Spicy Baked Falafel Sandwiches With Homemade Tzatziki

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 2 (14 ounce) cans garbanzo beans, drained (chickpeas)
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 tablespoon crushed red chile flakes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 ounces greek yogurt
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded & finely chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill (fresh is preferable, but if you only have dried dill like i did, that works too)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 whole wheat pita bread
• 1 large tomato, sliced
• 4 large lettuce leaves
• 1 onion, sliced and separated

Recipe

• 1 preheat the oven to 350 degrees, then prepare the tzatziki by combining the yogurt, garlic, cucumber*, herbs, lemon juice & salt in a bowl and mixing until well combined. cover & chill in the refrigerator while you prepare the falafel.
• 2 in a large bowl, mash the chickpeas using a fork or a mortar & pestle. add the onion, garlic, herbs, spices & flour, and mix together to make a thick paste. roll small amounts if the mixture into ping pong sized balls, then flatten slightly to form small discs.
• 3 line baking sheet with foil. lightly brush both sides of each falafel disc with the olive oil and place on baking sheet. bake for about 15 minutes, turning about halfway through the cooking process so they’re evenly browned.
• 4 assemble your sandwiches by stuffing each pita pocket with 2-3 falafel pieces and as many veggies as you can fit in there. drizzle with a generous amount of tzatziki (or hummus, or tahini, for the purists), and enjoy!