Kale Chips

 

Some days I think of food,
and of what I'd like to eat,
I think in terms of color,
and melt in your mouth treats.....
apples, radishes, cherries,
Mangoes, carrots, nectarines,
artichokes, lettuce, broccoli,
plums, prunes and aubergines......
A rainbow of high nutrients,
a big broad palette to use,
paint your plate with variety,
from fruits and veggies you choose.......

 

Method :

1 big bunch of curly Kale

1 tablespoon olive oil

sea salt

mixed dried herbs

paprika or chili flakes

Wash the kale leaves, pat dry then tear off the leaves

from the stem into bite sized portions.

In a bowl drizzle the olive oil, and massage gently

to coat the leaves, then add the herbs and salt......

Line a baking tray with parchment paper and spread 

the kale leaves in one layer.

Bake at 140C for 10 - 12 minutes till crisp and done.

Be careful, depending on your oven the timing will differ,

and in two minutes the crisps can burn, so after 10minutes

keep checking......with practice in your oven, you'll get

the timing perfect........

  

I began making Kale crisps two years ago,

and I usually use my dehydrator instead of the oven,

but both work just fine.......

Kale has the highest nutrient density of all greens.

I use it in smoothies but I have never really enjoyed cooked kale
or kale in salads either.......
So crisps are a wonderful way of getting all those green nutrients
inside you in a way that is totally pleasurable!

  

Other Variations : 

With oil and sea salt:

cumin powder, dried tamarind powder, chili flakes.....

garam masala, garlic flakes, grated lemon rind......

tahini, honey, orange juice.......

balsamic vinegar, paprika.......

For crisps with wet dressings, like honey

or balsamic vinegar etc, you might need to 

turn them over after 10 minutes or so, and bake

the other side for around 5 minutes more.....

These crisps are just like any other in the sense,

once you start you can't stop - the difference is

that these are Good for You, so you can indulge

and enjoy this treat, it is totally guilt free!!! :-)

 

Keep it Simple. Be Creative.

Taste and Play. Find your Own Way.

Quinoa - Crackers and Cake

In India there is a savory snack, 
the crisp and tasty Mathi.
It is usually served at tea-time,
along with pickles and a chutney.
I baked instead of deep frying,
Used olive oil instead of ghee,
quinoa and spelt worked just fine,
no white flour for me.....
I wanted something else too,
a soft cake that is gluten free,
I used Avocado instead of butter,
and dates to make it sugar free.....

Crackers:

1 cup Quinoa flour
3/4 cup Whole Spelt Flour (or you can use whole wheat flour)
1 tablespoon mixed Herbs (I used dried mint and fenugreek leaves)
1 teaspoon Chili flakes
1 teaspoon Garlic flakes
1 teaspoon Sea Salt or to taste
1/2 cup Olive Oil
1/4 cup Water or slightly more

Preheat the oven at 160 C.
Mix all the dry ingredients together,
then pour the olive oil and rub it in,
till you get a crumbling sand like texture.
Add the water little by little and bring it all together,
kneading gently to make a firm dough.
Roll out the dough to 1/8th inch,
sprinkling flour on the surface.
Use a cutter to form round shapes for the crackers,
or make any other shape you desire.

Line a baking tray with parchment/baking paper,
and place the round shapes on it.
Bake for 10 - 12 minutes till the crackers are lightly brown.
Cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight container.

We ate these crackers with Date Chutney and Avocado Houmous.

Date Chutney:

Use 1 cup of seedless dates.
Pour warm water over them, just till are covered.
Let them soak for a couple of hours.
Blend in a high speed blender to make Date Paste.
Keep aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a small pan.
Add 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds and lightly brown them,
Add the Date paste, then add 1 teaspoon of Garam Masala,
1 teaspoon of Sambal Olek (Indonesian chili paste)
or chili powder to taste.
Add the juice of half a lime or lemon, and sea salt to taste.
Mix it all together on medium heat, till it thickens and comes together.


Avocado Houmous :

1 ripe Avocado
1 cup cooked chickpeas
1 teaspoons light Tahini
1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic
Juice of 1 lemon
sea salt to taste

Blend it all together till it becomes smooth and enjoy :-)

Quinoa, Date and Avocado Cake

Cake:

1 ripe Avocado
1 cup Date paste
1 Egg
2  tablespoon Yogurt
2 teaspoons Vanilla extract

1 cup Quinoa flour
1 cup Coconut flour (finely dessicated coconut)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
pinch of sea salt
Combine these dry ingredients together.


Preheat oven at 180 C
Grease a medium sized cake pan.


Whisk the wet ingredients together.
Add the dry ingredients and mix well till combined.

Pour the batter into the pan and bake
till the blade of a knife inserted in the cake,
comes out clean. Let it cool.
Dust the surface with dessicated coconut before serving.

Quinoa Info:

Quinoa is not a true cereal or grain, but a seed.

It is gluten free, alkaline in nature and easy to digest.

Unlike wheat or rice, which are low in lysine,

quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids,

making it an unusually complete protein source (12% to 18%)

It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorous

and is high in magnesium and iron. 

Quinoa has a light, fluffy texture when cooked,

and a mild nutty flavor suitable for sweet and savory dishes.

I use Quinoa seeds, flakes, pops and flour

and my recipes will showcase them in all these forms.

Keep it simple. Be Creative.

Taste and Play. Find your Own Way.

Quinoa - Blueberry Bars

 

After two savory quinoa dishes,

it was time for something sweet,
something melting, something fresh,
Blueberry Bars sounded neat......
I wanted something rich and dark,
goats butter in preference,
then I found the best sugar ever,
and that made all the difference......
We had a bar when it was still warm,
just to try it we said,
but once we began we couldn't stop,
I even ate one in bed :-)

Quinoa Blueberry Bars:

75 gms Butter (I used goats butter)

1 cup dark unrefined Muscovado Sugar (you can use brown sugar)

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt

3 cups cooked Quinoa

1 cup ground Almonds (almonds meal / almond flour)

1 cup Blueberries

1/2 cup finely chopped Walnuts

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Line a Brownie pan with greaseproof baking paper.

Cream the butter and sugar, then add the egg and whisk together.

Add the vanilla, cinnamon, sea salt and mix well till smooth.

Fold in the ground almonds and combine.

Add in the cooked Quinoa and fold in the blueberries and walnuts.

Gently mix it all together.

Pour this thick mixture into the greased brownie pan,

and bake for 30 minutes till the top is brown and the sides

begin to crisp a little.

Let it cool and cut into Bars.

Notes:

Muscovado sugar is a very dark brown,

slightly coarser and stickier than other brown sugars.

It is moist in texture and has a strong molasses flavor.

It is unrefined and thus nutritionally richer

than not only refined sugar of course,

but also all other brown sugars.

It retains most of the natural minerals inherent

in sugarcane juice as shown below :

• Total mineral salts 740 mg max.
• Phosphorus (P) 3.9 mg max.
• Calcium (Ca) 85 mg max.
• Magnesium (Mg) 23 mg max.
• Potassium (K) 100 mg max.
• Iron (Fe) 1.3 mg max 

Quinoa Info:

Quinoa is not a true cereal or grain, but a seed.

It is gluten free, alkaline in nature and easy to digest.

Unlike wheat or rice, which are low in lysine,

quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids,

making it an unusually complete protein source (12% to 18%)

It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorous

and is high in magnesium and iron. 

Quinoa has a light, fluffy texture when cooked,

and a mild nutty flavor suitable for sweet and savory dishes.

I use Quinoa seeds, flakes, pops and flour

and my recipes will showcase them in all these forms.

Keep it Simple. Be Creative.

Taste and Play. Find your Own Way.

Quinoa - Tasty Tangy Burgers

 

White landscape all around,
surrounded by beautiful snow,

such a blessing to be warm,

in our new home sweet home........

In Henley where we've moved,

there are no fast food joints,

no MacDonalds, KFC or Subway,

this town wins all the points :-)

We made Burgers for lunch today,

with quinoa, mint and chickpea,
some ginger, honey, lemon zest,
but orange juice was the key......

  

Cooking Quinoa:

1 cup quinoa

2 cups water

drizzle of olive oil

pinch of sea salt

Wash and rinse quinoa thoroughly.

Heat water, add quinoa and bring to a boil.

Cover with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes,

till the quinoa sprouts are well visible.

Take it off the heat and let it rest

until all water is absorbed.

Burgers:

1 can Chickpeas

The cooked Quinoa

1 tablespoon Tomato paste

1 tablespoon Sesame seeds

2 tablespoons Orange Juice

1 teaspoon Honey (agave for vegans)

1 teaspoon Lemon zest

1 teaspoon grated Ginger

1 tablespoon chopped fresh Mint

Chili flakes and Sea Salt to taste

Olive oil

Chickpea flour

Mash the chickpeas coarsely.

Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Roll and flatten to make the Burgers

and dust with chickpea flour.

Heat a pan and lightly coat
with olive oil. Cook the burgers,
till brown on both sides, using oil as needed.

 

Notes:

Quinoa and chickpeas are best friends,

they go very well together.

Orange juice, lemon zest and honey

gives these burgers the tangy taste.

This is a nutrient dense, high protein burger.

I served them for lunch today,
with red pepper and zucchini humous,
and a mixed green salad with tomatoes, cucumber,
walnuts, raisins, an olive oil/balsamic vinegar dressing.

Quinoa Info:

Quinoa is not a true cereal or grain, but a seed.

It is gluten free, alkaline in nature and easy to digest.

Unlike wheat or rice, which are low in lysine,

quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids,

making it an unusually complete protein source (12% to 18%)

It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorous

and is high in magnesium and iron. 

Quinoa has a light, fluffy texture when cooked,

and a mild nutty flavor suitable for sweet and savory dishes.

I use Quinoa seeds, flakes, pops and flour

and my recipes will showcase them in all these forms.

Keep it Simple. Be Creative.

Taste and Play. Find your Own Way.

Quinoa - Spicy Peas Pulav (Pilaf)

 

New year and new beginnings,

this blog will have a new theme too.

Based on ingredients in the main role,

thus my recipes will flow for you.........

A few posts on Quinoa as the star,

in a series of savory and sweets.

And what will follow next?
Maybe some unusual Tofu treats......
2010 is a year of awakenings,
of following our hearts to bliss,
I wish you all the very best,
with sunshine, smiles and a kiss........

  

For Cooking Quinoa:

1 cup Quinoa

2 cups Water

1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt

1 teaspoon Oil

1 small Cinnamon stick

3 to 4 cloves

2 cardamom pods

Wash and thoroughly rinse quinoa.

Heat oil and gently fry the whole spices for a minute.

Add the quinoa, then pour in the water.

Let it boil, then cover with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes.

Take it off the heat and let it rest till all the water is absorbed.

Remove the whole spices from the quinoa.

Pulav:

1 medium sized finely sliced Red Onion

1 finely diced sweet Red Pepper

3/4 cooked Green Peas

1/4 cup chopped Cashew nuts

1/4 cup Raisins

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon Cumin seeds

1 teaspoon Garam Masala

The cooked Quinoa

1 tablespoon Oil

Sea salt to taste

1/4 cup chopped Fresh Coriander

Half a Lemon

Heat oil in a pan and brown the cumin seeds,

then add the sliced onions, red pepper,

cashewnuts and raisins and fry together.

Add the green peas, then garam masala, sea-salt and turmeric.

Saute together for a few minutes then add the cooked quinoa

and mix well. Add some lemon juice and fresh coriander.

I served the pulav warm with a big dollop of cucumber raita:

finely diced cucumber mixed with goats milk yogurt,

sea salt, garlic and chili flakes.

 

Notes:

Quinoa is not a true cereal or grain, but a seed.

It is gluten free, alkaline in nature and easy to digest.

Unlike wheat or rice, which are low in lysine,

quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids,

making it an unusually complete protein source (12% to 18%)

It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorous

and is high in magnesium and iron. 

Quinoa has a light, fluffy texture when cooked,

and a mild nutty flavor suitable for sweet and savory dishes.

I use Quinoa seeds, flakes, pops and flour

and my recipes will showcase them in all these forms.

Keep it Simple. Be Creative.

Taste and Play. Find your Own Way.

Award

 

The Ten Honest Things about myself:


1) - I am addicted to coconut water, I simply love it!!

2) - I got high and tipsy with champagne once,
       and ended up dancing on the table, in Amsterdam ;-)

3) - I shouted at a waiter at my college canteen,
       because I found a tooth in my Samosa,
       and he replied, "Madam, it is yours"....
       I burst into tears, and everyone else burst out laughing!

4) - I've been going thru a "simplicity" phase for the past 1 year,
      thus  I only have - 1 lipstick, 1 bag, 1 pair of shoes etc etc....
      I learned a lot about my real needs, about what is essential,
      and the time to move on and end the phase is coming soon!
      
5) - I can spend an entire day in my pyjamas, doing nothing else
       except reading a book or even two!!

6) - I met Trevor through the internet :-)
      Thank you God, for all this new technology,
      for internet chatting, blogging, facebook etc!!!

7) - All thru my teenage years, I had a huge crush
       on the Pakistani cricketer - Imran Khan

8) - I've been an interior designer, a holistic therapist,
       a leadership trainer and executive coach,
       an astrologer and a tarot card reader.......

9) - Saatchi, my daughter, is the only person
      with whom I behave as madly, as nutty as I want!

10) - I can't listen to a Hindi song,
        without singing along with it........

Clafoutis aux cerises - French cherry pudding

One of my favorite blogs -The Gypsy Chef
nominated me for The Honest Scrap Award.
Thank you Pam, it is an honor to receive this from you :-)

There are rules to receiving this award:

1. Post the award on your blog.
    Present this award to 7 others whose blogs you find brilliant
    in content and/or design, or those who have encouraged you.
2. Tell those 7 people they've been awarded HONEST SCRAP,
    inform them of these guidelines, and ask that they link back to you.
3. Share "Ten Honest things" about yourself.

Tarte aux epinards - French spinach pie

I would love to give this award to another favorite blog of mine,
Autour de la Table d'Hote - written by Lynn,
but Pam has already bestowed this award on her too :-)

So, here are the 7 fabulous blogs that I am nominating for this award:

The Raw Journal

Solar Oven

Sunita's World

Tasty palettes

The Cinnamon Quill

Elana's Pantry

Karina's Kitchen

I have learned a lot from these blogs,
about healthy foods and flavors,
gluten free, vegan, and raw foods,
and about food photography too.
Thank you all for the inspiration......

French mustard, cheese and fresh baguette tray

Pancakes

 

One week in Paris,
back home in London,
sunshine on winter Sunday.
One month vegan,
the experiment is over,
we are content and smiling.
One Irish fry for Trevor,
pancakes for the rest of us,
Saatchi, her friend Gaby and me.
One flow of words today,
but no rhyme or melody,
the pancakes were simply delish.

Spiced Banana and Coconut Buckwheat Pancakes

 Ingredients:

1 and 1/4 cup Buckwheat flour

1/4 cup finely dessicated coconut

1 teaspoon soda bicarbonate

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger powder

a pinch of sea salt

1 egg (you can use 1 tablespoon flax seed powder instead)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 ripe mashed bananas

1 tablespoon coconut oil (or any other vegetable oil of choice)

1 cup unsweetened Soya milk (or any other milk of choice)

Coconut oil to grease

Method:

Mix all the dry ingredients together.

Whisk all the wet ingredients together,

Pour into dry ingredients and whisk

till batter is well combined.

Add more milk if needed.

Heat a non stick pan and lightly grease with oil.

Drop a large dollop of batter to make 4" pancakes.

Flip when the bottom is golden brown,

and cook till the second side is golden brown too.

I served the Pancakes warm with honey,

blackberry/raspberry coulis, fresh goats cheese cream, and chopped pistachios..........

 

Notes:

These are my all time favorite gluten-free pancakes,

and we usually make them for Sunday breakfast.

I don't like them too thick,

so these have a thickness that is somewhere

between crepes and pancakes.

I love the taste of bananas and coconut,

mixed with all the spices, felt like Christmas already!!

I had some frozen blackberries and raspberries,

so I heated them with some honey and strained

to make a very tasty coulis.

There was some fresh soft goats cheese in the fridge,

I whisked it up with a little milk and viola,

it went very well with the honey and coulis.

The chopped pistachios added a great crunch.

There are days when the writing just does not flow as well,

it is better then to not insist, do what one can and let it go......

Hope you enjoy the pancakes though :-)

 

Keep it Simple. Be Creative.

Taste and Play. Find your Own Way.