Butternut Squash Falafel with Tahini Maple Sauce
Serves: 4-6
INGREDIENTS
Butternut squash falafel:
- 1/2 cup Old Fashioned oatmeal
- 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped or pressed
- 1 can (15-oz) pumpkin or pureed butternut squash
- 1 (15-oz) can garbanzo beans, drained
- 1/2 cup parsley leaves, chopped
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 2 tsp. ground coriander
- 2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp. turmeric
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. sea salt
Maple tahini sauce:
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 2 tbsp. pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (from 1–2 lemons)
- Water to thin (about 2 tbsp.)
- Salt and pepper
Caramelized Onions:
- 3 large onions (about 3 cups sliced)
- 1 teaspoon olive, canola, or avocado oil
- 6 Whole wheat pita bread or flat bread
- Toppings: Greens (arugula, spinach, or shredded cabbage), caramelized onions
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Make the caramelized onions: slice onions lengthwise vertically so that they are in about 1 cm wide slices of onion. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat until heated. Add the onions and stir around. Add the oil and stir again. Top skillet with a lid and turn heat to lowest setting for 15 minutes, stirring around every 3-5 minutes. Remove lid and turn up heat to medium or medium high and cook onions for another 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and softened and taste sweet to taste, stirring every 3-5 minutes to make sure it doesn’t burn. Add small amount (1 teaspoon) water if needed to help keep from burning/getting dry.
- Make the oat flour by blending ½ cup oats in a blender or food processor until a fine flour and place into a medium sized bowl.
- Add chickpeas, garlic and pumpkin or butternut squash puree to the bowl of a food processor or blender. Pulse just a few times until you get a chunky mixture. You do not want to fully puree the mixture! Just a couple pulses should leave it chunky.
- Add this mixture to the bowl with the oat flour. Add: cumin, coriander, onion powder, turmeric and salt and pepper along with the roughly chopped parsley. Add the lemon juice and stir together to combine.
- Use a cookie scoop or your hands to portion into balls on the baking sheet.
- Bake for about 20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
- Make the sauce: combine all of the ingredients for the maple tahini sauce. Sauce should be thin enough to use as a drizzle, but not super watery! Add more water as necessary to thin it out.
- Remove falafel from oven, let cool slightly and place in pita or flatbread, topped with caramelized onions, greens, and tahini drizzle.