One of the things I love most about cooking is getting creative and coming up with fun and new twists on classic favorites. Sure, recipes can be a great inspiration and give you ideas for new foods to make, but most of the time, I ditch the recipe halfway through and start improvising. And that was exactly what I did today when making these sweet potato falafels.Growing up, I was never a fan of Middle Eastern food. I thought the foods had a funny taste and texture, and even though I would eat them if I had to, I would’ve much rather avoided it and instead opted for some Italian food. Whenever my family went out to eat, we rotated between which person got to choose the restaurant we went to, and my mom always happened to choose a Middle Eastern restaurant when it was her turn to pick. Naturally, I was always very disappointed in this and did my best to convince her to pick another restaurant. However, she never budged. She wanted Middle Eastern food, so that’s what we were going to have.
Each time we went to a different restaurant, I branched out to try new foods, and I was surprised to see that I actually liked most of the Middle Eastern foods! Yes, some of them had different textures and flavors that I was used to, but I was beginning to truly appreciate all of the amazing flavors and spices they used.
Fast forward to today and I’m now a huge fan of Middle Eastern cuisine. Hummus. Baba Ghanoush. Fattoush. Shawarma. Tahini. Pita Breads. Falafels. Baklava. Name a Middle Eastern food, and I’m most likely a huge fan of it!
With that being said, falafels are one of my favorite recipes to whip up as a quick and easy side dish. You can make them larger like patties, or you can make them bite-size to serve as an appetizer. Not only are they easy to make, but they have great flavor and texture, as well.
One day, I thought to myself, “what would happen if I added some different flavors to the falafels? Say.. sweet potatoes?” And minutes later, I was in the kitchen whipping up a batch of sweet potato falafels. The first batch I made was good. They were a little bland and a little crumbly, so I tried again. And again. Until finally, I got it right.
These little falafels are packed full of healthy fats and complex carbs to keep you full until your next meal, so they make a great snack food when you need a little pick-me-up. Or, instead of eating them as a snack, you can also eat them as a side dish with your meal, or even make it into a meal of itself! I love filling a tortilla or pita wrap with hummus, tomatoes, arugula (or spinach), and these little falafels – it makes the perfect lunch!
Personally, I think these falafels have great flavor all on their own. However, they’re just as good plain as they are with a sauce, such as lemon tahini dip, hummus, or beet and ginger dip. You just can’t go wrong with these tasty little bites!
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled
- 1 (15-ounce) can chick peas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ tsp. each: garlic powder, cumin, cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp. dried parsley flakes (or 2 TBSP fresh, chopped)
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
- ¾ cup almond flour (or plain bread crumbs)
- Cook the sweet potatoes: you can either bake them, microwave them, boil them, or pressure cook them (normally I just toss mine in the pressure cooker to make it faster).
- To bake the potatoes, preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with foil and then drizzle with olive oil. Pierce each sweet potato a few times with a fork, and then bake for 45-50 minutes, or until tender. Remove from oven, let cool, and then peel.
- Once sweet potatoes are cooked, mash them and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and then drizzle with olive oil (or spray with non-stick cooking spray).
- Add the chick peas to the food processor and blend until mostly smooth, with a few lumps remaining.
- Add the mashed sweet potatoes, minced garlic, seasonings, and lemon juice to the food processor and process until just mixed.
- Remove the blade from the bowl, stir in the bread crumbs (or almond flour), and then use a 1" cookie scoop to shape into patties. Flatten slightly with your hands. If you want larger patties, use a ¼ cup measuring cup and then press them down to flatten.
- Bake 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Rotate cookie sheet halfway through baking.
