This is a tasty way to eat chickpeas, which are a great source of protein and fibre. Use firm pita bread so you can stuff the halves with all sorts of goodies and they will hold up! I used romaine lettuce, tomato slices, guacamole/avocado, low fat plain probiotic yogurt and a dash of hot sauce to stuff the pita bread. You can use whatever you have on hand that suits your fancy. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
-2 plus 2 tbsp olive oil
-1 small sweet onion, finely chopped
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-28 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
-1/2 tsp ground cumin
-1/2 tsp ground cayene
-1/2 tsp ground turmeric
-2 tsp dried parsley
-1/2 tsp salt
-1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
-1 egg, beaten
-pita bread of your choice, each one cut in half
Directions:
1. In a small skillet, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Reduce to medium-low and saute the onions until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and saute one minute.
2. Place drained chickpeas in a large bowl. Add the cooked onion and garlic and other spices and mash with a fork or a potato masher until well mashed. Add the egg and mix together with your hands. Form into six large balls and then flatten into patties.
3. Heat the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry the falafels for about 3 minutes each side until golden brown and heated through. Stuff them into the pitas along with whatever else you decide to use.
