Falafel Inspired Paprika Carrot & Chickpea Baked Vegetarian Balls

I was inspired to put these flavors together when I remembered one of the best lunches I ever had at the now closed Centurion Restaurant that was located in down town Phoenix AZ. My three course $15.00 lunch included this paprika parmesan hummus that went so delicious with carrots. It came with other vegetables but sort of popped with the carrots so I put together similar flavors in a baked vegetarian balls.

Paprika Parmesan Hummus Plate from Centurion Phoenix AZ

A true falafel is fried and made with dried chickpeas so this patty is falafel inspired. I will call it a falafel anyway. This falafel isn’t going to win a prize for crispiest or fluffiest falafel and is more meatball like in texture with flavors are spot on. This is a very easy delicious recipe that anyone can prepare.

Ingredients to make about 19 meatball sized balls that are about 9 servings set oven to 350 degrees

2 carrots shredded

1 15oz. can garbanzo beans low sodium variety rinsed a few times (because they are very close to fresh made and are better than the dried out old ones from my local grocery store)

1/2 large sweet onion grated

3 garlic cloves grated

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon Hungarian paprika

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon coriander

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 beaten large eggs

1 Tablespoon tahini

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (fruity mildly spicy red pepper)

1/2 cup chickpea flour

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 Tablespoon honey

1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley

fresh ground sea salt for finishing

fresh ground black pepper for finishing

nonstick spray for your baking sheet

Directions

Using a blender blend up your eggs and slowly add your chickpeas. Once blended then add onions, garlic, tahini, honey and dry spices. Scrape out mixture to a bowl. Hand mix in your carrots, now hand mix in your flours and baking powder. Mix in your parsley. Spray your baking sheet with nonstick spray and shape the mixture into meatball size balls somewhere around a walnut size. Bake about 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

It’s Great and that’s The Forking Truth

Carrot Hummus served with Baked Carrot Falafels

This carrot hummus is very nontraditional. I didn’t use chickpeas and instead used carrots. I kept the flavors close to traditional flavors and used only minimal amounts of oil with the majority of the oil used just topping the hummus.  The curly parsley really accents these flavors really well make sure you go generous with the fresh parsley. This hummus is light and healthy and also is a delicious sandwich spread. I sacrificed a slight extra creamy texture for a healthy light recipe. For me it’s just creamy enough. If you desire more creaminess you can add some soft or clarified butter to this recipe if you want a more creamy texture. (Turkish Bi Tahina Hummus  does have butter in it and is the creamiest hummus I ever tasted) This recipe is very easy to prepare.      Prepare this hummus with easy baked Carrot Falafels Recipe to follow.

Ingredients for about 12 servings

1 lb. 10oz. carrots pealed and diced

3 garlic cloves chopped

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 Tablespoons honey

1/4 cup water

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup tahini

1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper

1/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon coriander

1 teaspoon Hungarian paprika

1/2 lemon (just the fresh juice)

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

one bunch fresh parsley for serving

Total of up to 12 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil for serving about one teaspoon per serving

Directions Set your oven to 375 degrees

Take your carrots and put in a flat baking pan with the garlic, 2 T extra virgin olive oil, honey, 1/4 c water and kosher salt.

Cover your pan with foil. place in oven and the carrots should be soft in a half hour.

Take your whole pan including liquid and blend till smooth. Add tahini, water and dry spices and blend till smooth. Serve with extra virgin olive oil and fresh curly parsley.

It’s Great and that’s The Forking Truth

Easy Spinach Risotto Cakes

These risotto cakes are delicious and much easier to prepare than risotto. You cook everything in one pot and only cook the risotto slightly more than half way because the cakes finish in the oven. These risotto cakes are also great for perfect portions since you only use what you need and the extras freeze well for use when you want them.

This recipe makes 24 individual delicious risotto cakes (two muffin pans with about 2 small servings extra)

Ingredients for 26 servings

1 lb. arborio rice

1 large sweet onion chopped small

2 cloves garlic minced

2 hot cherry peppers minced

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 cup dry white wine

4 cups vegetable stock

1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano shredded

3.5 oz sharp provolone shredded

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon rosemary

pinch saffron

nutmeg a few grates fresh

black pepper fresh ground

pinch cayenne

pinch white ground pepper

14 oz. fresh spinach

3 extra large eggs beaten

Cooking spray to spray two 12 serving cup cake pans

Directions set oven to 350 degrees

To your sauce pot on a medium high heat add the rice, onions, garlic, cherry peppers and olive stir about 5 minutes to fry the rice and get the onions translucent. Then add your wine, stock and spices. Turn your heat down to about medium and cook for about 8 minutes. It should look thicker at about 8 minutes. Now add the spinach and it will start melting down into the pot. Add cheese. Determine if seasonings need any adjustment. Lastly add beaten eggs. At this pint mixture will be almost as thick as regular risotto.Pour into sprayed cup cake pans.

In about a half hour they should be done.

You need to let these cool and set. Pop them out when cool and heat to use.

Easy Spinach Risotto Cakes

They come out delicious and creamy in perfect portions. For entertaining a side of marinara and a side of a cheesy parmesan/provolone sauce would be forking cool.

These are Forking Great and That’s The Forking Truth!