Tofu Collard Rolls

After the overindulgences of the holiday season, we are making an effort to eat healthier meals. These collard rolls are high in protein and calcium and I can feel my body thanking me for good fuel. Like any rolled item;- cabbage rolls, fresh rolls, sushi, etc, some organization of ingredients is required and there are several steps to complete them. They keep well for several days in the fridge and can be made ahead for lunches.

Method:

Cut a 350 g block of extra firm tofu into 12-24 rectangles depending on the size of the leaves. Some collard bunches have very large leaves and make larger rolls which can be cut in half after they are assembled.

Marinate the tofu in 2-3 tbsp of soy sauce, 1 tsp of garlic powder,  1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes, 5 minutes a side

Meanwhile, trim the stems and any thick veins from one bunch of collard greens. Blanch the leaves, 2-3 at a time, in boiling water for 1 minute and then place the leaves in a bowl of cold water.

Brown the marinated tofu in a frying pan with a small amount of sesame oil.

Prepare the peanut sauce. Mix together until smooth

• 1/2 c peanut butter
• 1-2 tbsp sriracha sauce according to your preference for heat
• juice of one lime
• Approximately 1/4 - 1/2 cup water (depends on how much lime juice you have) until you  have the consistency of a paste. If there is left over tofu marinade, I add it to the peanut sauce.

Cut up the vegetables you want to use. I used cucumber sticks, grated carrot, sliced sweet onion or green onion, basil leaves, (Thai basil if possible)

Assemble the roll: Spread some peanut sauce along the centre vein of the leaf. Place 1-2 sticks of tofu on  top of the sauce. Add the other vegetables as desired. Fold the bottom and top of the leaf toward the middle and then roll the leaf up from one side to the other. 

Today I used a bunch of collards with smaller leaves and made 16 rolls. Some collard bunches make only 8 large rolls. You can use small inner leaves to place over holes in larger leaves or double up 2 smaller leaves. Chicken can be used instead of tofu if desired.

Paneer Masala Curry or Gravy

The Indian grocer near our home sells hot meals from a small counter at the back of the store. The menu is based on the whim of the cook and each day there are 3 different curries available. Last week we bought a paneer curry and the cook told us it was a tomato gravy thickened with flour. We put it over our spicy oven roasted potatoes and wow! Paneer is better than cheese curds. I have been buying jars of butter chicken sauce or curry sauce at the grocery store but they are relatively expensive and higher in fat and sodium than our usual meals. Today I experimented with a recipe found on Spice Up the Curry. Yum! There will be no need to go to the store to buy a jar of curry sauce or "gravy" in the future. The sauce could be used with other vegetables, lentils or meat.


Sauté in 1 tbsp of coconut oil or ghee:

2 coarsely chopped onions
2 cloves chopped garlic
2 pods cardamom, husks removed
2 teaspoons cumin seed
1 inch fresh ginger, chopped
1 inch fresh turmeric, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, with seeds if you want heat
1/2 tsp salt

When the onions are soft and starting to brown, add 4 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped (3 cups)

Simmer until vegetables are cooked.

Transfer the vegetables to a blender and blend on high until puréed. Add 1 to 1-1/2 tablespoons of flour to the mixture while the blender is on low.

Transfer the blended vegetables back to the pan. Add 300-400 grams of diced paneer cheese, 1/2 cup of plain yogurt and 2-4 tablespoons of 10% cream. Stir until combined and adjust seasonings to taste.

Add 1 teaspoon garam masala, hot chili powder and black pepper if desired.

Heat on low but do not allow the curry to boil. Serve over potatoes, vegetables, rice or with naan bread. Like all curries, the flavour improves with time and leftovers are delicious.

(Vegans could use tofu cubes and skip or substitute the dairy ingredients)

Curried Peas and Tofu with Mushrooms

We have tried a number of salads and entrées from Farm Boy's take out selection. Their pea and tofu curry is delicious and I have recreated it at home. Served over rice, it is a fast and easy supper.
The ingredient list and proportions are approximate. I buy small cubed packages of extra firm tofu as the rectangular blocks are too large for our family. Use 1/2 of a larger rectangular block of tofu.


Ingredients:

1-2 tbsp olive oil or veggie broth
2 cooking onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
6-8 oz mushrooms, sliced
2-3 cups frozen peas
6-8 oz extra firm tofu diced in small cubes
1/2 tin coconut milk (200 ml or 3/4 c)


1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp garam masala
cayenne pepper to taste
salt and pepper to taste


Heat oil in a wok or 2 litre pot and cook onions and garlic until softened. Add the sliced mushrooms and cubed tofu along with the spices. Cook, stirring often until mushrooms are done and spices are well mixed. Add frozen peas and coconut milk. Simmer until peas are thawed. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Like any curry dish, this is even better the next day

Serve over brown or white rice

Lentil Shepherd's Pie

This is a quick meal to put together after a busy day. Serves 4.

Peel equal amounts of white and sweet potatoes, cut in chunks, and boil in salted water until soft.

At the same time, cook 1 cup of green or brown lentils in salted water until tender or use 1 tin of prepared lentils.

In a wok or dutch oven, add a little oil and sauté;-

2 onions
2 cloves garlic
1 large carrot, diced
1 cup frozen peas
Seasonings to taste- i.e. oregano, herbes province, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper

You could add any other vegetables you want such as cauliflower, mushrooms, corn or green beans or just use a couple of cups of frozen mixed vegetables. Cut the vegetables in a uniform size.

Add some vegetable broth and simmer until vegetables are tender so you have a stew-like consistency. Add the cooked lentils and stir everything together.

Mash potatoes with milk of your choice, butter or sour cream if desired, and season to taste.

Serve the lentils over the mashed potatoes or make a casserole with a lentil base and potato topping.

Serve with grated cheese, sour cream, salsa if you want.

Masala Poutine

We visited Quebec City in September and were advised to try a restaurant called Le Chic Shack which is located just below the Plains of Abraham and Château Frontenac in the old city. It was September 13th, the anniversary of the Battle of the Plains of Abraham where the French and British troops fought in 1759. Le Chic Shack is locally famous for its poutine, a calorie-laden French Canadian dish of french fries with cheese curds and gravy.

 I chose masala poutine, a spicy East Indian version that did not disappoint! The potatoes were roasted, curry sauce was used rather than gravy, and the potatoes and curds were garnished with chutney, cherry tomatoes and hot peppers. The restaurant also serves burgers and chicken but I don't know how a person could eat the hearty poutine and a burger in one sitting.

This was a dish that had to be re-created at home. We ate the most successful version tonight, which is significantly modified from the original. It still features the complex flavours of curry and cheese with potatoes. I used this recipe from Kimchi Mom as a starting place for experimentation.  I found a mild Indian Curry Sauce at Farm Boy which is low in calories (50 calories per 1/2 cup) and very flavourful. It works perfectly for the gravy. My next experiment will be reproducing the curry sauce.

Spice Mixture:

1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garam masala
fresh ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or 1-2 cloves freshly pressed garlic (optional)

Preheat oven to 425F

Cut 3 pounds of potatoes in wedges or chunks and lightly toss with olive oil. I used half white potatoes and half sweet potatoes. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the potatoes and mix with a spoon until they are evenly coated. Spread potatoes on a baking sheet and roast until tender- about 30 minutes.

While the potatoes are roasting you can make this optional fresh chutney. If you want it to be hot, use the entire pepper, otherwise remove the seeds.

Chutney

1 large bunch of fresh cilantro, stems and leaves (3 cups) washed and drained.
1 jalapeño pepper
zest and juice of one lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 ripe avocado (optional but delicious!)

Pulse the chutney ingredients in a food processor or blender until pureed. The chutney keeps for a week or so in the fridge and can be used as a condiment for other dishes.

When the potatoes are tender you are ready to assemble to dish. It can be made as spicy or mild as desired.

Toppings:

Grated "melty" cheese or curds
Curry sauce or gravy, heated
Cherry tomatoes, halved or chopped fresh tomatoes
Other vegetables- we added a few steamed brussels sprouts today
Sliced jalapeños, fresh or pickled
Chutney
Sour cream
Fried onions

Enjoy! This is an ultimate, one dish comfort meal.

Lentil Curry

I made this tonight in 30 minutes and it was a warming, nourishing meal before we went out to shovel the snow that fell today.

Early prep: Soak 1 cup of brown or green lentils overnight. Drain, cover with fresh water and simmer for about 20 minutes until soft but not mushy. OR- use 3 cups canned lentils

2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp crushed cumin seeds
1-2 tbsp minced ginger (I used some from a jar)
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander seed
1-2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 medium onions coarsely chopped
2 large portabello mushroom, diced
2 large potatoes, diced
1 cup water
6 oz coconut milk (small tin)
3 cups cooked lentils
a couple of large handfuls of baby spinach leaves

Heat oil in a wok and add crushed cumin seeds, onion, ginger. Cook onions until translucent. Add other seasonings. Add portabello mushrooms and potato and toss until coated with spices. Add water and simmer with lid on until potatoes are tender. Add lentils, coconut milk and spinach and cook until spinach is wilted. Adjust seasonings adding more salt if desired.

Serve on rice or with a flatbread. Serves 4 generously.

Options: This recipe would work well with diced carrots, cauliflower or sweet potato instead of the other vegetables. Other greens could be used instead of spinach.

Vegetarian Cassoulet

This is what is left of the cassoulet we had for Thanksgiving dinner today. I combined ideas from two different recipes and added different seasoning. It is an ideal vegetarian dish for a special occasion.

Ahead of time...

Cook white beans (navy, kidney etc). You will need 4 cups cooked beans or the equivalent amount of canned beans (2 cans)

I used a wok with a lid for this part of the recipe...

Add 1-2 tbsp of olive oil to the pan and add

• 2 stalks of celery cut in half and sliced 
• 1 large diced onion

Cook until starting to soften and add

• 2-3 cloves of crushed or finely diced garlic
• 1 large potato diced in 1 cm squares
• 1 large carrot diced like the potato
• 3 diced roma tomatoes
• 2 cups water
• 1 tsp sea salt
• herbes de provence*

We were given several pouches of savoury herb rub with our turkey and I added one to the cassoulet. It was perfect. Herbes de provence include a mixture of marjoram, sage, thyme, savory, basil, rosemary and fennel seeds. Add a tablespoon of the herb mixture to the broth and vegetables.

Add 

• 4 cups cooked white beans

Simmer the vegetable-bean mixture until the carrots are tender and some of the liquid has cooked down. You can mash the beans and vegetables a little to thicken the stew.

Topping...

Take 3-4 thick slices of crusty bread (like a baguette) and blend them to make 2-3 cups of coarse bread crumbs. Add a tablespoon of olive oil, some salt and pepper and 2-3 tablespoons of parmesan cheese to the crumbs. You can also add some parsley and garlic of you want (I didn't this time). Spread the crumb mixture thinly in a 9x13 pan and lightly toast it in the oven for a few minutes. 

Add the vegetable mixture to a casserole and top with the crumbs. 

Tortilla Bean Lasagna

We can now buy corn tortillas at our local grocery store. They have a three month "best before date" and are like cardboard compared to fresh tortillas in Mexico. They are inexpensive though and perfect for this main course meal. I cooked the small red beans today in a crockpot before I went to work but canned beans can be used. This recipe is adapted from several I read online.

Saute in a little olive oil until softened:

2 tsp crushed cumin seeds
2 onions, finely chopped
2 sweet peppers, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 lb chopped fresh spinach

Add:

28 oz bottle of strained tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 cups small cooked beans such as black beans or red beans

Warm 12-15 corn tortillas in the microwave oven and cut them in half.
Spread some of the bean mixture thinly on the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan.
Cover with corn tortillas halves placing the cut edge along the edge of the pan. I used 5-6 tortillas for each layer.

Add a layer of bean mixture on top and grate some mild cheese over the beans (optional)

Add another layer of tortillas and then another layer of beans and cheese.

I could have stopped here but I had so many tortillas I finished with another layer of tortillas and topped that lightly with grated cheese.

Cover pan with foil and bake at 400F for 30 minutes. Cut in squares and serve with sour cream and a salad.

Scalloped Tomatoes with Croutons

Scalloped Tomatoes with parmesan cheese

I discovered this recipe on the Smitten Kitchen and have made it twice this week. It is fast and easy to prepare and the ingredients are readily available at this time of year. It is a comfort food kind of casserole with the same appeal as pizza, hot bruschetta or macaroni and cheese. There are several versions on the internet with stellar reviews, but I will post it on my own blog for ease of reference. I did tweak the amounts slightly. I used four diced field tomatoes the size shown in the picture below. The other recipes call for 2-1/2 pounds of tomatoes such as plum or grape. I used my cast iron Dutch oven on the stove top and also in the oven.

For croutons:

2 tbsp olive oil
3 slices (2 cups) diced dense bread like sourdough or a good artisan bread. (I used a multigrain sourdough bread)

Add the bread to the oil in a heavy pan, stir and toast on medium heat for 5-10 minutes until bread is crisp and toasted. In the meantime prepare:

Diced tomatoes, 4 large or 2-1/2 pounds plum or grape tomatoes
3 cloves crushed garlic
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt (or more to taste)
1/2 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced

When croutons are done, add the tomatoes and other ingredients to the pot and cook until tomatoes are softened. I put the oven-proof pot in the oven (375 F) and baked it for 30 minutes. You could use a 9 inch square pan or equivalent sized casserole instead.

I made it without cheese the first time and it was delicious. The next time I added 1/3 cup of fresh parmesan cheese petals to the top 5 minutes before taking it out of the oven. The dish needs to sit about 15 minutes before you eat it or you will be sure to burn your tongue!

I would say this serves 4-6 as a side dish. Three of us ate it as the main dish and there were no leftovers.

Potato Asparagus Salad

This dish was so very tasty that I had to post it right away. I saw the recipe* on Oh She Glows (a great vegan blog) but modified it somewhat with the ingredients I had on hand. My husband said it was the best potato dish he had ever eaten.

1 lb mini potatoes washed and quartered

2 tsp olive oil

Mix oil and potatoes, spread on baking dish in a single layer and roast at 425F for approximately 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender

1 lb fresh asparagus, washed and cut in 1-2 inch pieces

2 tsp olive oil

Heat oil in a pan, add asparagus and stir fry until tender-crisp- about 8 minutes. Combine the potatoes and asparagus in a bowl.

Lemon juice from one lemon

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp coarse salt

Whisk lemon juice, oil and salt together and pour over potatoes and asparagus. Serve warm. 

Makes approximately 4 servings.

*the original recipe includes garlic, dill, mustard, scallions, and a few optional ingredients which would add to the flavour.

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

For years I have made scalloped potatoes by layering sliced potato and onion in a casserole dish and dumping a can of cream of mushroom soup on the top. The result can be gummy and grey depending on the type of potatoes used. I wanted to get away from a milky sauce over the potatoes and experimented with this method. It was very well received by our family!

Slice 3-4 lbs of potatoes in a food processor. (I used new red potatoes and did not peel them.)

Parboil the slices in boiling salted water for 8 minutes (this step could be omitted if you bake the potatoes a little longer)

Butter a 9x13 pan

Put 1/3 of the potatoes on the bottom and sprinkle with 1/2 c grated cheddar cheese, 2 oz of cubed cream cheese, 1 tbsp of flour, salt, pepper to taste.

Add 1/3 of the potatoes and sprinkle with 1/2 c grated cheddar cheese, 2 oz of cubed cream cheese, 1 tbsp of flour, salt, pepper as above. I added 4 oz of lightly cooked sliced mushrooms on the layer too.

Top with remaining potatoes, season with salt and pepper. Add 8-12 oz milk.

Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Cover lightly with foil for the first 1/2 hour and then let the top brown for the last 15 minutes.

Rice and Bean Casserole

I modified this Brown Rice and Black Bean Casserole from allrecipes.com. By doubling the ingredients, I made 2 casseroles, one with chicken and one vegetarian. They went together quickly and I set the oven on timer so we had a yummy hot meal when we came home from church.  You need 1-1/2 cups of rice and about 2 cups diced chicken (or turkey) for a single recipe. If you don't have any leftovers, start cooking the rice and chicken before you cut up the vegetables. I used 1 tin of black beans and 1 tin of white kidney beans for a double recipe and the combination was very good.

• 1/2 cup converted rice
• 1 cup vegetable broth or salted water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1/2 green pepper, diced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced (add seeds if you like heat)
• 1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
• 2 cooked skinless boneless chicken breast halves, chopped
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• salt to taste
• ground cayenne pepper to taste
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained
• (1 (4 ounce) can diced green chile peppers, drained)- I used a fresh jalapeno instead
• 1/2 cup chopped or shredded carrots
• 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese

Directions:

1. Mix the rice and vegetable broth in a pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes, or until rice is tender.
2. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, and cook the onion until tender. Mix in the zucchini, peppers, carrots, and mushrooms. Season with cumin, salt, and ground cayenne pepper. Cook and stir until zucchini is lightly browned.
3. In large bowl, mix the cooked rice, onion, zucchini, mushrooms, beans, chiles, carrots, and 1/2 the Swiss cheese. Add chicken if not making a meatless dish. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish, and sprinkle with remaining cheese.You can add some crushed tortilla chips if you want. I also added fresh cilantro.
4. Cover casserole loosely with foil, and bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees F. Uncover, and continue baking 10 minutes, or until bubbly and lightly browned.

Rainbow Vegetable Slaw

I have an abundance of vegetables in my fridge and made this large marinated salad that should keep for several days. It is colourful and delicious! I used my food processor to prepare the vegetables.

1 medium cabbage
3 ribs of celery
1 red onion
1 large zucchini
3 sweet peppers

Dressing:
1/3 cup oil
2/3 cup vinegar
1/3 cup sugar or sweetener or to taste
1/3 cup water
2 tsp salt

Mix dressing until sugar is dissolved and pour over prepared vegetables.

Variations: Add any of these-
corn, chickpeas, raisins, jalapeno pepper, carrots, yellow zucchini, cucumber, celeriac, napa, etc

Green Smoothies

Smoothies are all the rage right now but many varieties at fast food restaurants and grocery stores are high in sugar. I added green powder to smoothies for years but I never used fresh greens. After looking at a few recipes on the web and experimenting this week, I found some good combinations. The Becka added one romaine leaf to her fruit smoothie one morning and thought she could get used to it. Daughter #2 cautiously tried a sip of my very green smoothie and was surprised that it was tasty. Here is the way I make them:

Version #1

Add to blender:

1 ripe banana
1-2 portions of fruit of choice (peach, nectarine, strawberries, apricots, mango)
1/2-1 cup soy milk (or milk/yogurt of choice)
4 ice cubes


Blend until liquefied and gradually add until thoroughly blended:

2-4 cups fresh greens of choice- I like spinach best, but kale, colards, chard or mixed baby greens work as well.

This fills 2 glasses. I drink one at breakfast and take the other to work to sip on during the day.
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Version #2

Blend 4 cups seedless watermelon until liquefied
Another fruit of choice (i.e. strawberries, banana, canteloupe)
Add 2-4 cups greens and blend
Add water if the mixture is too thick
You can add some lime juice and/or sweetener if desired

Rice and Bean Salad

I love the flavours in this salad! You can vary the vegetables according to what you have on hand.

2 cups cooked basmati rice (or rice of your choice)
1 tin black beans rinsed and drained
1 cup canned or fresh corn kernels
1/2 cup diced orange or red pepper
1 tomato, seeded and diced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/4-1/2 cup diced red onion (to taste)
Finely grated rind of one lime

Dressing:
Whisk until well blended-

1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin

Mix  ingredients together and add dressing. The salad keeps well for a couple of days. Other vegetables that work include diced carrots, cucumber, zucchini, celery.

Variation: Use other grains such as quinoa, farro, barley or couscous

Recipe adapted from this one on myrecipes.com

Potato Pancakes

 

I got my first food processor this Christmas (after 35 years of marriage) and wonder how I did without it for so long. Tonight I grated potatoes and onion for this recipe in just a minute or so. I did not peel the potatoes. The pancakes were delicious and were served with baked fish and steamed vegetables.

Grate: 8 medium potatoes, (leave peel on)

           1 medium onion

Beat : 2 eggs with a whisk until they are frothy and add 

          4 tablespoons of flour

          1 teaspoon salt

Add grated potato and onion to egg and mix well.

Heat a little oil in a frying pan and when the pan is hot, fry potatoes until well browned on each side. Flatten the potatoes so the pancakes are quite thin. Repeat until all potatoes are cooked, adding more oil to the pan as necessary.

Makes 12 pancakes.

Serve plain, with applesauce, sour cream, ketchup or other topping of your choice.

Here is an alternate (very easy) version from Mennonite Girls Can Cook

• 3 cups peeled chopped raw potatoes
• 1/2 onion coarsely chopped
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp to 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 -1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 green onions (scallions) chopped

1. Put all ingredients but the green onions into blender container. 
2. Cover and blend, stopping to make sure all ingredients are getting chopped. 
3. Push down onions or potatoes with a spatula if necessary. 
4. Continue till blended well. Some coarseness of the potatoes and onions is O.K.
5. Stir in green onions.
6. Pour batter onto hot greased griddle. Brown then flip once to brown the other side.
7. Serve with sour cream and applesauce.

Lentil Sprout Salad

I used to sprout mung bean seeds in jars but they are so inexpensive and easily available in the grocery store that it was not worth the effort to do them myself. A few years ago I tried sprouting green lentils and they have become one of my favourite vegetables. I use a large jar (Costco sized jar that had artichoke hearts in it) and soak 1/3 cup of green lentils overnight in cold water. I rinse and drain them using a piece of cheesecloth over the opening of the jar. They need to be rinsed with fresh water twice a day, and in 3-4 days the sprouts are ready to eat. (You can grow them as big as you want.) They can be stir fried or eaten raw. I saw a recipe for curried lentil sprout salad on Veganlicious and modified it as follows.

2 cups lentil sprouts (from 1/3 cup seeds)
2 cups grated carrot
finely grated rind of 1 lemon
juice of one large lemon
1 tbsp olive oil
a handful of raisins
a handful of walnuts
chopped cilantro

Mix ingredients together and serve. I like it best if it sits for a few hours.

Vegan BBQ

It is a beautiful but unseasonably warm day today, perfect for sitting outdoors on the deck in the late afternoon and evening while cooking supper on the barbeque. I sliced onions, zucchini, and halved two large peppers. The portabella mushrooms and asparagus went on the grill whole. All the vegetables were brushed with a little olive oil and no other seasonings were added. I closed the lid intermittently with the burners on low and in about 20 minutes, dinner was ready. The mushrooms and asparagus cooked the fastest and were transferred to the top tray while the other vegetables cooked.


We put spicy black bean dip on thin whole grain buns (both President's Choice products) and piled on the vegetables.

Delicious! Who knew meatless would be this good?

Carrot and Onion Bahjis

The Becka modified this recipe from one in Jamie Oliver's cookbook Jamie's Food Revolution. She likes to make it on Friday nights but today I made it for the first time under her direction. She has substituted the self-rising white flour with chickpea flour which is readily available in our bulk and grocery stores. If you don't have it you can use regular flour. We serve these with hummus and limes and with a salad, they make a good vegan meal.

Grate 2 large carrots and 1 onion (I finely diced the onion)
Grate a 1 inch piece of fresh ginger (can use 1 tsp dried ginger)
Finely chop 1/2 to 1 cup fresh cilantro


Add the following spices and seasonings:

1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin (seeds or ground)
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon mustard seeds

Add 1 cup chickpea flour
(also known as gram flour, garbanzo flour or besan)
1/2 cup of water

Mix ingredients to form a pasty mixture. I had to add another 1/4 cup of flour to this batch as the carrots were huge.


Heat a couple of tablespoons vegetable oil in a frying pan until hot. Add mixture by teaspoonfuls and cook both sides on medium heat until browned and crisp. The fritters need to cook for a few minutes to cook the vegetables. (like cooking potato pancakes).

Eat when hot. Makes about 25 fritters and serves 4 to 8 people depending on your appetite.

Roasted beets, carrots and onions

I found this recipe (and picture) on the Meatless Monday blog, tried it and loved it. I have been eating the leftovers for lunch. I added the *spices and also put in some slivered fresh ginger. I cooked it for over an hour to get the vegetables very tender and the onions were starting to carmelize. Yum! I have cut and pasted this recipe and my changes are in italics.

Beets, carrots and red onions are seasoned with middle-eastern spices and oven-roasted in this terrific veggie medley. The Ras el Hanout spice blend can be constructed by mixing many everyday spices, so you can enjoy this veggie side dish without leaving the comfort of your own kitchen. This recipe comes to us from our friends at Foodista.

Serves 4

• 1 lb carrots, peeled and cut in half vertically
• 5 medium-sized beets, peeled and cut into quarters
• 2 large red onions, peeled and cut into quarters
• 3 teaspoons Ras el Hanout*
• 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

* Ras el Hanout is a spice blend which can be found in the spice section of many grocery stores and Middle-Eastern specialty shops. To make your own, mix together equal parts of cardamom, ginger* (fresh), allspice, cinnamon*, paprika, coriander*, cumin*, nutmeg and turmeric*. Add a pinch of cloves and black pepper at the end. This spice blend is flexible, so don’t worry if you’re missing a few spices.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. (375F)

Place carrots, onion wedges and beet quarters in a roasting pan in one layer. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Sprinkle the Ras el Hanout spice blend evenly over the vegetables. Drizzle the extra-virgin olive-oil over the seasoned vegetables.

Roast in oven for 25-30 (60) minutes, or until vegetables are cooked through. Let vegetables cool for 5 minutes before serving.