Toddler-Friendly Oven-Baked Veggie Falafel (Chickpea) Patties

I am a big fan of deep-fried, delicious falafel and any sort of Middle Eastern cuisine in general. However, deep-fried falafel is well...deep-fried.  Hence began my quest to create an oven-baked version of falafel that was also toddler-friendly and healthy.  You can stuff these patties into pita bread with some pickled onions and tahini or just serve them plain with a little garlic yogurt sauce.   You can also make a big batch and freeze them.  My toddler loves these and I hope you enjoy them too!

Oven-Baked Veggie Falafel (Chickpea) Patties

2 15 oz can of chickpeas - drained

1/2 large red onion
4 cloves garlic
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1/4 cup cilantro
1 cup of fresh spinach and kale mix
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
salt and pepper
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup all-purpose flour 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Throw your chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley, cilantro, spinach, kale, olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper in your food processor.  So basically, everything except for the baking powder and flour.  I should have probably just said that....

Pulse it well so it looks like bright green hummus:

Add the baking powder and the flour and pulse once more, leaving the mixture chunky.  Transfer the mixture into a bowl.  You can either refrigerate the mixture at this point for up to 3 days or you can make it right away.  

Form the mixture into patties and lay gently on a olive oil-sprayed, foil-lined sheet. Mine yielded 12 patties but I made them pretty large.  

Bake for 12 minutes and then flip (VERY carefully) and bake another 12-15 minutes.  The outside should be slightly crispy but not dry, while the inside should be soft.  These will not have the same texture as fried falafels, but the taste is still amazing and it's significantly healthier!

Did I mention these are LOADED with protein and fiber? So if you have a toddler that has been having trouble, um...."letting things out", so to speak, I can assure you that these patties will do the trick.  Nothing like poop talk to get you in the mood to cook, am I right??