Simple Vegan | Basil Hummus, Falafel Salad with Tahini Dressing, and Crispy Pita

Tonight wound up being the perfect summer dinner and completely vegan. Here goes:

Falafel Salad & Tahini Dressing
This is a made up recipe that starts with Rachel Ray's Greek Salad minus the dressing.

1) Cut up two heads of romaine, two Roma tomatoes, 1 cucumber, 1/2 a red onion (thin), and add a handful of sliced olives and a handful of sliced pepperocinis. Toss the salad.

2) Buy a package of falafel mix and prepare according to directions--which is pretty much adding water, letting sit for 10 minutes, making balls and frying them.

3) Make the tahini dressing by putting 2T tahini in a food processor with a handful of parsley, clove of garlic, juice of 1 lime, 1/4 c olive oil and 1/2 c water. Run the food processor (or blender) until smooth.

Basil Hummus & Crispy Pita
1 can chickpeas (garbanzos), drained
2 T olive oil
handful of basil (or not and you have just regular hummus)
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
black pepper to taste

Mix all in food processor until smooth and serve with pita chips. Note that you can make your own pita chips by cutting flour tortillas into triangles with a pizza cutter and baking crisp in a 400 degree oven. (I decided to make mine late last night when it was cooler, then started watching TV and forgot about them until I could smell them burning. We ran to Tom Thumb this afternoon for the store bought variety.)

It was really delicious, and luckily I have leftovers which fit nicely in my bento box.
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Update: This so rocks! George Edwards actually made this recipe last night and sent me the photos. He added paprika to the hummus to give it a color contrast with the pita chips.

Totally made my day, George!