In my ongoing quest to find foods that are both healthy and easy for toddlers to hold themselves, I decided to make falafels for Kenya. The only trick to this dish is to make them suitable for his little taste-buds without having to fry them in gallons of oil like most falafel recipes call for.
Falafels are made with a base of garbanzo beans, a legume also known as chickpeas. Have you ever looked closely at a chickpea? Some say they look like a chick's beak, hence the name. Beak or no beak, they're a powerhouse of fiber. Fiber is an important part of a little one's diet because it tends to fill them up longer then other foods, giving them energy to run around and play. Garbanzo beans are an excellent vegetarian source of protein and are high in calcium, magnesium and folate.
I also added a little yogurt dipping sauce alongside this recipe which boosts the nutritional content of the meal even more and adds a little fun for the kids. Now, if I can only get my husband out of Kenya's food, which is slowly becoming “their” food. My husband figures that if what Kenya's eating is super healthy, he wants to eat it too. Like father, like son. Or should I say, like son, like father?!
Yogurt Tahini Sauce (Makes a little over 1/2 Cup)
1/2 Cup Yogurt
1 Tbsp Lemon
1 Tbsp Tahini (if your little one has a nut allergy, you could leave this out)
1. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.
*Place in appropriate container or ziploc bag, label and freeze up to 4 months. When ready, defrost in fridge for 24 hours.
We used these to make this recipe:
Angela
January 13, 2013 at 3:10 pm
smiley
June 28, 2012 at 5:03 am
catherine
June 28, 2012 at 11:52 am
Betty
March 7, 2012 at 1:28 pm
catherine
March 7, 2012 at 2:50 pm
Stefani
January 16, 2012 at 9:49 pm
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Jo
November 13, 2011 at 5:48 am
Bella
August 5, 2011 at 11:55 am
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Maria
May 12, 2011 at 4:19 pm
Catherine
March 20, 2011 at 11:13 am
catherine
March 21, 2011 at 2:26 pm
Amanda
October 18, 2010 at 6:21 pm
catherine
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Amanda
November 22, 2010 at 11:27 am
Anna
September 3, 2010 at 9:50 pm
Ivy
July 2, 2010 at 10:12 pm
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