Baked Egyptian-Style Felafel

After living in Egypt for six months, I developed a liking for felafel, a meatball-like mixture of herbs, chick peas, and fava beans deep fried in oil and served inside a pita.Most recipes for felafel call for frying but there is a healthier way to enjoy this quintessential egyptian street food. By baking them, you cut back on the saturated fat and calories and the end product is just as delicious if not more.

Yield:18 felafel balls
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
14 oz. canned fava or lima beans, rinsed well and drained
2-14oz. canned low-sodium chick peas (garbanzos), rinsed well and drained
6 Tbsp. fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled, minced
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. whole coriander seeds
finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 c chickpea or regular flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 c sesame seeds

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Oil a large baking dish with the olive oil. Set aside.
2.Combine all the ingredients together except the sesame seeds in a food processor or blender.Process until well combined.
3.Form the felafel mix into 2 Tbsp. sized balls or patties.
4.Place the sesame seeds on a dish.Roll the felafel balls or patties into the sesame seeds fully coating them.
5.Place the felafels in the oiled baking dish and bake for 30 minutes.Serve with sliced tomatoes, romaine lettuce, and spreadable feta.

Per Serving:97 calories, 14g carbohydrates, 5g protein, 4g fat, 3g fiber, 0mg cholesterol, 300mg sodium.