VEGAN/GLUTEN-FREE RECIPE 

Ready in 1.5 hours

Serves 6 people

Ingredients

The Falafel

• ½ Yellow or White Onion
• 1 Red Bell Pepper
• 2 Cloves of Garlic
• 2 Cans of Chickpeas (14 oz) Drained
• ½ tsp Red Chili Flakes
• 1 tsp Ground Cumin
• ¼ Cup Vegan Yogurt
• 1 Tbsp Salt
• 1 tsp Pepper
• 5 Tbsp GF Flour
• ½ Cup Cilantro (or about 7-8 sprigs)
• Canola Oil (for cooking, quantities will vary)

The Hummus

• 1 Can Chickpeas (14 oz)
• ¼ Cup Lemon Juice
• ¼ Cup Tahini
• 1-2 Cloves Roasted Garlic
• 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• ½ tsp Ground Cumin
• ½ tsp Salt
• Pepper (on top if desires)
• Olive Oil (on top if desired)
• Hot Sauce (on top if desired)

The Tzatziki

• 1 Cucumber Peeled
• 1 Cup Vegan Yogurt
• 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
• 1 Clove Roasted Garlic
• ¼ tsp Salt
• 1 Tbsp Dried Dill

The Other Fixings

• 6 Gluten-Free Pitas (I like the Bfree brand)
• Kalamata Olives
• Cucumber Slices

Preparation

• The Hummus: 
  • This can be made a day in advance. 
  • In a food processor, add all ingredients, and blend until smooth. 
  • Before serving, top with olive oil, lemon juice, pepper, and hot sauce if desired.
• The Tzatziki
  • This can be made a day in advance. 
  • Shred the peeled cucumber, and squeezes shreds with a paper towel over the sink to wring out excess liquid. 
  • Add shredded cucumber, yogurt, lemon juice, finely chopped garlic, salt, and dill into a mixing bowl. Set aside in the fridge until ready to use.
• The Falafel: 
  • This is a vegan and gluten-free version of Guy Fieri’s falafel recipe. Heat a drizzle of oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Finely chop onion and bell pepper, and add to the oil. Grate garlic. Once peppers and onions have cooked for a couple minutes, add garlic. Stir occasionally and cook until onions are translucent. Remove from heat and set aside.
  • In a food processor, add drained chickpeas, chili flakes, cumin, yogurt, salt, and pepper. Pulse until ingredients are combined. Add gluten-free flour and cilantro, and pulse until combined.
  • Remove dough from the food processor into a large mixing bowl, and add onion and bell pepper mixture. Stir until well combined.
  • In a cast iron pan, add about 1 inch of oil. Heat oil to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Once oil is hot, shape dough into small oblong shaped balls (about 2-3 inches long), and add 3-4 at a time to the oil, cooking about 5 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oil onto a plate lined with paper towels (to catch excess oil), and repeat the process until all dough has been cooked.
  • Peel and finely slice ½ of a cucumber.
  • Toast gluten-free pitas in the toaster. Cut in half, and place a spoonful of hummus and tzatziki in the bottoms of each pocket. Add a falafel ball to each half, and add desired amount of olives and cucumber before enjoying.