Baked Falafel

Don't feel like eating meat? Try this recipe. 

Please finely chopped the herbs/onions, otherwise it won't hold together because they will be too big (several trials and errors caused by my laziness).

Baked Falafel 

Ingredients : 

2 cans 19oz fl chickpea, rinsed and drained

2 TBSP white/whole wheat flour

3 TBSP fresh parsley, finely chopped

1 TBSP fresh cilantro, finely chopped

1/2 onion, finely chopped

2 tsp cumin, coriander, hot pepper flakes

2 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp baking soda

salt to taste

Directions :

1- Use a fork/potato masher and press against the bowl to mash the chickpeas until no more whole chickpeas visible.

2- Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

3- Use your hands/spoon and form balls on a baking sheets then flatten them.
(more they are flat, more they will be crispy/dry)

4- Bake at 375°F (preheated oven) for 15 min each side. 

(Lazy advice : as I don't want to fatigue myself from flipping them, I switch bake mode to grill mode).

Enjoy plain or make pita sandwich with mint yogurt/tomatoes, according to your laziness level :)

~V.Cat~

Bitter Gourd - Chinese style

I like and feel eating something bitter and this is the perfect vegetable. I find it easy to cook and healthy. How easy? 2 ingredients : bitter gourd and eggs. 

How it looks inside

Bitter Gourd Eggs
Directions :
1- Cut the gourd lengthwise, remove the white fiber and the seeds.
2- Slice it.
3- Beat 3 eggs with a pinch of salt. Add sliced gourd.
4- Cook.

~V.Cat~

Hummus

What can you do with a lonely can of chick peas at the bottom of your pantry? Hummus! It is a very healthy dip or spread. Yes! You can use it instead of mayonnaise or mustard in your sandwich or you can serve it as a dip for radish, carrots, cherry tomatoes, celery...
Very easy to do. It was done within 30 minutes cleaning included.

Hummus (~V style~) :
- 1 can of 290mL chickpeas, rinsed (bio, low sodium, whatever you have on hand)
- 2 Tbsp tahini (sesame paste)
- 150 mL water
- 1 ½ lemon (for the juice)
- 3-4 cloves of garlic
- salt and black pepper to taste
- cumin and paprika grounded for a little plus (optional)
- olive oil (if you want, but I omit it)

Method :
Just one step! Put everything in a blender or food processor and press the magic button.
There you go! Enjoy.

Attention! It can be addictive :P

Notes :
1) For the lazy one like me. Please remove the lemon seeds before blending, because I thought leaving some seeds will not be a big deal. But it was, they leave a bitter taste in your hummus yark! So REMOVE THEM!
2) There is a little skin that come with the chickpeas, you can leave it or if you are courageous and want a smoother hummus you can rub the chickpeas in your hand and discard all the little translucent skin.
3) Cleaning tips : Pour warm water and a little dish-washing liquid in the blender or food processor. Blend.

To try :
Heat olive oil then throw some cumin seeds to make them fragant. Pour the olive oil perfumed on the hummus. It sounds so good. If someone tries it, please tell me the result :)

~V.Cat~