Yum

This was last night's dinner.  Falafel with hummus and baby carrots. So good and so filling yet very low calorie even with the oil used for cooking.The recipe had warned to get the oil just the right temperature-too hot and they burn, not hot enough and they fall apart.  I must have had the temp just right because they cooked up wonderfully and were quite easy to make.  Today everyone at work ate Portland House of Pizza.  I was surprisingly fulfilled with my little leftover falafels.

Ingredients:

1 16 oz can chickpeas

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tsp coriander

1 tsp cumin

2 tbl flour

salt

pepper

canola oil for frying

Drain chickpeas and place in a pan with water and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and let simmer for 1 hour.

Drain and allow to cool 15 minutes.

Combine chickpeas, garlic, onion, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper (to taste) in a medium bowl.

Add flour.

Mash chickpeas, ensuring to mix ingredients together.  The result should be a thick paste.

Form the mixture into small balls, about the size of a ping pong ball. Slightly flatten.

Fry in 2 inches of oil at 350 degrees until golden brown (5-7 minutes).

These are two new ingredients for me and I must say I am in complete, total love with each of them. I especially love when they combine to make Creamy Cashew Dip which I have been having to be extremely careful while eating it at work that no one catches me licking the plate to get every last drip.  I've tried it with fruit and it fantastic on apples and pears.  It would also be great on a bagel or waffles.  And I think it could even work as a frosting...it's that good!  I did leave out the applesauce because I didn't have any.

Creamy Cashew Dip

Ingredients:

1/2 cup cashew butter

2/3 cup vanilla soy yogurt

2-3 tbsp unsweetened applesauce

2 tsp agave nectar

1/8 tsp sea salt

1/8 tsp cinnamon

In a blender or small food processor combine all ingredients and puree until very smooth.