Friday, March 23, 2012

Spring is happening | butternut squash falafel in red kale leaves

Spring is in town!
I know so...

I've had my first mosquito bite, the first days without a coat are happening and I don't eat anymore; I picnic. 

What's happening in your kitchen? If you're anything like me: banana pudding and wine is totally dinner and vegetarian sausage rolls are a food group on their own.

3 pieces; I'm humble like that.



But sometimes, just sometimes, I need to bake stuff that makes my thighs happy.
Because, let's face it, spring is also the time {not so lazy} people start to jog around in the park.

What's up with that?!

Being all healthy and skinny in front of me, while all I wanna do is eat melting ice cream and enjoy bonkers picnics...

8 falafels. Living the good life.

Anywayzz... to make myself {and my thighs} feel better while still being able to lie down in the sun {being lazy and shit} I do have my own spring-cuisine.

It involves greek salads with baked feta, roasted vegetables with goatcheese and healthy baked falafel in a raw red kale leaf.

Baked Butternut Falafels with coriander

adapted from: Vegetarian - Alice Hart


mashed chickpeas with coriander and pumpkin.
400 g butternut squash , deseeded and cubed
2 tablespoons olive oil 
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon coriander , ground
1 teaspoon cumin, ground
salt and pepper
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 small bunch fresh parsley , chopped finely
1 small bunch fresh coriander , chopped finely
1 small onion, chopped finely {!}
200 g chickpeas (either from a can or presoaked and cooked) 


one: preheat the oven to 200 °C.
two: place the butternut squash cubes on a paper-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tbs of the olive oil and sprinkle a generous amount of salt and pepper over it. Toss to coat. Roast for approx 35 mins until soft and caramelised.
Set aside to cool.
three: in a large bowl puree the well-drained chickpeas together with the fresh parsley and chopped coriander, onion, baking soda, ground coriander and cuming, salt and pepper. I used my potato masher for this job but I'm pretty sure a food processor would do the trick just fine.
four: crush the roasted squash with a fork until very roughly mashed and add to the chickpeas.
five: fold everything together
six: chill for 30 mins {if you have time, drink a glass of wine}
seven: using your hands, form 24 small round{ish} falafels and place on prepared sheet. Space out wll.
eight: drizzle with remaining olive oil and bake for 15 – 20 mins or until golden underneath.
nine: gently separate leaves from cabbage; rinse and pat dry. Place all the vegetables you want {and prepared} onto the leaf, top with the baked falafel and serve with a refreshing yoghurt-dressing.
ten: enjoy!



Music to pair with: Ray Charles - I've got a woman

Oh, and if you like what you see you're very welcome at my new facebookpage... No pressure. Only love.

6 comments:

Choc Chip Uru said...

This is the best falafel I have ever seen! I love butternut squash so if I want to eat Lebanese food this exotic version it is from now :)

Thanks!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru

Eva {not your mama's dinner} said...

Aw! Thank you so much, my friend! I'm so glad you like it.

Medifast Diabetic Plan said...

Now this is a wrap I would love to get my hands on, looks so good, thanks.

Carolyn B. said...

These look great!!
Do you think you could freeze the falafel balls before or after you bake them?

Anonymous said...

We just had shop-bought falafels for dinner and we have half a butternut squash in the fridge - so I will be trying these out very soon!! My 22 month old daughter loves falafels and so do her parents :)

Eva {not your mama's dinner} said...

@Carolyn; Thanks! To be quiet honest, I'm not sure. A trip to google gave me this link; http://www.thekitchn.com/-good-questions-12-94785 they suggest you can either bake them first or freeze them raw... bot work just fine, is what they say.
I hope this will help you out. Let me know how things work out! :)
@Leanne: It seems like you're raising your daughter to be an awesome kido!
Thanks so much for stopping by, hope to see you soon again!
@Medifast: Thanks, I bet it would look even better in your hands ;)

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