Cursing into week three!

Two weeks down and six more to go for the OTF transformation challenge. Food prep has been going well, and overall I feel better about how we’re eating during the week. I’ve been okay about not over indulging come the weekend, but I think I need to do a bit better. I say this because I still have sugar cravings that kick in on Monday after the weekend, plus my hubs has dropped way more weight than I have (ugh men!). Literally he gives up one thing, like beer during the week, and the pounds fly off. Tell me, how is that even fair? It’s not, but I digress.

This week’s clean eating includes two dishes, a twist on a Falafel pita and meatloaf. My sister is not particularly fond of meatloaf so we’re sticking with the Falafel plate for her. I’m still trying to convince her to try my meatloaf, but so far no luck. I’ll keep working on her because I do think my meatloaf recipe will change her mind (and yours too if meatloaf isn’t your jam.)

I decided to go super healthy for the Falafel and use the air fryer in lieu of deep frying it. It’s good, but I’m not going to lie and say it tastes or looks exactly the same as deep fried, because it doesn’t, but all in all, it’s still tasty, especially with all the toppings.

The meatloaf is the same recipe I’ve been making for years with minor tweaks depending on what flavor you’re going for. All you have to do is change up the spice mixture to adjust the taste. Thinking Mexican, use chili powder, cayenne pepper, and cumin. If Italian is your jam, bring in basil, oregano, and fresh pressed garlic. Feeling Indian, try curry, turmeric and cardamom. It’s really up to you and makes a super easy recipe very versatile depending what spin you put on it.

Falafel Bowl:

2 cans of chickpeas drained and washed

1 head of parsley leaves

juice of 1 lemon (I use a bit more because I like that tangy taste, but adjust according to your preference)

2 garlic cloves minced

1 scallion minced or 2 green onions chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons of sesame seed

2 teaspoons of cumin

1 teaspoon of paprika

1-2 teaspoons of salt

water as needed

Pre-heat your air fryer to 350 degrees. If you don’t have an air fryer preheat the oven to 375 degrees (or if you’re indulging a deep fat fryer with oil).

Place all ingredients into a food processor and blend until incorporated, but still a little chunky. The mixture should stick together, so if it’s dry keep adding a tablespoon of water at a time and pulse. You should be able to form the mixture into small spheres and they should stick together relatively easy. If using the air fryer spray the bottom with olive oil or avocado oil spray, place falafel in basket, making sure they don’t touch each other. Cook for 8 minutes, flip to other side and cook an additional 8 minutes. If using the oven spray a non-stick sheet pan with olive or avocado oil and place the falafel on pan. Bake for 10 minutes, flip over and bake an additional 10 minutes.

Serve over rice or in a pita. I cut up tomatoes, cucumbers, pickles, pickled turnips (those pink things you see in the pictures), to stuff the pita or mix in with rice, then top it all with tahini sauce. It’s a great veggie meal that packs in lots of legumes as well as tummy friendly fermented foods.

Meatloaf:

2 lbs of ground beef (I use my favorite Butcher Box beef)

1 cup of panko bread crumbs

2 garlic cloves chopped

1 small yellow onion chopped

4 large basil leaves chopped

1 14.5 ounce can of petite diced tomatoes pureed with immersion blender or a 14.5 can of tomato sauce

1 egg whisked

2 teaspoons of salt

1 teaspoon of pepper

Topping:

3/4 cup of ketchup (I use Sir Kensington’s )

1/4 cup of yellow mustard

mix ketchup and mustard in a separate small bowl.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease a 9 X 11 glass pan with olive oil spray. Place all ingredients in a bowl and incorporate until combined. Don’t over mix as it can make the meat tough. Place in pan and flatten out to an even thickness. Spread topping over the loaf and place in oven to bake for approximately 30 minutes. Serve over mashed potatoes, cauliflower, or with rice.

Wine to pair?

For the falafel go with a dry Rose or even a minerally white from Greece. I’ve paired each wine and they both went great. For the meatloaf I’d pair something less bold than cabernet because the dish has a lighter feel due to the panko bread crumbs. I went with a Chianti because of the Italian flair that the basil brought into the dish.

So whip up these healthy meals and have a glass of wine 🍷if you’re not on the sober weekday train like I am. Enjoy!