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barbeque falafel pita pockets

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients

For the sweet potato fries

  • 2 large sweet potatoes
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 2 tsp sea salt

For the falafel

  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup green onion, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, packed
  • 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 tsp salt and pepper
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp whole wheat flour

For the sauce

  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 Tbsp barbecue sauce
  • 1 tsp fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • salt and pepper, to taste

For the construction

  • 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced.
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
  • 3/4 cup feta cheese

Instructions

For the sweet potato fries

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  2. Arrange sweet potatoes on baking sheet and top with olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, and pepper. Mix to coat.


  3. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with salt. 

For the falafel

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and oil a small baking sheet.


  2. In a food processor, combine chickpeas, green onion, garlic, cilantro, and salt and pepper. Do not over pulse, just until no large chunks remain.

  3. Transfer mixture to a small mixing bowl. Add flour until the mixture is no longer wet and sticks together when rolled into a ball. Add more flour if needed.

  4. Divide mixture into eight equal parts. Roll each part into a ball and flatten to create a patty.

  5. Place patties on the oiled baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, flipping them at the ten-minute mark. 

For the sauce

  1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Mix until smooth. 

For the construction

  1. Microwave pita pockets for 30 seconds for maximum pliability.

  2. Spread 1/4 of the sauce inside each pocket. Put two falafel in each pocket followed by 1/4 the fries, 1/4 the avocado, pepper, spinach, and feta cheese. If you can't fit everything in the pocket, extra sweet potato fries make a great side dish ;)

Recipe Notes

If you are looking to create this meal quickly, make the falafel ahead of time. They freeze very well. Instead of 20 minutes, only bake for 10. Once cool, wrap each falafel in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container. The day before you are planning on making this dish, take the falafel out of the freezer and let it thaw in the fridge. In a 400-degree oven, bake the falafel for ten minutes.