To be honest this recipe at first was a test and I was praying that it was going to turn out amazing because I love falafels, but instead of using chickpeas as the base; I wanted to use cauliflower! Chickpeas do not always agree with me, but I LOVE falafels; eating them, making them, and ordering them out; so I was determined to figure out another way to make them. 

Falafels in general are pretty simple to make. For the most part, you can add in any spices or fresh herbs to the mix cater to your taste preferences. Plus, they make the perfect little appetizer, snack, or addition to any quick lunch or dinner for the week. Also, these that I've made are Whole30; for anyone following that for the month of January!  

For these; I did curry, turmeric, cilantro, nutritional yeast for the spices/herbs and paired the bites with a homemade mint tahini dressing. I baked them as well and each bite was super crispy on the outside yet tender in the middle. I also added in Vital Proteins Marine Collagen into both the cauliflower bites as well as the mint tahini dressing for extra nutritional benefits! 

By now, you know that Vital Proteins is a huge part of my routine and you can read all about that here: A Day in the Life: Typical Routine. I talk about how Vital Proteins has improved my gut health (leaky gut, SIBO, IBS, digestion in the sense that it has allowed me to eat more foods that I was once intolerant to and reduced bloating), improved my skin complexion (brighter, clear, reduced redness), strengthen my hair, increased my energy, is a great addition of protein in my diet, and which of their products I love! I also have a generous amount of recipes throughout my blog such as a turmeric collagen smoothie, blueberry lavender stress relief smoothie, sweet potato salad, butternut squash 'mac and cheese,' and so many more ranging from snacks to breakfast! It has changed my life for the better and I make sure that I incorporate it everyday whether it is in my water through their collagen beauty waters, my energy bites, smoothies, or even in my coffee! 

These cauliflower bites are on the savory side and the mint tahini dressing gives them a refreshing little kick. I love the turmeric, curry, cilantro combo, but you can obviously use any spices that you prefer! When I made the bites/falafels this time around I used pre-cut cauliflower rice, but it is very simple to make your own! Once you mince your own cauliflower rice in your food processor all you need to do is add the remaining ingredients in your food processor, blend, form the mixture into balls, and bake them in the oven! The dressing takes about 5 minutes to prepare and can be used for the bites or any salad. I like to serve these over greens, in a pita, or just as in and dip them in the dressing. 

These falafels/bites are perfect for anyone following Whole30, low carb, or have a hard time digesting grains! They have the texture of a falafels as well as the flavors too! 

Main Meals/Lunch/Appetizer 
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Total time:  55 minutes

What you need: 

Cauliflower bites

2 cups cauliflower rice
1 scoop Vital Proteins Marine Collagen
3 tbsp. nutritional yeast
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. curry powder
dash of sea salt
few dashes of pepper
1/2 cup cilantro
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup bread crumbs*
1 egg or flax egg

Mint Tahini Dressing
Makes about 1.5 cups

1/2 cup tahini
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 water or enough for desired consistency
3 tbsp. chopped mint leaves* more for more mint taste
1/4 tsp. ginger powder
 

What you need to do:

1. For the cauliflower rice, I personally buy it pre-chopped. BUT making your own is easy! Just pulse chopped cauliflower in your food processor until minced and looks like "rice." Set aside. Make enough for 2 cups. 

2. Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. 

4. In your food processor add all of the ingredients except the cauliflower rice. Mix until well combined. 

5. Once combined, add the cauliflower rice and pulse a few times until combined. 

6. Roll the mixture into balls, about golf ball size and place them on the parchment paper. 

7. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes THEN flip/turn and bake for another 15 minutes or so. They will spend a total of about 35 minutes in the oven. Crispy on the outside and tender in the middle. 

NOTES:

1. Add in any spices of preferences: cumin, garlic cloves, chopped onion (maybe 1/4 cup- 1/2 cup) etc. 

2. For the breadcrumbs, (I used Simple Mills crackers and put them in the food processor to make my own breadcrumbs) mine had flavors of garlic, onion, rosemary, sea salt, and pepper and therefore I did not add those specific ones into my mixture since they were already in my breadcrumbs. 

3. To reheat the cauliflower bites, place them under the broiler for a few minutes or heat the oven at 400 degrees until warm (about 5-8 minutes). 

4. You can sub the egg for a flax egg. To make a flax egg use 1 tbsp. ground flaxseeds and 3 tbsp. water. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes. 

5. For the Vital Proteins; I used the Marine Collagen, but you can use their Beef Collagen as well. They work interchangeably. It will not change the taste, flavor, or texture of the cauliflower bite/falafel. If you do not have any, you can obviously leave it out but it just adds in extra health benefits! 

6. Store in an air tight container for up to a week.