Baked Stuffed Tomatoes

         Today, I got back late from work and was too tired to make an elaborate dinner. I was thinking to make something that is really quick and healthy but still tasty. 
           So here is a quick 10 minute recipe for Baked Stuffed Tomatoes. You may experiment with different kinds of stuffing, and you may also use other vegetables like Bell Peppers or Mushrooms as the base instead of the Tomatoes.

Ingredients:

• 4  medium firm Tomatoes
• 1/4 cup Cheese (I used a combination of Mexican and Italian cheese blend)
• 1/4 cup Chopped Onions
• 1/4 cup Chopped Bell Peppers
• 1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
• 8-10 fresh Mint Leaves
• 1 tsp Dried Basil
• 1 tsp Black Pepper
•  Salt to taste

Instructions:

• Preheat the Oven to 400^o F.
• Cut the tomatoes into half
• Then scoop out the inside of each tomato carefully with a knife and keep it aside

• Take the onions, peppers,mint leaves, cheese and the tomato pulp in a bowl
• Now, add the basil, pepper flakes, salt and pepper and mix it well
• Place the tomatoes on a baking sheet with the cut side up
• Put some stuffing mixture, about 2 spoons in each of the tomato half

• Bake for about 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and lightly browned

• Serve warm and enjoy

Chickpea Patties

                I am sure everyone must have tried Falafels, which are flavorful Mediterranean chickpea balls. I really love the Falafels, but they are typically made with flour and are deep fried. So today I tried to take my spin on the Falafel without the flour and the deep frying. So here it is.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups Chickpeas / Garbanzo Beans
• 1 cup chopped Onion
• 2-3 Garlic cloves
• 1 cup chopped Cilantro
• 3-4 Green Chilies
• 3 Tbsp Parsley
• 2 tsp Black Pepper
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

• Soak the beans in water for 6-8 hours. 
• Then cook the soaked beans. I prefer to use the pressure cooker. If using a pressure cooker, cook for 4-5 whistles or till they are cooked.
• You can skip the above steps if using canned beans.
• Now, drain the beans completely. They should be completely dry.
• Take a big bowl, add the beans, onions, crushed garlic, cilantro, chili paste
• Now add the parsley, black pepper and salt to taste
• Mix it well. It should be of thick consistency.
• Now, take some of the mixture in your hand and form small size balls and press them in shape of a disc. Make sure they are not too thick or too thin
• Then, put them on a heated pan or a griddle and shallow fry them with little or no oil.
• Serve them hot with Hummus or hot sauce. You can also use these to make a Falafel Sandwich with pocket Pita breads and some veggies.