While I am generally all for doing things the more physically active way, taking the stairs rather than the escalator and walking a few blocks to get to my destination, the day that a food processor came into my world my life truly changed. For years I had been carefully slicing and dicing veggies by hand, creating tasty dishes yes, but also spending hours in the kitchen doing so. Not to mention, the clean-up required was considerable (as I like working in a clean kitchen, I would routinely clean the counters, knives, and cutting board after cutting each variety veggie – and trust me, there were many varieties going on). While I continue to complete many tasks the long way, vegetable prep is not one of them. And I find it much more manageable to get my 6-8 serving of produce a day because of it. Aside from being deliciously flavourful (and a fun way to sneak more beans & legumes in your diet), this recipe provides another excuse to put this genius culinary invention to work. To learn more about the amazing nutrition benefits of bean & legumes, visit my blog on the topic.
This crafty recipe utilized a bounty of fresh herbs and spices to really make the flavour pop. Herbs and spices are great because, in addition to adding extra antioxidants and beneficial nutrients to dishes, they make recipes easily tailorable to your tastes. Not a fan of parsley? No problem! Try using green onions or cilantro instead. Or maybe garlic gets you down? Why not go for diced celery or cooked fennel in its place? Substituting herbs and spices will have a negligible impact on the recipes macros.
And while I love me some fresh diced onion as much as anyone, I find myself cringing at the thought of chopping those bad boys myself. To spare my (and anyone nearbys’) delicate eyes, in this recipe I chose to use onion powder. But if you’re not so sensitive yourself, I encourage you to use fresh onion in place of onion powder here if you’d like.
Highlights of making this recipe:
- With only five ingredients (plus a handful of herbs and spices) and only half a dozen steps, this recipe can be whipped up as a quick appy or nourishing nosh to share with last minute guests.
- No bowls required in this recipe! Let your food processor do all the work, and quickly clean up while the falafels bake.
- Many of us can use another way to easily up the beans & lentils in our diet, myself included!
- And with the herb and spice variations to try, the possibilities are endless.
Let’s keep the green food colouring stowed away this St. Patrick’s Day, and celebrate the day in style (and health) by harnessing the power of green veggies and pulses!
Macros per Falafel
Calories: 113
Protein: 8 g
Fat: 2 g
Carbohydrates: 17 g
Sugar: 2 g
Fibre: 5 g
Baked Green Lentil Falafels
Ingredients
Falafels
- 1 2/3 cup green lentils cooked
- 1 cup chickpeas cooked
- 1 packed cup spinach fresh, chopped
- 1/4 packed cup parsley fresh, chopped, divided
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp ground corriander
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 2 tbsp chickpea flour
- 1 egg large
- 5 second spritz Olive Oil Cooking Spray
Garnish
- 2 tbsp Greek yogurt plain, nonfat
Instructions
- Place lentils, chickpeas, spinach, 2 tbsp parsley, garlic, onion powder, cumin, coriander, salt, and baking soda in a food processor. Process until the mixture is coarsely pureed. Add flour and egg and run processor until ingredients are fully combined.
- Using 1/3 cup measuring scoop to portion, shape mixture into eight ~1/2-inch thick patties. Arrange on two large dinner plates. Cover with a tea towel and place in freezer for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat an oven to 400 Degrees Fahrenheit.
- Line a large baking sheet with tinfoil and mist with cooking spray.
- After patties have set, transfer to prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and, using spatula, gently flip patties over. Finish baking for 15 more minutes. Patties should be golden brown on each side.
- Let patties cool for ~10 minutes.
- Top each patty with 1 tablespoon of Greek yogurt, sprinkling remaining parsley over each. Enjoy*.
Notes
