Sweet Potato Falafel with Tzatziki

Last week as I was browsing through my google reader, I saw Kelly's post for Sweet Potato Falafel. They looked fantastic! I was imagining a blend of chick peas and sweet potato, so I starred it and put it on the menu. Then I went back and pulled up the recipe, and saw that it was quite different from my imagination. See, I have a tendency to read a recipe and then create the process and ingredients in my brain without actually reading it. Sometimes this is detrimental because I'll end up without an important ingredient. But then sometimes it works out ok because I end up creating what I thought the recipe would be, and it's delicious.

In this situation, I ended up creating what I thought the recipe was going to be rather than what Kelly wrote. Though I do want to go back and try it the original way, I really liked my adaptation. These were slightly sweet, but had the familiar taste of a falafel. They were healthy (baked rather than fried) and I enjoyed them 'meatball' style over couscous and roasted vegetables instead of wrapped in a pita. I can't ever have enough tzatziki, I think JJ and I were fighting over the reminants. Overall, this was an absolutely delicious and really healthy dinner!

Sweet Potato Falafel

adapted from Kelly, who adapted it from the Happy Herbivore

Falafel:

1 large sweet potato

1 cup chick peas

1 tbsp. tahini

1 tsp. fresh minced parsley

Salt and pepper

1 tsp. cumin

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 cup. breadcrumbs (wish i had panko, but just had regular Italian style)

Tzatziki:

6 oz. plain greek yogurt

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 tbsp. minced dill

1/2 cup minced cucumber

Salt and pepper

1 tsp. tahini

1 garlic clove, grated on a microplane

Whole wheat cous cous, prepared

Roasted butternut squash and brussels sprouts

Pierce sweet potato, wrap in a paper towel.

Microwave on high for 6-8 minutes, until softened.

(On a weeknight, I didn't have the time to bake the sweet potato, but that would be the preferred method)

Let potato cool for 5 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, add chick peas, mash with a fork.

Add sweet potato, tahini, parsley, salt, pepper, cumin, and garlic.

Mix well, leaving some little chunks of chick pea and sweet potato.

Roll into walnut sized balls, roll in breadcrumbs, place on a lined baking sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes, until crisp on the outside.

In a small dish, use a fork to whisk together all tzatziki ingredients, refrigerate until use.

Plate cous cous, vegetables, top with falafel and tzatziki and extra parsley.