Paleo Carrot & Sesame Falafel

Traditionally falafel are made with chickpeas which are a no go whilst on a low-carb, paleo diet. These Baked Carrot and Sesame Falafel are Jo’s legume and grain free version… and they’re delicious.

A great addition to your weekday lunchbox. They’re super simple to make, can be enjoyed warm or cold, so you can keep a batch in the fridge to enjoy during the week.

The falafel have so much flavour thanks to the wonderful spices of coriander, cumin and fresh lemon and are so moist from the gooey tahini, olive oil and coconut flour. Perfect snacking food smothered in guacamole or tzatziki or enjoy with a nice salad.

Preparation time:

Hands-on:    30 minutes
Overall:     50 minutes

Nutritional values (per serving, 3 falafel):

Total Carbs	18.5	grams
Fiber	6.9	grams
Net Carbs	11.6	grams
Protein	5.4	grams
Fat	22.5	grams
of which Saturated	4.6	grams
Energy	292	kcal
Magnesium	49	mg (12% RDA)
Potassium	513	mg (26% EMR)

Macronutrient ratio: Calories from carbs (17%), protein (8%), fat (75%)

Ingredients (makes 4 servings, 12 falafel):

• 3 cloves garlic
• 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (75 ml)
• 450 g carrot (15.9 oz)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• ⅓ cup + 1 tbsp coconut flour (50 g/ 1.8 oz)
• 1 ½ tbsp tahini paste (24 g/ 0.9 oz)
• small bunch fresh cilantro, stalks removed (20 g/ 0.7 oz)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds (18 g/ 0.6 oz)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C, fan assisted). Place the garlic on a baking tray and drizzle with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Bake for 12 minutes until soft. When cooked remove from the oven, allow to cool and remove the skin.
2. Meanwhile, peel and remove the tops from the carrots. Chop into 2cm chunks. Place in a steamer over a pan of boiling water and steam for 18 minutes until soft. Option to simmer on a low heat in a pan of boiling water if you don’t have a steamer for about 12 - 15 minutes. Once cooked, remove the carrots from the steamer/ drain from the pan of water and allow to cool slightly.
   Place the carrots, peeled garlic, cumin, ground coriander, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, lemon juice, coconut flour, tahini, 1/2 of the finely chopped coriander, salt and pepper in a food processor like a Magimix or Vitamix and blitz.
3. You might need to scrape the sides with a spatula and blitz again until almost smooth. Fold in the remaining chopped coriander. Using your hands, roll into falafel shaped balls, about 2 cm in diameter. Coat in sesame seeds and place on a baking tray lined with grease proof paper.
4. Brush with a little olive oil and bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Turn and cook for a further 10 minutes until golden. Enjoy!

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