Falafel with Lemon Tahini Sauce

Falafel:
2- 15oz can chickpeas
1 – 15 oz can cannelini beans
3 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2-3 large cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Lemon Tahini Sauce:
2 tablespoons tahini paste
zest and juice of 1 lemon
water to thin it out to your liking

Put all of the falafel ingredients in the food processor and blend until smooth. It should be very thick. Then, make it into patties however big you prefer.  I make them about the size of 2 teasoons.  Bake them on 400 for 20-30 minutes. Watch them during the last 10 minutes. They should dry out and be a bit browned.

Day 26 - Down 8.0

Weight: 213.0

Breakfast - a banana and tea:

Lunch - Bean tacos:

Dinner - Veggie Vindaloo and rice:

The trick to making things like Veggie Vindaloo is to bake the ingredients first:

After an hour in a 350 degree oven:

Water saute some onions, add some chopped tomatoes, and the baked items:

Lastly, add in some frozen peas and spinach:

Day 25 - Down 8.4

Weight: 212.6

Breakfast - Just a grapefruit:

Lunch - Chopped salad (lettuce, onions, pickle, hot peppers, Italian spices, vinegar), whole wheat pita, and home made hummus:

Dinner - Veggie Pho:

How I make Pho-like soups:

 

 

 

Low Fat Hummus

1 can low-sodium chickpeas, rinsed and drained2 cloves garlic, chopped
2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Bragg's Liquid Aminos or low-sodium tarami
3 tablespoons water or vegetable broth

Blend all the ingredients using a small amount of water to achieve desired consistency.

To make flavored hummus optionally add one or more of the following:

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1 fresh jalapeño, seeded and chopped
1 roasted, seeded, and chopped red bell pepper
1 cup dark or Kalamata olives
1 bunch fresh mint
1 cup fresh spinach
1 cup cooked eggplant

Kale and Avocado Salad

1 bunch of kale
1 ripe Haas avocado
1 pinch of salt (optional)
1 bunch of scallions (optional)
Cherry tomatoes (optional)

Chop up the kale into bite sized pieces.  Peal, seed, and chop the avocado into small pieces.  Put the kale, avocado, and salt into a bowl and massage the avocado into the kale, coating the leaves with the avocado.  If you want to get fancy you can top the salad with finely sliced scallions (spring onions) and/or cherry tomatoes that have been sliced in half.

Salt-free Ketchup

1 6-oz. can no-salt-added tomato paste
1/3 cup apple juice or 1/2 of an apple diced (with or without skin) and 1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or 1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Combine all ingredients in a blender or Vitamix until smooth.

Healthy Hold the Oil French Dressing

Ingredients

• 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) no-sodium or reduced-sodium condensed tomato soup, undiluted
• 1/3 cup cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon grated onion
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• Salad greens and vegetables of your choice

Directions
InHold-The-Oil French Dressing Recipe

• In a bowl, whisk the first 8 ingredients until blended. Serve with a tossed salad. Refrigerate leftover dressing.
• up to 1/3 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon salt can be added if you so choose.