Falafel- afel- wha?

Falafel. Goodness without the guilt as Id like to call it. Actually, falafel is a ball or patty made from ground chickpeas and/ or fava beans that is deep-fried or baked. And deep-frying anything is always a good thing. Falafel is usually served in a pita along with lettuce, pickled vegetables, hot sauce, and drizzled with tahini-based sauces. (I love adding lettuce, various vegetables, and hummus to my falafel.)

I was first exposed to falafel out of curiosity. There were some food places around Union Square (of New York City) and each one those food places highlighted 'falafel'; the word was on street carts, small food shacks, restaurants. I had my first bite of falafel at MaozVeg and since then, Im hooked. They are vegetarian, packed with a lot of flavors and textures, very filling, and super healthy. When made from chickpeas, falafels are packed with plenty of proteins, minerals and vitamin B. They are also a great source of cholesterol-lowering fiber, antioxidants, iron, phosphorus, folate and zinc. To top that, the high fiber content in chickpeas helps maintain blood sugar levels after eating so you're not hungry later on.  Plus the price of falafel is cheap too, ranging from $2 to $5; and for how much food youre getting, it is totally worth it.

First introduced in Egypt, falafel has become a dish eaten throughout the Middle East. Falafel is also often considered a national dish of Israel. Some also claim that falafel was first made as a replacement for meat during Lent; and believe me, it is fulfilling and hearty as meat. The hearty fritters are now found around the world as a replacement for meat and as a form of street food especially in North America, where a lot of U.S. college students are as likely to enjoy a falafel wrap as they are other fast foods like pizza (hence why there are a lot places around Union Square that sell falafel)

Falafel has become so popular that there are now fast food chains that solely sells it. MaozVeg (first opened in Amsterdam) is sorta becoming the McDonald's of falafel. "The first Maoz restaurant opened in the heart of Amsterdam back in 1991. With the best falafel in town and a tempting fresh salad bar, Maoz drew in locals and world travelers alike, and was soon to become synonymous with outstanding quick vegetarian food." Let me tell you, I like MaozVeg; they're smallest-size falafel, the Junior, is super filling and also FREE refillable sides from their salad bar?! That's super awesome in of itself. 

I know some of the meat-eaters (I love meat too so I would fall under this category) out there are having some doubt; "What? I would never ever eat something that's vegetarian, that's for wimps!" True, vegetarian food is known for its not-so fulfilling portions, that some claim any vegetarian dish is always like a side dish or a small appetizer. But I have found that that is only the case in American food. If you explore other cultures, this is not so, like for example the falafel. And if you have one of these, you will not miss meat for a second.