Baked Red Lentil Falafel Salad
Falafels are the core of Mediterranean cuisine. Falafels are packed with protein and are extremely healthy meal choices. Here is one delicious and flavorsome falafel recipe, you must try.

Ingredients
Makes 20 falafels and 2 salad servings.
For the falafels:
1 cup dry split red lentils
2 cups loosely-packed Italian parsley leaves, stems removed
2 cups loosely-packed cilantro leaves, stems removed
5 garlic cloves
1 red onion
1-2 serrano peppers, to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons whole sesame seed tahini paste
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1-3 tablespoons chickpea flour (or whole spelt/whole wheat/all-purpose)
Olive oil spray

For the tahini dressing:

1/3 cup whole sesame seed tahini paste
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons water
1 garlic clove, finely grated
1/4 cup minced Italian parsley
1/2 teaspoon paprika Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
For the salad:
3 cups shredded lacinato (tuscan) kale
3 carrots, shaved into ribbons
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Method
Let the lentils soak in fresh water overnight. On the next day, strain and rinse them.
Grind the lentils until coarse, run it in the grinder about four times. Add the parsley, cilantro, garlic, onion, and serrano pepper, and pulse it a few more times. Add some tahini paste, olive oil, spices, salt and pepper, grind it until nearly smooth. Let some crumbs last in the mixture, do not make it like a paste. Add baking soda and the flour of your choice. Add a tablespoon of the flour at one time. If you find the consistency to be too liquidly, then add some more. Let the mixture be moist, else the falafels will turn out to be too dry.
In the meantime, pre-heat the oven at 375° F and keep the falafel mixture in the refrigerator for a good 30 minutes.
For the tahini dressing, blend the tahini paste, lemon juice and water until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add the grated garlic cloves, minced parsley, paprika, and salt and pepper as per your taste.
Toss the salad ingredients together.
Line a baking tray with butter paper, and grease it. Take 2 tablespoons of the set falafel mixture from the fridge and roll it. Place these rolls on the bake tray. Season these falafels with a good amount of olive oil spray. Bake it for 20 minutes, until you notice them to be golden brown in color. Do not overcook them.
To serve, place the falafels over a bed of kale-carrot salad with a heaping dollop (or two) of tahini dressing.