Tahini-less Tuesday

Our new meatless ventures found me in Rainbow Foods with a cart full of...beans, beans, and more beans.

Protein!

Later on, our new meatless ventures found me at home struggling to find a home for said beans.

I blame the grocery store's design of their bean aisle, but we ended up with an abnormal amount of chickpeas.

The natural solution?

Falafel (which I have had never had)

15 oz chickpeas, drained and dry
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp cumin
1 cup baby spinach
1 tsp baking powder
4 tbsp whole wheat flour
2 tbsp olive oil (for frying)

I was pretty pumped about having falafel for the first time and bounded in the kitchen when I got home yesterday and broke out the food processor.  You could probably use a magic bullet too.

Pulse the garlic, red pepper flakes, spinach and chickpeas until coarse, but not puréed.

Add baking powder, flour, and cumin.  Refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

In my falafel research I discovered that no falafel is complete without a sauce.  After much scouring I discovered that many sauces called for tahini, or sesame paste.  After some more scouring I could find no tahini, not even at the local, "hip", corner store.  More scouring.  Tahini can be loosely substituted for with 2 parts peanut butter and 1 part sesame oil.  Finally, I had a sauce!

Tahini-less Sauce (don't judge)

1 cup fat free yogurt
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 large garlic clove, pressed
1 tsp parsley
1 tbsp peanut butter
1/2 tbsp sesame oil

Mix.  Refrigerate until use.


My excitement over falafel increased ten-fold when I realized I could use my cast iron skillet.

Fry falafel "pucks" in oil for 2-3 minutes on each side.  Transfer to a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.

Top with sauce. Stuff pita.  Eat.  I'm a falafel fan.


Dear Tahini,

Why I'm sure you are quite lovely, you are very hard to find.
I seemed to get along just fine without you.

Maybe next time,

Hannah