Sprouts & Chocolate » chickpea http://www.sproutsandchocolate.com Livin' the veg life, one meal at a time Thu, 24 Sep 2015 17:37:19 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=4.3.1 Day 3 Vegan MoFo: Savoury Za’atar Socca http://www.sproutsandchocolate.com/savoury-zaatar-socca/ http://www.sproutsandchocolate.com/savoury-zaatar-socca/#comments Thu, 03 Sep 2015 12:00:34 +0000 http://www.sproutsandchocolate.com/?p=2206 Day 3 of Vegan MoFo is all about making meals that are quick, easy, and delicious! My mind went straight to stir fry but as soon as I started making one, I realized that all the chopping was not all that quick. Maybe I am a slow chopper but I wanted a meal that was...

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Day 3 of Vegan MoFo is all about making meals that are quick, easy, and delicious! My mind went straight to stir fry but as soon as I started making one, I realized that all the chopping was not all that quick. Maybe I am a slow chopper but I wanted a meal that was 30 minutes or less, served 2 people, protein packed, filling, and was a hot meal versus my go-to zoodle bowls here and here. I have teased you all with this recipe on Instagram and now here it is! Za'atar Chickpea Socca w- Garlic Tahini Dressing #glutenfree #quick #easy #delicious #vegan (1 of 1)-10 I had attempted a similar recipe to this one before but the chickpea flour was so bitter, I barely ate half of it. I rejected the idea entirely until it started to pop up on the blog world more and more. My problem: I wasn’t cooking it long enough! I thought it was cooked like a regular pancake but this savoury pancake needs a longer cooking time to cut down on the bitterness of the flour. Once the cooking time was perfected, this recipe became a regular lunch time meal. Mark, who hated chickpea flour, loves this recipe. Za'atar Chickpea Socca w- Garlic Tahini Dressing #glutenfree #quick #easy #delicious #vegan (1 of 1)-2 Za'atar Chickpea Socca w- Garlic Tahini Dressing #glutenfree #quick #easy #delicious #vegan (1 of 1)-3 Za'atar Chickpea Socca w- Garlic Tahini Dressing #glutenfree #quick #easy #delicious #vegan (1 of 1)-4 Za'atar Chickpea Socca w- Garlic Tahini Dressing #glutenfree #quick #easy #delicious #vegan (1 of 1)-5 Za'atar Chickpea Socca w- Garlic Tahini Dressing #glutenfree #quick #easy #delicious #vegan (1 of 1)-9 Za'atar Chickpea Socca w- Garlic Tahini Dressing #glutenfree #quick #easy #delicious #vegan (1 of 1)-11 Action plan: Make the batter, then the sauce, chop your veggies while cooking the soccas, and serve! A hot meal in less than 30 minutes that is filling and made with whole ingredients. Whoohoo! 

3 recipes down, 27 more to go! See you all tomorrow for Day 4: Weird Food Combo. Missed Day 2? Check it out here

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Savoury Za'atar Socca
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
This savoury chickpea pancakes takes less than 30 minutes to make from start to finish- including the sauce! This dish is filling, protein packed, and delicious. Perfect for a savoury breakfast or light lunch. Top with whatever vegetables you like! In the winter, roasted vegetables would be a great toppings. Feel free to use any toppings you like. This recipe is vegan, gluten free, nut free, and soy free. This recipe makes 2 9-inch crispy soccas + extra sauce.
Author:
Recipe type: Breakfast, Lunch
Cuisine: vegan
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • For the Savoury Socca:
  • 1 cup chickpea flour
  • 1 cup + 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 teaspoon za'atar
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper chili flakes + more for garnish

  • Za'atar Tahini Sauce:
  • 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons tahini
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon white miso
  • ½ teaspoon pure maple syrup
  • ½ teaspoon za’atar + more for garnish
  • Splash of filtered water to thin out if necessary

  • Toppings:
  • 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
  • 10 fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons
  • ½ teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
  • Pinch of fine grain sea salt
  • Sliced avocado
  • Pea shoots
  • Za'atar
Instructions
  1. In a bowl, whisk together the chickpea flour, water, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, baking powder, and salt. Whisk for about 15 seconds until it is completely smooth with lots of bubbles. Set aside while you make your sauce.
  2. Add all the for the sauce ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth. Set aside until ready to dress your soccas.
  3. In a bowl, mix together the tomatoes, basil, oil, and salt. Set aside until the socca is ready.
  4. In a non-stick skillet over medium heat, heat ½ tablespoon oil until hot. Add ¾ cup of the socca batter and cook for 5 minutes. Flip and cook the other side for 3-4 minutes. Keep the socca warm while you cook the second one. Add the remaining ½ tablespoon of oil, heat, and cook the second socca.
  5. Top with tomato basil mixture, avocado, pea shoots, Za'atar Tahini sauce, and extra za'atar.

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Buffalo Chickpea Caesar Salad {Nut Free} http://www.sproutsandchocolate.com/buffalo-chickpea-caesar-salad-nut-free/ http://www.sproutsandchocolate.com/buffalo-chickpea-caesar-salad-nut-free/#comments Thu, 30 Jul 2015 12:00:33 +0000 http://www.sproutsandchocolate.com/?p=2059 First of all, a big thanks to all those who have subscribed to S&C after the launch of my eBook, Sprouts & Chocolate: Uncooked. Seeing each notification from my email subscription manager informing me of a new subscriber makes my heart giddy. Anna from Vegan Cookbook Addict made my Pesto Zoodles with Summer Tomatoes and...

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First of all, a big thanks to all those who have subscribed to S&C after the launch of my eBook, Sprouts & Chocolate: Uncooked. Seeing each notification from my email subscription manager informing me of a new subscriber makes my heart giddy. Anna from Vegan Cookbook Addict made my Pesto Zoodles with Summer Tomatoes and posted it onto her Instagram with the delicious addition of olives. It was late, I was at my restaurant job counting down the minutes until I got to go home, and then I saw Anna’s tag. I squealed with delight and shoved my phone into my coworker’s faces to show them. I am so happy to hear all your comments and feedback as well as seeing your photos of the recipes from the eBook. It makes all the hard work of blogging sooo worth it.

Thank you all so much from the bottom of my heart.

If you want to receive a free copy of my eBook, subscribe on the right hand side bar or at the bottom of this post. Buffalo Chickpea Caesar Salad Vegan Nut Free Redefining Sprouts & Chocolate was a bit terrifying and I tried to convince myself out of it. Just 12 ingredients? For ALL future recipes? Once I started making lists of the recipes, it wasn’t as hard as I imagined. Starting is the hardest part but do whatever it takes to get your ideas in motion. You got this! Buffalo Chickpea Caesar Salad Vegan Nut Free Minimalist living has been on my mind for a little while but I did not know how to put it into practice for my life and not just in my recipes. As I looked around my apartment, I felt burdened by my possessions but felt like I couldn’t part with them. Mark and I live in a 600 square-foot apartment so space is tight. We felt like we were outgrowing this apartment at an alarming rate but it wasn’t the square footage that was the problem, it was the stuff. Just the stuff piled onto more stuff, littered around with more stuff. Buffalo Chickpea Caesar Salad Vegan Nut Free On Friday, my copy of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing came in the mail and during the weekend I read it cover to cover. After each chapter, I could feel my mindset shifting and it became easier to accept discarding my possessions. Mark and I turned our teeny apartment upside down, giving our cramped space some much needed breathing room. In a single afternoon, we managed to get rid of:

  • 5- 45L bags of clothes to donate
  • 4- 45L bags of junk and garbage
  • 40 books (that one was tough)
  • 38 old food magazines
  • 35 VHS tapes
  • 28 DVDs
  • 2-68L Rubbermaid containers with duplicate or unused kitchen supplies
  • 1 large unused cabinet

Every object Mark and I own now has a specific place instead of just cramming something wherever we could find room. This is just the start but like anything, simple living just takes a bit of habit reforming. Sure, I don’t live in one of those Tiny Homes and I did not want to part with all my books but it is a step toward something greater. If you are interested in minimalist living, start by looking around your home and see what it is collecting dust. Do you love it? Does it serve a purpose? Do you use it? If not, I suggest you donate if possible or discard the item. It became also thrilling to see the unneeded things leave my space and I hope you find the same joy. 

What is one thing you can do today, just today, to achieve your goal?

FYI: This post contains an Amazon Affiliate link but I really love Marie Kondo’s book! 

Stay connected on the daily by following me on InstagramTwitterFacebook and Pinterest.  Made this recipe? I would love to see it! Use the hashtag #screcipe on your social media. 

Buffalo Chickpea Caesar Salad
 
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Total time
 
A revision on an old favourite! I wanted to recreate an older recipe of mine with new life, less ingredients, no oven, and that had a nut-free dressing. Sunflower seeds, when soaked and blended, are wonderfully creamy, light, and delicious. The extra oil in the dressing is needed since sunflower seeds are naturally lower in fat than cashews. The chickpeas crisp up well in a cast iron skillet, however if you do not own one, they will do just fine in a regular pan, it might just take an extra minute or two. This recipe is vegan, gluten free, nut free, and serves 2 generous salads or 4 light sides.
Author:
Ingredients
For the Nut Free Caesar Dressing
  • ½ cup raw sunflower seeds, soaked for 2 hours
  • Juice of 1 lemon, about 4 tablespoons
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • ½ tablespoon white miso
  • 5 tablespoons water, or to desired consistency
For the Buffalo Chickpeas
  • 2 cup cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  • 4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons Frank's Hot Sauce
  • 2 heads of Romaine lettuce, chopped, washed and dried
  • Extra lemon wedges (optional)
Instructions
For the Nut Free Caesar Dressing
  1. Add all the dressing ingredient to a high power blender or food processor and blend until completely smooth. The blender is faster but the food processor will do the trick.
  2. Transfer dressing to a glass jar or bottle and chill in the fridge until ready to use. You may have to add a splash of water to the dressing since it will thicken as it cools.
For the Buffalo Chickpeas
  1. Dry the drained chickpeas between two sheets of paper towels. Gently roll the beans between the paper towels until the chickpeas are fairly dry. Do not skip this step! Your chickpeas will not crisp up if they are wet.
  2. Transfer the dried chickpeas to a medium bowl, add the arrowroot, paprika, salt and olive oil and gently stir to coat the beans.
  3. Heat up a skillet (preferably cast-iron) over medium heat. When the skillet is hot, add the chickpeas, and cooked for 10 minutes, stirring every 2-3 minutes so they do not burn. Wipe out the medium sized bowl that you dressed the chickpeas in.
  4. Try a few chickpeas before taking the pan off the heat to check if they chickpeas are to your desired crispiness. I like mine just crispy on the outside but still meaty on the inside. If you desire a very crisp chickpea, add a few minutes to the cooking time.
  5. Transfer chickpeas to the clean medium sized bowl and add the buffalo sauce. Toss to coat.
  6. Dress the lettuce with the Nut Free Caesar Dressing, top with Buffalo Chickpeas, and serve with additional lemon wedges. Enjoy!

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Lemony Za’atar Hummus http://www.sproutsandchocolate.com/lemony-zaatar-hummus/ http://www.sproutsandchocolate.com/lemony-zaatar-hummus/#comments Thu, 08 Jan 2015 13:40:24 +0000 http://www.sproutsandchocolate.com/?p=1665 I hope everyone is enjoying their winter hibernation mode as much as they possibly can. Friends going on Netflix was probably the best/worst thing to happen to me this winter since exams are looming in the (very) near future. As soon as I get home from school I have my routine of: hair up, sweats...

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I hope everyone is enjoying their winter hibernation mode as much as they possibly can. Friends going on Netflix was probably the best/worst thing to happen to me this winter since exams are looming in the (very) near future. As soon as I get home from school I have my routine of: hair up, sweats on, bra off. What can I say? I am a real lady about these things. This couch potato may eat a little healthier these days but I am not one for winter outings. My man and I plop down in front of the TV after my homework and his bass practicing and get our snack on! (Lame yes, but not quite as lame to wait outside in -29 degrees while we try to get our way into any kind of bar. I am too old for that sh*t.)

Sprouts & Chocolate: Lemony Za'atar Hummus. Vegan and Gluten Free

Does anyone actually follow the serving suggestion on a tub of hummus? Two tablespoons is the serving size on most purchased hummus. Like on one pita chip right? If you follow this serving suggestion then you have a greater will power than I do but I am just a mere mortal who loves her hummus. If I feel I have been indulging a little bit more than usual or eating a lot of takeout, hummus is one of those things that help me get back into the groove of healthful eating. I know I have food in the fridge if there is hummus and I have been known to really bunker down and eat my fill of it. Can you overdose on hummus? To me, the limit does not exist. (Still love Mean Girls)

Sprouts & Chocolate: Lemony Za'atar Hummus. Vegan and Gluten Free

Since starting school again I have noticed my hunger levels have gone up but my brain needs to be alert, focused and fuelled with good unrefined foods. Nothing is worse than a caffeine/sugar crash mid-test or exam so it is better to get your brainpower from whole food rather than stimulates like caffeine. Traditional store bought hummus is pretty good but uses a lot of canola oil (generally the second or third ingredient on the list) so it isn’t the best kind of fat you can eat. Store bought works in a pinch if time is not on your side and you need a snack ASAP!! I call these moments Snack-Attacks when I come home from work or school and literally tear apart the fridge on a mission to find the fastest snack I can shove in face. The hunger is animal-like and nothing can stand in my way.

Sprouts & Chocolate: Lemony Za'atar Hummus. Vegan and Gluten Free

Cooked dried beans make the best hummus. I don’t say this lightly but it is well worth the effort to soak and cook the beans for hummus. Cooked beans take the hummus to a freshness level that canned beans simply cannot and are way less expensive, even organic beans. I buy mine in bulk to make them even less costly and store them in large mason jars on my pantry.

Za’atar is a new spice in my pantry and I find myself eating more hummus because of it. This Middle Eastern blend consists of dried thyme, sumac, toasted sesame seeds and sea salt, making it a perfect pairing for hummus. Mark and I sprinkle it onto warm naan or pita bread drizzled with olive oil. A friend of mine who was raised in the Middle East says that at the Starbucks there they serve za’atar on warm buttered croissants. Sprinkle this spice on any Mediterranean or Middle Eastern dish that you fancy but also on roasted vegetables, hot rice with a squirt of lemon juice and with this hummus.

Lemony Za’atar Hummus
This recipe is vegan, gluten free and do not contain any extra refined oil except from the tahini. You can find za'atar at any Middle Eastern grocer or high-end grocery store. President's Choice Black Label brand makes this spice blend.
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Prep Time
10 min
Total Time
15 min
Prep Time
10 min
Total Time
15 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 cups cooked chickpeas, canned or cooked dried beans
  2. 2 tablespoons water, cooking water or from the can of beans
  3. 5 tablespoons tahini*
  4. 7-8 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (trust me)
  5. 2 fat garlic cloves
  6. 2 teaspoons za’atar + more for garnish
  7. 1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt**
  8. ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
  9. 3 squirts hot sauce or to taste***
Optional
  1. Olive oil for drizzling
  2. Red pepper flakes for garnish
Instructions
  1. Add all the ingredients to the bowl of a food processor with halve of the salt. Blend until smooth and salt. Add a little bit more salt (if necessary) blend and taste again before adding more salt. Once the salt is adjusted to your taste scoop out of the bowl of the food processor into a serving dish. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with za’atar and red pepper flakes. This dish keeps for about 5 days refrigerated in an airtight container.
Notes
  1. *Be sure to stir it well before adding it to the hummus
  2. **Check if you canned beans contains salt before adding more.
  3. ***I used Sriracha
Sprouts & Chocolate http://www.sproutsandchocolate.com/

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Moroccan Spiced Chickpeas: 3 Ways {Vegan & Gluten-Free} http://www.sproutsandchocolate.com/moroccan-spiced-chickpeas-3-ways-vegan-gluten-free/ http://www.sproutsandchocolate.com/moroccan-spiced-chickpeas-3-ways-vegan-gluten-free/#comments Mon, 15 Sep 2014 18:52:22 +0000 http://www.sproutsandchocolate.com/?p=1423 Day 15 of Vegan MoFo 2014…. Halfway there! It is kind of crazy how time flies by when you are having fun or when you are stressed out about deadlines for posts but for this first time MoFo’er it has been such a great experience. I am not sick of my kitchen just yet so...

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Day 15 of Vegan MoFo 2014….

Halfway there! It is kind of crazy how time flies by when you are having fun or when you are stressed out about deadlines for posts but for this first time MoFo’er it has been such a great experience. I am not sick of my kitchen just yet so it is full steam ahead in the second part of this month.

Sprouts & Chocolate: Moroccan Spice Chickpeas {3 Ways} A warm lively blend of spices to make the ordinary chickpea a little more exotic. Roasted Spiced Chickpeas, Moroccan Spice Hummus and Moroccan Spice Falafels with Lemon-Tahini Dressing. All vegan and gluten free!

This recipe is inspired by my mother and her love for old black-and-white movies. When my sister and I were growing up, we did not have cable, just the old rabbit ears with tinfoil balls on their ends so we did not watch a lot of TV. My mother only enjoyed a select few cartoons like Animaniacs or Bugs Bunny (which I know them now to be incredibly violent!) so needless to say we did not watch a lot of kid-shows either. During my teen years when all my friends were obsessed with Dawson’s Creek, Friends and Passions (yes the soap opera) however my mother had no patience for 90’s teen TV characters complaining about how everything was just so tragic. “I will show you real tragedy,” she would say as you popped in a VHS tape. So I spent most Friday nights watching Gregory Peck in the Maycomb courtroom defending a wrongly accused man while Jem and Scout watched from the balcony, Audrey Hepburn in her trench coat, soaked and looking for Cat in the rain and of course Humphrey Bogart saying goodbye to his true love all for the greater good but meeting a friend along the way.

Sprouts & Chocolate: Moroccan Spice Chickpeas {3 Ways} A warm lively blend of spices to make the ordinary chickpea a little more exotic. Roasted Spiced Chickpeas, Moroccan Spice Hummus and Moroccan Spice Falafels with Lemon-Tahini Dressing. All vegan and gluten free!

How I love Ilsa Lund’s (Ingrid Bergman) jewelry sparkling softly in the low lighting, the way she sipped champagne so elegantly, her large brimmed hats and her amazing capability to keep a white suit stain-free and glowing.

Rick’s Café Américain is what I thought every nightclub was like: large bandstand with talented musicians in white dinner jackets, a piano player playing beautiful love songs, fancy hats and gambling underground until I actually went to one and upon arrival some pimple-faced kid barfed near me, spattering it across my shoes. That place was no Rick’s.

Sprouts & Chocolate: Moroccan Spice Chickpeas {3 Ways} A warm lively blend of spices to make the ordinary chickpea a little more exotic. Roasted Spiced Chickpeas, Moroccan Spice Hummus and Moroccan Spice Falafels with Lemon-Tahini Dressing. All vegan and gluten free!

Casablanca is still my favourite old movie as well my mothers. I imagine Morocco’s air to be full of warm spices, gin joints to get a stiff drink and having a grand but tragic romance with my true love. But in the meantime, I will just enjoy these Moroccan Spiced recipes with a drink in hand.

 10 recipes down, 10 more to go! Woot!

Moroccan Spice Blend
If your spice rack isn’t as stocked as mine, don’t fret! Bulk stores are such a great resource for trying new ingredients. If this is your first time trying, allspice for example, you can go to a bulk store and literally buy a teaspoon. Don’t worry about having to go to the grocery store and paying $5 for each spice. I usually buy little glass jars with lids from the dollar store and store my Bulk Barn spices in there. Note: there is no salt added to this mix so you will need to salt your food accordingly. This recipe makes 4 teaspoons Moroccan Spice and it is easy to double.
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Prep Time
5 min
Total Time
5 min
Prep Time
5 min
Total Time
5 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  2. 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  3. 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
  4. 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  5. 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  6. 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  7. Pinch of ground cloves
  8. Pinch of cayenne
Instructions
  1. Mix all the spices together in a small container.
Sprouts & Chocolate http://www.sproutsandchocolate.com/
Moroccan Spice Roasted Chickpeas
I like to add these to a salad for a crispy gluten-free and protein-packed version of a crouton. Best enjoyed right away. This recipe makes 1.5 cups of roasted chickpeas.
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
35 min
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
35 min
Ingredients
  1. 1-15 ounce can no salt chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  2. 1 ½ -2 teaspoons Moroccan Spice
  3. ½ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  4. ½ teaspoon extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil
  5. Dash of lemon juice (optional)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with a layer of paper towels. While the oven is heating up, add the drained chickpeas to the paper towels in a single layer. Top with more paper towels and (gently!) dry the chickpeas by rolling your hands around the top layer of the paper towels. Wet chickpeas do not crisp up as nicely. Transfer now dry chickpeas to a medium bowl and gently toss with the oil, spice and salt until all the beans are coated. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer oiled chickpeas to the baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 30 minutes, gently shaking the pan to flip the beans halfway through the cooking time. Remove from the oven and serve.
  2. When they are still really hot, I like to add a little bit of lemon juice to the hot pan, shaking the pan to coat the chickpeas. I think it brightens the flavour but it is optional.
Sprouts & Chocolate http://www.sproutsandchocolate.com/
Moroccan Spiced Falafels
This recipe is a Moroccan version of my Big Falafel Salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing. In the photo they are on their own but taste great on a salad or in a wrap. I have even dipped a falafel cold from the fridge into the dressing like it was a cookie.
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Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
1 hr
Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
1 hr
For the falafels (Makes 16 small falafels)
  1. 2 tablespoons ground flax seed meal
  2. 3 large garlic cloves
  3. ½ cup roughly chopped red onion
  4. 1/3 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves
  5. 1/3 cup lightly packed parsley leaves
  6. 1-19 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed thoroughly
  7. 2-3 teaspoons Moroccan Spice
  8. Pinch of cayenne pepper
  9. ¾ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  10. 3 tablespoons chickpea flour
  11. ¼ cup hulled sunflower seeds
  12. ½ tablespoon toasted sesame seed oil
For the Lemon-Tahini Sauce (Makes 2/3 cup)
  1. ¼ cup tahini
  2. ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (do not use concentrate!)
  3. 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  4. 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  5. 3 tablespoons water
  6. 1 large garlic clove, peeled (minced if you don’t own a high power blender)
  7. 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  8. ¼ teaspoons fine grain sea salt
For the falafels
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In the bowl of a food processor, add the garlic and pulse until minced. Add the chopped onion and herbs and pulse 8-9 times (one-second pulses) until the mixture is fine.
  3. Transfer mixture to a large bowl.
  4. In the now empty food processor, add the chickpeas and pulse 16-20 times (scraping down the mix as needed) until all the beans are processed but not hummus texture.
  5. Transfer chickpeas to the large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until fully combined.
  6. With a 1-tablespoon spoon, measure out a two-tablespoon portion of the mixture and form a small patty. Place patty on the lined baking sheet and continue with the rest of the mixture.
  7. Bake for 30 minutes, turning halfway through the baking time.
For the sauce
  1. Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until very smooth. Set aside until the falafels are ready.
Adapted from The Big Falafel Salad
Sprouts & Chocolate http://www.sproutsandchocolate.com/
 

Moroccan Spiced Hummus
Can one overdose on hummus? I would say no because there are weeks where I put hummus on everything. It is my favourite snack and I always try to make a big batch on my meal prep day so it is ready to go. I am a monster when I get hangry. This recipe makes approx. 2 cups of hummus. Serve with veggie stick, warmed pita triangles, crackers, in a wrap etc.
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Prep Time
10 min
Total Time
10 min
Prep Time
10 min
Total Time
10 min
Ingredients
  1. 1-19 ounce can no-salt chickpeas, liquid reserved
  2. 2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
  3. 1/3 Cup tahini
  4. ¼ cup fresh water (not from the can)
  5. 5 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
  6. 2 Tbsp reserved can liquid
  7. 5 teaspoons Moroccan Spice
  8. 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste.
  9. Pinch of cayenne pepper (or more!)
  10. Olive oil, drizzle on top (optional)
  11. Moroccan Spice for garnish (optional)
Instructions
  1. Add all the ingredients except the salt to the food processor and blend until fairly smooth.
  2. Add a portion of the salt to the mixture and blend until the salt is combined. Taste and add more salt if necessary. I use the whole teaspoon myself but you can adjust it to suit your taste.
  3. Transfer to an airtight Tupperware container and refrigerate.
Notes
  1. Lasts about 5 days in the fridge though it doesn’t usually last that long in my house.
Sprouts & Chocolate http://www.sproutsandchocolate.com/

 

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The Big Falafel Salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing http://www.sproutsandchocolate.com/big-falafel-salad-lemon-tahini-dressing/ http://www.sproutsandchocolate.com/big-falafel-salad-lemon-tahini-dressing/#comments Sat, 16 Aug 2014 13:36:18 +0000 http://www.sproutsandchocolate.com/?p=1291 I am quite enjoying being out of school; the alarm-less mornings (I work in the evening), the relaxed coffee consumption and getting a lot of things done that I hadn’t been doing since I have been in school/work full time. I want to say I have done all the things I have set out to...

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I am quite enjoying being out of school; the alarm-less mornings (I work in the evening), the relaxed coffee consumption and getting a lot of things done that I hadn’t been doing since I have been in school/work full time. I want to say I have done all the things I have set out to do but that would make me a liar. As much as I want to be productive and check things off my list, I can’t help to enjoy a little indulgent time to myself. Being out of school frees up a lot of my time and I have kept my work schedule as if I was in school, working four days a week instead of five. This summer I have decided to be a tad more selfish with my time and while I would be making a bit more money with the extra shift, I have now put a price on my sanity. So for the next little while, the extra day is mine to do as I please which means cooking, pouring myself over amazing cookbook for inspiration, checking blogs I love and (when the weather is pleasant- where is that sunshine!?) reading novels on my balcony.

The Big Falafel Salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing: light, fresh, gluten free and vegan. This bowl will have you not missing takeout!

The things I do miss about school are my wonderful friends, Jerri and Matt whom are supportive and kind even when I literally cried over math. Literally. Without them, school would be the most unpleasant experience. We are all fast tracking high school credits to apply to university, which is stressful and chaotic at times. Thankfully every lunch period we hang out under a tree to eat, talk about schoolwork and look up Youtube videos to help us out. One of our favourite lunches to have under our tree is on Tuesdays when Ali Baba’s has a 2 for 1 falafel wrap special. I go for this lunch every week but my stomach has taken the hit a more times than I like to admit. All the rumbles and whale noises my stomach makes in the quiet classroom can be fairly embarrassing but I just love falafels!

The Big Falafel Salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing: light, fresh, gluten free and vegan. This bowl will have you not missing takeout!

Making this homemade version is simple and the food processor does a lot of the work. It is fresh, lighter and gluten free so your stomach will thank you for skipping the fried stuff. Besides who likes frying at home? The heat, the mess, the potential burns, the small fires…not saying that I have set a fire in my kitchen or anything… Compared to the fried ones, these baked ones are more satisfying and will leave you glowing!

Congratulations to Jerilyn F from Waterloo, Canada who is the winner of the Sprouts & Chocolate’s Vegan Chocolate Cookbook by Fran Costigan giveaway! Your prize will be shipped to you very soon!

 

The Big Falafel Salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing
Yields 16
Light, fresh, gluten free and vegan. This bowl will have you not missing takeout.
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Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
30 min
Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
30 min
Baked Falafels
  1. Makes 16 small falafels
  2. 2 tablespoons chia seeds mixed with 2 tablespoons warm water
  3. 3 large garlic cloves
  4. ½ cup roughly chopped red onion
  5. 1/3 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves
  6. 1/3 cup lightly packed parsley leaves
  7. 1-19 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed thoroughly
  8. ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
  9. Pinch of cayenne pepper
  10. ½ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  11. 3 tablespoons chickpea flour
  12. ¼ cup hulled sunflower seeds
  13. ½ tablespoon toasted sesame seed oil
Lemon-Tahini Dressing
  1. Makes 2/3 cup
  2. ¼ cup tahini
  3. ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (do not use concentrate!)
  4. 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  5. 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  6. 3 tablespoons water
  7. 1 large garlic clove, peeled (minced if you don’t own a high power blender)
  8. ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
  9. ¼ teaspoons fine grain sea salt
Salad
  1. 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
  2. 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  3. 5-6 large green kale leaves, de-stemmed and shredded (per salad)
  4. Cherry tomatoes
  5. Diced cucumber
  6. Diced red pepper
  7. Sliced avocado
  8. Hulled hemp seeds
For the baked falafels
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a small bowl mix the chia seeds and water and set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a food processor, add the garlic and pulse until minced. Add the chopped onion and herbs and pulse 8-9 times (one second pulses) until the mixture is fine. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. In the now empty food processor, add the chickpeas and pulse 16-20 times (scraping down the mix as needed) until all the beans are processed but not hummus texture.
  4. Transfer chickpeas to the large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients including the now (gluey) chia mixture and mix until fully combined.
  5. With a 1-tablespoon spoon, measure out a two-tablespoon portion of the mixture and form a small patty. Place patty on the lined baking sheet and continue with the rest of the mixture.
  6. Bake for 30 minutes, turning halfway through the baking time.
For the Lemon-Tahini Dressing
  1. Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until very smooth. Set aside until the falafels are ready.
For the salad
  1. In a medium sized bowl, whisk the lemon juice and the oil together. Add the shredded kale and massage until all the kale is coated, let sit while the falafels bake. This softens the kale. Add the rest of the ingredients when the falafels are ready and drizzle on the dressing.
Notes
  1. I know this may seem like a lot of work and ingredients but this recipe comes together simply and takes less than an hour. Not to mention the loads of leftover falafels you will have to stuff into wraps or sandwiches or on top of your lunch salad for the week.
  2. These falafels are a million times better for you than any takeout you can get. They are also gluten free, baked and of course vegan! No dangers of cross contamination with meat products like many take out places.
  3. I added a lot more dressing to the salad after photographing because salad tends to wilt quickly, making it look soggy.
Sprouts & Chocolate http://www.sproutsandchocolate.com/

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