These traditional middle eastern little patties are the perfect protein packed dish to spice up your meals. Typically deep fried, these traditional middle eastern little patties are the perfect protein packed dish to do meal prep and keep frozen for whenever you're in a rush or simply are craving something delicious. Here's the recipe I use to keep falafels super healthy and clean without taking away from their taste.

Start off with two large onions. Chop them into large chunks, place them into a food processor and chop for a few seconds until they're grated. Drain and rinse two cans of chickpeas and add them into the processor along with 4 tablespoons of oat or whole wheat flour, 4 large garlic cloves, a handful of parsley and handful of cilantro leaves, 2 teaspoon of cumin powder, 2 teaspoons of salt and black pepper to taste. Process everything together at high speed for about 5 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the container and repeat until the consistency of the mixture is even enough to form little balls. You do not want the mixture to be smooth, lumps and texture are okay. 

Transfer the mixture into a bowl and refrigerate for about 30 minutes or, if you're impatient like me, add a bit more flour to the mix and start forming about 1 inch balls. Since we won't be deep frying the falafel, I recommend flattening the balls into patties, which also facilitates the storing process later. 

Once they are ready, paint them with a bit of olive oil and place them in the oven at 400 F for 20 to 25 minutes or in the air fryer at 350 F for about 12 minutes or until golden brown. Enjoy them as a snack along with some hummus or in a mouthwatering falafel sandwich with pita bread, tomatoes, cucumber and of course hummus.