May 18, 2020

Pumpkin Falafels

Add roasted pumpkin to your homemade falafels. Enjoy them in a salad, stuffed inside pita pocket, or on their own.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 medium red onion , finely chopped
  • 800g chickpeas , canned, rinsed and drained
  • 750g pumpkin , roasted and chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic , crushed
  • 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
  • 1 ½ tsp ground coriander
  • 1 whole fresh red chilli , finely chopped
  • 2 tbs fresh coriander , chopped
  • 2 tbs fresh flat-leaf parsley , chopped
  • 150g plain yoghurt
  • 2 tbs lemon juice
  • Olive oil spray, 1 x 3 second sprays

METHOD

  1. Preheat oven to 220°C. Lightly spray a non-stick saucepan with oil and heat over medium heat. Cook onion, stirring, for 8-10 minutes or until softened. Transfer to a plate.
  2. Process chickpeas in a food processor until a chunky puree forms. Mash pumpkin in a large bowl. Add onion, chickpeas, 2 garlic cloves, cumin, coriander, chilli, coriander and parsley. Shape mixture into 12 balls and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Chill for 20 minutes.
  3. Bake falafels for 20-30 minutes or until golden. Meanwhile, combine yoghurt, lemon juice and remaining garlic in a small bowl. Serve falafels with yoghurt dressing.

NOTES

  • Great served with mixed salad leaves.
  • If you don’t have a food processor, using a fork or masher for the chickpeas works well.
  • For the yogurt, you can use dairy free versions to keep this meal vegan or try making a dairy free version yourself – recipe here
  • Prep time: 20 min Cook time: 40 min Serves: 4 Difficulty: Easy
By Zina Stone October 16, 2025
Ingredients Bulgogi: 2 medium sirloin steaks 2 tbs p dark soy sauce 2 tbsp gochujang paste 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger peeled and minced 2 tbsp light brown sugar 2 tbsp rice wine 2 garlic cloves peeled and minced ½ tsp black pepper 1 grated sweet apple* no need to peel 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil 2 tbsp vegetable oil Salad: 120 g (2/3 cup) dry quinoa 1 chicken or vegetable stock cube crumbled 100 g (approx 3 cups) baby salad leaves seeds from half a pomegranate half a cucumber cut into ribbons using a potato peeler 1 red bell pepper deseeded and sliced 1 ripe mango peeled and chopped into small chunks 1 jalapeno chilli thinly sliced 3 radishes thinly sliced 1 tsp sesame seeds I used a mixture of black and white sesame seeds 2 spring onions scallions, sliced into thin strips Instructions Place the sirloin steaks in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up slightly, then slice thinly against the grain using a sharp knife. Place the sliced steak into a large bowl and add all of the bulgogi ingredients except for the vegetable oil. Mix together thoroughly, then cover with clingfilm and place in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours to marinate. Cook the quinoa as per the pack instructions, along with the crumbled stock cube (for extra flavour). Leave to cool slightly and fluff with a fork. Once the steak has marinated, heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan on a high heat. Scoop out the steak using a slotted spoon, allow any excess sauce to drip off, then fry the steak in the hot oil. Use a set of tongs to separate the steak sliced during cooking, and cook on a high heat until cooked through and slightly charred. Remove from the heat. Arrange the salad leaves between three bowls and top with the cooked quinoa. Sprinkle the pomegranate seeds on top of the quinoa. Arrange the cucumber, bell pepper slices, mango, jalapeno slices, and radishes in the bowls. Divide the bulgogi between the bowls and sprinkle on the sesame seeds. Top with the spring onions and serve. Nutrition Calories: 632kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 1096mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 25g Prep Time: 20minutes Cook Time: 10minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Servings: 3
By Zina Stone October 15, 2025
In this bulletin...
By Zina Stone October 9, 2025
This grilled chicken and quinoa bowl delivers lean protein from juicy chicken breast and protein-rich quinoa, paired with colorful vegetables. It's a satisfying, nutrient-dense option that supports muscle recovery and growth.