A Lighter Falafel

We made it through Whole30!  I am so glad we did it.  Honestly, I wasn't convinced for about the first 18 days.  Yes, it was a long 18 days.  I don't think it helped that we started in early March, possibly the most difficult time of year to be a Minnesotan.  But towards the end of the program I really found my groove and loved it.  I will write more about my experience soon.  Now we are into the "reintroduction" phase of testing different food groups on your digestive system.  First off, beans.  Yeah, it's a pretty boring food group to start with after a month with no beer, fresh bread, chocolate, etc.  But, beans it is, so I decided to make one of my favorite bean recipes: falafel.  I've experimented a bit with falafel over the years and have decided I like pan frying it the best.  It doesn't have the same crisp as traditional falafel, as that requires much more oil and some real frying.  A lighter pan fry crisps the outside nicely with a soft inside.  We had ours over some fresh tomato slices with a little cilantro and lime juice.  It was so flavorful and delicious!  The kids ate theirs in naan pocket bread with a yogurt sauce.  That also looked quite good. :)  This recipe would make a great appetizer if you kept the falafel smaller and served it on one little tomato slice!

Falafel

Ingredients:
- 2 (15oz) cans garbanzo beans, rinsed
-3-4 garlic cloves, minced
-1/2 yellow onion, minced
-1 1/2 t cumin
-1 t salt
-2 T tapioca starch
-1/2 t chili powder
-1/4 t freshly ground pepper
-1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro + some for garnish
- sliced tomatoes and lime wedges for serving
- 2 T olive oil + a few tablespoons for frying

Directions:
1. Heat 1-2 T olive oil on skillet
2. Shape falafel into patties and place on skillet
3. Let sit until nicely browned (about 5 min) then flip and fry on the other side about the same length of time
4. Serve with tomatoes, cilantro, and lime wedges