Baked Sweet Potato Falafel

Sweet potatoes and falafel are two of my favourite foods, so I thought: why not combine the two?! The result is a tasty and bright orange falafel that you can enjoy in a pita or wrap, on top of a big green salad, or on its own as an appetizer or quick snack! The spice combination in these is totally customizable depending on what you have in your spice rack, so don't worry if you don't have one or two of the spices listed - it won't make or break the recipe.

Ingredients:

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cooked (boiled, steamed, roasted)

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 tsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. curry powder

2 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. paprika

1-2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

~4 Tbsp. fresh, chopped parsley or 3 tsp. dried parsley

2-3 Tbsp. ground flax

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easy clean-up and lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Peel the sweet potatoes and cook as desired (boiled, microwaved, or baked). Transfer to a large bowl and mash the sweet potatoes and the chickpeas together. I found it easier to mash the chickpeas first in my food processor (you could also use a fork or potato masher) because they are more firm, then I just added in the cooked sweet potato and mashed it all together. 

Add in the seasonings and flax and mash again until the mixture is well combined. Taste and adjust the seasonings as necessary. The flavours should be a bit stronger than what you'd want in the finished falafel because they will become less intense after cooking. 

Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop the mixture onto the prepared baking sheets. Pack it tightly into the measuring cup and then tap it out for a perfectly formed falafel. Lightly brush or spray each falafel with olive/canola oil if desired (this is optional, but will make for a bit of a crispier outer layer on the finished falafels). Bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before serving.

Top the falafel with a dollop of hummus or tzatziki, or drizzle with tahini and serve. Makes ~20-24 falafels.

*Recipe inspired by Bran Appetit