12 Steps to Whole Foods

Making Plant-Based Main Dishes
* Falafel Pita Pockets
1 pkg. whole-wheat pita pockets
1½ C dried garbanzo beans (chickpeas) (or 3 C canned garbanzo beans [taken from 2 cans], rinsed
and drained; use remaining beans in a salad another day)
3 C water
2½ C parsley, chopped and loosely packed
2½ yellow onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. coriander
1 tsp. pepper
½ Tbsp. sea salt
1 tsp. cayenne
coconut oil, for frying
1 large cucumber, peeled and sliced
2 tomatoes, sliced
Soak the dried garbanzo beans overnight (or 8-12 hours), then drain well. Bring 3 C water to a boil and add the
garbanzo beans. Reduce the heat, simmer for 1 hour, then drain. (Optionally, use canned beans.) Blend the
beans into a paste (not totally creamy) with the parsley and onions in a high-powered blender. Mix the paste
with the spices in a bowl. Refrigerate to allow flavors to blend, then form into small patties and fry in coconut
oil until lightly browned on both sides. Serve with tahini sauce (below) and sliced tomatoes and cucumbers in
whole-wheat pita pockets. Serves 6-8.
Tahini Sauce:
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp. sea salt
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
½ C tahini (sesame seed paste)
½ C fresh lemon juice
3-4 Tbsp. water (or enough to make a thick but pourable sauce)
Blend everything in a high-powered blender until smooth.
182 12 Steps to Whole Foods
© Copyright Robyn Openshaw