Middle eastern
Baked Falafel Salad
Baked chickpea falafel served over fresh salad greens with olive oil.
~535 kcalper serving~16g protein~47g carbs~33g fat
Estimated. Worked out from the ingredients using the UK food composition tables, so treat it as a guide rather than a measurement. A typical recipe lands within about a quarter of the true figure. Makes about 1.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Chickpeas (soaked & drained)
- 1 Garlic clove
- 1/4 cup Parsley
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- to taste Salt
- 2 cups Salad greens
Cooking Steps
Blend chickpeas, garlic, parsley, cumin, salt.
Form into patties and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 20 minutes.
Serve over greens with olive oil or tahini drizzle.
Plant & Growing Tips
Garlic
- Plant individual cloves in autumn (Middle Eastern region suggests a mild winter is suitable for planting) in a sunny spot with well-drained, fertile soil.
- Space cloves 10-15 cm apart and about 5 cm deep, ensuring the pointy end faces upwards.
- Keep the soil consistently moist, especially during bulb development, but avoid waterlogging which can cause rot.
Parsley
- Sow seeds in spring or autumn in a sunny or partially shaded location; germination can be slow, so be patient and keep soil moist.
- Grow in containers or directly in the ground, providing rich, well-draining soil for best growth.
- Water regularly to keep the soil consistently moist, especially in hot weather, to prevent the plant from bolting.
Salad Greens
- Sow seeds successionally every 2-3 weeks from early spring to late autumn for a continuous harvest, choosing a sunny or partially shaded spot.
- Ensure the soil is fertile and well-drained, or grow easily in various containers.
- Keep the soil consistently moist and protect young plants from intense heat to prevent premature bolting.
Natural Pest Control
- Aphids on parsley or greens: Blast them off with a strong stream of water or use insecticidal soap.
- Slugs and snails on salad greens: Place shallow beer traps around plants or use copper tape barriers on pots.
- Onion thrips on garlic: Use reflective mulch around plants or apply neem oil spray as a preventative.
- Whiteflies on greens or parsley: Introduce beneficial insects like predatory wasps or use yellow sticky traps.
Harvest
Garlic
- Harvest when the lower leaves begin to yellow and dry, but there are still 4-5 green leaves remaining, typically in early summer.
- Gently loosen the soil with a fork and pull the bulbs carefully, then cure them in a warm, dry, airy place for 2-4 weeks.
Parsley
- Snip outer stems close to the base as needed, allowing inner leaves to continue growing for a cut-and-come-again harvest.
- Harvest regularly before the plant flowers, as the leaves can become bitter once it bolts.
Salad Greens
- Harvest outer leaves as needed when they are young and tender, leaving the inner leaves to continue growing.
- For a full head, cut the entire plant at the base when it reaches the desired size, before it starts to bolt.
