Baked Quinoa Falafel Bites

After successfully baking falafel instead of frying them, it was time to take things further with a twist. This time I used quinoa in place of the chickpeas. The rather unorthodox mixture of nutty quinoa and tahini was nearly authentic in taste in texture, sans chickpeas. Go figure, but it worked perfectly. The lemon tahini sauce I served them with was the bomb. If desired, you can serve them in pita pockets with the sauce.

Thankfully, I rarely dine alone, but on this occasion, I almost wished I did because I wanted to keep them all to myself. Well, that is a bit of an exaggeration, as I always enjoy serving food to my husband and best friend Basil. However, they are really easy to make so surely these are now a frequent addition to the table. I am one of those grazers that likes to snack on various things throughout the day, rather than to eat large meals and these are simply ideal. Certainly, this is a new healthy favorite.

Note: To make the meal vegan friendly, serve with a tomato-based sauce or chutney, or hummus instead of the lemon tahini sauce which contains yogurt.

Baked Quinoa Falafel Bites

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Middle Eastern Published on February 17, 2014 Crispy golden-brown savory quinoa falafel bites — baked not fried — served with a simple tangy lemon, tahini and yogurt sauce Print this recipe Falafel: 1 cup uncooked quinoa (3 cups cooked) 1 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 4 tablespoons tahini 2 green chilies, seeded and finely chopped 1 tablespoon sesame seeds 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 1/4 teaspoon cayenne juice from 1 small lemon (2 tablespoons) 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste fresh cracked black pepper to taste Sauce 1 1/4 cups plain yogurt 1/4 cup tahini juice from 1 large lemon (3 tablespoons) sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste Instructions: Rinse the quinoa well in a strainer until the water is no longer cloudy. Transfer to a medium saucepan and pour in 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the water is absorbed — about 20 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and let the quinoa cool. Stir in the rest of the ingredients until well combined. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat an oven to 450°. Shape the quinoa mixture into small balls and transfer to the baking sheet. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the falafel balls are golden brown and crispy. To make the sauce, whisk together the yogurt, tahini, lemon juice and salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Makes 16 falafels

Other little bites you are sure to enjoy from Lisa's Kitchen:
Coleslaw Bites with Jalapeño Dip
Olive Cheese Balls
Smoked Gouda Gougères
Stuffed Mushrooms with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Goat Cheese and Olives

On the top of the reading stack: Naturally Sweet & Gluten-Free by Ricki Heller

Audio Accompaniment: Paul Kalkbrenner - Guten