Falafel bites

Alright... so I've been pretty awful this year with keeping up with this blog. I revamped it, wooed you with promises of something more consistent, and immediately let it sit just to collect dust. I'm guilty by self-proclamation and don't have much to say for it. However, I do have a gamut of recipes that are ready for public scrutiny, and all that's left is the flurry of my typing fingers that stand between the scribbles in my culinary notebook and your eyes. I'd like to say this is my latest and greatest attempt to rekindle my blogging flame, but who are we kidding... my track record isn't so great. I am optimistic, though. So, without a sweeping declaration that I will in fact keep this going (which I really do hope to be more consistent), here's a recipe I've been meaning to share with you all for ages:

The background:
In my efforts to live as close to a gluten-free lifestyle as possible, snacks have been one of my biggest hindrances. Items light, nutritious, and not packed with processed ingredients were the key factors in my motivation to come up with a few of the recipes I have in store for you. This one is great; slightly burdensome to make, but easy to carry around and filled with substantial amounts of protein and fiber. Enjoy!

Falafel Bites
Yields 60-70 bites

Preheat oven to 375* 
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

Ingredients
- 2 cup sprouted chickpeas (garbanzo beans) or canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans), 
  drained
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3/4 cup parsley
- 1/2 medium-sized yellow or white onion
- 1 cup raw almonds
- 1 cup raw sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 1/2 t salt
- 2 t lemon juice
- 2 T ground coriander
- 2 T ground cumin
- 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup water
- paprika to taste

Directions
1. If using raw chickpeas, soak for 24-48 hours prior until sprouted/soft. If using canned chickpeas, drain liquid and rinse thoroughly to get rid of most of the excess sodium - can use immediately.

2. In a food processor (or coffee grinder), grind almonds and sunflower seeds, and set aside in large bowl or stand mixer bowl. Tip: You may also buy almond meal to make this step easier. Raw almonds are sometimes difficult to grind.

3. Chop onions finely and add to bowl. 

3. In food processor grind rest of the ingredients, except water, together until it reaches a coarse texture. You do not want the mixture to be entirely smooth. Place the mixture into the bowl w/ the almond and sunflower. Note: You may need to grind in a couple batches, as not everything will fit into the food processor at once. It does not matter how you divvy up the ingredients between the batches as everything will mix together in the end.

4. If in a large bowl, add water and stir everything together until well combined. If using a stand mixer, add water, and mix with paddle beater on low setting until well combined. When adding water, start with 1/2 cup. You want the mixture to be just thin enough so it is easy to spoon out bite-sized portions onto the parchment paper. Add in more water as needed, but you should not need to add more than 3/4 cup total. 

5. Once stirred, you can taste the mixture to see if there is enough salt/spice. If using raw, sprouted chickpeas, just be aware that this can taste a little funky before baking if you're not accustomed. But don't worry, that raw taste will disappear soon enough.

6. Spoon out small spoonfuls of mixture onto your parchment-lined baking sheet. I like to use a 2-teaspoon measure that I have handy to create the size I like (pictured). Use any spoon that is convenient for you. If you use a 1-tablespoon measure, perhaps fill the tablespoon about 2/3 of the way to achieve the same size.

7. Baked at 375* for 10 minutes until the bottom is just browned, then broil on HIGH for 3-4 minutes until the top is just browned. It may take about 4 rounds to complete baking the entire mixture.

8. Remove to cooling rack. Then eat plain or with your favorite yogurt dip! Store in the fridge.