Eggplant Falafel
Yield: 10 patties
As beans can be quite a challenge to digest, I devised a way to make falafel without using them. Instead, I’ve made eggplant falafel and I’ve baked them to bring them even more into the health supportive world. These really are delicious and it’s hard to stop eating them. However, if you do manage to have some restraint and find yourself with leftovers, these freeze beautifully and can be a great last minute weeknight dinner or a great addition to your lunchbox. As you can see, I like to eat mine over a crunchy green salad with avocado and citrus dressing. However, I’m sure they would also be delicious with rice, cous cous, tabouli, etc.
Ingredients:
To roast the eggplant:
1 eggplant sliced lengthwise into 1/4″ thick planks
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
For the patties:
1 cup roughly chopped parsley
1 cup roughly chopped cilantro
1 1/4 tsp ground coriander
3/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3/4 tsp ground paprika
1/4 tsp ground cloves
3/4 tsp ground tumeric
3/4 tsp granulated garlic
pinch ground cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup almond flour
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450*F. Brush a baking sheet with olive oil, top wit parchment paper and brush the parchment with another thin coat of olive oil.
Brush the top and bottom of all the eggplant slices with olive oil and sprinkle both sides with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Place the planks on the baking sheet and bake for 20 mins (until a nice, roasted, golden color). Remove from oven and adjust oven temperature to 400*F.
Add to the food processor the cooked eggplant, parsley, cilantro, coriander, cumin, black pepper, paprika, cloves, tumeric, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and almond flour. Process until a dough forms and all the ingredients are combined well. (If it feels too dry, you can add 1 tbsp of olive oil. If it feels too wet, you can add 1 tbsp of almond flour).
Roll the dough into balls about the size of a quarter. It will make about 10 balls/patties. Bake for 15 minutes.
I like to serve 3 of these on top of a green salad. Feel free to serve more or less and enjoy!
- To roast the eggplant:
- 1 eggplant sliced lengthwise into ¼" thick planks
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
- For the patties:
- 1 cup roughly chopped parsley
- 1 cup roughly chopped cilantro
- 1¼ tsp ground coriander
- ¾ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ tsp ground paprika
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¾ tsp ground tumeric
- ¾ tsp granulated garlic
- pinch ground cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ cup almond flour
- Preheat oven to 450*F. Brush a baking sheet with olive oil, top wit parchment paper and brush the parchment with another thin coat of olive oil.
- Brush the top and bottom of all the eggplant slices with olive oil and sprinkle both sides with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Place the planks on the baking sheet and bake for 20 mins (until a nice, roasted, golden color). Remove from oven and adjust oven temperature to 400*F.
- Add to the food processor the cooked eggplant, parsley, cilantro, coriander, cumin, black pepper, paprika, cloves, tumeric, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and almond flour. Process until a dough forms and all the ingredients are combined well. (If it feels too dry, you can add 1 tbsp of olive oil. If it feels too wet, you can add 1 tbsp of almond flour).
- Roll the dough into balls about the size of a quarter. It will make about 10 balls/patties. Bake for 15 minutes.
