Baked Quinoa Falafel

This recipe is easy to follow, pretty much fail proof and freezes soo well.
I make a double or triple batch and freeze them for super quick meals in the future.
Vegan & gluten free

So right to it per my norm.
If someone wants to know about my life, please feel free to follow me on Instagram or Facebook

Recipe:

• 1 cup cooked quinoa, cooked in veggie broth (because it makes it tastier than just water)
• 1 x 15 oz can chickpeas, drained & rinsed (*see note below)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, large & minced
• 1 cups parsley, packed
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp chickpea flour (can sub cornstarch here)
• 2 tsp turmeric powder
• zest of 1 lemon & 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2-4 tsp avocado oil *add slowly (can sub olive oil or even water here)

**chickpea note. Just being real here. REAL falafel uses dry chickpeas, soaked for 24 hours and then just mushed. I personally never prep that far in advance so I tend to just use canned but if I was actually prepared, I would prefer to just soak my own and it would be cheaper as well

Instructions:

• in a small pan, heat 1 TBSP oil and cook the onions and garlic until onions are translucent 
• In food processor combine chickpeas, parsley, onion and garlic until it looks combined and no larger chunks are visible
• Add in the quinoa, salt, cumin, pepper, sesame oil, flour, turmeric and lemon zest & juice. Mix until forms it looks like dough. *You'll need to use judgement here and add the oil until it is easily shape-able but not too much. It really depends on where you live and how dry your other ingredients were. Sometimes I only need 2 tsp, sometimes the full 4 tsp. Play around with your food here. It should form a ball easily but not be sticky, but you shouldn't have to fight to get it to keep it's shape either....
• Roll into balls and chill in the fridge for about an hour (if you have time. I never do, but it's preferred) Should make about 12-16 balls. I use a cookie dough scoop to keep them even sized.
• Preheat oven to 400F. Pop those balls on a parchment lined cookie tray and bake for 30-40min flipping over 1/2 way through. Remove when they are just starting to brown. 
• Leave on tray for 20 mins to finish (again, if you have time here!)
• Eat or freeze. These are great reheated and freeze amazingly well

I do mine in a wrap with a BUNCH of salad and then peppers and gauc because that's how I run, but feel free to add your favorite tahini sauce.