Let’s face it: If your a carnivore reading this, you have most likely already dismissed the idea of making this recipe. Why? Because sadly, most veggie patty recipes out there seem deliciously healthy… but once you click over to read a recipe, you encounter a potion-like list of ingredients and steps. What was meant to be healthy and easy ends up becoming a mission.

I’ve personally rejected the idea of attempting to make falafel at home, with the excuse that most recipes call for deep frying, prodigious amount of starches, chilling, freezing, breading… with the express purpose of making them hold together and not come apart in a pan full of oil.

So yes, I’ve tried it in the past and I’ve failed. BUT last Sunday I was feeling like eating something flavorful and ‘healthy-ish’ and all I had at hand were the ingredients I’m about to list below. You’ll be surprised at how geniously creative we can be when we’re limited. Who was it that coined the phrase, “Necessity is the mother of invention.”? Well, that person was spot on.

This time, I came at it from a simpler direction: only using the ingredients I had at hand, not caring if my falafel would offend any falafel-know-it-alls AND most importantly, forgetting about frying. Who has the time and the stomach for that, anyway?







ana degenaar

Now, before I FINALLY move on with this recipe, let me just say, eat these as you wish. I went the wrap way because I was craving a nice wrap – but you can eat these as you wish. The idea is to make this recipe work for you. Open your pantry and bask in your options. Who knows, maybe we can swap notes at some point? I’d love to get more ideas.

To make baked falafel:

• 1 can of cooked chickpeas
(I can hear the above mentioned know-it-alls gasping at my suggestion of not using dried chickpeas... but it is what it is)
• 1 tablespoon of grated onion
• 1 small grated garlic
• 2 tablespoons of fresh parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric
• 1 teaspoon of cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon of paprika
• 1/2 tablespoon of tahini paste
• A dash of fresh lime
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Steps
1. Use a food processor to combine all the ingredients
2. Make small patties (about 2 TBS portions)
3. Pace them in a pan lined with baking paper or greased with olive oil
4. Bake in a preheated oven at 180ºC for 20 minutes or until they look golden and dry
5. Let them cool off before removing them from the pan so they don’t stick

Serving suggestion

Tzatziki
• 1/2 cup of natural greek yogurt
• 1/3 cup of grated, seedless cucumber
• 1 clove of minced garlic
• 1/2 lime juice
• 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley (replace with dill if you want authentic tzatziki)
• 1 tablespoon of chopped mint
• Salt and pepper to taste




Wraps
I make these wraps at home whenever I crave a good sandwich – and realistically they don’t take a whole lot of extra time, but it does involve gluten, kneading and more dirty dishes... so instead, you could also use some paleo bread or gluten free tortilla if you wish.

I also served this one with radishes (because, obsessed!) but the falafel alone is deliciously enough.

Add more tahini paste over the top and get really to have your mind blown by a simple falafel wrap.

Ph. Fine Life Co.

Tucked away in a neighborhood in Central Tucson, Arizona, you'll find the studio for Fine Life Co. A curated shop for women, based of the new concept of "found and made", each piece is comprised of talent from brands and designers with a strong emphasis on products created in the USA. Collaborating efforts to find finer/quality products for women who care about how and why things are produced.

What makes this shop stand out from others is the level of care in every aspect of their business: they attest to the fact that we do not necessarily need to choose between quality and quantity.

You can pretty much have it all.

Functionality, quality and aesthetics. These are the main principles of Studio Joanna Laajisto's designs. Be it interiors, products or services, the agency's philosophy is to create beautiful, long-lasting and meaningful design that stem from sustainable values and the understanding of human behavior.

Cafe Coutume is the studio's latest project. A minimalist cafe located in Paris, France. High ceilings, warm walls and the introduction of simple-yet-timeless pieces of furniture makes this a soft-minimal haven. Laajisto's Airisto stools and benches, Saku Sysiö's Laakso dining chairs and a large gold rug draped across the wall show the studio’s mastery of mindfulness and minimalism principles.

The spirit and subtleness of Joanna and her team is strikingly clear across all of her projects. The proof is in the projects below:

Pink walls, anyone?

Ph. Studio Joanna Laajisto

Annabell Kutucu is a renowned Interior Designer and Stylist based in Berlin. She has been styling and decorating private luxury homes for more than 10 years. Since she set up her own business in 2010, with a focus on hospitality and private residences, her style has allowed her to work on several (and may I add: stunning!) hospitality projects, like the renowned Casa Cook Kos, The Scorpio Hotel and Tulum Treehouse in Mexico – among many other noteworthy projects.

I’ve featured some of her projects before. Her wanderer style is not only eye-catching but very inspiring for those of us who enjoy traveling vicariously through her work.

In her newest interior design work: "No Ordinary Apartment" - Annabell designs the 300sqm apartment for a travel aficionado and the result is nothing but perfection. The apartment is divided in two, united with a seamless connection through wooden sliding doors. A composition of custom-made interiors, wooden furniture, rough linen and carpets, selected mid-century vintage finds and unique objects complement the subdued walls. The owner’s travel finds have been displayed around the apartment and they bring a beautiful warmth to the otherwise clean slate. Texture is brought in with large wicker baskets, handmade cushions, raw wood and ceramics – and the space is further personalized by the artwork hanging on the wall.

My favorite room (as usual, I must confess) is the bathroom. I get the feeling that the owner is transported to a faraway destination by stepping into that extraordinary space. Textured walls, soft natural lighting and a minimalist touch are very much what composes my dream room.

Simple living and leisure are words I'd use to describe this place. A celebration of the modern Bohemian, a tactile experience and laid-back luxury, maybe? However we describe this place, the images above speak louder of the mastery and spirit of both the owner and the designer.

What's your favorite spot in this apartment? Leave your answer below.

Ph. Claus Brechenmache