Recipe: Adventures in Allergen-Free Baked Falafel!

At a wedding this weekend, I had the most delicious falafel. I have to admit that I have never had it before! However, later that night, I felt the effects of my food allergies. I was surprised that chickpeas would cause me allergy issues, but upon further investigation, I discovered raw garlic, wheat flour and canola oil in the ingredients! Dagnabbit. So, I prepared my own version of baked, allergen-free falafel. It turned out pretty well! See below for my recipe:

Ingredients:
• One 15 oz can chickpeas, drained
• 1/2 small red onion, diced
• One clove of garlic, minced (or a few shakes of garlic powder if you're sensitive to it, like me!)
• 1 tablespoons of fresh or dried parsley
• 2 tablespoons coconut or almond flour
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon cumin or chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder (for those sensitive to corn, I make my own blend of baking powder using a 2:1 ratio of Cream of Tartar and Baking Soda)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Combine all of your ingredients into a food processor or high-powered blender. Purée ingredients until you have a smooth, paste. On a cookie sheet, spread parchment paper or drizzle olive oil to create a non-stick surface. Spoon small, cookie-dough sized balls (about the size of a ping pong ball) onto the sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Flip the falafels, then bake for 10-15 more minutes on the other side. Serve with Paleo Tzaziki sauce (see below for recipe)! Yummm.

Ingredients for Paleo Tzaziki sauce:
• 1 cup cucumber, seeded and shredded
• 1/2 cup minced red onion
• 1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk or cream (canned)
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed (or a few shakes of garlic powder if you are sensitive to it)
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon dried dill
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper