I have always considered myself quite a nice person. I like food of all shapes, flavours and colours. From every country and continent. I don’t discriminate, I am an equal opportunity eater. It’s only the doctors who say I’m intolerant. And certain foods who refuse to tolerate me. They certainly refuse to recognise and respect my right to eat them without major physical discomfort and distress.


Gluten and lactose are not my friends.


Despite the negative attitudes surrounding me from many of those I love best, (cakes, ice cream, hot toast) I decided to become a chef. Not always easy when you live in a bread and milk filled world. I like to think that this has helped me become a better person as I embrace my differences and refuse to let the gluten get me down. I believe InTolerance. I am the InTolerant Chef.

Food should not be about what you can’t eat, but what you can and what you enjoy eating. This blog is about my journey of cooking and eating and discovery. It’s not a definitive guide to allergy awareness nor do my intolerances make me an expert. Your body is your responsibility, not mine. I only know what works for me.


I can tell you this..... No glutens were harmed in the making of this website.

November 10, 2011

Lamafel





Almost Vegetarian.









There is no way my husband is satisfied sitting down to a dinner without meat. My Dad is the same- he is even suspicious of minced meat, he likes something he can sink his teeth into.

I'm definitely a meat eater too. I blame my blood type for this, apparently I'm one of the hunters more than one of the gathers, according to a book I read. But I do need to watch my iron intake and levels thanks to an inherited gene, and discovered after participating in a high-protein diet that I quite enjoyed actually, until having to have blood taken to bring my iron levels back down to normal.

So I compromise with a bit of clever cheffing, hidden vegetables in most dishes, and meals where I cut down on the meat content sneakily- thus Lamafels were born.

A typical Falafel is made from ground chickpeas and/or broad beans mixed with delicious spices, shaped into balls then fried to a crunchy golden deliciousness. My Lamafels, are a bit different, but just as delicious- trust me.

This is also a great meal for when you're in a hurry, or can't be bothered going to too much effort to get dinner on the table. Most of it can be cheated with by buying the main components pre-made. Of course I would never do that, and spent hours chopping and preparing despite my temporary handicap of having both arms out of action! :)
















This cooks in maybe 2 minutes, 3 tops, and each person can add their own salad and spreads before rolling their Lamafel into a Takeaway style wrap and coming back for more. You can also shape them into patties, but they're just not as cute!
















1 200g packet gluten free Falafel Mix
500g minced Lamb
100ml Water
Gluten free Wraps
Hummus
Tzatziki- Lactose free
Lettuce- shredded
Tomatoes- thinly sliced
Cucumber- thinly sliced

1. Make the falafel mix according to the packet instructions.
















2. Add in the minced lamb and water, and squish well together with your hands to really mix evenly with no clumps.
















3. On one side of a gf wrap, spread a thin layer of meat mixture, stopping about 2cms from edge to allow for folding and wrapping.
















4. Heat and oil a flat based frypan. (It helps if you make sure the wrap fits in the frypan before you start) Swirl the oil up the sides of the pan, this mixture really sticks otherwise.
Place the wrap meat-side down in pan and cook for just a minute or so, it really shouldn't take too long at all and you don't want it to turn to sawdust.

















Flip the wrap over and heat the other side through as well.
















5. Now it's time to work quickly while the wrap is warm and pliable, before it cools down and turns crispy.

Spread with some hummus or tzatziki - or both,I won't judge, and pop on some tomatoes, cucumber and lettuce.
















6. Roll the wrap firmly, tucking in the ends so no filling dribbles down your favourite shirt.

Bite into your delicious Lamafel pretending it's full of meat, or just chickpeas, depending on your preference, and enjoy a meal that is prepared in minutes, cooks in minutes, and devoured just as quickly. Yumm...



So Dear Readers, do your meals rely mainly on meat, or are you a veggie lover too?






.

24 comments:

  1. what a grand idea, looks yum! its funny as although i grew up eating lamb all the time (lived on a farm) i am so happy to go without meat in my meals.

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  2. These look delicious! I have never seen GF Falafel mix where I live, but we can get decent Rice flour wraps. I tried Vegetarian once - for 9 months. I ended up weak as a kitten, and was very happy to go back to eating meat! We try to do a vegetarian dish once a week - but that is about all I want to do.
    This recipe makes me want to make my own version of a Falafel mix. Thanks for sharing!

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  3. GENIUS!!!! What a wonderful - idea - Mr BBB will love this!

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  4. I just ate lunch, and now I'm hungry all over again! ;)

    These look delicious - and what a great compromise between the traditional falafel and more of a gyro-type sandwich. YUM! :)))

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  5. falafels are always good with lamb would be nice

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  6. Lamafel - love it :) I need meat, as I have low iron levels - even though I take tablets & eat red meat often it can still get low! But I do stack up the veggies oh yes :) and at least one vegetarian dinner per week.
    Heidi xo

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  7. I love this! Its a perfect substitute for that greasy 2am kebab haha. Much better for your and way tastier

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  8. This looks great, I love Falafel but I've never seen falafel mix. Still not hard to make so I'll give this a go. GG

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  9. Your comment on my blog was so funny! I have never made falafel but you have inspired me. It looks like a meal the whole family would enjoy.

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  10. Your comment on my blog was so funny. I have never made falafel but you have inspired me. This looks like a meal the whole family would enjoy.

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  11. Bec, you clever thing - this is a great idea! I have an enormous teenage boy who craves meat. This way we are both happy and it is such a quick meal, too. Love it.

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  12. Hehe I was wondering what you would have in store with a name like lamafel! I wonder if I am a hunter type too? I love meat so quite likely!

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  13. Ooo lamafel looks utterly genius!

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  14. MMMMMMMMM,...These filled falafel wraps with the meat in it too, look amzing, tasty & apart! ;) I love how you named it too! So original! ;)

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  15. Lamafel is something I've never heard of. But it sure looks great, I'll be trying it for dinner sometime next week :)

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  16. These look great and obviously reminds of of a good kebab and they are so good when I'm famished especially after a pub session. I need a fair bit of meat too especially a nice scotch fillet or T-bone but I will settle for a vege meal ocassionally and I'm usually on a salad for lunch so I don't feel so guilty.

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  17. Meat for me - since I follow the Paleo/Primal way of eating. These look really good. I remember George on Masterchef made something similar once,but yours sound heaps better!

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  18. Many gluten intolerants of are of the blood types that should get protein from meat... I know I feel a lot better when I eat it. That said, I try not to eat too much of it - and beans are a big part of my diet. I am CRAZY for falafel - and thrilled that we can find easy mixes that are gluten-free. I do make my own from scratch on occasion too - which is shockingly easy if you have a food processor! Cheers! claudine

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  19. Hello Lovelies! Seems that we all love our veggies as well as our meat, from the sound of the comments this week. I know some days I find it hard to get my 5 and 2 serves though, how about you?

    Muppy- Thanks! That is funny, you would think you would miss it :)

    Ina- Thanks! I couldn't do it for long at all either, glad you came back to us :) They're not too hard from scratch, but the boxes are nice and easy!

    Lisa- Nice and nutritious for baby too!

    MichelleJ- Sorry! Take-away food to make at home!

    Simcha- They are aren't they? :)

    Heidi- Isn't that funny, were both at the extreme ends! I love my veggies too :)

    Nic- I even keep raw ones in the freezer so they're ready-to-go at 2am! Much tastier indeed!

    GG- I just get mine at the supermarket, but they are easy to make at home too. Hope you enjoy them!

    HotlySpiced- Your blog was so funny! We all certainly enjoy them :)

    Amanda- Yes, it's the best of both worlds isn't it? Hope these help fill his hollow legs.

    Lorraine- I love quirky names :) You must be, at least you manage to hunt down the best meals and places to stay wherever you go!

    Y- Thankyou muchly!

    Sophiesfoodiefiles- Thanks! And thanks!

    JasmyneTea- Great, let me know what you think!

    Chopinand- Always good after the pub! Salads are great- if they're based on meat!

    JanetNZ- He must have read my post then! :) I think El Bulli or Heston must be the only ones left who never have similar recipes to anyone else. I'm guessing you eat lots of lamb in NZ?

    Glutenfreegift- That's interesting Claudine! It is pretty easy, and fresh is always better.

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  20. Becca, that's a BRILLIANT recipe! Only you could create a lamb dip! :) I'm worried though, what's this about BOTH arms being out of commission? I thought it was just the one.. :(

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  21. I'm a vegie!! You are such a creative little thing! What a cool idea :) I do love regular falafels though. You need a whole heap of hommus for them though!

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  22. Lamb is too expensive to eat a lot - even in NZ (where I COULD go 10 minutes away and rustle me some - if I was so inclined... which I am NOT!) :-)
    and... I agree with Celia - what's with the BOTH arms???
    (How, in the name of heaven... does a girl pluck her eyebrows, with BOTH arms out of action?)
    'eyebrows' being a euphemism for... 'points south' - which I am SURE you knew XO :-)

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  23. I'm a meat eater as well. Tried to eat vegetarian for some years, and never felt so bad. It doesn't have to be a lot of meat, but some, and if I don't have it, I feel weak and hungry all the time. Still, I eat far more veggies than meat.

    This looks delicious! I've never had ground lamb, I think this is only sold at butcher stores (where I usually can't afford to buy), but not at supermarkets. I want to try immediately! :D

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  24. If I replace the lamb (which I don't eat) with pork, does that make it a Hamafel?

    I think it does. And that's okay.

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