falafel

Picnic

Probably the only thing better than eating falafel at a picnic is making falafel - once you find an easy, quick, tasty recipe, that is.

If you are searching for the perfect falafel recipe, look no more.

For those that are unaware of what falafel is, it is ground chickpeas, parsley and carrots, made into balls or patties and are typically fried in plenty of oil. Not here, oh no! Frying them in a teaspoon or two will get you crispy and delicious flalafels. This recipe is not any more complicated than opening a can of beans into a food processor along with the veggies. Buzz, form into patties and pan-fry.

The tahini sauce is made with yogurt, garlic, homemade tahini (much cheaper than buying at the store), lemon juice,a little olive oil and a dash of sweetener.

The kids loved it. I loved it. David will love it, too.

Cost Breakdown:

pita:$1.50

chickpeas: $2

vegetables: $3

tahini and yogurt: $1

lemon: $.50

Total to make 10 patties, 5 servings:

$7.00

eggplant and zucchini stroganoff

European Night

I have made stroganoff before, using seitan or tofu or some other meat substitute, but tonight I used all vegetables. Except for the pasta, there is no processed anything in this dish. No sour cream substitute or soy cream or anything that you need to get off the shelf at the grocers.

I seared criminis, Japanese eggplant and zucchinis. I sauteed onions, garlic and peppers. I blended 1 c cashews with 3 c water and strained it through a nut bag. I added 3 T of Bryanna's homemade chicken-style broth mix and heated the whole thing together. As I've blogged before, the fresh nut milk thickens when heated. To sour it up a bit, I added 1 T of white balsamic vinegar.

I cannot find non-egg, wide noodles at the stores here, so I made them using lasagna noodles that I sliced into thick strips after cooked.

Heaven on a plate. So, so good.

Even the kids who do not like zucchini loved this. Of course, they said it would have been even better without the zucchini.

Not the adults! Perfect as is!

Cost Breakdown:

cashews: $1

nutritional yeast: $.50

eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms: $5

onion, garlic, pepper: $1

lasagna noodles: $2

Total to feed 8 people:

$9.50

EGGPLANT AND ZUCCHINI STROGANOFF PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE