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?!

Falafel (Make 14 Mini Falafel)

1 1/2 Cup Chick Peas, cooked
1 Garlic Clove
1/4 Cup Onion, chopped
1/4 Cup Cilantro, chopped
3 Tbsp Flour (I used whole wheat, but you could also use white flour)
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Cumin
Olive Oil

1. Place the first 7 ingredients in a food processor and puree. Make sure the mixture is throughly combined. Scrape down the sides of the mixture as needed.
2. With moist hands (so the mixture doesn’t stick to your hands) form patties with about 1 tablespoon of the mixture and place on a plate while you form the remaining patties.
3. In a medium saute pan, heat around 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. You want the pan to have a thin coating of oil.
4. Add half of the patties to the pan and saute for 4 minutes on each side or until golden (you may have to add a little more oil if your pan get too dry).
5. Remove the patties from the pan and place on a paper towel lined plate (to absorb any extra oil).
6. Cook the remaining patties.
7. Cool and serve with yogurt sauce.

Yogurt Tahini Sauce (Makes a little over 1/2 Cup)

1/2 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.

Garam Marsala has one of those fabulous, exotic names that scare most people off when they see it in the spice aisle. It’s actually a mix of cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, black pepper and coriander. This dish has a mix of protein, vegetables a starch and is vegetarian. You don’t need to add very much garam marsala which gives it a little kick and smells incredible.
I’m usually a stickler for farmers market fresh, but let’s be honest, not everyone has the option of keeping seasonal produce in the fridge at all times. Most of the items in this recipe can be canned or frozen.
I find canned organic tomatoes and beans to be a saving grace. They’re soft and the tomatoes have added juice which is nice when you’re thinning a puree. It’s not ideal, but when tomatoes are out of season, it’s a perfect time saving option.

Garbanzo Beans with Garam Marsala (12 Baby Servings, freeze 1/2)

1/2 Cup Cauliflower
1/4 Cup Peas (fresh or frozen)
1 Cup Brown Rice, steamed
1 Cup Garbanzo Beans, rinsed and drained(canned or fresh that have been soaked overnight and cooked)
1 Cup Tomatoes, chopped, canned or fresh
1/2 Tsp Garam Marsala

1. Add cauliflower to a steamer basket over boiling water.
2. Cover and cook for 3 minutes.
3. Add the peas and cook for a total of 5 minutes or until cauliflower is fork tender.
4. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth.
5. Cool and serve.