I am giving you this recipe this week for one simple reason: it tastes like spring. No, scratch that. It tastes like summer. And while some of you may still be enjoying the cold and the snow, I for one am wholeheartedly sick of winter! Therefore, I’ve been making and eating lots of foods that remind me of warm weather, seasonal diet be … well, I’m not sure my editor will let me finish that sentence.
In any case, I made this meal over spring break and loved it. I hope you do too! As always, I’ve done a bit of tweaking, so feel free to experiment and make changes of your own.
What you need:
For the croquettes
- 1 cup chickpea flour
- 2 dashes of ground cumin
- a dash or two of chili powder
- a pinch of salt
- 1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 4 green onions, chopped
- 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
For the garnish
- 1 cucumber, quartered and sliced
- 8 oz. cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 4 oz. crumbled low-fat feta cheese (optional)
What to do:
First, make the salad garnish so it has time to marinate a bit before serving. Toss your veggies together in a salad bowl, adding in lemon juice and olive oil. Gently stir in the feta cheese, and then season to taste with some salt and pepper. Set it aside.
Then, make the croquettes! In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cumin, chili powder, and salt. Add a 3/4-cup of hot water and combine. Finally, mix in the rest of the ingredients, and adjust seasoning to taste. In a large pan or wok, heat a little oil over medium heat. Scoop the chickpea mixture into the pan in scoops no larger than 1/4 cup. Sauté for a few minutes, until golden, then flip and repeat.