Sweet Potato & Chickpea Falafel Balls

Makes 20 balls

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Happy Wednesday evening/Thursday morning guys! I thought we could use a bit of a 180 from the last recipe (ridiculously sweet smores). I've gone for a vegan option that will have your taste buds singing as well as your digestive system, These taste great, go well with so many things or are just fab on their own, and they are a one bowl wonder. Chuck everything in one bowl, scoop it out onto a tray, bake, and you're golden!

PRO TIPS

• I like to eat these with a toasted pita bread; I smear hummus on it, layer it with a mild cheddar, baby spinach, red onion, greek yoghurt, and mint (it's awesome).

• The inside is not meant to be doughy once cooked, it's nice and smooth (so not exactly like a falafel).

• Taste the mixture before putting it in the oven to see if you would like more of a particular spice (i.e. more cayenne for spiciness).

• Substitute the yoghurt for a vegan option and these are completely vegan!

Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 medium (or 1 large) sweet potatoes

• 400 grams of canned chickpeas

• 1 medium red onion, diced

• 4 cloves of garlic, crushed

• 1/2 cup of coriander, roughly chopped

• 1/2 cup of plain flour (or chickpea flour for gluten free option)

• 2 teaspoons of cumin

• 1 teaspoon of chilli powder

• 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne powder

• 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon of salt

• 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder

• 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper

• 1 tablespoon of mild olive oil

• Greek yoghurt (optional)

• Chopped fresh mint (optional)

• Extra virgin olive oil (optional)

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 205℃

2. Wash and pat dry the sweet potatoes. Prick the outside of them with a fork and then place them on a folded paper towel. Place them individually in the microwave for 3-5 minutes (depending on size) then flip them over and microwave for another 3-5 minutes. Remove them from the microwave, slice them in half and scoop out the cooked flesh. If the flesh is still hard, continue to microwave until fully cooked through

3. Using a food processor or a masher, mash your chickpeas down as much as you can (a few chunks of chickpeas in the mixture actually give it a great texture so don't worry too much)

4. Mix together all the ingredients with the chickpeas and sweet potato EXCEPT FOR the oil

5. Using an ice cream scoop or about 2 tablespoons worth of batter, scoop the mixture onto a baking tray lined with baking paper

6. Brush the olive oil over the balls

7. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes

8. Serve with greek yoghurt, mint, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil!

9. Enjoy :) !!!

Stay Salty,

Romy xx