Dora’s note on the recipe: You can make this dish Paleo/ Primal Approved by substituting out the garbanzo beans. You can use any ground meat of your choice. Keep the same spices, the rest of the recipe can stay the same. Just instead of falafel, you make Middle Eastern meat patties!
Some folks cannot digest legumes very well. If you are using garbanzo beans I recommend using dried organic variety, and most importantly, soak them overnight! Rinse them very well before using.
Below you will find Diana’s email to Dora (owner of Spira yoga)
Hi Dora,
This is a great salad for these hot days we’ve been having! The cucumber dressing is cool and refreshing, and the falafels are zesty and satisfying.
Falafel Kale Salad with Cucumber Dressing
Falafels:
First Blend:
2 Cans Garbanzo Beans
2 Tablespoons Toasted Sesame Oil
1 Red Onion, sliced
1 Tablespoon Fresh Ginger
3-6 Garlic Cloves
Juice of 1 Lemon
1 Teaspoon Cumin
1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
½ Teaspoon Turmeric
1 Teaspoon Salt
Second Blend:
Generous helping of Fresh Herbs – I used basil, mint, rosemary, cilantro, and parsley.
Third Blend:
1 Small Handful Sunflower Seeds or Walnuts
1 Small Handful Sundried, diced
Dressing:
16 oz Plain Unsweetened Yogurt – I used Kite Hill Almond Yogurt, but you can use Greek Yogurt or whatever plain yogurt you like.
1 English Cucumber, de-seeded – Easiest way to do this is cut the cucumber length-wise down the center, then scoop the seeds out with a spoon. If you remove the seeds your dressing won’t be as watery.
Juice of 1 Lemon
1-2 Garlic Cloves
1 Teaspoon – 1 Tablespoon Dill
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
Optional: 1 Tablespoon of your favorite hot sauce
Salad:
2 Heads Lacinato Kale
1 Large Handful Cherry Tomatoes
Juice of 1 Lemon
2-3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Garnish: Balsamic Vinegar – I like to use a store-bought balsamic reduction or glaze.
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400
Place all “First Blend” ingredients in a food processor and blend until a smooth paste forms.
Add herbs and pulse until they are evenly mixed throughout Falafel paste.
Add Sunflower Seeds or Walnuts for a quick pulse, these are added as a little crunch to the otherwise smooth Falafels. The sundried tomatoes are another good texture and provide a savory flavor.
Traditionally you roll the Falafel paste into small balls and fry them, but I tend to feel like this is way too much work… so I just use a teaspoon to scoop equal portions onto a baking sheet cookie-style. Parchment Paper works great to keep them from sticking to your baking sheet.
Bake for 10-15 minutes per side or until they are browned and crispy.
While that bakes, assemble the salad. Kale can have a “tough guy” reputation, but if you massage the kale with lemon and olive oil and leave it to marinade, the flavor is epic!
While the flavors are marinating on the kale and the falafels are baking, throw all the dressing ingredients into the same food processor (no need to clean it) and blend until smooth. You can overdo the salt on this dressing, so go slowly and adjust the seasonings and lemon juice until you like the flavor.
Plate it all together! Salad, a stack of falafels, dressing, and a drizzle of Balsamic.
-Enjoy; Diana