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Healthy Vegetarian Foods

Quick Healthy Falafel

In Johannesburg we have been experiencing a heat wave and with this kind of weather you most certainly do not want to be in the kitchen preparing a full meal and you also want to eat light meals comprising of lots of salads and fruit. Being vegetarian, I have to ensure that when we have light meals we add our protein and sometimes you do get fed up of having salads with beans, chick peas and lentils—you want something more interesting and healthy all at the same time.

Woolies have a wonderful Vegetarian Patty that is made with chick peas, bulger wheat and a variety of vegetables and for me it is such a versatile ingredient in creating interesting dishes. I use it as a filling for Falafels – it is a healthy version of the deep fried falafel balls, and then all you do is add the rest of the salad ingredients of your choice and you literally have a guilt free “Falafel”

Falafels

 4 Woollies Vegetarian Patties

20ml oil

10ml lemon juice

2.5ml salt

100ml Hummus

250ml shredded lettuce

100ml chopped tomatoes

100ml sliced mix peppers

50ml finely chopped onions (optional)

100ml grated cheese (optional)

3 whole-wheat pita breads cut in half

Mix Veg Patty

Method

  • Heat oil in flat pan, and cut each patty into 6 pieces and place in the pan to cook and crisp up
  • Season with salt and lemon juice and remove from heat and allow to cool
  • Prepare the pita pockets – spread a generous amount of hummus around the pitas and some of the salad ingredients and then some of the patty pieces and top with more salad/cheese
  • I generally use about 8 pieces of the patty per half pita
  • Serve with a vegetable salad

 

Mix Veg Pitas

 Vegetable Salad

 100ml sliced carrots

75ml chopped sugar snap peas

50ml fresh peas

50ml chopped baby corn

250ml chopped iceberg lettuce

35ml pumpkin seeds

35ml sunflower seeds

35ml sesame seeds

 Dressing

 10ml lime juice

15ml olive oil

3ml salt

10ml finely chopped coriander leaves

Mix Veg Salad

Method

  •  Blanch the carrots, sugar snap peas, and peas and keep cool in cold water bath and add the baby corn
  • Layer the lettuce on a platter, and make a well in the centre of the platter and place the drained blanched vegetables – sprinkle the seeds over the salad
  • Mix ingredients for the dressing and pour over the salad-serve immediately

 

Comments: 4

  • 14/01/2013

    Wow, we are thinking along the same lines, mad a falafel salad over the weekend. My family loves falafels in a pita!!

    • 14/01/2013

      Thanks Nina, this is such an excllent alternative to the deep fried original falafel balls–my son just loves this dish

  • 15/01/2013

    This meal is perfect for the weather you’ve had up here 🙂

    • 15/01/2013

      Thanks Tandy, so does this mean you are visiting Joburg at the moment. Hopefully you are enjoying your stay–let me know if you have time for a visit

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