Spinach & chia seed falafels

May 20, 2017 | Lunch / Supper / Mains | 0 comments

Chickpeas are a cupboard staple of mine and this recipe is a fun, tasty way to include them into your weekly diet. Brimming full of blood sugar, balancing fibre and key minerals like Iron, Calcium and Magnesium. The chia seeds are also rich in omega 3 fats and act as a great, plant based binder.

Ingredients:

Serves 2

  • 1 400g tin of chickpeas
  • Large handful of spinach leaves, washed
  • ¼ onion, finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp ground coriander
  • Pinch chilli powder
  • 7½ tsp sea salt
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds
  • ½ lemon zest and juice
  • 1 tbsp olive oil for frying

Method:

  1. Drain the chickpeas and put in a food processor.
  2. Add chopped onion and spinach (making sure there are no large stalks).
  3. Add the spices, garlic, lemon juice and blend until smooth, add the chia seeds and blend for another few seconds to mix them in.
  4. Divide the mixture into small balls (note if they are not firm enough you can put the mixture into the freezer for 5 minutes to firm up.
  5. Heat a frying pan with the olive oil and once hot, fry the falafel balls until golden, adding more oil if needed.
  6. Serve with natural yoghurt and a tomato salad.