Falafel Fever

One of my favorite things right now is falafel.  They are so easy to make and a healthy way to get your protein in.  I bake mine but you can certainly fry them as well.  I love putting them in salads, eating them in pitas or making mini falafel for an easy appetizer to dip in some homemade tzatziki sauce.

Recipe follows

Ingredients for falafel:

1 can garbanzo beans (rinsed) or 1 cup dried garbanzo beans soaked in water over night

½ white onion chopped very fine

2 cloves garlic chopped very fine

1 bunch parsley chopped very fine

salt and pepper to taste

1 egg

1 Tablespoon flour

Directions:

Boil garbanzo beans until cooked through and soft.  Drain and either blend in food processor or crush with bottom of a cup until all beans are crushed.  Add onion, garlic and parsley and mix with salt and pepper.  Add egg and flour if needed to form a ball.  The mixture should be sticky and a little wet.  If too wet add more flour.  You can bake on a foiled baking sheet by forming the mixture into balls, slightly pressed down at 400 for 15 minutes or you can pan fry in a little olive oil for 3 minutes a side on medium high heat.