Step 1

Place dry chickpeas in a big bowl and cover with 4-5 inches of water and let soak on the counter 10 – 24 hours. Drain, and pat them dry well. (You can dry them further on a sheet pan, in the preheating oven.)

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 375F (or pan-sear)

Step 3

Place the cilantro, onion, jalapeño and garlic in a food processor and pulse repeatedly until uniformly chopped.  Add the drained garbanzo beans, oil, cumin, coriander, salt and sprinkle the baking soda. Blend again, until well combined, but not smooth– leaving a little texture is good here. Scrape down sides if necessary, mix again, to evenly distribute the spices,and baking soda. Add more salt if you like.

Step 4

Grease the bottom of a parchment-lined baking sheet with spray olive oil, or brush with olive oil.  Form falafels into ping-pong or golfball-sized balls (a slight oval shape is nice).  If it feels sticky, use wet hands. Place on the greased parchment. Once all the balls are formed, using wet palms, flatten just a little, so they are about a 1 -1 ½ inches thick. Spray or brush the tops with olive oil. Bake 15 minutes, then carefully flip using a metal spatula. Continue baking for another 12-15 minutes until golden and slightly crispy. (Alternatively, you can pan sear: form into flattened disks, 2-3 inches wide, by 1 1/2 inches thick, pressing together, firmly with your palms, and place in a well-oiled skillet over medium heat. Cast iron or non-stick works best here. Sear each side until deeply golden, adding more oil as needed. Keep warm in the oven.)

Step 5

While they are baking, make the Quinoa and Tahini Sauce and prep any veggies you like.

Step 6

Assemble the bowls. I usually start with quinoa, then build upward with greens, veggies, falafels, sauces, pickled things and microgreens and herbs on the top. If packing to take away with you, perhaps keep sauces separate.

Step 7

A drizzle of olive, lemon and hot sauce is nice too.