Gluten-Free Mid-E Platter

So, the other day I went to The Grit and had their Mid-E Platter. It's a tasty dish that comes with hummus, pita points, raw veggies, tabbouleh, and a lemon-tahini sauce. Oh, and two falafel. Well, I was really craving that Mid-E Platter, but was (and still am!) a little short on cash, so I thought I would make my own version at home. I decided to do a gluten-free version this time around though. I really wanted to make some GF pita, since I have a recipe, but I didn't. Because, after making the soyogurt sauce, tabbouleh, and falafel, and making the salad, I was a little tired lol. But in all honesty, these recipes are quick. I did all that in exactly one hour and have plenty of leftovers for tomorrow.

Pictured: Tahini-Yogurt Sauce, Baked GF Falafel, GF Quinoa Tabbouleh, Hummus, sliced cucumbers, and carrots on a bed of romaine lettuce.

The Falafel is a revised and perfected version of my previous falafel recipe. The hummus was store bought, the tahini-soyogurt sauce needs a little work (it's not quite right), and the quinoa tabbouleh is my version of the basic way to make it gluten-free. So you get two recipes tonight, my friends. 

Gluten-Free Baked Falafel:

1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped
2 Tb. tahini
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. fresh grated lemon peel
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tb. minced onion
1/8 c. water
1/4 c. gluten-free cornflake crumbs (be sure they're vegan)

1. Pulse chickpeas, parsley, tahini, garlic, lemon juice and peel, cumin, corianger, chili powder, onion, water, and salt in a food processor until mostly smooth, but still a little bit chunky.
 

2. Transfer chickpea mixture to a bowl and stir in bread crumbs.

3. Make about 15 small (ping pong-sized) balls and place on a nonstick baking sheet or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (if not nonstick). Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until golden brown and crispy on the outside. Be sure to flip it over once while baking.

Stats for one falafel (if 15 are made): 55 calories, 1.7 g fat, 1.6 g fiber, 2.2 g. protein, and a little bit of Vitamin A, C, calcium, and iron.

And they still hold together pretty nicely as well. You can eat them as part of a platter or you can stuff them in a pita or a wrap. Your choice!

The tabbouleh is made gluten-free with the use of quinoa (a seed). It's a pretty powerful little seed and definitely good for you. I think it makes a fine substitution for wheat grain. Also, I know that authentic tabbouleh is more parsley than grain, but I still like a little grain with my parsley. If you catch my drift. This recipe is based off of one from Bon Appetit.

Quinoa Tabbouleh:

1 cup quinoa, rinsed well
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large English cucumber, chopped
1 1/2 c. mini heirloom tomatoes (or reg. tomatoes), halved
2/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1/4 c. onion, minced

 

1. Bring quinoa, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1 1/4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

2. Meanwhile, whisk lemon juice and garlic in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Add cucumber, tomatoes, parsley, and onion to bowl with quinoa; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Once quinoa is completely cool, add the the bowl with the dressing and the chopped veggies.

 

The nutritional stats on this one is an estimated cause I'm not quite sure how many servings I'll get out of this one. I'd say about 6 servings at about 210 calories and 9 grams of fat. 

So that was my lunch today and will be my lunch tomorrow! It was quick delicious, and like I said, if you make all the pieces on one day, you can have very quick leftovers the next few!

I'll be making some stuff from Viva Vegan here shortly (I've already prepared my sofrito and bought the produce!) and I even tried my hand at yuca. I made Cilantro-Lime Yuca and it was delicious. Especially when served with Cuban Black Beans and a corn tortilla. More tasty things to come!