Crispy Brown Rice Bowl with Falafel & Pickled Cucumber

So I kind of cheated with this recipe as I used store-bought falafel. I will be honest, homemade is way better, but sometimes these short-cuts are necessary. This is why this recipe is such a perfect week-day meal but still something a bit different. 

The rice (I used brown rice, but you can switch it for white rice) is cooked and then fried in a bit of olive oil to get that delicious crunch. The pickled cucumber only takes a few minutes and adds great flavor. The falafel, well as you now is store-bought but if you wish to make it yourself then great! 

This recipe serves 2

Ingredients

1 cup brown rice

1 small onion, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon ground chili

1/4 teaspoon ground paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 + 2 tablespoons olive oil

For the cucumber

100g cucumber

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

Extra

Favorite store-bought or homemade falafel

1 avocado, chopped

2 small handfuls of spinach leaves

Directions

1. Cook the rice according to the instructions.

2. Using a vegetable peeler, slice the cucumber in ribbons. When the seeds become visible, start slicing the other side(s). In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar, honey, oil and salt. Add the cucumber, mix and set aside.
3. In a large skillet heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions until translucent and then mix in the garlic. Stir in the dry herbs and spices. Now add the remaining olive oil and rice to pan; mix until well combined. Finally, press down the rice to cover the bottom of the skillet and cook for about 6 minutes until crispy.

4. In the meantime prepare the falafel according to the instructions.

5. Divide the rice among the plates. Top with the spinach leaves, avocado, cucumber and falafel. Enjoy!

Tip: You can serve this with a yogurt dressing but I decided to keep it simple.