Falafel

Ingredients
2 16 oz cans chickpeas, rinsed
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, smashed
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 handfuls fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves coarsely chopped
1 handful fresh cilantro, leaves coarsely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons flour
1 egg

Vegetable oil, for frying

Pulse chickpeas to coarsely grind in food processor, not until smooth but with no whole chickpeas remaining either. Add the baking powder, onion, garlic, spices, and herbs; process until the mixture is pureed; scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Add flour and egg and mix well.  Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate while heating the oil, this should take about 15 minutes.

Pour 3-inches of the oil in a deep fryer or deep heavy pot and heat to 375 degrees F. Roll the falafel mixture into ping-pong size balls. Carefully slip a few at a time into the hot oil, making sure they don't stick to the bottom. Fry until the chickpea fritters are a crusty dark brown on all sides, turning as needed, about 5 minutes per batch.  You can optionally smash slightly and pan fry in a very small amount of olive oil.

Remove the falafels with a slotted spoon and drain on a platter lined with paper towels.  Serve immediately with pitas and tzatziki or tahini sauce.

Cucumber Sauce (Tzatziki)

1 (6 ounce) container plain yogurt
1/2 cucumber - peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon mayonnaise

Shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, chopped cucumbers
8 warm pitas, store bought or homemade

Chicken Souvlaki Gyros

These make for a tasty (and reasonably healthy) summer meal.

Souvlaki Marinade
• 3/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette dressing
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Fixins
• 4 large pita bread rounds
• Romaine lettuce
• Diced tomato
• Sliced red onion
• Pepperoncini
• Feta cheese crumbles
• Tzatziki Sauce (see below)

In a small bowl, mix the balsamic vinaigrette, lemon juice, oregano and black pepper. Place chicken in a shallow dish or large resealable plastic bag. Pour marinade over the chicken and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat an outdoor grill to medium heat. Remove chicken from marinade and place on prepared grill. Discard remaining marinade. Cook chicken until juices run clear, about 8 minutes on each side. Remove chicken from heat, and allow to sit for a few minutes before slicing into thin strips.

Place pita rounds on the grill, and cook for about 2 minutes, or until hot, turning frequently to avoid burning. Stuff pitas with chicken and toppings to serve.



Tzatziki Sauce
• 1 (8 oz) container plain yogurt
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 tsp dried dill
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Squeeze the cucumber with a paper towel to remove any excess water. Place all ingredients in a blender and mix to desired consistency. Refrigerate until ready to use.