Falafel with Tzatziki

I love Greek food, and I have tried many times to make falafel just to end up with a mushy mess that falls apart while cooking.  But not today.  The trick is to start with dried chickpeas.  I always assumed that these would be hard to find, but I got mine at Walmart for about a dollar.  Definitely had to stock up!  All you have to do is soak these overnight in a bowl of water, and when you’re getting ready to make dinner, just drain and dry them well.  Oh man, these turned out absolutely amazing!  Plus they’re vegetarian, full of protein, and totally healthy.  Adding this to my Greek repertoire!

 

Tzatziki

-1/3 c mayonnaise

-1 clove garlic, grated

-1 Tbsp lemon juice

-1 small cucumber

-salt and pepper

Peel, seed, and grate the cucumber.  Then combine all of the ingredients and season with salt and pepper.  You can definitely substitute Greek yogurt for mayonnaise if you don’t need it to be dairy free–either works great!

Falafel

-1 lb dry chickpeas, soaked overnight

-1/2 yellow onion, chopped

-1/3 c parsley

-4 cloves of garlic

-2 to 3 Tbsp olive oil

-1 Tbsp flour (gluten free if needed)

-1 Tbsp ground flax*

-2 tsp baking soda

-1 tsp salt

-2 tsp cumin

-1 tsp coriander

-1 tsp red pepper flakes

-black and cayenne pepper to taste

-red onion, tomatoes, lettuce, tzatziki and pita (or gluten free tortillas) to serve

Combine all ingredients except for the chickpeas in a food processor and blend until you have a smooth paste.  Next add the chickpeas and blend until you have a mixture that’s almost smooth, but still has a bit of texture.  You don’t want it to be completely smooth or it won’t hold together well while cooking.  You also don’t want it to be too dry.  It needs to hold together in a ball but still be pretty moist to the touch.  Feel free to add a little extra olive oil or even a touch of water if you need it.  Pour this mix into a bowl and refrigerate for an hour.  Section the falafel mix into patties, 2 to 3 Tbsp in size.

Next you can either shallow fry these in about 1/4 inch of oil or bake them.  I tried both ways, and honestly the baked ones were just as good as the fried.  Preheat your oven to 450º and place your falafel patties on a greased baking sheet.  Slightly oil the tops of the falafel as well–I used coconut spray for this which made it really easy.  Bake them for 10-12 minutes, give them a flip and a slight press down, and bake for another 5-7 minutes.

Serve in a pita, tortilla, or on a salad with chopped red onion, tomato, lettuce, and tzatziki.

*If you don’t have ground flax, then feel free to substitute it with flour, but the flax adds a nice hit of fiber, protein, and omega-3s which is awesome!

 

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Acorn Squash with Maple Balsamic Agrodolce

All the Thanksgiving food was amazing!  But now that the big day is over, I think all of our clothes are fitting a little tighter…and this will all be happening again in three weeks!  My rule is to never diet on the big holidays, but in between I like to focus on lighter dishes, just to keep everything balanced.  Over the next few weeks, we here at Adeline Alley will be sharing tons of our favorite healthy yet comforting meals–the perfect combination for these cold nights!

To get us started, here is my acorn squash with agrodolce.  Don’t be intimidated by the Italian;  “agrodolce” just means sour and sweet.  This sauce is typically made with vinegar and some sort of sweetener with minced onions.  This is all reduced down and poured over vegetables.  This healthy dish is definitely not lacking on flavor!

-1 acorn squash, seeded and cut into wedges

-2 Tbsp olive oil

-salt and pepper

-2 Tbsp minced red onion

-1/4 c balsamic vinegar

-2 Tbsp maple syrup

-2 Tbsp roasted pecans, rough chopped

-Combine the acorn squash, 1 Tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper on a baking sheet.

-Roast at 400 for about 40 minutes, or until the squash is fork tender, flipping once.

-In the meantime, saute the onions with the second Tbsp of olive oil in a small pan over medium heat.

-When the onions are translucent, add the balsamic vinegar and maple syrup.

-Turn the heat to low and reduce the sauce by about half until it’s thickened and syrupy.

-Season the sauce with salt and pepper.

-Toss the roasted squash with the sauce and top with pecans.  Enjoy!

 

3 Minute Homemade Hummus

We’ve got a wedding in less than two weeks! Julia is getting married on May 30th and since I am the Matron of Honor so I am determined to be as healthy as possible in the coming days.

For lunch this week I decided to whip up a quick batch of homemade hummus and put together a plate of veggies with turkey and hummus. Easy as can be wether you are eating at home, on the go or at the office.

   
   3 Minute Hummus

1 Can of Garbanzo Beans/Chick Peas, drained and rinsed

1/4 c. Olive Oil

1 Tbs. Tahini (optional — tahini is sesame paste and available in the international aisle of the grocery store, by Greek items)

Juice of 1/2 Lemon

1 Clove Garlic, minced

1 tsp. Cumin

1/2 tsp. Salt

2 Tbs. Water

Sprinkle of Paprika and/or Red Pepper Flakes for serving

Combine all ingredients to mini-food processor and purée until desired texture. Add a touch more of olive oil and water if for a more smooth texture.

    

    

Enjoy!!

Tuesday’s Table – Simple Spring Supper

Seasonal, easy and inexpensive — what more can you ask for? This is sort of like brunch for dinner and cannot get much more simple. Plus having bacon on a weeknight will make this meal a crowd-pleaser for all.

Skillet Asparagus, Eggs, and Bacon

Ingredients:

Asparagus (you should be able to find great looking, fresh asparagus all over the place this time of year!)

Eggs

Bacon (I used good Wright’s bacon but you probably could even use turkey bacon?)

Minced Garlic (1-2 cloves, 1 teaspoon)

Salt and Pepper

Peas (optional)

Directions: Cook bacon (Julia does in skillet making this a one pot meal; Caroline bakes at 400 for 15-18 minutes) Rinse and trim asparagus. Add asparagus to skillet that either has a small bit of remaining bacon grease (pour out most of it) or add a small amount of grease from cookie sheet of oven bacon. Add salt and pepper. Cover and let cook/steam for 5-7 minutes.  Once asparagus looks bright green, add frozen green peas (IF you are having them) then add minced garlic (1-2 cloves), and give it one last good stir. Crack your eggs right over the top of your asparagus. Add a splash of water and cover until cooked medium (5 minutes-ish).    Plate and add any fresh herbs that you might like and you are done!! Enjoy!!