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Summer Salads with Black Bean Falafels

July 10, 2008 · Filed Under Recipes · Comment

Summer Salad with Black Bean Falafels
Serves 4 big salads

Why are salads a starter, side dish or a’light meal’ at best? What an awesome way to make sure you are getting loads of raw vegetables! Here a salad is the main mea- perfect for a warm day when you don’t want anything too heavy. The salad is topped with high protein falafels, so it is also filling and satisfying. For leftovers, try the falafels wrapped in a tortilla for lunch.

Black Bean Falafels

Makes 24-30 little falafel patties

These high protein patties look like chocolate cookies. Boy, was my husband in for a surprise when he went to eat a “treat”! But, it got me thinking: why not eat these little patties as treats throughout the day? They are a lot healthier than cookies–loaded with protein and fiber. Plus, they taste great! (just not like a chocolate cookie- to avoid any confusion!)

2 15-oz cans black beans, drained well
1 small red onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon baking powder
Cayenne pepper (to taste)
olive oil for brushing

Preheat oven to 400F. Combine black beans, onion, garlic, cumin, chili powder and salt in food processor and pulse until blended. Add oats, cilantro, baking powder, cayenne and blend until well mixed. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to make it easier to handle (this makes it so much easier to roll the balls).

When mixture is chilled, form into 1-inch balls:

Brush a baking sheet with olive oil and place falafel balls on the sheet, flattening using a greased spatula or your hands, brushing the tops with olive oil.

Bake, at 400 F, for 10 minutes, turn patties over and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Summer Salad

1 head romaine lettuce, shredded or thinly sliced
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 carrots, grated
1 cucumber, diced (peeled or unpeeled)
1/2 bunch green onions, sliced
2 fresh cobs of corn, corn cut off
Salt and pepper to taste
3 Tablespoons tahini
1/3 cup water
3 Tablespoons light or yellow miso
4 Tablespoons lime juice

2 plum tomatoes, chopped for garnish, if desired

In a large bowl, mix lettuce, cilantro, carrots, cucumber, green onion and corn and season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, water, miso and lime juice until well blended. Pour over salad and serve with black bean falafels on top garnished with chopped tomatoes.

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Until next week, Eat Well, Be Well and LOVE Every Bite!

~Jenny

Summer Vegetable Ragout over Grilled Polenta Wedges

July 3, 2008 · Filed Under Recipes · Comment

Summer Vegetable Ragout over Grilled Polenta Wedges
Serves 6

This recipe is delicious with the grilled polenta and is also wonderful over pasta. Don’t skip the fresh rosemary in this recipe- it is fantastic!

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 leek, washed and sliced
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 yellow squash, diced
1 zucchini, diced
1 yellow or red bell pepper, diced
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup pitted Kalamata olives, sliced
3/4 cup dry white wine or vegetable stock
2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the leek and garlic, and sauté for about 3 minutes. Add the zucchini, yellow squash, and pepper and sauté stirring often, for 5 to 6 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients, cover and simmer the vegetables over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper if needed. Serve over grilled polenta wedges.

Grilled Polenta Wedges
Makes 12 wedges

You can purchase Ready-to-Use polenta in a tube, but making your own polenta is really easy and tasty!

6 cups water
1 3/4 cup dry polenta (yellow cornmeal)
2 teaspoons salt
2 Tablespoons olive oil (plus extra for brushing)

Bring water to a boil and add the cornmeal and salt, and simmer gently over medium heat, stirring frequently with a wire whisk, being careful to not boil over.

Add olive oil and whisk until liquid is absorbed and polenta is smooth, about 10-15 minutes.

Turn off heat and pour polenta mixture out onto a parchment lined baking sheet (for easy grilling, you want the wedges to be at least a 1/2 inch thick).

Cover with another piece of parchment and chill for at least an hour to set, but you can also chill it overnight. Once polenta has set, cut into 12 wedges, and brush each side with olive oil. Place the wedges on a hot grill, and cover. Grill until polenta is golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Top with Summer Vegetable Ragout.