Falafel Inspired

It is a weeknight and post-work energy is low. It is not gone, however... there seems to be just enough energy to dismiss digging into the take-out menu stash. That said, what can we make for dinner that is quick, easy, and healthy? I had a craving for comfort food, and to me, that denotes hot "out of the oven" items. Both Charlie and I are trying to be more health-conscious, so that slashes the initial comfort food ideas (such as Macaroni and Cheese). While on the subway, I was brainstorming in my head ... Empanadas? ("Nah... too Heavy.) ... Taco Salad? ("Nah ... too much stuff to buy) ... Falafel? And the eyebrow raises...

The pantry was stocked with canned Garbanzos which makes making falafel (chickpea patties) an obvious choice. And thanks to Charlie's shopping spree this past weekend, the pantry now features some unique items like Artichoke Hearts. How could I add this to the menu? The never-fail combo of Artichokes with Spinach made my mouth water, but what does that have to do with Falafel? I said to myself, "David, just get in the kitchen and have some fun".

This is what I came up with:

Items:
1/2 10-oz. bag of pre-washed spinach leaves, raw
1/2 15-oz. can of garbanzos (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
1 14-oz. can of artichoke hearts, drained
1-2 TBSP. of Tahini
1/4 cup of crumbled Feta Cheese
1 egg
A splash of water

... and heavy dashes of:
salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, nutmeg, corriander, pimenton, cumin, and oregano

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Combine all items into a food processor. Mixture will be dry. (If you feel that your mixture is too dry, add some additional water, but not too much.)
3. Line a baking sheet with Parchment Paper.
4. Scoop mixture onto parchment into roughly 1-1.5 inch-wide circles. (I used our baby ice-cream scoop.)
5. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. "Falafel" will be light, but just firm enough to hold together without falling apart. Makes about 18-24 mini-Falafel balls.

This dish is so easy and could easilly be served as an appetizer at a party. You can hardly taste the spinach, which could make this a great candidate for getting kids to eat their leafy greens. I served this alongside a simple salad of cherry tomatoes in oil, salt, and oregano. Dinner could not have been easier (or healthier). And Charlie even licked the bowl... A sure sign that this invention is "blogging material". Happy cooking, and happy inventing!