Paleo Falafel Recipes

PALEO FALAFEL

Steps:

• Process all the nuts and seeds together with the olive oil in a food processor or a high powered blender.
• Add eggs, spices, garlic, tapioca/arrowroot and cauliflower rice to the nut mixture and mix together until dough forms. Add in kale chips and pork rind dust if using.
• Roll falafel into small tablespoon sized balls.
• Place on a baking parchment paper lined cookie sheet in a preheated oven set at 350. Baked for 35 minutes.
• Serve with tahini sauce (mix ½ cup of tahini paste with same amount of water, juice of one lemon, salt, 1 tablespoon of oil and one teaspoon of paprika)

VEGGIE GRAIN-FREE PALEO FALAFELS

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 375F (190C).
• In a food processor, blend the onion, cilantro, parsley, and garlic until finely minced. Set them aside in a large bowl.
• Repeat the process with the cauliflower and the zucchini; add to the bowl with the onion mixture.
• Add the lemon zest, cumin, chili powder, turmeric, almond flour and beaten egg to the bowl. Combine everything well; season with salt and pepper to taste. Let the mixture rest for a few minutes.
• Spread some melted coconut oil over a baking sheet. Form medium-sized balls of the falafel mixture with your hands and place them on the baking sheet.
• Brush some more oil over the falafel and place in the oven.
• If you're cooking them in the oven, bake for 40 minutes. Halfway through, turn the falafel and brush them with some more oil.
• If you're cooking them on the stove, pre-heat a generous amount of coconut oil in a large sautépan placed over medium heat for about 4 minutes.
• Then add the falafel, browning them on the first side for 4 minutes, then flipping them once and browning the second side until the mixture is cooked throughout.

HOMEMADE FALAFEL RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 375 F. In a food processor, blend the onion, cilantro, parsley, and garlic until finely minced. Set them aside in a large bowl. Repeat the process with the cauliflower and the zucchini and add them to the bowl with the onion mixture. Add the lemon zest, cumin, chili powder, turmeric, almond flour and beaten egg to the bowl. Combine everything well, and season to taste. Let the mixture rest for a few minutes. Spread some melted coconut oil over a baking sheet. Form medium-sized balls with your hands and place them on the baking sheet. Brush some more oil over the falafel and place in the oven. If you're cooking them in the oven, bake for 40 minutes. Halfway through, turn the falafel and brush them with some more oil. If you're cooking them on the stove, pre-heat a generous amount of coconut oil in a large sauté pan placed over a medium heat for about 4 minutes. Then add the falafel, browning them on the first side for 4 minutes, then flipping them once and browning the second side until the mixture is cooked throughout.

BAKED PALEO FALAFELS WITH FIERY DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200 °C / 400 °F. Grease a sheet of baking paper with some ghee or coconut oil.
• Place all ingredients, except for tapioca/coconut flour, in a food processor. Grind and process everything into fine crumbs, until the mixture starts coming together (coming away from the sides and wrapping into itself). It should take about 2 minutes, including scraping off the sides as you go along. If you find that the vegetables are not grinding properly, I suggest to do this in two batches and then mix and process two batches together again once you have smaller crumbs. As you're grinding the mixture, it will produce some moisture, so don't rush to add any water or think it's too dry.
• Transfer the mixture into a large bowl and sprinkle with tapioca and coconut flours. Mix well together allowing the flours to soak up some of the moisture and make the mixture more sticky.
• Scoop 1 tablespoon of the mixture and shape it into a small ball in your hands. Use the spoon to help you shape and flatten the ball slightly. Place on the baking sheet lined oven tray. Continue with the rest of the mixture.
• Melt about a teaspoon of each ghee and coconut oil in a little saucepan or microwave. Using a pastry brush or your fingers, coat the top of the falafels with a thin layer of melted oil.
• Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove the tray and turn the falafels over very gently. Place back in the oven for 15 minutes and reduce the heat to 180 °C/360 °F. Once the time is up, remove from the oven and cool slightly before transferring to a plate.
• To make the dipping sauce, combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk together. Serve on the side.

FALAFEL

Steps:

• For the Falafel: Drain the chickpeas through a colander then place on a baking sheet lined with paper towels to absorb any excess moisture. Chickpeas should be totally dry.
• Heat 4-inches peanut or vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until it reaches 330 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer.
• While the oil is heating, heat the olive oil in a small saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and serrano chiles and cook until soft, about 3 minutes.
• Transfer the chickpeas to a food processor, add the garlic mixture, green onions, parsley, mint, cilantro, lemon juice, cumin, coriander, baking powder, salt and pepper and process until the mixture is finely ground, stopping to scrape the bowl every 30 seconds. Transfer the mixture to a bowl.
• Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Form the mixture into balls the size of ping pong balls and place on a plate. Fry in batches at 330 degrees F until a pale blonde color, about 45 seconds, spooning oil over the falafel constantly. Remove with a slotted spoon to the baking sheet. Increase the heat of the oil to 350 degrees F. Return the falafel to the oil, in batches, cover the pan with a lid for 30 seconds and fry until a deep brown color, spooning the oil over the falafel constantly. Remove with a slotted spoon to baking sheet lined with paper towels, and immediately season with salt.
• For the yogurt sauce: Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth; season with salt and pepper to taste and transfer to a small bowl. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, covered, to allow the flavors to meld.
• Variation: Substitute 2 cups feta cheese for the yogurt, and add 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley.
• For the hummus: Place beans, garlic, harissa, lemon juice, and tahini in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• For the relish: Whisk the oil, vinegar, and smoked paprika in a small bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and toss. The tomatoes should be lightly dressed.
• Serve falafel with yogurt sauce, hummus and relish on the side.