Who says your waffle iron is only for waffles? I make french toast, cinnamon rolls, and paninis in mine all the time. Recently I’ve expanded my waffle creations to making omelets in it. Seriously, a Belgian waffle iron is probably one of my desert island items and the fact that it’s under $20 is a bonus.
I’ve now taken on the challenge of all things waffled. Ha, if it is square or rectangular, I’ll try waffling it. Falafel is one of my favorite things that I don’t have very often. It’s hard to find in restaurants and not something that you can make all the time at home. If you haven’t heard of it, it’s a middle eastern dish that is pretty much a fritter made out of chick peas, herbs, rolled into a ball and fried.
They serve them in pita bread sandwiches with cucumbers, tomatoes, tatziki or tahini sauce. They’re pretty darn tasty. Yeah, imagine a hush puppy sandwich and you get the idea. Warm, greasy happiness in a pocket with a little veggie thrown in for balance. I had some fun and I made a much healthier version in my waffle iron instead of frying them up.
Since they were already bread shaped, it seemed natural just to use them for a sandwich and leave out the pita altogether. I added cucumbers, tomatoes, and mayo along with a little sliced deli turkey. High in protein, low in fat and calories, very good on taste. Patting myself on the back for this one.
I present to you the Falafel in a Waffle. <Insert Vanna White gesture here>
Falafel in a Waffle 
- 1 – 15 oz can chick peas, drained and rinsed
- 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley
- 2 Tbsp (15g) all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp coriander
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 egg whites
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup water
Drain and rinse your chick peas. Dump everything in a food processor, blender or magic bullet and blend until smooth. Make like waffles in your waffle iron according to instructions.
Makes 4 falafels at approximately 153 calories per waffle – 7g protein, 20g carbs, and 5g fat.
I had mine as a sandwich with cucumbers, tomatoes, mayo, and sliced deli turkey. You can also mix cucumbers, dill and greek yogurt for a sauce and dip the waffles. Or try spreading them with hummus or tahini. The possibilities are endless.
They also have a nice amount of protein for the vegetarians and vegans trying to figure out how to include protein in their diet. The best part is that they make great leftovers too and you can reheat them in your toaster. Mmmm, crispy falafel to go. Now to figure out my next waffle adventure…
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