This time I tried to replicate falafel. For those of you who aren't familiar, falafel is a Mediterranean fried patty made primarily out of chickpeas and parsley and a horde of wonderful fragrant stuff. It's one of my favorite foods. So I took a five-bean entree, mixed it with some multi-grain cereal, spiced it up, fried some patties in a pan with a touch of non-stick cooking spray, and enjoyed.
In my opinion, the flavor wasn't that of falafel, although it was close. Lots of cumin, lots of garlic. This dish is PERFECT with a dab of fat free sour cream on each patty, although I was out at the time I made these and took pictures.
But the true magic of this dish is its texture and visual appeal. It is like nothing else I've made. It's a plate full of patties that look fried, and the outside gets slightly crispy.
And in case you wonder what I'm doing when I'm not cooking for you and me, here's an idea.
How about trying my hand at elderberry wine for the first time? Amazing how much juice came out of these little berries. And how big a mess I made getting at that juice. The wine is happily fermenting in my basement as we speak. I'll let you know if it's drinkable in about 8 to 12 months.
Aaaaaaaaaaaand I entered a pumpkin carving contest at the local movie theater. Hey, free tickets for a year is well worth the effort. I'll let you know if I win!
Mediterranean Patties
Ingredients:
1 five-bean entree
1 multi-grain cereal
1 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon Greek seasoning
couple pinches of paprika
OPTIONAL STEP: Pick the dried fruit out of your oatmeal. I have an idea for a recipe that uses this fruit that I hope to post in the next week or so. If you don't want to do this, you don't have to. I have made this dish with the fruit included and it is good with it, too. A bit sweet, but good.
Prepare your cereal like you normally would...in the microwave, add water according to package, etc. When the cereal is hot and finished, mix in a bowl with the five-bean entree. Add the cumin, garlic powder, Greek seasoning, and paprika. If you don't have Greek seasoning, just sprinkle in some dried parsley, maybe some onion flakes, a tad of oregano.
Spray some zero calorie cooking spray into a non-stick pan (I like to use olive oil spray for this one), and turn on medium heat. Spoon large dollops of bean mixture into the pan, smooshing it down into a patty shape with the back of the spoon. I got about five patties the size of my palm out of the mixture.
Cook on medium heat until bottom is browned. Be patient. Like anything else involving these mixes, lower heat and slower cooking is key. Start checking around four minutes. I've had mine gone as long as seven before flipping. I like the crust on the outside as thick as I can get it without burning it.
When the first side is done, flip with a spatula. If you've cooked it long enough, it will hold together long enough for you to flip it without any difficulty. Cook another 3-5 minutes, until browned. Scoop onto a plate and divide a tablespoon of fat free sour cream onto the five patties. Top with another sprinkle of paprika. Grab a fork and enjoy.
Counts as 1 entree and 1 shake on Decision Free.
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