Healthy diet plan recipe: Summery baked falafels and roasted sweet potato

This recipe is a great vegan-friendly weekend dinner from Sarah Ann Macklin, and is one of thirty recipes that comprise the Great British Veg Out month-long healthy eating challenge. 

Lively, light and zesty, it's perfect for summer evenings, with seasonal flavours like pomegranate and citrus combining with loads of healthy metabolism-boosters like garlic, turmeric and cumin. 

It's delicious and healthy, making it the perfect combination for summer. Time to make the most of the sunshine with a recipe packed with flavour and diverse nutritional goodness! 

Serves 2.

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Ingredients

For the falafel:

• 1 can of chickpeas (drained)
• 1 handful fresh parsley
• 2 spring onions (chopped)
• 2 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp sumac
• 1.5 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tbsp garam masala
• 1/2 lemon, juice and zest
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper

For the salad:

• 1 large sweet potato
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 4 large handfuls washed spinach 
• 2 large tomatoes
• 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds
• 2 tbsp flaked almons
• 1 handful of chopped fresh mint

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180C. Dice the sweet potato into small cubes. Lay onto a baking tray, drizzle with oil, chilli powder and paprika. Roast for 30-40 minutes (cooking time will depend on how small you cut the sweet potato cubes).
• While the potato is cooking, drain and rinse the chickpeas. Add into a blender with the parsley, spring onion, garlic, spices, zest and juice of half a lemon, 1 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper. Pulse until the mixture starts to bind and create a thick paste.
• Remove from the blender and create small rounds with the paste. You may need a little flour to dust to stop it from sticking. Place onto parchment paper and bake in the oven for 20 minutes to cook through.
• In a dry pan toast two tablespoons of flaked almonds until browned.
• Whisk together the tahini, olive oil and lemon juice to make a dressing. You may need to add a little water to thin the sauce.
• Wash and chop the salad vegetables and add to a large bowl. Once the sweet potato is cooked add this to the bowl along with half of the pomegranate seeds, half of the chopped mint, a sprinkle of chilli plates, salt, pepper and lastly half of the dressing. Mix through and serve the salad onto two plates.
• Once the falafels are cooked, lay them on top of the salad. Serve with a drizzle of the dressing, a sprinkle of pomegranate seeds and toasted almonds.

Sarah's tips:

“Whenever I’m cooking a recipe, I usually end up swapping an ingredient with something else because I don’t happen to have it on hand. In our recipes, we say ‘don’t worry if you’ve not got all the ingredients. Instead of a chickpea, use any legume, it’ll be fine, it’ll still count towards that five a day.’ 

“You’ll realise you don’t have everything for a recipe and start naturally adapting it. And when you realise that’s not a mistake, but you’ve actually improved that dish, then you’ll become less afraid to steer away from recipes. Keep simple recipes, but adapt them.”

For 29 more recipes just as good as this one, check out Sarah's free Great British Veg Out welcome pack. 

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