FALAFEL with TZATZIKI - ThinnerTimes

MiladyB · 06-18-2007, 10:26 PM

Falafel is a Middle Eastern dish that is made with chickpeas (garbonzos).
It's commonly eaten with tahini (sesame paste) or Greek-syle, inside a pita with
tzatziki and chopped tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce. It's a filling and
good-for-you vegetarian meal to have when you want something just a little different.

Don't let the long ingredient list stop you from making these...it's mostly spices!
These seem time-consuming, but they actually come together quickly.

FALAFEL with TZATZIKI
(www.bariatriceating.com)

Falafel:
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup fresh or 1/4 cup dried parsley
2 cloves garlic, chopped
One 15-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
1 egg
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon dried or 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon oregano
Dash cayene pepper (I used 1/8 teaspoon and it was just the right heat!)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs (this was the minimum amount needed to hold patties
together)
Oil for frying or nonstick vegetable spray

In food processor place onion, parsley, and garlic. Pulse until finely minced. Add
drained chickpeas and pulse just until they are mashed, but not pureed. (You could
also pressed the garlic and grate the onion, and mash the chickpeas with a fork, if
you don't have a food processor.) Transfer to a bowl and mix in the egg, cumin,
cilantro, salt, pepper, oregano, cayene, lemon juice, baking powder, and olive oil.
Stir in the bread crumbs. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the crumbs to soak
up the liquids and the patties will hold together better.

Heat a small amount of oil in a nonstick frying pan, or spray with nonstick spray.
Heat pan over medium-low. Form patties from 1/8 cup of falafel mixture. These are
very soft so keep them more rounded, as they will flatten slightly when turned. Fry
patties until golden brown on each side. Serve with Tzatziki sauce. Makes about
14 patties.

Tzatziki:
3/4 cup thick plain yogurt such as Fage (or drain plain yogurt very well)
3 tablespoons fat free sour cream
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded and grated
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Splenda
1 teaspoon dried or 2 tablespoon fresh dill weed
Kosher salt and black pepper

In a small mixing bowl blend together the yogurt, sour cream, grated cucumber, garlic
powder, Splenda, dill weed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Chill. This is best
if made several hours in advance.

(WLS serving is 2 patties and 2 tablespoon sauce.) Per Serving: 156 Cal; 10 g Protein;
5 g Tot Fat; 16 g Carb; 3 g Fiber; 3 g Sugar; 248 mg Sodium