Falafel Pitas with Goat Cheese Sauce

These baked chickpea patties are much leaner than traditional falafel. Using soaked (but not cooked) dried chickpeas creates a hearty flavor and texture for the falafel that you won't get with canned beans. A small amount of goat cheese goes far in the yogurt sauce.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 stuffed pita halves)

Ingredients

• Falafel:
• 1  cup  dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• 1/2  cup  chopped green onions
• 1/2  cup  chopped fresh parsley
• 1  teaspoon  baking powder
• 1  teaspoon  ground coriander
• 1  teaspoon  ground cumin
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  baking soda
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground red pepper
• 1  (6-inch) whole wheat pita, torn into large pieces
• 2  garlic cloves, chopped
• 3  large egg whites
• Cooking spray
• 
  Relish:
• 2  cups  chopped seeded plum tomato
• 1  cup  chopped seeded English cucumber
• 1/4  cup  chopped green onions
• 1  tablespoon  chopped fresh parsley
• 1  tablespoon  fresh lemon juice
• 1  serrano chile, minced
• 
  Sauce:
• 1  cup  plain low-fat yogurt
• 1/4  cup  (2 ounces) soft (log-style) goat cheese
• 1/8  teaspoon  salt
• 1  small garlic clove, minced
• 
  Remaining ingredient:
• 4  (6-inch) whole wheat pitas, halved

Preparation

To prepare falafel, sort and wash chickpeas, and place in a large bowl. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans; cover and let stand 8 hours or overnight. Drain.

Preheat oven to 350º.

Combine chickpeas and next 11 ingredients (through 2 chopped garlic cloves) in a food processor; pulse 8 to 10 times or until finely chopped. Spoon mixture into a bowl. Add egg whites to chickpea mixture, and stir well. Let stand 15 minutes. Divide mixture into 16 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Place patties on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350º for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

To prepare relish, combine tomato and next 5 ingredients (through chile).

To prepare sauce, combine yogurt, goat cheese, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1 minced garlic clove, stirring with a whisk until smooth.

Place 2 falafel patties in each pita half; spoon about 1/3 cup relish and 2 1/2 tablespoons sauce into each pita half. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

450 (17% from fat)

Fat:

8.7g (sat 3.3g,mono 1.8g,poly 2.1g)

Protein:

24.9g

Carbohydrate:

72.3g

Fiber:

14.9g

Cholesterol:

10mg

Iron:

6.2mg

Sodium:

997mg

Calcium:

315mg