Epic Quinoa Falafel Bowl!
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Serves: 2 for the salad
 
Ingredients
Smoky Roasted Sweet Potato
  • 1 medium sweet potato
  • 1 cup cooked chickpeas
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • Salt + pepper, to taste
  • Coconut oil, for cooking
Sesame-Crusted Quinoa Falafel
  • ½ small red onion
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • Handful each parsley & coriander (cilantro)
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 can (400g) cooked chickpeas
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons tahini
  • 2 tablespoons chickpea or almond flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup (130g) cooked quinoa, packed
  • Sesame seeds, to roll
Tahini Sauce
  • 4 tablespoons tahini
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 3 tablespoon water
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
For the Salad
  • Large handful kale leaves
  • 2 tablespoons toasted almonds
  • ½ cup cooked quinoa
  • Small handful mint leaves
  • 1 tablespoon chopped chives
  • 1 tablespoon pomegranate seeds
  • ½ cup fermented veggies (such as kimchi or sauerkraut)
  • Soft boiled eggs (optional)
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat your oven to 190ºC/375ºF and line two baking sheets with baking paper.
  2. Start by making your smoky sweet potatoes and chickpeas. Dice your sweet potato into bite-sized chunks and toss with the chickpeas, spices, salt, pepper, and coconut oil on one of the lined baking trays. Try and keep it spread out and not too piled. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until chickpeas are crispy and sweet potato is tender.
  3. As soon as your sweet potatoes go in the oven, make your falafels.
  4. Combine the onion, garlic, herbs, and cumin in a food processor and pulse until everything is finely chopped. Add in chickpeas, salt olive oil, lemon juice, and tahini and pulse again until combined but still a bit chunky. Taste, and adjust any seasoning.
  5. Sprinkle the flour and baking powder over the mixture, and continue to pulse until incorporated, you might have to scrape down the sides a bit as you go. Add in the quinoa and pulse a few times just to mix it through.
  6. Place your sesame seeds on a shallow bowl or plate, and use your hands to scoop up about 1 tablespoon of falafel mixture, rolling it into a ball. Roll over the sesame seeds, and place on baking tray, pressing the ball down gently.
  7. Repeat with remaining mixture (mine made about 15), and bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping them once halfway through. They’re done when golden on the outside. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
  8. To make the tahini sauce, simply mix together all of the sauce ingredients.
  9. Assemble in a bowl or plate with the remaining salad ingredients and drizzle over the tahini sauce.
Recipe by Sprinkle of Green at https://www.sprinkleofgreen.com/epic-quinoa-falafel-bowl