“I hate cooking!” I hear this all the time! I can assure you that if you hate cooking, you are not alone. I have to say that this is such a shame, though, because I know you really want to like cooking. There’s no way of getting around the need to eat every day and if you have a family, you have to feed them 3 meals a day. If you have hungry teenagers or picky eaters, it can feel like an impossible job!

My friend Elinor loves her family and wants them to eat well, but is tired of figuring out what’s for dinner and who’s going to eat it! Sound familiar? she plans, shops, prepares everything, and then hopes for the best.

Well, I’m here to help! I’m a bit of an optimist (my husband says I see the world through my very own pair of rose-colored glasses), but I believe that anybody and everybody can enjoy cooking and it’s been working for me so far! I’ve changed many minds already, and with a little time, patience, and effort (like everything in life) you will like cooking too.

I challenged my friend Elinor, to come up with some ideas to shift her mindset (and her kids’ too). She decided to include them in the process, and honestly this is my favorite approach and gets the best results. Her plan is to ask each of her kids to choose one recipe every week. I also suggested they help her cook the food. When they have some say in what the meals will be, invest their own time, and help do the cooking, somehow the food suddenly tastes better. You also build stronger relationships and learn to work as a team. There are so many connections that are made on so many levels when you prepare the food together. You will be amazed! I still am everyday.

These falafel pita pockets are typical Israeli street food and healthy as can be. Delicious too!

Kids love kitchen appliances and gadgets. It draws them in. Look how they are working as a team, taking turns, and adding the ingredients into the food processor. Look at that focus. Learning a life skill!

Chickpeas, onion, garlic, fresh parsley, fresh cilantro, cumin and coriander go into the mix. Let’s talk about healthy plant protein and all those nutrients going into this meal.

Fresh Israeli Salad is so simple and you can make it so many different ways. Add what you like!

Print Recipe

Falafel with Elinor and Kids

Falafel is an Israeli street food that is made from ground up chickpeas, herbs and spices.

Prep Time

30 minutes

Cook Time

15 minutes

Passive Time

30 minutes

Servings

people

Ingredients

Falafel

• 4 cups chickpeas From about 2 cups dry chickpeas soaked in water overnight.
• 1 small onion roughly chopped
• 4-5 cloves garlic paper removed
• handful fresh cilantro
• handful fresh parsley
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 2 tsp. coriander
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• avocado oil for frying
• Pita bread, tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet onions

Tahini Sauce

• 1/2 cup tahini sesame seed butter
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 small lemon juiced
• 1/2 cup water

Prep Time 30 minutes Cook Time 15 minutes Passive Time 30 minutes Servings people Ingredients Falafel 4 cups chickpeas From about 2 cups dry chickpeas soaked in water overnight. 1 small onion roughly chopped 4-5 cloves garlic paper removed handful fresh cilantro handful fresh parsley 2 tsp. cumin 2 tsp. coriander 1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. pepper avocado oil for frying Pita bread, tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet onions Tahini Sauce 1/2 cup tahini sesame seed butter 2 cloves garlic minced 1 small lemon juiced 1/2 cup water

Instructions

1. Add 2 cups dried chickpeas and 8 cups of water into a saucepan. Cover with a lid and leave to soak overnight. Drain just before using.
2. Add the drained chickpeas, onion, garlic, cilantro, parsley, cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until well blended. It should look a little course in texture and not smooth. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes so that the mixture stays together. You can make the Tahini Sauce while you wait.
3. Shake the tahini container vigorously before opening to blend well. Add a 1/2 cup of tahini, the garlic, and lemon juice to a bowl and stir with a fork to combine. Gradually whisk in the water until it is a sauce like consistency. This may take a few minutes. There's no right or wrong here. It's how you like it, thick or thin.
4. Take your chickpea mixture out of the refrigerator and make your patties. Form them into 2-inch patties like mini burgers.
5. Heat a frying pan or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add enough avocado oil (or other frying oil) so there is 1/4" of oil in the bottom of the pan. Fry on each side for about 5 minutes, turning down the heat if they start to get too dark. They should be golden brown. Remove the falafel from the pan and drain on paper towels.
6. Stuff 2-3 patties in a half of a warmed pita bread, spoon in Israel salad or sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, and onion. Top with the Tahini Sauce. Enjoy!