Warning, this is not the salad to eat:
- On a first date
- Before a long car ride with another person
- Before an interview
- Before going to a bar where loud music forces close-talking
Are we clear?
Any other time though, this is amazing. Happily married for 2 years? Chomp away my friends, because what’s theirs is yours at this point. No garlic breath can change that! Yay!
I love falafel. Like, very dearly. But it’s kinda time-consuming to make! Lots of fuss, plus cook time, I don’t have time for that! OK, sometimes I make time for that, but not this time. This time I thought about how to get everything I love about falafel (the herbs, the spice, the freshness) without actually making them. And here we have it folks, a deconstructed falafel salad. Yum. You could also make this and then put it all in a pita or wrap and call it a falafel salad pita/wrap. Fancy, I know.
Anyways, there is literally NOTHING bad for you in here, or even flirting with bad.
Just loads of veggies, healthy protein packed chickpeas, and a dressing that could not be more full of antioxidant goodness. Herbs are amazing for your health, and by blending them into a dressing…you get even more goodness packed into every dip, lick, and slather. And that garlic… not so great for the breath, but so freakin great for your health. So great in fact, one of my coworkers puts a teaspoon of chopped garlic on each of her family members plates every night for dinner! She’s adamant that it keeps them all from getting sick. I prefer to just cook with it, but hey, to each their own!
Thanks for reading! Let me know how it turns out!
| Deconstructed Falafel Salad | Print |
- 2 tablespoons sesame tahini
- 1 cloves garlic,
- ½ bunch cilantro leaves (1 cup loosely packed)
- ½ bunch parsley leaves (1 cup loosely packed)
- ½ tsp. cumin
- ¼ tsp. turmeric
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon juice
- ⅛ tsp. Salt
- pinch of pepper
- ¼ cup water
- Romaine lettuce, or lettuce of choice, 4 cups chopped
- ¼ an english cucumber, diced
- ½ tomato, sliced
- ¼ cup sliced red onion
- ⅔ cup canned chickpeas, drained
- ½ red bell pepper, sliced
- banana peppers, optional
- Combine the tahini, garlic, herbs, spices, lemon juice, olive oil, water, salt and pepper in a blender. Blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt. Set aside.
- Arrange lettuce, cucumber, tomato, onion, chickpeas, bell peppers, and banana peppers in a large mixing bowl. Top with desired amount of dressing, about 4-5 tablespoons, and toss to combine.
- Serve immediately.
