Have you ever been caught out with nothing ‘healthy’ to cook at home?

Caned beans and legumes are perfect to have in the cupboard on these occasions. Honestly, As a meat lover, it is rare that I eat a solely vegetarian dish but sometimes this has more to do with what I more comfortable cooking than anything else.

I do love falafels! But I have never really had that much success in making them at home. They are either too dry and fall apart or too wet and fail to set. Either way I am left with a bad tasting chickpea mess and an unsatisfied belly. Until now…

Have you heard of ‘resistant starch’?

I was recently listening to a podcast about gut health and the idea of ‘resistant starch’ was discussed. Resistant starch is a non-digestible that helps to fuel the healthy bacteria in the gut. It promotes fermentation of short chain fatty acids, which then promotes the production of a compound called butyrate, which plays a key role in promotion of gut health, including reducing risk of bowel cancer, fighting inflammation, and may also assist with appetite regulation and insulin sensitivity (https://www.bodyandsoul.com.au). To sum it up, foods containing resistant starches are awesome in promoting a happy, humming body.

When I heard that chickpeas were on this list, I thought I would try again to perfect this crispy, versatile dish.

What is so good about chickpeas?

Chickpeas contain a powerhouse of nutrients too.  They are a good source of folate, source of magnesium, iron, copper, potassium, and thiamin. And after a month of indulging in a very typical western diet around the USA, I thought falafels would be a great way to cut/ reduce gluten in the diet while also ingesting a slow releasing carbohydrate in the body.

Before I share the recipe, I want to share the secret to making the perfect falafel… if you are using canned chickpeas make sure you thoroughly rinse and dry them. That way you can ensure that the batter has the perfect texture.

Ingredients:

• 1  can chickpeas (rinsed, drained and patted dry)
• 1/3 cup spinach
• 4 cloves garlic
• 3 spring onion stems
• 2 tbsp raw sesame seeds
• 1 tsp cumin (plus more to taste)
• 1/4 tsp each sea salt and black pepper
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 3-4  oat flour 
• Oil for cooking

Method:

1. Add chickpeas, spinach, shallot, garlic, sesame seeds, cumin, salt, pepper and coriander to a to a blender.
2. Mix/pulse to combine. The mixture should resemble a crumbly dough, not a paste.
3. Add flour 1 tbsp at a time and pulse/mix to combine until no longer wet and you can mould the dough into a ball without it sticking to your hands.
4. Heat oil in a frying pan (you could also bake these on baking paper in the oven). Once the oil is hot, shape the dough into 6 evenly shaped patties. Cook for several minutes each side.
5. Serve fresh with a salad. These tasted great with a little fresh guacamole on top!

Please pin and share your thoughts on this recipe! We would love to hear from you.

Would you like another great vego recipe? Our Sweet Potato and Eggplant Bake is pretty awesome too!