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.
Sitting here from my Day 8 vantage point, I can finally reconcile my thoughts from the last 7 days of totally uprooting my dietary pattern and taking on this mission, that I've come to realize isn't simply a cleanse, but a new lifestyle.
Only one week in and I'm feeling pretty good... a lot better than I have in a long time. My bloating is decreasing, I have sufficient energy for exercising, and my allergies seem to be disappearing, or at least abating. I won't deny I've had small bouts of crankiness and fatigue, and my kidneys are in discomfort from being overloaded by the detoxing. Worst of all, have been the craving battles I've had with myself. Over the last week I have fended off temptation in a number of forms. For example, I've deliberately had to ignore and distract myself from a box of fried chicken (on day 2 no less! Thanks, Kieran), cheezits, bacon, a bean and cheese burrito, french fries, cocktails, gooey caramel brownies, and all the enticingly yummy superbowl snacks, including barbecue meatballs and que bueno nachos. Despite these encounters I've been able to stick to my diet so far without falling off in the slightest. It sort of makes me feel stronger... being confronted by these seemingly tortuous temptations and resisting them successfully.
Certainly it has not been easy. The smell of delicious food ignites a bit of a mood, and the thought of drinking my dinner rather than chewing on amazingly flavorful food is not desirable in the slightest, but I'm getting through it ok. I am, however, thoroughly enjoying lunch, the one cooked meal I'm allowed. My favorite recipe so far has been quinoa salad hand rolls (note: can replace quinoa w/ brown rice) - the seaweed gives me the sodium fix I used to crave from things like salami, and the quinoa mixed w/ chopped up veggies and herbs tossed in organic olive oil and fresh lemon juice with a pinch of sea salt, makes an exquisite filling. I highly recommend it!
While 14 more days seems a long ways away, with a lot of work ahead, I'm hoping to come out of this with an internal system that works more fluidly and efficiently... stream-like, if you will. At the very least, I look forward to trying out new recipes, like lentil chili, and apple-fennel juice. The challenge of it all is what keeps me going. And these days, I'm all about taking on new challenges and knocking them down! I think my delicate ego could certainly benefit from it... and perhaps it's starting to.
