Masala Crepes with Tomato Chutney and (lemon poppy seed bars)

Potato Masala (to place on crepe)

5 potatoes chopped and steamed for 20 minutes
1 onion chopped
1 leek chopped (optional)
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 green chillies chopped
1 1/2 tbsp ginger minced
1/4 cup coriander chopped
1/2 tsp turmeric
pinch of hing
salt

Saute mustard seeds in oil until they pop.  Add cumin seeds, onion and leek let sizzle for 1-2 minutes, then add green chillies and ginger.  Add the turmeric and hing, mix well.  Combine the potatoes and coriander stir and keep aside.

Tomato Chutney (this recipe needs a good blender or grinder):
4-5 small tomatoes
1 onion
3 chillies
pinch of hing
2 pieces of dry tamarind
1 tbsp oil
salt

Heat the oil, saute chillies and onion for a few minutes.  Add the tomatoes and hing.  Lightly salt. Keep cooking the tomatoes until they are soft and completely cooked.  Add mixture to a blender or grinder and add the tamarind.

Crepes (good blender needed):
3 cups water
3/4 cup dates
1/4 cup dried currents (dates and currents can be replaced with raisins if needed)
1 cup buckwheat flour (I at first put 1/2 oat and 1/2 cup gluten free flour mixture, but the crepes weren't binding, I added 1 cup of buckwheat flour and it helped a lot)
2/3 cup cashews
small handful of sesame seeds
handful of pumpkin seeds
1 tbsp sunflower seeds (all the seeds unnecessarily but can add a cup of nuts/seeds of your choice instead of cashews through sunflower seeds)
2 tbsp flaxseeds
pinch of salt

combine all ingredients apart from flour in a blender.  Blend until smooth. Add mixture to flour and stir well.  The batter should be a little thinner than waffle batter.  Add water if needed.

This recipe was a little difficult, but with practice it an be done.
Pan should be heated to a medium heat -- make sure it is non stick.  Pour 1/2 cup of batter on to the pan and quickly rotate pan to cover the bottom, or smear the batter with the bottom of the cup, before it cooks -- otherwise it will ruin it.. but if you do it fast enough it can work.



Eat crepes topped with potatoes and lathered with tomato chutney.

:)


LEMON POPPY SEED BARS

--- So when I had the crepes I add additional batter left over this is what I did with the batter -- I probably had about 2-3 cups of batter left.

I added
2 tsp of lemon oil
1/4 cup poppyseeds
1 cup of oat flour
1/4 to 1/2 cup of sugar
1-2 tbsp agave
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda

Heated the oven to 375 degrees
Cooked them for 14 minutes.

Came out fabulous!

'Paneer' Biryani and Coconut Curry Vegetables

Paneer Biryani/ Tofu Biryani
2 16oz packages (baked) extra firm tofu (I used sprouted)
1 cup unsweetened coconut yogurt (or other)
1/2 cup cilantro chopped
2 inches gingerroot minced
2 garlic cloves minced
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tbsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 large onion chopped.
1 medium tomato chopped.
2 cups brown rice cooked with 4 cups of water (slightly al dente)

Cube the tofu, and bake for 15 minutes at 350 F, flip them, and bake for another 15 minutes at the same temperature.  This gives the tofu a more of a paneer texture.

Put 2 cups of rice on the stove with 4 cups of water, cook for 30-40 minutes until slightly al dente.

In a bowl combine the yogurt, cilantro, ginger, masala, coriander, turmeric and salt.

Once the tofu is baked, combine the tofu into the mixture.

Let marinate while the rest of the ingredients are prepared.

Heat oil in a pan, add cumin, cardamom and fennel seed.  Let sizzle for a couple seconds and add the onion.  Fry until the onion has browned or mostly become clear, add the tomato.  Let fry until tomato has mostly broken down.  Add this mixture to the slow cooker.  Then add the marinated tofu, then add the rice on top.

Cook on low for 3 hours.  Serve right out of the slow cooker.


Coconut Curry Vegetables
2 heads of broccoli chopped
2 carrots chopped
1 package of button mushrooms chopped
3 garlic cloves
1 tbsp of oil
2 tbsp of curry powder
1/2 tsp of salt
1 can of coconut milk
2 tbsp of tomato paste

Heat oil and garlic in a pan, add the broccoli, carrots and mushrooms.  Cook until the colors brighten and the vegetables slightly soften.  As soon as the pan seems to dry or it's starting to brown at the bottom, add some coconut milk, to keep some moisture.  Once the vegetables are at the desired consistency, add the rest of the ingredients.  I made this dish in the morning for an afternoon potluck, and since I don't like to cook my vegetables much before eating them, it worked out well, because the mushrooms even though they were hardly cooked they still became soft by lunchtime because they had that extra time to marinate, the dish was successful :)

Vegan Malai Palak

Typically my attempt at Indian food always turns into an Indian- American fusion.  So I apologize for the lack of authenticity in it's taste. Despite the taste not immediately bringing you to India, it is unique and flavorful in it's own right. It has a tinge of bitter green taste yet the sweetness and the spice from the flavor combinations satisfy the palette. Ultra healthy with lots of vegetables, it does take a bit of time to prepare but worth it ;)  

Vegan Malai Palak 

2 large zucchinis (alternatively eggplant or mushrooms could be used)

Juice of one lemon

1 medium red onion sliced
4 cloves garlic minced
1 inch stick ginger minced
3 adobo peppers
1 tsp each, garam masala, and turmeric powder

1/2 tsp of fenugreek powder
2 bunches baby bok choy and 1 bunch large bitter greens of your choice -- such as dandelion greens

1 can of kidney beans

dash of salt

1/2 cup of cashews

1 cup water
1/4 tsp of baobab powder
1/4 tsp of lucuma powder

*I used the baobab and the lucuma powder as sweet tangy ingredients, alternatively tamarind paste could be used or lemon and a little bit of agave.

*If using eggplant, marinate the eggplant with salt for 10-20 minutes, squeeze out the excess water, and then marinate it with the lemon and adobo peppers. 

Marinate the zucchini in the lemon juice and chopped adobo peppers for 10-15 minutes. In the meantime the rest of the vegetables can be prepared.
Saute the zucchini (or eggplant or mushrooms) for 5-7 minutes. In another pan, saute the onions, add the ginger and garlic and then the chillies and fry till cooked. Mix in all of the powdered spices.  Then add the greens. Cook till the greens wilt. Remove the mixture, and put it into a food processor. Return the processed greens to the pan, turn on the heat and add a cup of water. Add the zucchini. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes stirring at intervals. 

Grind the cashews into a powder and then blend them with 2 tbsp of water or just enough water to make it thick and creamy.  

Add them to the vegetables and cook for another 1-2 minutes.

 Serve with rice or rice tortillas (we like to cut the rice tortillas in fourths and toast them, they make a great healthy chip, depending on how long they are heated they will be less crispy)

Spicy Cabbage Goulash

This morning was my usual action packed chia apple cereal

For lunch I decided to make something with cabbage, peanuts, vegan chorizo, tofu and carrots

I wanted the flavors to burst, while still feeling like I was mostly eating healthy vegetables.

Spicy Cabbage Goulash
serves 2

2 tsp of oil
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/8-1/4 red pepper chilli flakes
1tsp mango powder (can use 1 tbsp of lime or lemon in replace of)
1 tsp ginger
1/8 cup of peanuts
3/4-1 package vegan chorizo
2 oz baked tofu cubed (optional)
4 cups chopped green cabbage

2 carrots chopped
1/2 cup of water
1tsp agave
1 tsp braggs (soy sauce)
2 tbsp tomato paste
3 tbsp tahini










Heat oil in a pan, add from pepper to peanuts.  After a few seconds add the the tofu and vegan chorizo. Stir for a 30 seconds, and add the vegetables.  Mix well, and add 1/2 cup of water.









Cover with a lid and let steam/simmer for 5-7 minutes.  Or once cabbage is soft but still crunchy.  Add agave through the tahini, and it is ready for serving!