Easy Falafel Recipe

• If I'm trying to figure out what to make for dinner and can't think of anything, I look to see what I have a lot of, or what needs to get used(before it goes bad!). Then I look up this item in my favorite cookbooks index, or do an online search. Next I find a recipe that I have most(rarely all) of the ingredients for and then I adapt it to my tastes and go for it! Sometimes this means converting a recipe from a meat one to vegetarian or just making one without the dairy or eggs. I can't stand it when recipes are vegetarian, which you would think would make it healthy, and then all of the food is put into a microwave! Or (just as bad) sometimes the ingredients include instant name brand food(i.e. 1 box of betty crocker au gratin potatoes, or add 1 box chex cereal etc..). I like to cook from scratch whenever I can. Cheating for me is cooking with vegetable bouillon cubes. The kind I use are vegan and contain no salt, which I can quickly make a tasty soup from adding whatever else I have in my fridge! Or, on a busy day when I have no energy left for cooking I'll buy a frozen cheese pizza and then put my own toppings on it, fresh veggies! Ok also sometimes we buy box mac and cheese(the good brands all natural no preservatives, white cheddar) and then add frozen organic peas or corn. Everyone has these busy days where you can only do what you have the energy for...
• Anyways, I had a pack of tofu sitting in my fridge for a couple of weeks and figured I should use it up before it goes bad. I have this Giant Book of Tofu Cooking cookbook that I don't think I've ever used before (I have a lot of cookbooks) and opened it up to a tofu-falafel recipe that I had most of the ingredients for, I've made falafel before, but never with tofu!
• It was easy and tasted great. Javi made a simple tahini sauce to go on it(he did this while I fried up the falafel), and we had some feta cheese(totally optional),a tomato, some spinach and whole wheat tortillas so we made wraps but could of just as easily made burgers(on bread) or served the falafel on rice or other grain. Just use what you have!
  
• Recipe:
• 16 oz firm tofu, mashed
• 4 cups chickpeas(garbanzo beans)(2 cans drained and rinsed)
• 1 cup water
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1/3 cup tamari(or soy sauce)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 5 cups bread crumbs(I used mostly some leftover croutons, pre-made which I rarely ever buy but had leftover from holiday meal, and a few bread butts I tore into crumbs)
• 1/2 cup flour(I used wheat but any would work)
• veggie oil for frying
• fresh greens, tomatoes, sweet peppers, sprouts or whatever you have that you normally would top burgers with, chop all

Tahini Sauce(optional, but really good!)

• 3 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tbsp tamari(or soy sauce)

In a blender or food processor mix the chickpeas, water and garlic until creamy

• Pour mixture into large mixing bowl
• Mix in tofu, tamari, salt, pepper, onion and bread crumbs until all ingredients are moist
• Form into 1/12 inch balls, or flattened patties, or burger size then cover in flour
• In a large frying pan heat oil and fry flipping until golden brown

Put all ingredients for tahini sauce in food processor or blender, blend until smooth

• Put your falafel on your bread of choice(or grains) spread with tahini sauce, feta cheese(or other cheese, or no cheese!) layer with greens, tomato or other veggies and eat!!
• I noticed too late that this recipe makes 8-10 servings(I was cooking for 3) so we ate it a few days in a row, just frying up the falafel as needed and then keeping the rest of the mix in the fridge.
• Some afterthoughts: 10 year old Lili loved it(even though she had said she didn't think she liked falafel before she tried it)-kid friendly! I want to now try this easy vegan recipe with other beans instead of the chick-peas to make bean veggie burgers, they held together really well and could of easily been cooked on a grill!