Mediterranean Bowl with Baked Falafel

Mediterranean cuisine is one of my favorites! It’s fresh, flavorful, and healthy. This mediterranean bowl is centered around crispy, baked falafel paired with a delicious tomato-cucumber salad, lemony quinoa with lentils, fresh vegetables, and a creamy tahini dressing to tie all of the flavors together. I experimented with my falafel recipe several times until I felt like I made the perfect baked falafel. This makes a great dinner or lunch. Enjoy!

Preparation + Cook Time: 80 minutes

Makes about 6-7 servings

For the Falafel

Ingredients:

• 1 16 oz Can of Chickpeas, drained
• 1/2 C Raw Walnuts
• 2 T Chickpea Flour
• 2 T Tahini
• 1 C Fresh Parsley
• 1 C Fresh Cilantro
• 1/2 t Minced Garlic
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 t Cumin
• 1 t Coriander
• Juice of 1/2 a fresh lemon
• 1 T Water
• 1/2 t Baking Soda
• 1 T Olive Oil
• 1/3 C White Onion, chopped

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 Degrees F.
2. Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend until completely blended.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop a large tablespoon of the batter onto the baking sheet and smooth into a ball shape. Continue doing this until all the batter is used. It should come out to about 15 falafels.
4. Bake for 35 minutes.

For the Bowl

Lemony Quinoa and Lentils Ingredients:

• 1/2 C Uncooked Mixed Lentils (I use Sadaf Brand)
• 1 C Uncooked Quinoa
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1/2 t Cumin

Tomato-Cucumber Salad Ingredients:

• 3 Roma Tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 a Large Cucumber, chopped
• 1/3 C Diced Red Onions
• 1/4 C Fresh Mint, chopped
• 1 T Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 2 T Apple Cider Vinegar
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Creamy Tahini Dressing Ingredients:

• 4 T Tahini
• 6 T Olive Oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 t Minced Garlic
• 1/4 t Salt
• 1/4 t Pepper
• 2 t Dried Parsley
• 2 t Apple Cider Vinegar

Bowl add-ins:

• Mixed greens (spinach, lettuce, etc.)
• Sliced Radishes
• Hummus

Instructions:

1. Cook lentils in 1 1/2 C Water. Bring to a rolling boil. Once boiled, simmer for 25 minutes until the lentils are fully cooked.
2. In a separate pot, cook the quinoa in 2 C Water. Bring to a rolling boil. Once boiled, simmer for 15 minutes until the quinoa is fully cooked.
3. Once the quinoa and lentils are fully cooked, mix them together. Add the juice of 1/2 a lemon juice, 1 t Cumin, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
4. In a bowl, mix together all of the ingredients for the tomato-cucumber salad. Set aside.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing. Set aside.
6. Prepare your bowls! Start with a layer of a handful of mixed greens. Top it with a scoop of the lemony quinoa and lentils, a scoop of the tomato-cucumber salad, a couple of falafels, a Tablespoon of hummus, and some sliced radishes. Drizzle some creamy tahini dressing over the top.

A few of the many benefits of this recipe:

-Chickpeas help control blood sugar levels, improves digestion because of high fiber content, helps protect against heart disease, is a good source of protein, and contains many beneficial vitamins and minerals such as zinc, folate, phosphorus, and B vitamins.

-Parsley relieves bloating, helps reduce bad breath, is a good source of bone-protecting vitamin K, helps balance hormones, and contains immune-boosting Vitamin C.

-Cilantro rids the body of heavy metals, lowers anxiety, improves sleep, lowers blood sugar levels, prevents urinary tract infections, protects against food poisoning. and supports a healthy menstrual function.

The information on the benefits of the ingredients was researched from http://www.draxe.com