Baked Falafel with Essential Oils

This Middle Eastern dish tastes fantastic with the addition of essential oils! Falafel is normally deep fried, but you can also pan fry it or even bake it as a healthier alternative. Falafel can be eaten plain, with Lemon Tahini Sauce (see recipe below), on a salad, or in a pita with tomatoes and cucumbers.

Falafel with Essential Oils

Servings: 4–6 | Time: 20 minutes active; 30 minutes inactive | Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 2–3 cloves garlic
• 1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup (8–10 g) fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/2 cup (20 g) fresh parsley
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp. (3 g) kosher salt
• 3 drops lemon essential oil
• 2 drops cumin essential oil
• 2 drops coriander essential oil
• 1 drop black pepper essential oil
• 2 cans (455 g each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or 1 cup [200 g] dried chickpeas soaked overnight in 3 cups [720 ml] of water)
• 2 tsp. (9 g) baking powder
• 1/2 cup (60 g) all-purpose flour, if needed

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C), and grease a cookie sheet.
2. Place garlic, onion, cilantro, parsley, cayenne pepper, salt, and essential oils in a food processor. Pulse until the leaves seem to blended fairly well. Pour mixture into a mixing bowl.
3. Place about 1/3 of the chickpeas in the food processor, and pulse a few times until roughly minced. Dump the beans into the mixing bowl, and repeat with the other 2/3 (1/3 at a time) until all the chickpeas have been “minced.”
4. Add baking powder to the mixing bowl, and stir everything together until well combined. You should be able to form small patties that hold together; if your mixture needs a little help, add some flour, a little bit at a time, just until your patties can hold together.
5. Form small patties about 2″ (5 cm) in diameter, and place on greased cookie sheet.
6. Bake for 25–30 minutes, flipping patties over about halfway through.
7. Serve immediately with Lemon Tahini Sauce.

If you are in a hurry, you can also pan fry the falafel patties. Just heat some oil in a pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add the patties. Let cook for 4–5 minutes (or until brown); then flip patties over, and cook for another 4–5 minutes (or until brown). Remove from pan, and place on a paper towel–lined plate to cool.

Lemon Tahini Sauce

Servings: 4–6 | Time: 5 minutes active | Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup (310 g) plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) tahini
• 2 Tbsp. (30 ml) lemon juice
• 1–2 drops lemon essential oil

Instructions:

1. Stir all ingredients together until well combined.
2. Serve with warm falafel—either alone, over a salad, or in a pita with tomatoes and cucumbers.