Quinoa Falafels with Tahini Sauce

BROWNNOSE

BOOTLICKER
Ingredients
½ Cup Quinoa
1 Cup Chopped Carrot
½ Cup Sliced Green Onions (about 3)
3 Tbsp. Chopped Parsley
15 oz. Garbanzo Beans
2 Eggs
2 Tbsp. Fresh Lemon Juice
1 tsp. Cumin
2 tsp. Coriander
2 Tbsp. Toasted Sesame Seeds
2 Cloves Garlic
Salt/Pepper
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Cup Plain Yogurt
¼ Cup Tahini
1 Tbsp. Lemon Zest
Fresh Chives to taste
Salt/Pepper
1 English cucumber cut in matchsticks

Instructions
In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup water to a boil. Add quinoa, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook until liquid is absorbed, about 12ish minutes. Set aside to cool for now.

In a bowl, whisk together the yogurt, tahini, lemon zest, a pinch of salt and pepper and chives if you have them. Cover and put in the fridge.

In a blender or food processor, pulse carrots and parsley. Add green onion, garbanzos, sesame seeds, lemon juice, eggs, garlic clove, coriander and cumin. Season with salt and fresh ground pepper. Pulse until roughly combined; add quinoa, and another few pulses. I prefer it chunky. Taste for seasonings. Allow to set in fridge for an hour. It will be fine resting overnight if you really like to plan ahead.

Heat a nonstick pan* over medium high heat with 1 Tbsp. of the oil. Scoop the mixture out in about 2 Tbsp. size portions, roll and flatten into patties. Sear them in the saucepan for about 3 minutes on each side, with a slight press of the spatula between to thin the patty a bit. Use the remaining oil when the pan becomes dry about the third batch.

I ate mine at room temperature over some matchstick cucumbers, with a drizzle of the yogurt tahini sauce on top. You could put them in mini pitas and they could be a neat vegetable appetizer.

Note: Nonstick pans will allow you to use less oil to keep them from sticking. You need some oil to create a crust, but you are not ‘frying’ them.

Total Servings: 6
 
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