Lunch: Crispy Homemade Baked Falafel

Recipe by Kelly Senyei Ditch the deep fryer in favor of a healthy homemade recipe for crispy baked falafel paired with creamy yogurt sauce or quick-fix tahini sauce.

This recipe includes superfoods such as:

Lemon

Health benefits of Crispy Homemade Baked Falafel

Lemons can help to prevent oxidative damage to the body, which women with PCOS are often susceptible to. Lemons are also rich in vitamin C, flavonoids, and other antioxidants. They can potentially support the immune system and have other health benefits. Lemons also have a low glycemic index, so they should not cause a rapid rise in blood sugar when consumed in natural form.

Ingredients

1 cup dried/uncooked chickpeas (See Kelly’s Notes)
1/2 cup packed fresh parsley leaves
1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup chopped white onion
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
3 Tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

Place the chickpeas in a large bowl and cover them with 4 inches of water. (The beans will triple in volume as they cook.) Set the chickpeas aside to soak overnight for a minimum of 12 hours and up to 24 hours. (The chickpeas are ready to use when they are easily broken apart with your fingers.)
Drain the chickpeas and add them to a food processor along with the parsley, cilantro, onion, garlic, cumin, salt, baking powder and lemon juice. Process the mixture just until the ingredients are minced but not pureed, scraping down the sides as needed. (Do not overprocess the mixture or the falafel will be too loose. Process the mixture just until it holds together when squeezed into balls.) Taste and season the mixture with more salt, as desired.
Preheat the oven to 375 °F and grease a baking sheet with half of the olive oil.
Squeeze the falafel mixture into 1. 5-inch balls then flatten them slightly so they are the shape of patties. Arrange the falafel on the greased baking sheet and brush the tops of them with the remaining olive oil. Bake the falafel for 15 minutes, flip them once then bake them an additional 10 minutes until they are golden brown. Serve the falafel in pita bread with tahini sauce and veggies, or add them to a salad as a healthy, protein-packed topping.