I recommend making your own falafel and hummus for flavour, nutrition and ingredient-transparency. Just remember to start at least the day before so that the legumes can soak overnight.

Storage

You can keep the prepped ingredients in separate containers in the fridge for the next day (apart from the falafel and pita, keep those at room temperature).

What is a Complete Protein?

A complete protein contains all nine essential amino acids that the human body cannot produce on its own and must obtain from the diet. Animal-based foods like meat, fish, eggs and dairy are typically complete proteins. However, many plant-based foods lack one or more essential amino acids, making them incomplete proteins.

Some plant foods, such as quinoa, soybeans (tofu, tempeh, edamame), chia seeds, hemp seeds and buckwheat, are complete proteins on their own. Others, like beans, lentils, nuts and seeds, are incomplete but can be combined with other sources to form complete proteins. For example, combining legumes with grains, grains with nuts or nuts with legumes can create a complete protein meal.

Our body can store these amino acids and combine them with those received from sources we consume at other times during the day. So eating a complete protein is not essential for every dish. However, combining different sources of proteins in a single meal makes it easier to cover the daily intake.

serves 4

Ingredients

Pita Filling

• 16 falafel balls (make before)

• hummus (make before)

• 1 red onion

• 1 tbsp sumac

• 2 lemons

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 little gem lettuce

• 2 large tomatoes

• 1/2 cucumber

• 30g parsley

• 4 pita breads

Tahini Sauce

• 80g tahini

• 4 tbsp lemon

• 1 garlic clove

Method

Start by making the falafel and hummus. Keep in mind that you need to start this at least the day before in order to soak the legumes.

For the pita filling, finely slice the onion and mix the slices together with the sumac, the juice of 1 lemon, the extra virgin olive oil and 1/2 tsp salt. Set aside.

Finely slice the gem lettuce, dice the tomatoes and cucumber, finely chop the parsley. Set everything aside separately.

In the meantime, make a quick tahini sauce by mixing the tahini and lemon juice with 1 tbsp of water and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix it together until thickened, then keep adding small amounts of water until you can drizzle the tahini from a spoon. Then serve alongside the falafel.

Reheat the pita breads either in the oven or the toaster. Then cut open the breads and spread a thick layer of hummus inside. Add a bit of the onions, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber and parsley, followed by 2 falafel balls. Finish with a generous drizzle of the tahini sauce, an extra squeeze of lemon juice and a bit more parsley. Tuck in.

Storage: keep the prepped ingredients in separate containers in the fridge for the next day (apart from the falafel and pita, keep those at room temperature).

Falafel Pita Sandwich

A pita sandwich is a wonderful way to take your homemade falafel to the next level. Let’s face it. There’s a good reason why pretty much every culture has invented some form of sandwich. The idea to stuff two slices of ‘bread’ with a range of ingredients makes it not only convenient & fun to eat, but in the case of this falafel sandwich, it also means that you’re taking in all 9 amino acids, making this meal a complete protein.

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Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Course Lunch

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

Pita Filling

• 16 falafel balls make before
• hummus make before
• 1 red onion
• 1 tbsp sumac
• 2 lemons
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 little gem lettuce
• 2 large tomatoes
• 1/2 cucumber
• 30 g parsley
• 4 pita breads

Tahini Sauce

• 80 g tahini
• 4 tbsp lemon
• 1 garlic clove

Instructions

 

• Start by making the falafel and hummus. Keep in mind that you need to start this at least the day before in order to soak the legumes.
• For the pita filling, finely slice the onion and mix the slices together with the sumac, the juice of 1 lemon, the extra virgin olive oil and 1/2 tsp salt. Set aside.
• Finely slice the gem lettuce, dice the tomatoes and cucumber, finely chop the parsley. Set everything aside separately.
• In the meantime, make a quick tahini sauce by mixing the tahini and lemon juice with 1 tbsp of water and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix it together until thickened, then keep adding small amounts of water until you can drizzle the tahini from a spoon. Then serve alongside the falafel.
• Re-heat the pita breads either in the oven or the toaster. Then cut open the breads and spread a thick layer of hummus inside. Add a bit of the onions, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber and parsley, followed by 2 falafel balls. Finish with generous drizzle of the tahini sauce, an extra squeeze of lemon juice and a bit more parsley. Tuck in.

Notes

Storage: keep the prepped ingredients in separate containers in the fridge for the next day (apart from the falafel and pita, keep those at room temperature).

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Een bericht gedeeld door Julius Fiedler (@hermann)

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