In case you missed it, I will be hosting a bake sale in honor of Run for Dave on Oct 2. Please e-mail me at spiffycookie at gmail dot com if you are interested in contributing to the bake sale!

Remember how I said I don’t attempt to make food items that are served at restaurants which I adore? This post might turn me into a liar. Because I make falafels at home instead of going to Casa Grill like a good girl. But these are baked, not fried, so they are different enough, right?

I have seen so many falafel recipes floating around I had to try it for myself. But it was difficult deciding which to make. I ended up picking two – one for the ingredients, the other for the directions. Paired together they resulted in falafels with wonderful color and texture.  And I never knew making my own falafels could be so easy!

(I forgot to flip them periodically while baking, resulting in a lack of browning on all sides. But it did not effect the tasty factor!)

BAKED FALAFELS

Makes 24 falafel balls

Ingredients:

8 sprigs fresh parsley

1 Tbsp fresh cilantro

1/2 cup pistachio nuts, shelled

15 oz garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp coriander

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp dried red pepper flakes

2 Tbsp flour

1 tsp baking powder

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
2. Place the herbs in a mixer and blend for about 30 seconds. Add pistachio nuts and pulse until well combined. Add the rest of the ingredients into the mixer and blend for about a minute. You might have to stir around with a spoon occasionally. Try to keep the texture of the falafel dough a little rough.
3. Make 24 small round falafels, place on a baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes, turning every 5 minutes to get an even brown color. Serve as an appetizer alone, with hummus, or in a pita with your favorite toppings.

Source: Adapted from Chow Vegan and Green Kitchen Stories.