Vegan Bulgur falafel and pesto courgetti

So here is a bit of a different one! I finally got around to ordering myself a spiralizer and was super excited to begin using it. I definitely knew I was going to make you guys some Corurgetti/Zoodles but wasn’t sure what with! As I began to think, Cypressa  got in touch and asked me to feature a meal for their customers using their Medium Bulgur wheat. Now, Bulgur wheat isn’t something I usually cook with these days but I do know how to use the stuff! So, as I pondered the flavours that work well with Bulgur wheat my mind ran through the exciting moroccan, greek and generally mediterranean flavours. Then it occurred to me I can easily make a falafel using the bulgur wheat to add weight and a binding ability to the mixture allowing it to be vegan!

Ingredients for the Falafel

Another reason why I thought a Vegan meal would be a good idea is that we are coming up to Easter. And in the Greek orthodox community, a lot of individuals (such as my grandmother) tend to fast as a Vegan, cutting out all animal products. So as a way of helping out my fellow fasters, here is one for you to try!

Courgetti after spiralizing on the right!

My step-brother also happens to be Vegan and always wants to get together to pick my brain about the kind of healthy foods he can eat so I let him know what I was thinking and he offered to take some snazzy snaps for me too! So in return for a great vegan meal, he took photos while I worked. He is INCREDIBLE by the way, you can see more of his work here: Andrew Prod Photography

Ingredients: Vegan Falafel

• 1 cup bulgur (Medium)
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 medium sized onion (roughly chopped)
• 400g tin of chickpeas (drained and washed)
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp Himalayan salt (or any other salt)
• 1 tsp Black pepper
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• A bunch of fresh parsley (add gradually to adjust taste)
• A bunch of fresh mint (add gradually to adjust taste)

 

Method: Vegan Falafel

1. Take the cup of Bulgur wheat and boiling water and mix in a bowl with salt and pepper. Cover with a lid / plate and let sit for 20-30 minutes until the bulgur wheat has expanded
2. Take all other ingredients and blend in a food processor, tasting and adjusting the seasoning as the ingredients begin to combine
3. When the bulgur wheat is ready, add it to the food processor and blend it together with the other ingredients
4. Remove the mixture from the food processor to a bowl and begin to make your desired falafel shape (can be a ball or like patties)
5. Heat coconut oil in a non-stick pan on a medium-low heat
6. Cook the falafel on either side for about 10 minutes / until golden brown
7. Serve 3 (may change depending on size) falafel with the Vegan pesto courgetti

The blended falafel ingredients!

Ingredients: Vegan Pesto Courgetti (Zoodles)

• A Bunch of fresh basil
• 2-3 handfuls of washed baby spinach
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil (more/less depending on the consistency of pesto you prefer)
• A handful of cashew nuts
• One ripe avocado
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Fresh, raw Courgettes (1 per person eating)
• Half the juice of a lemon (per person eating)

Method: Vegan Pesto Courgetti (Zoodles)

1. Take all ingredients apart from the Courgettes and Lemon juice and place in a food processor, Gradually adding the salt & pepper and olive oil until the flavour and consistency required is reached
2. Take a spiralizer or a simple vegetable peeler and make Courgetti/Zoodles.
3. In a bowl pour lemon juice over Courgetti and then mix in a tablespoon of pesto
4. Place 3 pieces of falafel on to the Pesto Courgetti and enjoy!

 

Me rolling the falafel in to the shape I want

Falafel ‘patties’

 

Usually, pesto has Parmesan blended in to it to give it that creamy texture. To remove the Parmesan without compromising that added layer of texture and flavour, I added avocado and cashew nuts – I couldn’t tell the difference :).

For a gluten free alternative, you can leave out the Bulgur wheat and buff it out with some cooked quinoa or just add more chickpeas! Also, I must stress how important the Lemon Juice is in this recipe. To begin with I had completely forgotten to add the lemon on to the courgetti and in all honesty, the recipe was flat. I didn’t really like it all mixed together. Then Andrew said, you know, we need some lemon or something and it jogged my memory. We quickly prepared another plate with the lemon added to the Courgetti and BAM, the recipe was lifted and finally all the components sang together in perfect harmony! One of my friends used to joke about how my advice on any food was always: “A little bit of lemon, a little bit of salt and a dash of olive oil” – but I swear to you, if in doubt, one of these or all three will lift your dish and bring it all together!

Vegan bulgur wheat falafel and pesto courgetti

Vegan bulgur wheat falafel and pesto courgetti

Thanks for reading this post! I really love this post because of how great the photos are! It makes me feel proud of what I’m doing haha! Thank you so much Andrew! I don’t really eat bulgur wheat, and it’s more a recipe for others because it bloats me a fair bit, but the taste was worth it :).

And thank you to Cypressa! They do a great range of products – I am forever using their marinated sun-dried tomatoes, they’re so delicious! To see more of what they have to offer, check out their website 🙂

Live, Love, Create, Enjoy

Droulla ♥♥