Hiking and food are topics I can be known to rattle on about and my friends know they are a passion for me. On Valentine’s Day this year, I joined my favorite Meetup group for a snow shoe up to Artist Point at the Mt. Baker Ski Resort area.
I greeted my friend Michael and the first thing he says is, “I have a recipe for you!”. Awesome, I think. He then says, “Baked falafel.”
Two things came to mind. One, falafel is the last thing I thought he’s suggest. And second, what the heck is falafel? I couldn’t admit that, of course. I’m a foodie! I had definitely heard of it before but because I assumed it was some form of bread, I hadn’t tried it.
So, I had to do my research. Turns out that I probably associated it with bread because it is often served in a pita. Falafel is a patty or ball made from beans (usually chickpeas/garbanzo) and spices then deep fried. Its ingredient list makes it basically a fried hummus ball. It is a popular street food in the Middle East, often served with tahini-based sauces.
Well, sign me up!
#cauliflower #almondflour #coconutflour #tahini #eggs #lemon #oliveoil #spices
I have been making different kinds of beanless hummus like my Paleo Pumpkin Hummus for several years now with much success. Most backpacking falafel recipes use a prepackaged falafel mix that you just add water to; not going to work for me. Since I don’t do beans normally, I went in search of a paleo version and found a few I could work with. I like the idea of using veggies in addition to nuts for eating on the trail for this recipe.
I also decided to combine the falafel itself with the tahini sauce it is normally served with to keep things easy on the trail. I used these two recipes as inspiration: Balanced Bites Easy Paleo Falafel and I Breathe I’m Hungry Low Carb Falafel with Tahini Sauce.
I followed the directions for ricing and steaming the cauliflower in the Balanced Bites recipe above, making sure to squeeze out as much water as possible with a clean towel (very important).
I then mixed all the ingredients together in a bowl until it made a ball. I have made a vegan version using flax egg (how to linked below) and although they formed and baked nicely, they were just a bit more crumbly.
Using a 1/8 measuring cup to measure out the dough, I formed each scoop into a patty with my hands and laid them out on a silpat sheet (I bought mine at Costco).
I baked them at 350 degrees for 40 minutes until golden brown, flipping the patties half way through.
They store for about a week in the refrigerator and make a perfect protein snack for my outdoor adventures or even for lunch in a lettuce wrap. I have successfully packed them for backpacking to be eaten in the first 2 days!
Here I took these lovely morsels out with me on a snowshoe I took up to Kelcema Lake on the Mountain Loop Highway and they were just what I needed after the long trek in.
Want another great way to eat cauliflower on the trail? Check out my Sneaky Turkey Stroganoff, and if you enjoyed this recipe, head over to my Hiking and Backpacking Paleo Index for over 75 tasty treats to take on your next outdoor adventure!
Paleo Falafel
This hearty morsel is the perfect combination of falafel and tahini dressing in one portable snack filled with cauliflower for your next outdoor adventure.
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Total Time
1 hour
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Keto, Nightshade Free, No Dehydrator Needed, Paleo, Vegetarian, Whole Food
Servings: 20 falafel
Ingredients
- 1 medium head cauliflower about 5 cups riced
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 1/3 cup coconut flour
- 1 juice of a lemon
- 2 eggs use flax eggs for vegan, link below
- 1 1/2 tablespoon Cumin
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder I love garlic, just to warn you!
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
Instructions
- Core the cauliflower and cut it into smaller pieces, discarding the core. Using the shredder blade on a food processor, shred the cauliflower until it looks like rice.
- Place the shredded cauliflower in a steamer basket over a few cups of water in a sauce pan on medium high heat.
- Steam the cauliflower for about 5 minutes, until slightly mushy to the touch using a spoon.
- Squeeze the cooked cauliflower in a clean towel over the sink, making sure to squeeze out as much water as possible (very important). Use a second dry towel if needed.
- Combine all the ingredients together in a large bowl until it comes together as a ball.
- Using a 1/8 measuring cup, form the dough into patties with your hands and lay them out on a silpat sheet or parchment paper.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes until golden brown, flipping half way through.
Notes
I tried frying these the traditional way for the extra calories but that was a major fail. They completely fell apart.
If you eat beans or don’t want to hassle with the work, I’m sure you could do the same thing with the premade falafel mix (in place of the cauliflower, almond flour and coconut flour). You would just have to add more water/oil to make a doughy consistency.
You could also use canned garbanzo beans drained and pureed in the food processor in place of the cauliflower and skip the coconut flour.
For a vegan version, you could use flaxseed eggs like this.
Enjoy!
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