Green Falafel with Mint Yoghurt Tahini

If you're a falafel lover like myself, you're going to LOVE this recipe. Falafels as you likely know are wonderful in a salad or wrap and make a convenient midweek lunch or dinner. Full of whole foods and baked to perfection they really are a healthy choice for the whole family.

I can't take any credit for this recipe for it comes from the kitchen of the very talented Ayurvedic Practitioner and Yoga Teacher Jody Vassallo, whose cookbook The Yogic Kitchen graces my online store and is proving a very popular choice. And for good reason - it is wonderful.

If you're yet to catch my conversations with Jody on my podcast 'Woman, Conversations for the Curious', myself and many other grateful women highly recommend you start from part 1 and work your way through all 4 conversations - they are nothing short of GOLD. You'll find them here.

Without further ado, I'll pass you over to a page from Jody's book..

I've made a lot of falafel mixes in my time but, I have to say, this is one of the tastiest and easiest - the falafels are baked rather than deep-fried. The mix is soft and stays together and has a beautiful texture that isn't dry. I'm not a massive fan of canned beans, but canned chickpeas make this recipe much quicker than using the dried alternative.

Serves 4 

1 cup (20g) flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 cup (20g) mint leaves
1/2 cup (125g) pumpkin seeds
2 x 400g cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained well
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon baking powder
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for brushing
soft cabbage or lettuce leaves, to serve
2 Lebanese cucumbers, chopped

MINT YOGHURT TAHINI
1 cup (250g) coconut yoghurt
1 tablespoon hulled tahini
1 cup (20g) mint leaves
1 garlic clove, chopped

Preheat the oven to 200C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Place the herbs, pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, garlic, onion, cumin and baking powder in a food processor and process until smooth. Add the olive oil, season and pulse until the mixture is combined. Transfer to a bowl and shape tablespoons of the mixture into 16 balls, flatten slightly. Place the falafels on the lined tray, lightly brush with the extra oil and bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden.

Combine the mint yoghurt tahini ingredients in a food processor, add 2 tablespoons of water and process until smooth.

Serve the falafel balls in the cabbage and lettuce leaves topped with the cucumber and drizzled with the mint yoghurt tahini.

To learn more about Jody or indeed to work 1:1 with her (which I highly recommend considering!) you'll find her website here. You can purchase a copy of her beautiful cookbook here.