Butternut Bake

Ingredients:
Medium sized butternut squash
Handful of green beans

Topping ingredients:

250ml (1cup or 8 fl oz) oatmeal
165ml (2/3 cup or 5 fl oz) roughly ground sunflower (and/or pumpkin seeds) seeds
4 table spoons (60ml) sunflower oil
1 generous table spoon finely chopped herbs (rosemary, lemon thyme, sage)
Pinch of sea salt
Spring water

Sauce ingredients:

100g (3 1/2 oz) creamed coconut block
1 heaped tablespoon corn flour
360ml (12 fl oz) spring water
1 tablespoon (15ml) tamari or shoyu

How to prepare:

1. Topping

Roughly grind the seeds in a nut mill.

Mix seeds, oatmeal, herbs and sea salt together in a mixing bowl.

Make a 'well' in the middle and add the oil.

Mix together evenly with a spoon until the topping is moist yet, still crumbly (use your hands if you prefer). If a little more moisture is needed then add a small amount of water (try adding a teaspoon at a time to ensure that you don't over do it).

2. Main body of the dish

Remove skin from butternut squash and dice remaining flesh (approximately 1.5cm or half inch cubes cubes).

Chop green beans.

Steam together for roughly 15 minutes on medium heat.

3. Sauce

Mix the corn flour with water in a saucepan adding the tamari.

Gently heat up whilst frequently stirring. The mixture will begin to rapidly thicken as it comes to boiling point. At this point stir continuously to avoid lumps forming. Add the creamed coconut (roughly chopped if it is still solid) and stir until it has thoroughly melted in. You should have a thick creamy sauce.

Mix sauce and steamed items together and place in a baking dish (approximately 25cm x 20cm)

Add topping and gently firm down by hand.

Place in a preheated oven for roughly 25 minutes (or until the topping begins to tan) at gas mark 7 (425F/220C).

With Love
Trin

The brilliant thing about this dish is that it can be served raw or baked. Vegan, tasty and very wholesome. Enjoy!
With Love
Trin

Stuffed summer pepper

3 bell peppers
250 g (1 cup) ground sunflower seeds ( a great way to do this is to use a nut mill attachment on a regular blender if you have one)
2 medium sized carrots grated (volume should be roughly the same as the seeds)
1 clove garlic
1 table spoon finely chopped parsley
1 table spoon finely chopped rosemary
3 table spoons sunflower oil
1 table spoon tamari (or a sprinkle of sea salt)

How to prepare:

1. Cut the bell peppers in half to make two 'boats'.

2. Mix in a large bowl the rest of the ingredients until they are all thoroughly combined. The consistency will be similar to a 'pate'.

3. Stuff peppers

4. Bake in a preheated oven at gas mark 7 for about 25 minutes (or until they begin to brown).

We regularly enjoy this incredibly delicious mild curry with wholgrain basmati rice. It takes its name from its beautiful radiant sunset colour.

Sunset Curry

400g chickpeas (cooked)
3 large sweet potatoes (chopped into cubes (2 cm squared)
1 clove garlic (finely chopped or crushed)
200g coconut block
500 ml spring water
3 fresh tomatoes (roughly chopped)
1 Tbl mild curry powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 very large handful fresh coriander (roughly chopped)
1 handful fresh basil (roughly chopped)

How to prepare:

Place water in large cooking pot and bring to the boil. Roughly chop coconut block and allow to melt into the water to form "coconut milk".

Add chickpeas, sweet potatoes, garlic, tomatoes, curry powder, sea salt and half of the coriander to the coconut milk. Bring to the boil and then allow to simmer on a low heat for approximately 25 minutes stirring occasionally.

Toward the latter part of the cooking period the potatoes will begin to fall apart, allowing the milk to thicken and form a rich creamy sauce. At this stage add the remaining coriander and basil.

Variations:

1. Try replacing half of the sweet potatoes with regular potatoes.
2. Use butternut squash instead of sweet potatoes

Here is a delicious dairy free/meat free alternative to shepherds pie. It received a big thumbs up at our dining table the other day and has been eagerly requested again since (always a good sign)... I've used 'mugfuls' as a measurement, which would be an average sized coffee mug, since I don't have any kitchen scales.
With Love
Trin

"Conscious Cottage Pie"

(Vegan, very tasty - made with love!)

Ingredients:

Main ingredients:

1 mug Puy Lentils
2 1/2 mug veg stock (made with spring/filtered water)
1 medium sized leek
1 large clove garlic
1 tin tomatoes
1 small handful sun dried tomatoes (soaked and chopped)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp all spice
1 tsp (heaped) onion granules
2 dessertspoons date syrup (or maple/agave syrup)
1 handful chopped fresh parsley (or table spoon dried)
1 large bell pepper
Two handfuls mushrooms
1 Tablespoon olive oil

Topping ingredients:

750g potatoes (peeled)
50g creamed coconut (grated or finely chopped)
1 mug rice milk
Sprinkle of salt
Sprinkle dried parsley

Preparation:
Chop leek into strands (approximately 2 cm x 1 cm) and finely chop the garlic. Chop the pepper and mushrooms (however you want to).

Heat olive oil in a pan and gently sauté the leek and garlic. Add the pepper and mushroom and sauté for a couple of minutes.

Add the puy lentil along with the stock, tin of tomatoes and sun dried tomatoes and bring to the boil.

Add the salt, herbs, spices and remaining ingredients and allow to simmer for about 45 - 60 minutes, stirring frequently. All of the water should be absorbed. The puy lentils should hold their shape, yet have a softer bite.

Whilst the pot is simmering peel and cook the potatoes. Once cooked, drain off the water and sprinkle the coconut in. Replace the lid and allow the coconut to melt for a few minutes into the potato. Then add the salt and rice milk. Mash with a potato masher until it is lump free and has a creamy consistency.

When the lentil mixture is cooked, place into a casserole dish. Spoon the potato on top evenly, covering the lentil mixture. Use a fork to spread out the potato and leave 'ridges' in the potato topping. Sprinkle dried parsley on top.

Bake in a hot oven for about 25 minutes to allow the topping to crisp.

Serve with steamed veg.

We enjoyed these during the last night of the Transfiguration course around the campfire with baked potatoes! The quantity given below is an ideal dish for a group of six hungry people, each with a generous helping of beans!

Ingredients:
4 or 5 tins of haricot beans (or equivalent amount from hard haricot beans, soaked overnight and boiled until soft)
2 tins tomatoes
2 dessert spoons date syrup or concentrated apple juice
4 dessert spoons apple cider vinegar
5 dessert spoons tamari or shoyu
1 large onion (finely chopped)
2 cloves garlic (finely chopped or crushed)
1 heaped dessert spoon ground cinnamon
1 heaped dessert spoon dried parsley (or large handful of fresh)
1 heaped teaspoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon olive oil

How to prepare:

Gently sauté garlic and onion in bottom of large pan for a couple of minutes or so by first heating the olive oil

Blend half the tomatoes to form a thick liquid. Add this and all other ingredients to the pan and stir thoroughly together.

Gently boil for a while, allowing the flavours to dance together. Ideally gently simmer for half and hour with occasional stirring. If you have time, cook this earlier in the day and leave to cook in its own heat for a while before serving. Eventually we will find the juice within the mixture turning to a thick sauce. Stir in thoroughly and reheat before dishing it out.

This is perfect with baked potatoes and salad. Last night we served these with barley and kale..... there was not a morsel left!

Enjoy!

I've been totally inspired by Trin's Conscious Cooking. Here's one I made recently for a dinner party celebrating the reunion of friends...

Veggie Stack

Ingredients:
5 med Potatoes sliced 5mm thick
1 Leek sliced 5mm thick
Fresh Basil leaves layered whole
½ Pumpkin sliced 5mm thick
2 Carrots sliced in lengths 5mm thick
2 Zucchini sliced in rounds 5mm thick
Fresh Leaf Spinach finely chopped
1 large Eggplant 1cm thick slices

White Sauce:
½ cup Rice flour
½ tsp Mustard powder
1 pinch Paprika
1 pinch Corse ground black pepper
½ cup Parsley, fresh finely chopped
¼ cup Chives, fresh finely chopped
1 cup Soya or Rice milk
Water to thin out sauce if required

Salsa:
4-5 Fresh tomatoes, chopped into small cubes
½ Capsicum, finely chopped
¾ cup Water

Topping:
2 ground Rivita
50gms Soya Cheese grated
Sprinkling of sesame seeds

Method:
Wash and cut eggplant into 1cm thick slices. Salt and leave in colander for 1 hr. Rinse.
Part-boil whole peeled potatoes for 10min then add sliced carrots for further 10min to soften. Careful not to over cook as you need to be able to slice the potatoes still.
Peel and slice pumpkin, baste with oil and bake both sides under a grill until just soft.

Make up white sauce by gently heating all ingredients in saucepan.
Make up salsa by gently heating all ingredients in a separate saucepan.

Prepare baking tin/glass casserole dish with a bit of vegetable oil. I like to use a large round baking tin that has a releasable bottom so you can easily remove the sides of the tin when serving up the veggie stack. It looks fabulous on the table, irresistible to your guests!

Suggested Layers: you may use your own unique expression of course!
Potato slices
Leeks
White sauce
Basil leaves
Pumpkin & Carrot combined on one layer
Zucchini
Salsa
Spinach - sprinkle with a little water if not still wet from washing
Eggplant

Sprinkle topping on to finish. Cover in foil. Bake for 40min - 50min on 180C. Check after 30min. Can remove foil for the last 10min. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if you fancy them!

Here's another little gem I like to use as a tasty snack or part of a main meal... enjoy!

Mushroom Munchies

8 Mushrooms
1 tbsp olive oil
1 Leek, diced
1 Celery stick, diced
100gm firm tofu, diced
1 Zucchini, diced
1 Carrot, diced
100gm crushed Rivita (instead of breadcrumbs)
2 tbsp fresh Basil, chopped
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp pine nuts
75gm(¾ cup) soya cheese grated
150ml vegetable stock
Salt n pepper

Method:
Remove stalks from mushrooms.
Finley chop stalks, celery, leek, carrot, zucchini & tofu, add to fry pan with olive oil. Cook for 3-4 mins.
Stir in basil, Rivita crumbs, tomato paste, pine nuts, season with salt n pepper.
Spoon the mixture into the mushrooms and top with soy cheese.
Place stuffed mushrooms into a shallow baking pan and pour the vegetable stock around them.
Cook at 220 C for 20 mins.

Serve with a green salad.

This is a simple one. Great for lunch or dinner.

Tempeh Burgers

Burger:
Tempeh
Marinate in Tamari & ginger, grill/fry

Salad:
Grated: carrot, red cabbage, carrot, lettuce
Cherry tomatoes, sliced
1 tsp fresh Mint, finely chopped
1tblsp sauerkraut, optional

Sauce: gently heated
Fried onion/leek with garlic
Pecans blended, or any other nut really
Coconut cream
Soya milk

As an alternative to the sauce I use Tahini, sweet chili sauce and balsamic vinegar tossed through the salad for flavor. Spread homus on one side of your favourite gluten-free bread toasted and layer with salad and the tempeh burger. Or get creative and make your own sauce!

:angel:

I am overjoyed to find you embracing this way of eating Stephi! Your contributions sound mouthwatering... More are very welcomed

The proportions of the ingredients are not important, you can play with it...

20-25 mushrooms
1 table spoon of soy cream
1 garlic clove
1/2 choped or sqeezed onion
1/4 cup of chopped parsley
Pinch of:
Salt
Black pepper
1/2 tea sp of basil spice

Filling: Cut stalks from mushrooms. Chop them, add all the ingredients except the mushrooms themselves and stir well.

Prepare the oven dish - wide and flat, oil it with olive oil.

Place the filling in the mushroom's hole, the filling is supposed to fill all the hole and make a low hill above it and place the filled mushroom on the dish.

To the oven 180-200 deg celsius, ~20 minutes, until the mushroom gets dark grey and you begin to smell a strong mushroom smell.

It looks really beatiful on a plate covered with lettuce leaves.

Trinity I think this is such a tasty dish and have made it several times. I made a slight change to the potato the last time by adding whole grain mustard as part of the mashing process. I have also added a sweet potato as another variation. It is fun to experiment.
Mark

Hi Mark,

Thank you for that. It must be the 'Conscious Cottage Pie' that you are talking about? These are great ideas - perhaps you'd like to give me a hand in the Openhand kitchen at some point :angel: Sweet potatoes as a variation is a great idea. We were running low on potatoes on the Transfiguration last year and decided to add sweet potatoes instead. Great mind think a like. Keep up the experimenting fun!
With Love
Trin
x

1 Cup of quinoa
Shamignon mushrooms
2-3 carrots
2 onions (you can also purple)
Raw tahini
Salt, cinnamon, ginger, cumin
Olive oil

Cook quinoa as usual
Cut mushrooms to sixths and carrots into thin and short strips.
Put mushrooms and carrots to pot, add some water (fifth cup) and salt or soy sauce can, cover and cook on medium heat about 8 minutes, take off the cover and continue to cook while mixing for 5 more minutes.
In the mentime - lightly fry onions with a little oil (1-2 tablespoons), coarsely chopped, until they get light-golden.

When everything is ready, mix it all together, add spices and olive oil.
Mix raw tahini with water(add water carefully, first to get the paste texture then add some more water until sauce's texture .)

Very very tasty,
Bon appetit

Sounds yummy and very simple.
With Love from a quinoa fan!

Peel the zucchini's skin off. Keep peeling long strips with a vegetable peeler. You're supposed to get ribbons, like a fetuccine pasta. Continue until you get to the seeds at the core. Save it for a soup, pie or zucchini crepe.

For 3 zucchinies:

Add sea salt, 1 table sp of olive oil and spices (like black pepper, oregano) and massage the zucchini with hands.

The sauce:

2-3 tomatoes
1 red pepper
a few basil leaves
1 clove garlic
blend and pour into a bowl, then add 1 table sp of sun dried oiled tomatoes, stir and add to zucchini.

or

Champignon mushrooms - coarsley chopped
1 Onion - thin long slices
Crushed garlic
more olive oil (additional table spoon)
more salt
(optional - grated soy cheese spread over or soy cream mixed with the sauce)

to massage everything together for a couple of minutes and then add to zucchini

or

Cook big slices of tofu in water, then cool and grate (or cut to small pieces (orlont thin sticks).

Add a little water (table sp and keep adding if needed) to 2-3 table spoons of almond butter, stir to a paste and then add a little more water to get a more sauce consistency.

Add sea salt, spices (ginger, cumin, nutmeg) and pine nuts.
Stir and add tofu, mix together and voila - sauce for zucchini.

Bon appetite

Pasta - you can use anything you want, I like whole spelt pasta, it's light for digestion and vey tasty (thanks Trin for the discovery )

Almond cream - ridiculously simple, can be used as a base and then spices and anything else added...

Almond cream

what you need:
almond cold pressed butter (paste)
liquid (soy milk, rice milk, almond milk, water)

for 2 servings:
4 table spoons of almond cold pressed butter
any liquid you like -
add 1 table spoon of liquid and stir well, add another spoon and stir....

Like with tahini, add gradually untill you have a smooth and homogeneous paste. After that's done, keep adding liquid until you get a desirable consistency - a cream consistency, you can make it more thick or more fluid, just as you like.

Here are two variations for two sauces:

1. Mushrooms and onions option:
Cook 1 small chopped onion (or cut in any shape you like, I like it in the shape of the pasta) in a small ammount of oil (coconut oil is more stable), half or one flat table spoon is enough. When the onions are touched with golden color, add mushrooms (champignon or/and portobello) cut to large pieces. The ammount of mushrooms is your choice, I like a lot of them in there

Stir a bit, lower the fire and cover. In the meantime prepare 1-2 (depends on how much you like it) garlic cloves, stir occasionally untill the mushrooms are soft and a little darkened, but not too "dead". Then squeeze the garlic cloves with the "squeezer" (or how you call it), or add thinly chopped garlic to the mushrooms.

Then it's spices - salt (I use sea salt with many minerals and not just Na), pepper, basil, a pinch of nutmeg, oregano if you'd like. The leaves can be added fresh or you can use a powdered version as well. If it's fresh, then add earlier, while the mushrooms are not ready yet, and removed in the end. The powder can be added anytime you want. Stir. No fire anymore from this moment.

I like to add a few raw cashew nuts and a table spoon of flax seeds oil, stir and then add the almond cream... Niam niam...

2. Tomatoes and spinach option:
Ok, onions are like for 1, 4 small or two big tomatoes are cut to any shape and size you want, added to golden onions. Spinach is cut and ready to go in the end of preparation (10-16 small leaves or 5-8 large leaves). 1 clove of garlic is an option here, garlic powder is also possible to use. Sometimes I also add parsley finely chopped or a few leaves as they are, in the very end, after the fire is off, but the sauce is still hot.
The spices this time are salt and pepper, nigella seeds, cardamom, 1 table spoon of olive oil and...of course almond cream

P.s: sometimes when I'm lazy and eat alone, I do the "fast version" - no onions, 2 small cut tomatoes for 1-2 minutes in microwave, depending on the MW, then 1 minute for ~6-8 small or 3-4 large leaves of spinach, then I put it on the pasta, add powdered spices and powdered garlic, oil and cream. 5 minutes pasta, 3 minutes sauce this way... for those who are using MW.

Bon appetite

Just tried your stuffed summer peppers. Fantastic! I've never thought of blending seeds...how nutritious, although I had to make a few ingredient exchanges due to an understocked store cupboard. So i had to use a packet of mixed toasted seeds instead of the sunflower seeds; satay sauce instead of the tamari; coriander instead of parsley and rosemary, and i also added some lemon juice as i think i used too many seeds and it was a bit dry. Actually it was rather malaysian and probably quite different from the original but hey it tasted good!

I look forward to trying some more vegan treats!

I am running a little behind with everything here after a very busy summer so far. I love the almond cream suggestion Yulia. It sounds like it is just up my street. I love all of the recipes you are coming out with. Perhaps we'll join together one day and create some awesome delights in the kitchen.

And... Elle that sounds like a scrumptious alternative to the stuffed pepper recipe. Sounds like a fabulous variation. Please do share any inspiration whenever it comes.

Sending love to you both
Trinity
x

I made conscious cotttage pie last night, invited my dad round for dinner and we had virtually clear plates all round!!

Not bad of my son who did pick all the bits of mushroom's out but said he enjoyed it anyway after adding some tamari!! He is a big fan of meat, but he did good justice to a vegan meal!!!!! Im proud of him!!

I never heard a word from my daughter she was just happily munching her way through hers!!

Im enjoying this new cooking experience!! Thanks for the inspiration Trinity

Pasta: I guess you know how to cook it, add olive oil and salt.

The quantities depend on the quantity of the pasta, here it's for ~three servings...

Eggplant + garlic (1-2 cloves):
Cut - thin round slices with the skin on
Then 2 options:
1. Sprinkle with coconut or olive oil, salt, pepper -> oven ~ 180-200C for ~ 15-20 min

2. Boil in small amount of water until soft, strain, add olive oil, salt, pepper

Chestnuts sauce:
~2/3 cup (~4 handfuls, 100 gr) ready to eat chestnuts (peeled and baked)

3 possibilities:
1. All the chestnuts are going to be a sauce
2. Half will go to a sauce and half - thin round slices
3. All the chestnuts will go as slices

The sauce - blend the chestnuts in the processor -> vjjjj
add rice milk (or any other liquid), 1 clove garlic -> cream consistency

In a small bowl - almond cream (almond butter + water/'milk') or hazelnut cream (the same)

Add the chestnuts sauce to the almond cream, add salt, pepper, and nutmeg ( I also add cardamom)

Combining everything:

Pasta -> on the plate -> pour1/2 of the sauce -> add cut chestnuts (if you decided to) -> mix-> place eggplant and garlic circles -> pour the other half -> sprinkle with thin almond slices (oval).
For decorating - you can leave one eggplant cirlce aside and then put it on the dish, add a basil or parsley leaf (as it is or chooped).

For those who eat dairy - goat cheeze circles will give it a gourmet touch.

Note: leaving ~ 1/2 of cut chestnuts add a more nice chewy consistency, to my taste, I like to split it to 1/2 (2 handfuls) - sauce, 1/2 92 handfuls) - slices.

I ruined a couple of pasta packs until I developed this
But now I enjoy it even more, and I hope you will too

Hug to everybody...

I even didn't finish to eat, and ran right away to share..

I'm a big sushi fan, I find it very esthetical and tasty, and Id on't know...just great..

So today I tried to do something.. and it was just amazing!

It goes like: for 1 portion
1 nori sheet

'Rice'
2 handfuls of soaked almonds and/or cashews (I put them to soak in the morning for lunch). (Almonds don't need much soaking time - 1 hour is enough, but cashews need some hours, according to the raw sources.. But I just put them together for ~ 4-5 hours..)

1 table sp dessicated coconut
1 table sp sesame seeds (or just 2 tabsp of any of them)

blend in processor

then add just a few water - so it's sticky, but solid enough (sticky-rice-like)

Then for yellow rice - handful corn
Green rice - handful chick peas

And vjjjj again..

Vegetables:
cut in thin long slices

I put 1/3 avocado, carrot, and some sunflower sprouts
But it can be anything - cucumbers, batata, zucchini, mushrooms, green onion....

And then I did as follows:

After blending the 'rice', I spread most of it in a thin layer over ~2/3-3/4 of the mat side of the nori. Then I sprinkled sea-salt and ginger over it. Then spread the vegetables in a pile over 1/3 of the 'riced' part of the nori. Aaaand roll! and press, roll and press, until there's 1 cm left of the clean from 'rice' edge. Wet with fingers and a few water, and close and press.

Then cut to ~1.5-2 cm slices (witha sharp knife, I use a sharp saw-knife) and here you go!

# Instead of soy sauce I made the next juice:

2 table sp of water, sprinkle with garlic powder (or you can use mashed garlic), and salt to make it really salty. Mix and pour into 'someplace where it's comfortable to stick your sushi to)

I even closed my eyes so tasty it was.

Note: nigiri avocado

I didn't use all of the rice, but left about two table spoons for nigiri. Like from plastelin, I made the nigiri-rice shape.

Then with sharp knife cut the convect part of avocado - thin slice, and placed it over the 'rice-finger'.

I plan to try a batata nigiri - baked batata slices over the 'rice'.

Niam niam

I was brought recently to consume coconut milk, which I bought and didn't use for a couple of months. Because I didn't move it for such a long period, it took shape of like huge blocks of feta or bulgarian cheese swimming in it's water there. I separated the 'cream cheese' from water and now I use it as:

*cheese spread on bread (it's better than butter!)

*add salt, spices and use as 'mozarella balls' in salads or in other cold dishes (it's melting in warm/hot)

*ice-cream! just add stuff and freeze

*add to shakes

*put some over porrige or any other warm/hot food, it creates a very nice look and taste

*mix with cacao/carob powder and honey (crystallized) - here's nice chocolate mousse cake you get

And today I found it cures ulcers in digestion organs (mouth, stomach, etc) (Chris...), so it's really relevant now, when I feel so 'acidic'... aaand it's definitely grounding

Yam yam...

Note: it gets spoiled very fast, so I devided it to 3 parts, put two of them to the freezer, and then I defrost them when I want another block...

By the way, just a small piece of info about coconut oil. Even though it mostly consists of saturated oils, but it is very stable in high temperatures, i.e. no trans fats, therefore, it is the ultimate oil for cooking/frying/baking, etc.

And it's great for topical application for all skin types, including oily skin, since it's one of the rare non-comedogenic oils...

I beleive that using coconut cream is even better for application to skin, adding a moisturizing effect, since it contains water, while oil is...only oil.. Well, it's not food already...food for skin

Hmmm - welcome to one of my top five foods. We use it frequently in the 'Conscious Kitchen' here.

I was first turned onto coconuts in Hawaii where they come in abudance. Many people have never tried a 'really fresh coconut'. There is nothing like it!

Did you know....

Coconut water is almost identical to human blood plasma. Apparently when blood supplies out in emergency situations it has been used a substitute during a blood transfusion.

It has an almost endless list of beneficial properties s you've found Yulia. Definitely on my favourite list.

Well, then I'm joining the 'coconut fan club'!!!
Coconut partyyyyy!!!!!

This lunch here is a sort of bread with sort of 'hummus', and with salad - this was my israeli midnight 'lunch' (main meal) yesterday.

Home-made improvized spelt lafa
In Israel they serve hummus with pita, kind of wheat bread, or with wheat lafa...and I wanted hummus with something like pita so much, so I've remembered about one friend of mine, from Caucasus, who told me how her grandmother cookes lafa, and decided to improvize with spelt flour. And this is how, by experimenting in my kitchen at 23:30, which would be impossible for me just a month ago, because you know, 22:00 is time to sleep!!!..but not yesterday...so, this is how I got this wonderful variation for middle-eastern lunch

for one small lafa:
4 table spoons of spelt flour
then gradually add water until thick fluid consistency is achieved (like for pancakes, or like thick fluid yogurt)
add salt and one crushed garlic clove (or garlic powder)
and finely chopped parsley (as much as you wish)

Melt 1/2-1 tea spon of coconut oil on the preheated pan. Then pour the melted oil into the dough, stir and then pour the dough on the pan. The fire is ~medium... Wait until the edges begin to lift up, or until the lafa begins to bloat here and there, it's about 3-5 minutes, turn on the other side...

Note: I don't consider it fried, and also doesn't feel like, it's very light and easy to digest. With coconut oil there is no any side-effects or after tastes coming from other heated types of oils..

Red lentils subsitute to 'hummus'
Why substitute?
Well, hummus demands some labor - soaking, then cooking for at least one hour, then getting rid of all the chaff floating, etc...

And sometimes I want 5 minutes hummus! Like yesterday at midnight after working hard in porterage, cleaning, recalling my combat skills when beating matresses and about 4 hours on the roads, so I experimented with it and it was...WOW!! even better than hummus for me, and the taste after! ...mmmm...

So this is it:

Just cook red lentils as usually (I use split lentils, you know, cut into halves), but overcook them so they look like porridge. Yesterday I added salt, cardammom, cumin and cinnamon.

By the way, I add water just about 2 cm higher than the spread lentils, so the water is all absorbed in the end of cooking, but you can also add some more boiling water if you didn't put enough in the first place.

In the meantime, while it's boiling there, I make tahini, just tahini with water or rice milk (then it has some more sweet and delicate taste), maybe add some salt.

So, after getting a porridge...smash them with a fork. I like the so called 'jerusalem hummus', it's very rough, still has some small pieces in there, so I roughly puree the lentils too. At this point some oil can be added, I added coconut cream earlier, so it boiles for a while too.

Then, traditionally, I spread it on a dish, on a plate in form of plate, spread tahini on the top, then add pine-nuts or sunflower seeds, and pour olive oil on it all!!!

I ate it with salad, and enjoyed it so much, that I repeated it today!

Next step - something I adore - Masabacha
It's a sort of thick hummus and tahini soup or sauce, just hummus mixed with tahini and then diluted with hot water. It is eaten either hot or warm. Then, into this sauce full hummus, chickpeas or other full cooked legumes added. This dish is served with pita, as usually.

So I'll just do everything I did before, but mix everything together, dilute, add chickpeas and swallow it all in one bite

With love,
Yulia