Amaranth Falafels with Green Tahini Sauce
While spirulina should not be cooked (heat destroys its valuable properties), it makes a wonderful addition to smoothies, drinks, sauces and dressings.
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Ingredients
- 1/4 cup amaranth
- 1¼ cups packed minced fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided
- 2 tbsp ground flaxseeds
- 1½ tbsp olive oil
- 4 large cloves garlic, minced, divided
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp sea salt, divided
- 1 15-oz BPA-free can unsalted chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 tbsp minced yellow onion
- 1/4 cup tahini paste
- 3 lemons (juice 2 lemons to yield 6 tbsp juice; cut remaining 1 lemon into wedges for serving)
- 3/4 tsp spirulina powder
- 1/2 small head cabbage, thinly shaved
Preparation
- In a small saucepan, bring amaranth and 1 cup water to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and gently simmer for 20 minutes, until cooked down to a thick porridge, stirring occasionally toward end of cooking. Remove from heat.
- Position oven rack in second-to-top notch and preheat broiler. Line a large baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- To a food processor, add cooked amaranth, 1/4 cup parsley, flax, oil, half of garlic, cumin and ½ tsp salt. Process until incorporated. Add chickpeas and onion; pulse to grind chickpeas coarsely, leaving a bit of gravel-sized texture; do not blend.
- Drop mixture into 16 rounded 1-tbsp mounds onto prepared sheet, flattening slightly with fingers. Broil for 9 to 10 minutes, until tops are golden. Carefully flip with a spatula; broil 4 to 5 minutes more, until golden brown on top. Let cool on pan for 10 minutes.
- While cooling, prepare sauce: In a small blender or food processor, purée tahini, lemon juice, spirulina, 3/4 cup parsley, remaining half of garlic and 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 cup water; blend until completely smooth. Line plates with cabbage and top each with 4 falafels, sauce and a lemon wedge for squeezing. Divide remaining 1/4 cup parsley over top. Serve extra sauce on the side for dipping. May be served warm or cold.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size 4 falafels with 1/4 of sauce and cabbage
- Calories 352
- Carbohydrate Content 40.5 g
- Cholesterol Content 0 mg
- Fat Content 17 g
- Fiber Content 10 g
- Protein Content 13 g
- Saturated Fat Content 2 g
- Sodium Content 546 mg
- Sugar Content 5 g
- Monounsaturated Fat Content 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat Content 5 g