Broccoli and Chickpeas packed with herbs and spices making it flavorful and delicious. Served with protein rich Lentil hummus, a healthy combo!
Somedays, I really want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, experimenting new recipes. And when I feel like that I like to play around with different ingredients and that is when I came up with this recipe. You will be surprised to see how broccoli and chickpeas come together in this dish. Most kids don’t like Broccoli, mine are no different. But once I roasted Broccoli in the oven , there was no looking back. Do also check out my Baked Falafel, which is one of the most popular posts in my blog.
Falafels are traditional middle eastern appetizers, they are fried balls of chickpeas that is seasoned with herbs and spices. I choose to bake them, they are not crispy like the fried ones but definitely quite flavorful and tasty. They contain significantly less fat than fried falafel.If you are looking at a healthier alternative, do give these a try. I like to shape them small, bite sized- little finger foods are fun to eat:).
I have been experimenting with different types of hummus. Brown Lentil hummus has been in my mind for a while now. The jalapeño in this recipe adds a kick to it, the garlic and cumin enhances the taste to a different level. I also roasted some veggies and served them with the Hummus, this ended up being our dinner tonight:)
Notes - I had soaked some chickpeas and cooked them with little salt in a pressure cooker and used them in this recipe.Feel free to use canned chickpeas, just make sure to drain the water.
I did not have to use any flour for binding. I was able to easily shape the falafels. Incase, you need, feel free to add some almond flour or chickpea flour.
Lastly, I have not edited my pictures, this is how they actually looked:). Sharing the videos as well. Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS:
Broccoli & Chickpeas Falafel
Makes 40-42 small falafels ( about 1.5 inch in diameter)
One broccoli head, cut into florets
2 tablespoon Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
2 1/2 cups chickpeas
3 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon Tahini
1/2 cup Cilantro
1 jalapeno, chopped
1/2 lemon, juice
1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder
1 teaspoon Cumin powder(optional)
2 tablespoon olive oil ( for greasing the pan and for the falafels).
Roasted broccoli ( from above)
Roast Broccoli - Preheat oven at 425F. Mix the broccoli florets with olive oil, salt and pepper on a baking tray. Bake it in the oven for 10mins.
2 In a food processor, combine all the ingredients - Chickpeas, garlic cloves, tahini, cilantro, jalapeño, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, about 1/2 teaspoon pepper powder and finally the roasted broccoli. Blend well. Add cumin powder if you like it.
3 Using your hands scoop about a tablespoon of the mixture and form a small disc/patties Arrange them on a greased baking sheet. Make sure to coat the baking sheet with olive oil, that way you will get a fried effect.
4 Preheat oven at 425F. Bake these falafels for about 15 mins. Brush oil and carefully flip them over. Bake for another 8 -10 minutes or until they are golden from both sides. Serve them with the Lentil Hummus. They tend to get a bit dry if you over bake it, so please be careful:)
You can serve these Falafels with hummus and some roasted vegetables, Make a wrap or make a falafel bowl with some quinoa. There are so may ways you can use this hummus:)
Lentil Hummus
2 cups brown lentils, cooked
2 garlic cloves
1/3 cup tahini
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 jalapeno, chopped
1/2 lemon, juice
4 tablespoon olive oil
pepper
salt, as needed
Optional - Cumin powder, Cayenne powder and olive oil for drizzling on top)
Soak Brown lentils in water for at least 5-6 hours.
Add enough water and cook until soft. Drain and allow it to cool down.
Combine all the above ingredients in a food processor and blend well. Transfer into a bowl and sprinkle some cumin powder, cayenne pepper and drizzle 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. This is completely optional.
Roasted vegetables (optional)
1 head Broccoli, cut into florets
1 Butternut Squash, cut into cubes
1/2 cup chickpeas, cooked
Olive oil, salt and Pepper.
Combine all the ingredients and bake for 10 mins at 425F. Gently toss and bake for another 10-12 mins. Serve with the Hummus.
Enjoy!