), Vegetarian (V)
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Plant-based Pesto Sauce
You will need: food processor or blender
Instructions
Crush or chop the garlic finely.
Put all the ingredients together in a blender, and pulse well enough, while still leaving a little 'coarseness' to the Basil leaves (otherwise sauce becomes a Pesto puree/paste which is not as nice).
Recipe Notes
*You can use a large mouthed jar and an immersion blender, and pulse this sauce quickly right in the jar.
*Storing tip: use a glass jar with lid just big enough to hold sauce (too much air makes sauce go off faster). Use a little Olive Oil to coat the entire inside of jar before adding the Pesto Sauce, then cover the top with a thin layer of Olive Oil before sealing with a lid.
Always top again with Olive Oil when you've used some out of the jar each time. The oil will naturally 'preserve' the Pesto by preventing the sauce from being exposed to air which helps keep the Pesto Sauce for up to a week (if you keep air out and keep a layer of oil on the top). The oil will also help to prevent molds/moulds from growing too soon on top!
*Store sealed in the fridge.
Serving suggestions:
* Thinly shave fresh zucchini using a potato peeler or other peeler/spiraliser, and toss with fresh or sun-dried or cooked tomatoes.
*Mix into cooked Rice Noodles and cooked Tomatoes for a quick Pesto Pasta dish.
* Add a little to mayonnaise to make a Pesto Mayo, or just use as is, and add to sandwiches, wraps and burgers.
* Combine with fresh chopped baby tomatoes to top some freshly toasted Clean Multiseed Bread. Finish with a drizzle of Olive Oil on top.
* Add a layer of Pesto Sauce to freshly toasted bread (as linked above) and add grilled veggies, such as capsicum, eggplant, zucchini to make a delicious Mediterranean stack. Finish with a drizzle of Olive Oil on top.
