Raw Falafel!

My friend Cindy always tells this joke: "What did the sick chickpea say?"

Answer: "I falafel!"

Get it? I "feel awful." Cheezy, yes. But clever.

Anyway, today's lunch was far, far from awful. In fact, Gena's (of the Choosing Raw blog) Carrot Falafel recipe is quite scrumptious! Here's a cute little falafel ball, fresh out of the dehydrator:

There are several raw falafel recipes out there, but Gena's is pretty unique. She uses carrot pulp (from the juicer) and ground sesame seeds for the base. That green stuff is cilantro and chopped celery. They're dehydrated for about 4 hours, but Gena provides alternate instructions for using an oven on the lowest setting.

Of course, falafel isn't the same without pita. So I made some Raw Pita Bread using a recipe in Rose Lee Calabro's Living in the Raw Gourmet:

This "flatbread" is made from a base of flaxseed and avocado, blended up and poured onto Teflex sheets on the dehydrator. It made the perfect holder for Gena's falafel and her tangy tahini sauce.

Here's a shot of my whole lunch, with a big ole side salad:

While on the ACT cleanse, I'm eating meals like this for lunch everyday. My raw lunches follow breakfasts of raw breads, raw oats, fruit, or smoothies. And of course, every breakfast begins with a big ass glass of green juice (usually made from kale or collards, celery, cucumber, and apple). My nights are filled with hearty, cooked meals made with gluten-free whole grains, veggies, and proteins (like beans or tempeh).

I only have 16 days left on the cleanse ... and that means I'm 16 days closer to a soy latte, a slice of toast, a cupcake, and a gorgeous glass of vegan merlot. Maybe all at the same time.