This year, I’m trying to fit more plant-based meals into my diet when I can and these lunchtime falafel bowls are the perfect way to do so. This recipe is an adaptation of of a winter bliss bowl that I came across on Pinch of Yum that I made my own. All of the ingredients do take time to create, but nothing is very difficult to make. Bowls are a great way to meal prep for the week. I prep all of the ingredients separately and then assemble the bowls on the day I want to enjoy them for maximum freshness. This recipe makes five-six bowls.
Ingredients
- Brown rice (I used a brown rice, wild rice mix that I got from Whole Foods, but any grain really works here)
- Mixed greens
- 1 head of cauliflower
- 4-6 carrots (about one bag)
- 1 red cabbage, chopped
- 1 bag of chickpeas, soaked overnight
- Cilantro
- Parsley
- 1 small onion
- Tahini
- Garlic
- 1 lemon
- Seasonings: olive oil, salt, pepper, cumin, red pepper flakes (optional), curry powder (optional)
For the Falafel
- Add the following to a food processor: 2 1/2 cups of soaked, uncooked chickpeas (I boiled what I had leftover and used to make hummus), 3 cloves of garlic, 1 small onion, 1/2 cup parsley, 1/2 cup cilantro, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 2 tsp cumin and a dash of red pepper flakes
- Blend the ingredients until they are well combined and refrigerate the mixture
- When you are ready to cook the falafel (I kept them in the fridge and air fried them right before assembling my bowls for lunch, set your air fryer to 375 degrees and spray with cooking spray. Add the falafel, spraying the tops with cooking spray as well, and cook for 15 minutes!
For the veggies
- Cut the cauliflower into small florets
- Peel and slice the carrots into thin strips
- Add both to the air fryer basket and toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, cumin and curry powder (optional – I just love the subtle sweetness it gives with roasted veggies!)
- Set the air fryer to 400 degrees for 25 mins, shaking occasionally as they roast
For the Tahini dressing
- Whisk together 1/4 cup tahini, juice of a lemon, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 cloves of minced garlic, and salt to taste. Add honey to sweeten and water to thin out if needed.
To assemble
- Add cooked brown rice (cook according to package) and mixed salad greens to a bowl. I like to make mine about half rice, half greens for the base
- Top with chopped purple cabbage, roasted cauliflower and carrots and air-fried falafel
- Drizzle with tahini dressing and enjoy!
I know this looks like a lot of steps, but I promise it’s not as difficult as it looks and so worth it to have these healthy, delicious bowls ready to go for lunch during the week. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
