Baked Falafel Balls with Flax and Tahini Sauce – When the early summer greens are in abundance, this healthy, flavorful recipe pairs well and provides a yummy crunch.

Every year my husband and I buy a crop share from a local CSA Farm. This means that between now and the end of October I get a weekly supply of ten to twelve freshly harvested, local, organically grown fruits and vegetables. I know! I’m SO lucky.

The season always starts out with fresh strawberries and lots and lots of greens. It can be a bit of a challenge to figure out what to do with all those greens. We always seem to manage to somehow get through most of them. And I dare say that we all feel extra healthy around this time of year as a result.

One of my solutions for dealing with an abundance of greens is obviously making lots and lots of salads. I’ve also taken to stuffing them in sandwiches, wraps, and pitas. A mainstay recipe I’ve been making since my husband and I started getting a crop share 5 years ago is Baked Falafel Balls with Flax and Tahini Sauce. These nutritious, protein-packed little balls of flavor are perfect for sprinkling on top of a salad or for stuffing into pitas with fresh, leafy greens. The addition of my homemade Tahini Sauce doubles as a falafel dip and a nutty salad dressing. Talk about a healthy and tasty way for enjoying those crunchy greens for another growing season!

Baked Falafel Balls with Flax and Tahini Dressing

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 17 minutes

Total Time: 32 minutes

When the early summer greens are in abundance, this healthy, flavorful recipe pairs well and provides a yummy crunch.

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Ingredients

Falafel Balls

• 1/4 C ground flax plus 1/4 C water
• 1 15.5 oz can drained and rinsed chickpeas
• 1/2 C roughly chopped red onion
• 1/4 C lightly packed fresh minced parsley
• 3 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon Juice
• 3 large cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 Tbsp olive oil

Tahini Dressing

• 1/3 C tahini
• 4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp water
• 2 Tbsp honey or agave
• 1 clove minced garlic

Instructions

1. Mix the ground flax with water and set aside. Mash the chickpeas (I recommend using a potato masher) so that they are mostly smooth, but a few larger pieces of chickpeas remain.
2. Mix in the red onion, parsley, lemon juice, garlic cumin and salt.
3. Scoop the falafel mix into 1/2 Tbsp sized balls and arrange them on a baking sheet. You will end up with approximately 35 falafel balls. Bake in 425º F oven for 10-12 minutes on the first side and then flip for 3-5 minutes on the second side.
4. While the falafel balls are baking, whisk together Tahini Dressing Ingredients. Once the falafel balls are done baking serve them immediately with the dressing as an appetizer or add them to a salad or a pita.

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