When I lived in Israel I became a huge fan of falafel—a warm pita filled with hot, crispy balls of golden chickpeas, rich sesame dressing, and cool tomatoes. It has so many great flavors—and a lot of fat. This version calls for the falafel to be baked rather than fried—and served as a salad rather than a sandwich.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　1 1/2 cups broccoli florets (cut very small)

　　Salt

　　5 garlic cloves

　　One 14.5-ounce can chickpeas, drained

　　1 teaspoon ground cumin

　　Freshly ground black pepper

　　1 cup whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs, such as Ian’s All-Natural

　　3 large egg whites

　　1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt

　　2 tablespoons tahini, such as Sabra

　　5 cups shredded romaine lettuce

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 425˚F. Place a wire rack on a foil-lined baking sheet and set it aside.

　　

Step 2

Place the broccoli florets in a medium microwave-safe bowl, season them with salt to taste, and cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave on high, for 2 minutes, or until the florets are tender. Uncover the bowl, transfer the broccoli to a colander, and allow it to cool.

　　

Step 3

While the broccoli is cooling, pulse the garlic in a food processor until it is very finely chopped. Remove 2 cloves’ worth of garlic and reserve it in a large bowl.

　　

Step 4

Add the chickpeas and cumin to the food processor, and process until the mixture forms a paste. Scrape the chickpea mixture into a medium bowl and add the broccoli. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste, and mix well to combine. Form the falafel into 12 equal balls, and flatten the balls with the palms of your hands to make disks that are slightly less than 1 inch thick.

　　

Step 5

Place the panko in a shallow bowl. In a large bowl, whip the egg whites with a whisk until they are extremely foamy but not quite holding peaks. Working with one at a time, dip the falafel disks into the egg whites and then dredge them in the panko. Place the disks on the wire rack and season them with salt and pepper. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake until the falafel are golden brown and crispy, about 20 minutes.

　　

Step 6

Meanwhile, add the yogurt and tahini to the bowl containing the reserved garlic. Whisk to make a smooth dressing. Add the romaine to the bowl, season it with salt and pepper, and toss it until it is well coated with the dressing.

　　

Step 7

Divide the salad among 4 plates, top each one with 3 falafel, and serve.

　　

nutrition information

Step 8

Before: Fat 28.7g

　　

Step 9

After: Fat 6g

　　

Step 10

Before: Calories 711

　　

Step 11

After: Calories 267

　　

Step 12

Protein: 13g | Carbohydrates: 43g

　　

Step 13

Cholesterol: 1mg | Fiber: 9g

　　

Step 14

Sodium: 535mg

　　Now Eat This by Rocco DiSpirito. Copyright © 2010 by Rocco DiSpirito. Published by Random House Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Hailed as the "Leading Chef of his Generation" by Gourmet magazine, Rocco DiSpirito received the James Beard Award for his first cookbook, Flavor. He went on to author Rocco's Italian-American (2004), Rocco's Five Minute Flavor (2005), Rocco's Real-Life Recipes (2007), and Rocco Gets Real (2009). DiSpirito also starred in the Food Network series Melting Pot, the NBC hit reality series The Restaurant, and the A&E series Rocco Gets Real.