Vegetarian Pumpkin falafel and QUinoa salad

This dish is sooo tasty.  It has a few components, but once you've made it you have lunch and dinner for the family or yourself for a few days!  It's suitable for vegans, vegetarians, GF, DF or just someone wanting a healthy balanced meal.

Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Falafel

• 1 tbsp. olive oil 
• 1 medium onion quartered
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 cup cooked or canned chickpeas drained and rinsed (if using tinned, BPA free and organic are best to avoid chemicals)
• 1/2 pumpkin roasted
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. ground coriander seed
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/4 coconut flour (optional, I have also made without)

Make the Pumpkin Falafel

1. Preheat oven to 180. dry roast pumpkin cubed, set aside once cooked (This could be pre-done)
2. Place onion, garlic and chickpeas in food processor and pulse a few times to break up everything.
3. Add pumpkin, cilantro, 1 tablespoon olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, salt, pepper. Pulse a few more times, until a coarse paste forms. Be careful not to overdo it.
4. Form mixture into 16-20 balls or small patties. Mixture will be soft, so handle it gently and use wet hands to avoid sticking.
5. Arrange falafels on baking sheet. Bake about 35 minutes, turning once or twice to ensure even baking.

Make the Tahini Dressing
Ingredients

• 2-3 tbsp tahini
• Juice 2 lemons
• Filtered water
• Pinch of stevia

1. Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl, adding a bit more water if the mixture seems too thick.

Quina Salad
​Ingredients (makes a large salad)

• 1/2 cup organic Quinoa cooked (list last 5 days in the fridge, so can be cooked at added as you go to meals)
• 1 capsicum cubed
• 1 bunch of parsley finely chopped
• 1/2 red onion
• 1/2 punnet of cherry tomatoes

Cut all ingredients and mix together.  Feel free to add a lemon juice/olive oil dressing, but I don't think it needs it if you have the tahini dressing.

To serve, simply place to salad on a plate, top with the patties and drizzle with the tahini dressing.  Optional to add a fried egg also.

Enjoy guys! :)
xx