Sweet Potato “Falafel” with Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce

Sweet Potato “Falafel” with Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce

I use the term falafel in the loosest possible sense here. These are not fried like traditional falafel, so sweet potato patties might be the more appropriate name.

These also showcase my love of sweet potatoes rather nicely. I tried to make them with regular potatoes for someone who does not like sweet potatoes, and the texture was completely wrong due to the higher starch content of regular potatoes. Therefore, I recommend making the sweet potato version and also having the benefit of a whopping serving of vitamin A!

Falafel:

Ingredients:

½ tbsp flax seed
2 tbsp hot water
2 medium sweet potatoes
2 tsp cumin
2 cloves garlic, peeled
Cayenne pepper to taste
1 tsp lemon juice
½ cup whole wheat flour
½ tsp baking powder
Non-stick cooking spray
Sesame seeds (optional)

Apparatus:

Fork
2 bowls
Microwave
Knife
Food processor
Baking sheet
Ice cream scoop (or anything with a similar capacity)

Process:

1) Combine flax seed and hot water in 1 bowl. Whisk with fork and set aside to thicken.
2) Pierce sweet potatoes with fork and place in microwave for 10 minutes.
3) Once sweet potatoes are removed from microwave, and chop into medium sized pieces. Place into food processor.
4) Add garlic, cumin, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, and flax seed mixture into food processor, and grind until mixture is smooth. (If using a small food processor, this could take a few batches.)
5) Put smooth mixture from food processor into bowl. Add baking powder and 1 tbsp of flour. Use fork to mix.
6) Continue adding flour in tablespoon increments until the mixture becomes stiff.
7) Spray baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
8) Using ice cream scoop, take a scoop of mixture and place on baking sheet. Flatten using back of scoop.
9) Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
10) Bake in oven set at 400 degrees F for 25 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown.

*You can serve these in a multitude of ways. I like to serve them with spinach and grape tomatoes and dip them in the cucumber sauce like a warm salad. You can also place a patty in pita bread or a tortilla for a delicious sandwich.

This recipe yields 4 patties, and they freeze and re-heat well, so they can be kept on hand for a quick lunch option.*





Cucumber-Yogurt sauce

Ingredients:

½ cup non-fat plain yogurt
1 clove garlic, peeled
2 tsp lemon juice
½ medium cucumber

Apparatus:

Food processor

Process:

1)Place all ingredients into food processor. Grind until smooth.
2)Place in a container in the fridge to get rid of any excess warmth created during the processing.
3)Enjoy as a dip for vegetables, pita bread, a substitute for salad dressing, or anything else you can think of!