Humous and Falafel - healthy breakfast

 
I've found this is a pretty healthy breakfast and seems to give me some extra energy and keeps me going till at least mid afternoon!  The standard Israeli dish is chopped cucumber and tomato which you can have with almost everything ..... I also add some peppers (red and yellow) - and some finely chopped apple.  It's delicious just as a little snack.

Recipe for Humous:
1 can of chickpeas - well rinsed and drained
1/4 - 1/2 cup of sesame seeds (if wanted - or just a teaspon)
Some Tahina paste or Tahina Sauce - (to taste)
Olive Oil - to taste
1/4 - 1/2 cup of lemon juice (to taste)
crushed garlic (to taste)
salt, white pepper and
1/4 tsp. cumin - ground or seeds

Put everything together in your food processor and whizz until a fairly smooth paste is achieved.  You can add a little hot/warm water to this just to thin it down a little, and liquidising it again will make it smoother.

The quantities are not really crucial, once you have your basic can (or two) of chickpeas - just keep tasting it until you like it.

Recipe for Falafel - maybe not so healthy, as they are fried - but pretty tasty with fresh pitta and salads.

1 can of chickpeas - well rinsed and drained
1 large onion - chopped
2 tbls. parsley - chopped - (or corriander - my husband doesn't like parsley :) )
1 egg - lightly beaten
1 tsp. salt
1/2 - 1 cup of fine bulgur wheat or breadcrumbs
1 tsp. ground Coriander or Cumin
large crushed glove of garlic,
1 tsp. dried hot chilli - if fancied ....
Vegetable oil for frying

In your food processor - combine the chickpeas and onion. Process.
Add the parsley, egg and spices
Add the breadcrumbs then put the paste into a largeish bowl.
Form the paste into small balls (wetting your hands slightly may help) - flatten them slightly if you want.
Fry in hot oil, until golden brown on both sides.
Drain on paper towels, just to remove any excess fat.

Place some humous in a shallow dish, with a dollop of tahina in the centre, black olives and a little olive oil, and sprinkle some paprika over the top -  fresh pitta - and dip your falafel into the humous  ............. delicious.