Friday, July 22, 2011

Lulya (Indian Pancakes Made of Lentils)

Serves: 5-6
Ingredients:
1 cup White Rice
1/2 cup Toor Daal
1/2 cup Moong Daal
1/2 cup Masoor Daal
1/2 cup Chana Daal
1/2 cup Urad Daal
Ginger, to taste
Salt, to taste
Serrano Pepper, to taste (finely chopped or shredded)

Preparation: 
1. Mix all the daals (lentils) together in a large bowl with enough water to cover them. Allow it to soak overnight.
2. In the morning, grind the daals together in a blender, adding only enough water to allow for smooth blending.
3. Add the salt, serrano pepper and ginger to taste when blending. The consistency of the lentils should be that of a pancake mixture. Allow the mixture to sit (covered) on the countertop if warm outside, or in the oven if cold outside. It should be ready for eating within a couple hours. Be sure not to let it sit out for more than a couple hours otherwise it will go into a fermentation process and rise....that makes a completely different meal!
4. Take out a large pan or iron skillet and warm on low-medium heat. Make sure you allow the pan to warm up enough. If you start cooking the lentil cake prematurely, it will stick to the pan and you'll have a hard time taking it off. Spray olive oil to coat the pan. Now you are ready to spread the lentil mixture onto the coated pan. Allow it to cook through on one side before flipping it to cook on the other side.
5. Serve with yogurt, chundo (a sweet chutney found at Indian Stores) or even alone for a snack.

Culinary Medicine Tip: Lentil's are a great source of protein! They are an essential part of every Indian Household. The lentils used in this recipe are not only high in protein, but high in fiber and low in fat. They're also packed with folate, iron, phosphorus, potassium and fiber.(http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/lentils/AN01640). 








Thursday, July 14, 2011

Whole Wheat Pancakes


Serves: 2
Ingredients:
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup milk, plus more if necessary
1/4 teaspoon salt
Agave Syrup
4 tablespoons blueberries

Preparation
1. Sift together flour and baking powder, set aside. 
2. Mix the milk, salt and artificial sweetener in a bowl. 
3. Stir in flour until just moistened
4. Add blueberries and stir to incorporate.

Preheat a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat, and spray with cooking spray. Pour approximately 1/4 cup of the batter into the pan for each pancake. Cook until bubbly, about 1 1/2 minutes on low-medium heat. Turn, and continue cooking until golden brown!


Variation: Instead of blueberries, try adding any combination of cinnamon/pumpkin spice/nutmeg/walnuts/chocolate chips/apples to the batter and the whole family will be smiling with the IHOP style variety offered in mommy's kitchen!























Monday, July 11, 2011

CPK Salad




California Pizza Kitchen is one of the ONLY chain restaurants my husband and I feel like returning to every couple months! Over time, their BBQ Chopped Chicken Salad (minus the Chicken) quickly became my favorite. Here is a quick and easy dinner, especially for these warm summer evenings. It is both satisfying and filling alone, however you could choose to add a cold sandwich or soup alongside it if you please.

Ingredients:
1 Iceberg Lettuce or Romaine Lettuce
1 1/2 cup Black Beans (made by soaking overnight, or in a pressure cooker day of)
3 Roma Tomatoes, chopped
1 bunch Green Onions, chopped
1 Jicama - chopped
A handful of corn (I used frozen corn)
3-4 Avocados - cut into cubes
Monterey Jack Cheese - shredded
Tortilla Strips (found in the grocery store near other salad toppings)
Ranch Dressing
BBQ Dressing (optional)

Preparation:
1. Layer all the ingredients above, in the order listed. It is as simple as that, enjoy!