Veggie Filled Pita & Fries

Dinners on Friday nights usually happen a little earlier and are gobbled up pretty quick. Cause its football season, and that means we are on the field. Well I'm down on the field snapping photos and Al is up in the box taping the game. We're such nerds...its true. That's a whole 'nother point though. This is all about the veggie filled pita! And fries! Tonights dish highlighted the loveliness that is: avocado. Finding vegan condiments and "cheeses" that aren't crazy imitations of regular condiments or...cheese is my ultimate goal. And yes there are ones out there. But I'm all about using stuff that satisfies, like avocados. They are buttery in consistency and mighty tasty if you ask me. Carrots were another highlight of the sandwich, I used peelings to offer a different texture, and loved it. The fries are another staple in the house. Normally they are sweet potato fries, but that would have been a bit much considering they were consumed multiple other times this week.

There's no real recipe to the wrap, I just used a whole wheat pita and the following veggies filled it: spinach, carrots, red peppers, onions, and avocado. Badda bing! Badda bomb! Done! And the fries are simply cut, dressed in olive oil, salt, pepper, and paprika and put in a 400 degree oven for a bout 45-50 minutes, until crispy. The trick is to put them on a cooling rack on the cookie sheet. That way they are off the sheet and all sides can crisp up, no flipping necessary!

Sweet Potato Falafel

A sweet potato dish again? Yes ma'am, and I'm okay with that. What I really appreciated about tonights dinner was that I was able to prep it all this afternoon. I had a photo shoot tonight and we were heading out and would be gone until closer to seven, so I knew I wasn't going to want to make anything then. With these falafels I was able to prep it all and then go off on our way, come back, pop them in the oven for 20 minutes and plate up the rest of the dinner. Like I'm a pro or something. Uhmmm, yeah, more like not a pro tonight. Not the falafel that was great. I was trying to come up with something to serve it with, having well, not many options in the fridge. I had broccoli and cherry tomatoes that I needed to use. So I found a little salad recipe and thought, let's go for it. Well, as I told Al when he finished his meal with almost all the salad I had served him left on his plate....you can't hit 'em all out of the park. And let me tell you, that kid has never not finished something I put in front of him. It just wasn't our style. I think it may have been the rice vinegar. It was a bit too potent. After I had a few bites I was fine and was definitely a member of the clean plate club tonight. But I don't think I'll make it again....the salad that is. So falafel, yay...broccoli & tomato salad, nay.

INGREDIENTS:
(falafel)
3 medium sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed
1 1/2 teas ground cumin
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 teas ground coriander
1/2 a bunch of cilantro, chopped
juice of a lemon
1 cup garbanzo bean flour
salt & pepper
olive oil
sesame seeds

*In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients up through salt and pepper. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour, should come out kinda sticky still. If its too moist add a little more garbanzo bean flour. Sometimes the sweet potatoes have varying water content.
* Oil a pan, and place scoops of mixture onto the pan. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Bottoms will brown, then you're good to go.

(broccoli & tomato salad)
2 large heads of broccoli, chopped
1 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
2 teas dijon mustard
3 tbls seasoned rice vinegar
1 tbls olive oil
2 tbls chopped fresh oregano or 2 teas dried oregano

*Steam the broccoli until just crisp-tender. Only takes a few minutes. Cool and add tomatoes.
*Place mustard in a small bowl and whisk in the vinegar and then whisk in the oil  and then the oregano.
*Pour dressing over broccoli and tomatoes, toss to coat. Season with s&p to taste.
*Chill and serve.