This healthy falafel recipe served with wraps and carrot salad. The falafels are raw – apart from the chickpeas – making them a delicious and healthy vegan or vegetarian lunch with no cooking required.
This week I was faced with a challenge – to create a sneaky veg recipe that required no cooking. I have quite a few raw dips and snacks here on the blog but not much in the way of actual meals. And so these raw falafel wraps were born. You do need a food processor (I used my Froothie Optimum G2.3 blender*) and a fridge to make these but there's no actual cooking involved.
The reason for this challenge is that I've been invited to go along to a kids' holiday camp next week (which is our summer half term here in the UK) to share some of my recipes – but they don't have any cooking facilities so everything has to be raw. I'm super excited about going along, although if I'm honest, a tiny bit nervous!
What are these healthy falafels like?
My kids love falafels and two of them love hummus. These raw falafels are somewhere in the middle. Straight out of the blender they're pretty squishy, but once they've had a chance to firm up in the fridge they hold their shape well. They're much healthier than normal falafel because there's no oil or frying involved and they're a great way to get kids to eat more veg (the hidden veg in this recipe is carrot) and contain lots of healthy protein as well.
These raw falafels are dipped in sesame seeds. I used a mix of black and white seeds but you can use whichever type you have. Strictly speaking they're not a totally raw dish as the canned chickpeas are cooked. But you don't actually need to do any cooking to prepare these.
If you have a dehydrator these falafels are the perfect use for it. A couple of hours in the dehydrator makes the texture much closer to a cooked falafel. But this is by no means essential and we enjoy them without dehydrating them.
This healthy falafel recipe served with wraps and carrot salad. The falafels are raw - apart from the chickpeas - making them a delicious and healthy vegan or vegetarian lunch with no cooking required.
Put all the ingredients apart from the sesame seeds into your high-speed blender or food processor.
Pulse until all the ingredients are well combined. You might need to stop a few times to scrape down the sides.
Put the sesame seeds into a bowl.
With lightly oiled hands roll the mixture into 10 small balls.
Dip each ball into the sesame seeds and roll until coated.
Meanwhile make the carrot salad.
Mix the grated carrot with the lemon juice and mustard seeds.
Serve with salad leaves (I used spinach) and wraps.
If you like this you might like these healthy baked cauliflower falafel.
I've linked this post up with CookBlogShare hosted this week by Everyday Healthy Recipes.
*Disclosure: I am an Ambassador for Froothie and any links to their products in this post are affiliate links which, if purchased through, won't cost you any more but will earn me a small commission. Affiliate links throughout are marked with an asterix. I only endorse products I am happy with and I have not been paid for this post. * Read my review of the G2.3 blender.
Thanks Choclette, yes they are indeed very handy to have in the fridge to snack on!
Thanks Kate! The kids all enjoyed making them and most of them enjoyed eating them too, including my own child who'd refused to eat them at home!!