falafel salad w/ vegan tzatziki dressing

falafel has been one my favourite foods since i went vegetarian at 16. there is a great restaurant in town that makes the best yogurt tzatziki for their falafel pita wraps, and is what inspired me to make a vegan version. so the other day when i was craving falafel, but was out of pita, i just threw everything on top of a salad and made this vegan tzatziki dressing. i'll post my personal falafel recipe later, but this post is actually about the tzatziki dressing which i thought was the highlight of my meal.

• 1 bed of salad (lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers)
• 4 falafel balls

for the tzatziki dressing:

• 1 medium cucumber, peeled and chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons tahini
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons fat-free nayonaise
• pinch of dill

make a bed of salad, and place 3 or 4 falafel balls on top. you can find a pre-made falafel mix at most grocery stores (i think fantastic foods brand is pretty good), or you can find many recipes online. personally, i bake mine (i'll post my recipe later).

in a magic bullet or food processor, blend up dressing ingredients. you can add more olive oil or lemon juice if it's too thick. top salad with vegan tzatziki dressing and enjoy your falafel bowl!

chickpea, sun dried tomato & artichoke salad

i posted a feta recipe in my last post, and that yumminess found a home in this recipe. i'm always looking for new ways to mix up chickpeas, and this sort of just came together. i think it would be great for a potluck or holiday dinner, as this recipe makes quite a bit. and if you haven't tried miso mayo, you should give it a shot. it definitely has a unique flavour, but in small amounts, it's pretty dang tasty!


ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups dry chickpeas (about 3 cups cooked)
• 1 ¼ cups sun dried tomatoes (preferably not oil-packed)
• 1 can (14oz.) artichoke hearts
• 1/2 cups black olives, sliced
  
• 6 oz. vegan feta

dressing:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon stoneground mustard
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup miso mayo, original

combine all ingredients except feta in a large bowl. if you prefer, you can mix up the dressing ingredients in a separate bowl and pour over the mixture. i take the lazy way and just throw all the dressing components in with the rest of the salad, stirring as i go. add the tofu last since it will be the most delicate and susceptible to crumbling. toss gently a few times after adding the tofu. chill for at least two hours, really letting the flavours meld. serve up just like a pasta salad.

as a side dish, i think this would serve about 8 (or more if they are super-small-helping types of folk). :)