I will admit to being a huge falafel fan — and yet I know well that deep frying doesn’t serve my body. All I have to do to remember is eat a few. 😉 So I was thrilled to discover a raw version this week at my favorite Romanian restaurant, Samsara. Of course, everything Samsara offers is exquisite, but these are extra special.
Because I am on the road, I haven’t had a chance to play with using my convection oven as a dehydrator, but I hear from very reliable sources it works well. So there is no need to add another cooking tool and take up kitchen space. These falafels are the perfect summer supper — serve them up with sliced tomatoes and a garden fresh green salad.
Ingredients
- 2 cups finely shredded carrots
- 1/2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tsp minced garlic (optional)
- 3 tbsp minced yellow onion
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp curry powder
- 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup sesame seeds
- 1/2 tsp cumin, ground
- 1/4 cup flax seeds
- 1 cup sunflower seeds, raw
Directions
- Into your food processor add the sunflower seeds, flax seeds, garlic, cumin, curry powder, salt, and pepper flakes, and process until well combined.
- Adding the onion and parsley, and pulse again until well combined.
- Add carrots as the final step, pulsing but leaving some texture.
- Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and stir in sesame seeds until well combined.
- Using a tablespoon or small ice cream scoop, prepare balls.
- Place the balls onto mesh sheets and dehydrate or place in a convection oven (140-160 degrees F) for 4-6 hours depending on the size of falafel. You will want them to be slightly crispy on the outside and soft in the middle.
Serve with this cool and creamy cashew-tahini dip.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked for six hours with cold water, or in hot water for one hour, drained
- Juice from a lemon
- 2 heaping tablespoons of tahini
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast (optional)
- 1/4 cup of water, or more if needed
- Black cumin seeds
Blend all ingredients except cumin in blender, food processor or in a bowl using an immersion blender. Process until very smooth. Season to taste and sprinkle with black cumin seeds before serving.
Enjoy!