Falafel

Falafel is very popular in the Middle East as a fast food. Vendors sell it on the street corners in Cairo. As a main dish, it is served as a sandwich, stuffed in pita bread with lettuce, tomatoes, and tahini. As an appetizer, it is served on a salad, or with hummus and tahini. Falafel is a favorite among vegetarians.
I made Falafel with garbanzo beans. Chickpeas, or garbanzo beans are an important source of nutrition, with trace minerals, fiber and protein. They are a rich source of molybdenum, which is a crucial nutrient for anyone who consumes sulfites, found in wine, luncheon meats, and salad bars. This trace mineral helps to detoxify sulfates, which would otherwise build-up and be harmful to the body. Molybdenum also is necessary for various enzymes, normal cell functioning and the health of teeth and bones. A deficiency is associated with mouth and gum problems, as well as impotence in elderly men. One cup of cooked garbanzo beans provides 184% of the daily recommended amount of molybdenum.

What else are chickpeas good for? The health benefits of chickpeas also include helping the body to lower LDL, or bad cholesterol levels. Almost all types of legumes are rich sources of dietary fiber, and the garbanzo bean is no exception. With nearly half of the daily requirement for fiber in one serving, eating chickpeas helps the body eliminate LDL cholesterol, and at the same time slows digestion so more nutrients can be absorbed and blood sugar levels can remain stable.
This nutritious bean also is an excellent food for heart health and the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Not only are there cholesterol lowering benefits of chickpeas, but the folate in this legume also lowers homocysteine levels. Homocysteine is a compound found in the body that, in high concentrations, is directly linked to heart disease. Magnesium is also vital for the heart. This mineral allows blood vessels to relax, which improves circulation, and increases oxygen and nutrient transport throughout the body.
Eating different types of legumes is a great way to provide the body with low-fat sources of protein. One serving has nearly thirty percent of the daily requirement for protein, and when combined with whole grains such as rice, the protein in chickpeas is comparable to that from animal sources.


Got this information from: http://www.brighthub.com/health/alternative-medicine/articles/46229.aspx#ixzz1E8w789D5

Ingredients

1 cup dried chickpeas or 16 oz. can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans.

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

3 tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon coriander

1 teaspoon cumin

2 tablespoons flour

Salt

Pepper

Oil for frying

Method
Soak the beans over night and boil them. You can use garbanzo beans can too. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Drain and rinse the garbanzo beans. Put in a medium sized bowl and smash with a fork. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Form into small balls, about 1 1/2″ in diameter and slightly flatten. You can make any shape. I made them in various shapes.

 Place onto an oiled baking pan.Bake for 20 minutes on each side, until nicely browned (since it’s baked, only the part actually touching the pan will be browned and crispy).

Serve with mini pita pockets, hummus, tahini sauce, tomatoes, lettuce and/or cucumber.

It was a wedding anniversary snack for us. YUM! YUM! YUM!
It is on the way to A-APPETIZERS


and My Legume Love Affair , Thirty Second


and Dish Name Starts with F