I find myself daydreaming a lot lately.
Wishing I could escape. I just want to get away from my “adult” life.
There are more mornings when I wake up now wishing I didn’t have to go to my job, than there are mornings that I’m excited to go to work.
I am still in the ever evolving process of finding myself and what it is that I want to do with my life. There are three things that I know for sure.
1. I love cooking/baking. Being in the kitchen just makes me happy.
2. I love fitness and nutrition. Even though I bake a lot of bad goodies, I am actually really obsessed with my healthy living lifestyle.
3. I love blogging. It’s acts as my diary, my outlet, and helps me to connect to so many people.
I hope to one day figure out how to mesh all these love together and be able to create a career from it. Something that I’m excited and passionate about. But, until I figure out how to do that, I’ve got to give myself some mini vacations.
The best way to take a mini vacation…make an international dish!
I was so excited when I saw this recipe from Andrea. This is just what I needed.
Mediterranean food is something that I’m just starting to explore, and am finding that I’m really loving.
The best thing about this dish is that the chickpea patties are actually baked and not fried! WINNING!
Some of the traditional ingredients were not in my pantry, so I had to make some substitutions, like tahini sauce ranch dressing and pita bread naan, but the flavors were spot on!
My first bite in to this soft, warm, jam packed falafel sent me to a land far, far away.
I suddenly found myself slowly trotting along the sand dunes of Egypt on the back of a camel.
Pyramids on the horizon.
Warm, hot sun, beating down on me.
Where seeing a palm tree is like seeing a flourishing rose bush.
…then I swallowed, and was brought back to my living room and my episode of “The Real Housewives of Orange County”.
Thank goodness I still had a whole falafel to finish!
|
{ 32 comments… read them below or add one }
This looks fantastic. I was just looking for a great vegetarian dish when this came up on my Facebook news feed. Perfect timing!
love love love those falafels! I have to try them because I love the classic recipe but they’re just too heavy!
These look so good! And, I just made some naan, so I’ll have to try this recipe with those!
Well you can be a journalist/baker/fitness guru… does that job title exist?!?
)
Love the falafel, Steph… I saw ‘feta’ and I was in!
Oooh these look good. I love that they are baked too!
I love falafels! And these don’t have breadcrumbs which is great. I am doing a detox at the moment so no dairy, meat or wheat. I’ll just sub the flour for chickpea flour, thanks!!
I’m glad you liked these! You’re the second blogger I’ve seen make them and I’m planning on making them this weekend. I have a can of chickpeas just begging to be made into something delicious.
These look wonderful, and I’m always looking for healthy, delicious recipes. Lovely presentation!
I hear ya lady…Sometimes you have to take those little mini “vacations”. I think this looks extremely yummy, thanks for sharing.
This looks delicious, I love a good falafel. Baking it makes me want to make these even more, so healthy! I think I even have tahini in the house, I know I have Ranch dressing
I hear you girl. There are days I feel the same way.
Your pictures are fantastic. I want that in my belly right now! Winning!
I love falafel, but shy away from it because I don’t want the mess or calories of frying. I’m so glad you posted this. It’s on next week’s menu!
Girl, you are so funny with your vivid images of riding a camel in the deep desert. I actually really envisioned you eating your falafel while trotting along! My imagination surpasses me sometimes. :-p
I know you will eventually figure out what it is you want to do in life to pursue your passion. I felt exactly like how you did when I still worked at my last job — depressed, not wanting to go to work. All I looked forward to was getting back home to my hubby, cooking something delicious, and having a glass of wine! I quit my job several months ago to go to culinary school, work on my blog, and do personal cheffing gigs. I am so happy now.
You’re so good at baking! And I know I’ve told you this before, but you really shined on video. Maybe you should look into doing that some more? We may be looking at the Next Food Network Star!! :-p
Take care, Steph!
Sorry for the novel… :-/
hey you!
ive been reading your blog for a couple weeks. its addictive!
you are so cute:)
i know what you mean about finding the right shelf to fit in, but its a learning progress, enjoy the ride.
I live in Denmark, if you know where it is in Scandinavia. Ive been through a lot of crappy jobs and never felt completely happy. I was working as a pastry chef and thats where i found my dream career, but had to quit because of my boss:(
now ive just started training as an stewardess. Its very different but great, and until i find a new job as a chef im gonna do my thang;)
you are awesome!!
Natasa:)
Thank you so much for your kind words!! They really help!
I feel the saaaame way! Your not alone girl. I also made this exact same recipe this weekend and packed it into a picnic lunch for the boy and I. We rode 9 miles to the beach and then enjoyed falafel and watched the waves. It felt like a much needed mini vacay
I feel you on needing to get away! These falafels look like an awesome way to do it – and healthily baked instead of fried, to boot.
Love your recipe, I am big fan of falafel and this is great recipe to try and make my own.
Beautiful, ingredients.
Thanks for sharing:)
This looks amazing!! I’ve never thought of making homemade falafel. What a great idea Steph!
I’ve been craving Greek food (we don’t have any restaurants in central TX!) and now I can make it myself at home! It’s a good thing I have 3 cans of chick peas in my pantry.. I can’t wait to try this.
ps You and I totally have the same aspirations and I am an avid Housewives watcher
Better get on it! Put those cans to use
I love falafels but never made my own! Yours look sooooo good, I’ll definitely have to make them
.
LOL, I feel ya girl. If I had my way I’d not do much more than cook, blog and keep the house clean. You just have to figure out a way to get as popular as Pioneer Woman and then I bet you’d get paid enough for blogging to quit your day job! I’m not motivated enough to try. I do the mini vaca instead.
These falafels look sooo good! A little different than the ones I usually make–I’ll have to try it!
That’s it – I am packing my tastebuds up and sending them to Egypt too – they are flying Air Steph! I love the idea of mini vacations via exotic dishes and these Falafel are just the job.
LOL!! This cracked me up!!
I’ve been feeling the SAME way lately! Adult life isn’t fun all the time. Perfect little mind vacation and taste bud vacation though!
Mmmmm…this looks SO good! Hey, I’m probably twice your age, and wondering the same thing! You’ll figure it out…go with your heart, my friend~
I am totally in the same boat! I love all the things you do… but haven’t quite figured out how to get them to support me 100%. All in time though, I’m confident that the universe provides what we need at the right moment!
Hmm I think we all need a mini vacation! and we can start with this falafel, it certainly makes you travel to some parts of the Mediterranée!
Looove me some falafel. It fulfills that meat craving, is delicious and fills the belly all at the same time! Now I may need one just to get me to Egypt.
I love the idea of baking the falafel. It looks like they turned out really well and didn’t miss any of the oil nor the frying. Here in Israel I normally opt to go to a great falafel place when I crave one but this looks like the sort of recipe I would totally make at home. Looking forward to trying it out!
Baked flafel!
You are my hero…
I can totally relate to the feeling of wanting to escape adult life..oh if only I could