A meatless mediterranean experience

Hello fellow foodies and food lovers.  I hope you enjoyed your relaxing day yesterday while our friend the slow cooker made us a out standing meal.  Today our friend slow cooker needs the day off.  So we are going to travel to the Mediterranean without even leaving our kitchen.

Falafel - Stuffed Pitas with Grape and walnut salad


 FALAFEL:
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves crushed
1 large egg
1 (15-oz) can chickpeas drained
1 tablespoon olive oil

SAUCE:
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons tahini
1 garlic clove minced

REMAINING INGREDIENTS:
whole wheat pitas
lettuce
tomato

1. To prepare falafel, place first 8 ingredients in a food processor; process mixture until smooth. Divide mixture into equal portions and shape into patties.  Heat oil in nonstick pan cook patties 5 minutes on each side or until browned.
2. To prepare sauce, combine yogurt, lemon juice, tahini and garlic; stir with a whisk.  Spread 1 1/2 tablespoons tahini sauce into pita.  Fill each pita half with lettuce, tomato and  to patties.
3. To prepare salad; combine 1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt, 2 table spoons brown sugar, and a dash of cinnamon in bowl. Add 3 cups halved red gapes and 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts mix well.  Serve along side falafel.

There you have it foodies and food lovers.  The game plan/menu for tonight, if it seems like a lot of steps and a bit over whelming i could make everything before hand.  That morning or even the night before that way all you have to do is cook the patties and assemble your pitas.  Photos and review to come later tonight.  Enjoy your travels to the Mediterranean and remember play with your food and have fun.   Note if mixture is too wet and sticking to form into patties add a little more breadcrumbs.