Falafel Fun

January is always a month where I take a trip down the memory lane of all the delicious cookies, desserts, cheese plates, and other holiday food I ate last month. Every year I swear that Christmas will be different the next year and I won't need to pull out my "fat pants" in Janaury, but every year the same old delicious goodies find their way into my mouth.

But this year I'm not making the same false promises. This year I am just trying my best to eat healthy in January and hoping that eating this way will carry me through the year so I can justify eating whatever I want during the holidays.

The dish I am sharing today is a baked falafel. It's truly easy to make, delicious, and goes perfectly with an abundance of salads like Life Made Delicious'  Fresh Tomato and Cucumber Salad or Spicy Jicama and Orange Salad. In fact, the next time I make these falafel, I might serve them on top of one of these salads instead of in a wrap!

Baked Falafel - makes 20 - 30 small falafel

3 cloves of garlic
1 1/2 cups herbs, cilantro, parleys, mint or a combination
1 can of chick peas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup each of Panko bread crumbs and flour
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon each of baking powder, salt, and coriander
Tzatziki sauce, recipe follows
Tortilla wraps
Toppings: feta cheese, peppers, tomatoes, lettuce, avocado, or whatever you like

1. Combine the garlic and herbs in a food processor and pulse until a paste forms. Add the chick peas  and pulse until just mixed.

2. Scrap recipe the mixture into a bowl and stir in the bread crumbs, flour, onion, egg, and spices.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

4. Roll balls of the falafel mixture and place them in the lined baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes in each side or until browned and crispy.

5. Use falafel in wraps with tzatziki sauce and veggies or on top of salads for a healthy meal.

Homemade Tzatziki Sauce

3-4 inches of cucumber
2/3 cup of plain yogurt
1 clove of garlic, minced
Salt, to taste

1. Grate cucumber and squeeze to remove as much water from it as possible.

2. Stir together cucumber, yogurt, and garlic. Season to taste with salt.

Disclosure: I am part of the Life Made Delicious Blogger Program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.