Hummus Bowl with Vegetables and Falafel

Directions

1. Place the chickpeas in a medium saucepan and add the baking soda. Cover the chickpeas with several inches of water, then bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Continue boiling, reducing heat if necessary, to prevent overflow, for about 20 minutes, or until the chickpeas look bloated, their skins are falling off, and they&rsquo,re quite soft. In a fine-mesh strainer, drain the chickpeas and run cool water over them for about 30 seconds. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a food processor or high-powered blender, combine the lemon juice, garlic and salt. Process until the garlic is very finely chopped, then let the mixture rest so the garlic flavor can mellow, ideally 10 minutes or longer. Add the tahini to the food processor and blend until the mixture is thick and creamy, stopping to scrape down any tahini stuck to the sides and bottom of the processor as necessary. While running the food processor, drizzle in 2 tablespoons ice water. Scrape down the food processor, and blend until the mixture is ultra-smooth, pale and creamy. Add the cumin and the drained, over-cooked chickpeas to the food processor. While blending, drizzle in the olive oil. Blend until the mixture is super smooth, scraping down the sides of the processor as necessary, about 2 minutes. Add more ice water by the tablespoon if necessary, if your tahini was extra-thick to begin, with to achieve a super creamy texture. Taste, and adjust as necessary&mdash,I almost always add another 1&frasl,4 teaspoon salt for more overall flavor and another tablespoon of lemon juice for extra zing. Scrape the hummus into a serving bowl or platter, and use a spoon to create nice swooshes on top. Top with garnishes of your choice and serve. Leftover hummus keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 1 week.
3. Put the eggs in a saucepan with a lid. Pour cool water over the eggs until fully submerged and add the baking soda to the water. Put the pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Once the water is at a rolling boil, turn off the heat and cover the pot with the lid. Allow the eggs to sit in the hot water for the following times according to the desired doneness: 3 minutes for SOFT boiled, 6 minutes for MEDIUM boiled, 12 minutes for HARD boiled. Prepare a bowl of ice water. Transfer the cooked eggs to the ice water to cool completely before peeling. To assemble, place some hummus
4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the tops and the roots of the beets and peel each one with a vegetable peeler. Cut the beets in 1 1/2-inch chunks. (Small beets can be halved, medium ones cut in quarters, and large beets cut in eighths.) Place the cut beets on a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil, thyme leaves, salt, and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, turning once or twice with a spatula until the beets are tender. Remove from the oven and let cool Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
5. In a bowl mix the julienne onions and the balsamic. Let the onions sit for about 2 hours before serving.
6. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Remove the outer leaves from the cauliflower. Cut it in half and cut out and discard the core. Cut the. cauliflower into bite-sized pieces. Toss the cauliflower in a large bowl with the olive oil to coat. Sprinkle on curry powder and salt and toss to coat. Spread out in an even layer on a large, rimmed baking sheet and transfer to the oven. Roast the cauliflower until the bottom is beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Turn over and continue roasting until tender, 5 to 7 minutes more.