Naturally Gluten free- 100% Vegan, Fermented Chickpea, scallion & cilantro pancakes.and 100% delicious

I first began making these for a client who is Gluten free, now I am addicted to these wonderful, tasty pancakes that go well with anything savory.


This makes 6-10   x  6inch pancakes

The idea is to mix the batter then leave it covered in a cool place for 2 days..stir once a day, it should ferment slightly that is what you are looking for.

In a medium bowl, using a wooden spoon
1 cup firmly packed chickpea flour ( this is called Bengal Grams aka Kala Chana Besan in Indian markets and is imported toasted chickpea flour)

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground turmeric

2 tsp smoked or reg paprika

2 tsp ground cumin (optional) OR 2 tsp cumin seeds

2 tsp black caraway seed (optional)

Mix well then slowly add  1 cup filtered cold water, 2 tbsp at a time, mixing well with the spoon from a paste to a batter.

Leave covered for 48 hours (it will thicken up)


3rd day

Mix well and check the texture, you need a thin batter,( like single cream) if necessary add more cold filtered water.

Add 1/2 cup chopped scallion
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup grape seed oil


mix well


in a six inch skillet add 1 tbsp grape seed oil* and heat to smoking.
pour off the oil

Using a ladle pour in the batter and swirl round to cover the base..( approx) 1/4 cup.

These cook very fast, flip over when sides are  golden brown.
cook both side and  remove and place on either a wire rack, plate or clean kitchen towels.
*Oil the pan between every 3rd pancake

Serve with vegetable stews, chutneys salsas soups.

These are too tender to try and fill, but delicious when eaten like bread.

They can be kept in fridge between wax paper and wrapped in foil, and even frozen this way...defrost in fridge, heat on a cookie sheet, individually unwrapped,  at 400f for about 10 mins.

Fabulous, easy, gluten free, 100% Vegan and wonderful

VEGAN & DELICIOUS Cashew Paella.."how to" photos & Samosa Strudels

Samosa Filling, carrots, potatoes, celery peas, garam masala, curry powder, ground cumin

Previous 4 caramelizing the onions and garlic, and drying the steamed rice for the paella

Previous 3 saute the vegetables in hot olive oil & red wine, adding smoked paprika and ground turmeric, veggies...artichokes, bell peppers, corn peas, fresh tomatoes, zucchini..adding cashews last.

Heat the steamed, dried rice in vegetable stock with wine and turmeric and smoked paprika, until all liquid absorbed then add to the vegetables, add chopped cilantro & parsley

Top with more cooked vegetables and black olives..fabulous!!

Freshly baked samosa filled topped with black poppy seed

Minestrone with Pasta; split pea and barley; celery and zucchini soups; Samosa Vegetable Strudels PHOTOS & TIPS plus caraway sour dough breads

Carrots, Celery, Onions Red Skin Potatoes, spices for the samosa strudels

Celery, zucchini and onion soup

Minestrone base

Zucchini-celery soup

Previous 3 the minestrone with Perciatelli pasta ( spaghetti with  hollow center..cook before adding to soup so it doesn't absorb all moisture)

The samosa filling ready for overnight marinating

Caraway-wholewheat sourdough bread dough

Split green pea and barley soup

10 bean pate with lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil

Caramelizing onions and garlic for the cashew paella

Cooked long grain brown rice for the cashew paella, air drying

Here are the beginnings of a great international menu for tomorrow's deliveries:


Minestrone Soup with perciatelli pasta

Split pea soup

Celery & Zucchini soup

10 bean Pate with crispbreads

Cashew Paella

Samosa Strudels

Pumpkin Spiced Apple Bars 


More photos tomorrow before delivery

LOW CALORIE DISHES WITH ALL THE FLAVORS -VEGETARIAN Pistitsio, Zucchini-pinto-cottage cheese bake, Stir steamed vegetables, Orange carrots, Cabbage & pecans..lots of LOW CALORIE-GREAT FLAVORED RECIPES to keep the pounds off .

Eating well..staying trim..here are some good ideas/recipes for tasty Vegetarian dishes: (in some for vegan omit the cheese and use vegan alternatives)

PASTITSIO..a simple moussaka

usually made with ground lamb, this one use cooked beans or tempeh


Preheat oven 375F

serves 4 can be frozen after cooking

1 cup dried macaroni  cook in boiling salted water and drain well

In a large skilled
1 tbsp cooking oil/olive oil heat then add, 
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced bell pepper
1 cup diced celery
saute , stirring until the celery is opaque.

Add 1 cup  diced peeled tomatoes or own made marinara sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
15ozs cooked, drained beans or 10 ozs tempeh (cooked first in boiling salted water, drain and crumble)
the cooked macaroni

Simmer for 10 mins, stirring
Remove from heat and add 1/4 grated hard/strong cheese

Pour into a 10 x 6 x 2 inch oven proof baking dish/roasting pan.

In a screw top jar:
1 1/2 cups skimmed milk
3 tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt

shake well then pour into a heavy bottomed saucepan and cook on high heat, stirring until it develops into a thick sauce.
remove from heat.

Whisk 2 medium, OR 1 large egg in a bowl..whisk in 1/2 cup of the cooled white sauce, then add to the main body of sauce and stir in well.

Pour over the bean and macaroni and sprinkle with ground cinnamon.

Bake in middle oven on a lined cookie sheet for 30-35 mins

Remove from oven and wait 10 mins before serving

This is a complete meal.

Zucchini-pinto-cottage cheese bake  serves 4

Preheat oven 375F

in a large skillet:
3 tbsp boiling water or vegetable stock
5 cups sliced zucchini ( 1/4 inch slices, not thin)
1 cup sliced  button mushrooms
1/2 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic smashed and minced
1/2 cup diced bell pepper
3 ribs celery chopped
1/2 sweetcorn
Cook until veggies are crisp tender, remove the veggies with a slotted spoon and set aside.

place the skillet over high heat and add 1 can condensed celery soup ( or any condensed soup of choice), cook until thickened.
Add 2 cups cooked pinto beans ( or other variety of choice..or 1x15oz can rinsed and drained).
1 1/2 cups dry cottage cheese ( drained in a sieve)
2 tsp herbs of choice pref. fresh
1/2 cup chopped parsley or cilantro.
Saute to heat through
then add the cooked vegetables.
Pour into a greased ovenproof dish 12x 7 1/2x 2inch or therabouts
Sprinkle with paprika  ( may also add here some grated cheese, or bread crumbs, optional)

Bake in middle oven on a lined cookie sheet for 20-25 mins.
remove from oven and wait 10 mins for contents to settle.
Serve hot


Variations:
add chopped :
scallions 
Tomatoes
Cooked broccoli to top before serving

STIR-STEAMED VEGETABLES

IN a large wok

each dish is the same beginning:
3 tbsp boiling water
2 tbsp very finely minced ginger root ( no need to peel if fresh)
3 cloves garlic smashed and minced

heat for 2 mins high heat then add the veggies, stir round for 3-4 mins serve when crisp tender

Veggie mixes:

Tomato..sliced, wedges or small halved Peppers chopped or sliced thin Carrots sliced thin or small dice/crescents Scallions cut on a bias Celery ribs cooked on a bias Cooked beans add at the end of cooking the raw veggies Shredded cabbage, Napa Cabbage, whole Chard leaves, whole Spinach..add at the end of cooking the veggies Chard stems add at the beginning of cooking the veggies Onions sliced thin Potatoes sliced thin or diced small Green bean/fresh asparagus..bite sized pieces, add at end of cooking Green peas/sweet corn fresh or frozen; sugar peas, snow peas...added at end of cooking Cauliflower/broccoli florets..add half way cooking the vegetables Once cooked add 1/4 tsp toasted sesame oil (optional) and 1 tsp low salt soy sauce, serve at once...can be sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Make more veggies as you will be eating this without or with a much smaller portion of steamed brown rice/ wholegrain noodles.

Chili flakes or hot sauce is optional ( hot sauce does help speed up the metabolism)

Orange carrots  serves 4 side dish
2 pounds carrots, ends trimmed, and cut into 1/4's lengthwise..sticks

place in a saucepan and cover with fresh water and 1/2 tsp salt

Boil and cook for 10 mins.

Drain well.
return to pan and add
1 tbsp margarine or olive oil
1/2 cup orange juice ( fresh or bottled)
cook for 10- 15 mins until tender.
Remove the carrots and reduce the orange juice until it  2-3 tbsp left..pour over carrots and served topped with minced parsley and chopped raw nuts ( walnuts/ pecans)

Cabbage & Pecans  serves 4 side dish

This is a great side dish and actually looks and tastes.."special" and is a great addition every weekday.
Don't be tempted to use  bagged coleslaw salad mixes they are never fresh nor crunchy enough.

4 cups shredded cabbage..green or red
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup sliced scallions

Place in a heavy bottomed saucepan and cover with vegetable stock or water , season to taste with salt & pepper.
add 1/2 tsp any dried herb of choice
bring to boil , then simmer for 10 mins
remove the cooked veggie and place in a bowl
Boil the stock to 3-4 tbsp and pour over the veggies

in a bowl mix
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
2 tsp prepared mustard
OR 
1 tbsp prepared horseradish

Mix well then add to the cooked, moist  vegetables, serve topped with minced parsley

Variation: add 2 cups of any vegetables that are in season..if they are root vegetables shred like the carrots; if tough leafy greens like the cabbage..shred, spinach and chard leaves may be left whole This is also great with leeks cooked in same way as the cabbage.

Banana-Nut Cake, Apple Cake with Nut Glaze & Apple Dumplings cooked in a butter caramel sauce RECIPES TO CELEBRATE FALL IN STYLE

here are some great recipes to curl up with a good book or watch and old movie and just sit back and enjoy The Good Life in The Fall:

A banana-nut cake..lighter than the traditional banana-nut bread

A beautiful Apple Cake with a warm and almost fudgy nut glaze

then who can resist good old Fashioned apple dumplings and these are baked in a butter-caramel sauce.."to die for"!

You can find these and man other recipes in my Web Page..these are under the Fall Cooking page..just hit the link below to go to my Home page..I am now averaging 21,000 hits per week in now over 83 countries..so it seems a lot of folks love the GOOD LIFE too!

http://www.goodelifelivingwell.com

Apple Strusel Cake RECIPE to go with your better tasting coffee from your clean coffee maker

Here is a great Old Fashioned  Apple Cake and you may use ripe pears in place of apples, just don't peel them, just core and chop.

Pre heat oven 350F

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter softened
beat together well.
gradually beat in 1 large egg, 1 tsp vanilla extract.

in a medium bowl sift together 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour ( or whole wheat..if using whole wheat add an extra 4tbsp milk)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

then fold into butter mix in 2 sections alternating with the milk, and finishing with the flour mix .
Fold in 5 medium apples, cored and chopped ( about 5 cups)

Pour into a greased cake pan or 13x 9inch ovenproof dish, and smooth top.

IN a medium bowl mix together:
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup chopped nuts
3 tsp  ground cinnamon
2 tsp nutmeg
3 tsp flour
2 tbsp melted butter

Sprinkle the mixture as crumbs, over the batter.
Bake in middle oven for 40-35 mins until golden brown and firm to touch.

Remove and cool on a wire in the pan it is baked in.
Serve at room temp or  cold with whipped cream, ice cream or just a good old cup of 'Joe.

Coffee Machine Cleaning..better flavored coffee/increase the life of your machine!

I clean my drip coffee maker every 2 months, do you?

The water in Los Angeles, California and London, England is very hard, and constant use of coffee machines means there is a build up of lime scale on the inner workings of your machines.
This can lead to :
odd flavored coffee
cooler coffee
actual break down of the machine
slow drip and leaks


The cure is so very easy and does not need "designer/expensive cleaning products.

Allow 1/2 cup vinegar to the full carafe (or water reservoir/tank) of water and pour into the machine, allow it to sit for 1 hour, Then run it as usual until all the vinegar water has been expressed.
Next fill the carafe with clean fresh water and run through the machine as usual, do this rinse several times...you  will be amazed at the dark color of the water coming from your machine.

When the hot water is clear and has no vinegar taste, make you coffee as usual.

The best vinegar is distilled/white; cider; red wine..do not use Balsamic.

This technique will also clean the carafe!