Crock Pot Falafel

I love, love, LOVE falafel but despise that it is deep fried.  Since I've been trying to lose my extra baby weight that I gained while pregnant with my "baby" (who is now 2 and a half) I've been looking for some healthier recipes and thought I would give this one a go.  This turned out better than I expected!

Ingredients:

• 15oz can of garbanzo beans/chickpeas drained
• 1/2 onion roughly chopped 
• 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley 
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 egg
• 1 Tablespoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander 
• 1 lemon juiced 
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• olive oil spray for the bottom of the crock pot
• plain greek yogurt
• dill

Directions:

1. Mash beans in a small bowl (I used a pastry blender because the fork wasn't cutting it)
2. Add onion, parsley, garlic, egg, salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, and lemon into a blender or food processor and blend until mixed. 
3. Pour mixture in with the beans, add bread crumbs and combine.  
4. Spray the bottom of your crock pot liberally with the olive oil spray (or just pour about 2 tablespoons in)
5. Make golfball sized falafel balls (like you would make a meatball) and flatten between the palms of your hands.  Place in the bottom of your pot. 
6. Mix the plain greek yogurt with the dill, salt and pepper and refrigerate.
7. Cook on high for about 4 hours or low for about 6.  These you will have to watch.
8. To prepare, spoon yogurt into a pita, add lettuce, red onion and finally the falafel.
9. Enjoy! 

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