Inspired by the flavors of Afia falafel and my love for power bowls, I created Falafel & Za’atar Cauliflower Rice Power Bowls that are packed with flavor and plant-based protein.
I love a good power bowl. There’s just something about all the different flavors and textures mixed together in one dish that makes them so satisfyingly delicious. And the best part is how customizable they are! There’s an endless option of vegetables, proteins, toppings, and sauces. Plus, they can usually be made in advance which makes them great for meal prep or an easy lunch to take to work.
Today, my power bowl is inspired by Afia Foods’ Falalel. Afia Foods is local to Austin and has a food truck on Burnet. The owner has quite the story to tell about how she made her way to Texas and grew her business that Austin 360 published in March (definitely worth the read!). Afia Foods is also a Chobani incubator company (love it!) and were part of the HEB Quest for Texas Best competition.
Recently, Afia Foods landed in 200 HEB locations so when they reached out introducing me to their products and mentioned the word falafel, I had to say yes to working with them! Falafel is my love language. <3M and I even had falafel at our wedding. However, I’m very picky about my falafel. I want my falafel to be crunchy on the outside, fluffy in the center and full of flavor.
When made the Afia Foods falafel this past weekend and tasted it for the first time, I was in heaven.
Never have I had a frozen falafel that met all of my taste requirements AND could be considered healthy. The falafels are baked in the oven (or you can microwave them if you’re in a hurry) and the original flavor is only 90 calories for 3 pieces. They’re vegan, gluten-free and considered a full plant-based protein. Afia Foods Falafels come in two flavors, original and turmeric. I loved both. If you’re a fan of spice, you’ll definitely enjoy the turmeric flavor.
Inspired by the flavors of the falafel and my love of power bowls I created these Falafel & Za’atar Cauliflower Rice Power Bowls. If you aren’t familiar with za’atar it’s a Middle Eastern mixed spice containing toasted sesame seeds, sumac, thyme, and salt. It’s a great spice for bread dipping with olive oil, roasting potatoes, or marinading chicken with lemon juice & olive oil. I chose to use it to flavor my cauliflower rice.
Also in my Falafel & Za’Atar Cauliflower Rice Power Bowls are
- roasted sweet potatoes
- massaged kale
- quick spicy pickled radishes & cucumbers
- my everyday hummus
- tzatziki dressing
- and hot sauce for all the heat
These bowls are serious flavor bombs and full of healthy plant-protein! You can even make the bowl vegan if you swap the tzatziki dressing for tahini! If you enjoy Mediterranean food, you’re going to love my Falafel & Za’atar Cauliflower Rice Power Bowls. The tzatziki dressing, pickles, and hummus can also be made a few days in advance and assembled when you’re ready to eat or prep meals for the week.
Give the bowls a try and be sure to pick up a bag or two of Afia Foods falafel at your local HEB, found in the freezer section.
While I did receive complimentary product from Afia Foods all opinions, photos, and the recipes are my own.
- olive oil spray
- 2 cups cauliflower rice
- 2 teaspoons za'atar spice
- salt & pepper
- For assembly:
- 1 bag Afia falafel, cooked to package directions
- warm roasted sweet potatoes*
- chilled massaged kale salad*
- ½ cup everyday hummus
- tzatziki dressing*
- pickled radishes & cucumbers*
- hot sauce of choices
- kalamata olives
- Spray a large non-stick skillet with olive oil spray and heat over a medium-high flame. Add cauliflower rice and begin to toast stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes. Add the za'atar spice and stir to combine. Continue to cook another 4-5 minutes until cauliflower is cooked through and slightly toasted. Remove from heat, season to taste with salt and pepper then assemble the power bowls.
- To assemble the bowls: add a half cup of cauliflower rice to each bowl followed by a ½ cup of sweet potatoes, ½ cup of massaged kale salad and 2 tablespoons of hummus. Top with a few pickled radishes, cucumbers and kalamata olives. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons tzatziki dressing and hot sauce, if desired. Top with warm, cooked falafel & serve.
- 2 large sweet potatoes (~2 cups) cut into ½ inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil, or oil of choice
- 1 teaspoon each salt & pepper
- Preheat the oven to 425F
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together the oil, salt, and pepper. Add the cubed sweet potatoes and toss to coat. Spread the potatoes evenly onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Roast for 35-40 minutes until lightly golden, tossing halfway through the cooking time.
- 2 cups kale leaves torn into ½ inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon good quality olive oil
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Place the kale leaves into a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil.
- Using your hands massage the oil into the leaves.
- Sprinkle with salt, granulated garlic, and pepper and toss to combine.
- Refrigerate until serving.
- 1 bunch of radishes, washed with tops removed and sliced into ¼ inch rounds (~2 cups sliced)
- 2 pickling cucumbers, washed and sliced into ¼ inch rounds
- 1½ cups white vinegar
- ½ cup water
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 3 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 3 teaspoon pink peppercorns
- Place the radishes slices and 2 teaspoons pink peppercorns in a large container, like a quart mason jar and set aside.
- Place the cucumber slices and 1 teaspoon pink peppercorns in a medium container, like a pint mason jar and set aside.
- Pour the vinegar, water, salt, and sugar into a medium sauce pan and place over hight heat on the stove.
- Stirring occasionally, bring the mixture to a boil until the sugar is dissolved.
- Pour the mixture over the cucumbers until all slices are just covered. Pour remaining mixture over the radishes. If you run out of the pickling liquid, add some additional water to the radishes until they are just covered. Place the mixture in the fridge and let sit for at least 1 hour before serving.
- Pickles can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- ½ cup cucumber, peeled, seeded & shredded
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 garlic clove, vined minced
- ½ teaspoon dill weed, fresh preferred but dried will work as well
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1-3 tablespoons water
- salt to taste
- In a small bowl stir together all ingredients except water and salt.
- Thin the dressing by adding 1 tablespoon of water at a time until the consistency reaches something you can drizzle easily with a spoon.
- Season with salt to taste.
- Place in the fridge to chill until serving.
