Greek Chop Salad

3 tbsp. Olive Oil
1 tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 c. Leeks, sliced
2 cloves Garlic, minced
4 c. shredded Brussel Sprouts (you can use a food processor for this)

1 15oz. can Garbanzo Beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 c. Green Beans, **blanched and chopped
1/4 c. Sun Dried Tomatoes (if in oil, reduce amount used with leeks)
1/3 c. Broccoli Sprouts
2 tbsp. Dried Cranberries
2 tbsp. chopped or sliced Almonds (I used raw, unsalted almonds)
1/4 c. Parsley, chopped
Juice of 1 Lemon
Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a large skillet.  Saute'  leeks for 5 minutes until soft.  Add in garlic and cook another 30 seconds.  Toss in shredded brussel sprouts along with balsamic vinegar and cook, stirring occasionally for another 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Let cool.

While brussel sprouts are cooling, combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl.  Toss with brussel sprout mixture.

**To blanch green beans,  add them to a pot filled with boiling water and cook until tender, 4-5 minutes.  Remove from boiling water and immediately transfer to a separate bowl filled with ice water to cool (this stops the cooking process and allows the beans to retain their vibrant green color).  Drain and chop.

Falafel!!!

This past weekend I had my parents over for dinner.  This was a bit of a challenge becuase, well, they're not so much picky as they are strangers to a lot of the amazing food out there.  Not to mention they love meat (ick).  So I wanted to give them a quick, satisfying meal that wasn't too foreign or screaming of veganism while still introducing them to something new.  After racking my brain, I decided to cook a Mediterranean feast that consisted of falafel, tabouli style rice, saute'd spinach and a variety of dips to go with toasted pita.

These falafel are super easy and quick to make.  You can put them in the pita with a variety of vegetables, make them a little bigger and substitute for a veggie patty, or serve them plain to be enjoyed in all their deliciousness like I did.  This recipe serves 2-3 people.  I doubled it because I was feeding two hungry boys.

1 15 oz. Can Chickpeas
1/2 tbsp. Olive Oil
1 tbsp. Lemon Juice
zest of 1/2 Lemon
1 tbsp. Tahini
2 cloves Garlic
1 tsp. Cumin
3/4 tsp. Coriander
Pinch of Cayenne Pepper
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/2 Yellow Onion, diced
1 tbsp. Parsley, chopped
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 c. Breadcrumbs

Pre-heat oven to 400 and lightly brush a baking sheet with oil. Drain and rinse chickpeas to get rid of any excess salt. Combine chickpeas, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt in a food processor. Pulse until combined and chickpeas are mashed, but not too smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients until combined.  From here, you can let the falafel sit for an hour and allow the flavors to develop or cook right away.

Use an ice cream scoop to measure, shape falafel into 1" thick disks and place on baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Flip falafel and bake another 10. Serve with tahini yogurt sauce.

I always love a salad topped with falafel (Thank you for introducing me Fred 62!)