Injera I

I recently discovered this awesome Ethiopian grain called Teff. Teff comes in two varieties: ivory and dark. The dark teff is better if you like this hearty taste. Teff is gluten free and is great for gluten free baking of any kind. 
Injera is an Ethiopian flat bread made out of sour dough with a slightly spongy texture. In Ethiopia , Injera is served with stews and salads. Small pieces of Injera are torn and used to grasp the stew and salads for eating.
The recipe I will share is for the instant version and courtesy of Vegan Richa. I am working on the sour dough version and when done, I'll post a second recipe.  The authentic bread is made with naturally fermented dough and the fermentation process takes several days. Though sometimes we don't think of this stuff and that's why here we have a recipe which would allows us to prepare this great flat bread whenever we want to.
I really like to combine Injera with my Grabanzo-Lentil soup. The only thing I change about the soup is, I make it thicker more like stew . I also like my salads and veggie wraps with Injera.  It's great for any kind of spicy food and I can't wait to try it with my Tacos.


Ingredients:

1 cup teff flour
1 1/2 cup warm water
2 Tsp. organic yeast
2 Tsp.organic raw sugar
1 Tsp. sea salt
1/2 Tsp. baking powder

Whisk  teff flour with 1 cup of water , yeast and sugar. Cover and let sit for 45 min to an hour . Add 1/2 cup water , salt and baking powder. Whisk and start making the Injera.
In a non-stick skillet put some coconut oil and heat on medium-high. Pour some of the batter. Notice it should be a little more than what you put for crepes but less than what you use for pancakes . In other words it should be like a thick crepe.
Once spread wait for bubbles to appear and cover with lid to steam the injera. Steam for about a minute. Remove lid and keep cooking until the center is set and not wet. Remove and let cool . The flavor and texture show off best when served cold .

Coconut Almond Treats

This recipe is an absolute winner and I couldn't believe how much it resembles Raffaelo . The difference is that mine does not contain all the chemicals like Raffaelo does  and it's rolled in raw ground almonds instead of shredded coconut. It's very , very simple but tastes fantastic.
The measurements are sort of relative and you may end up adding more then what it is in the recipe.
I use Artisana Coconut butter but if you have time and desire you can make your own coconut butter. Here is a tutorial how to make your own. 
As a sweetener I used maple syrup this time. Make sure your food processor is working properly. Otherwise you'll have to use the regular mixer like I did. I think I damaged mine by trying to grind some grains to make flour . I know, stupid...:)


Ingredients :

1 cup coconut butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup finely ground raw almonds


In a food processor add coconut butter and maple syrup . Pulse until smooth and homogenous. Start forming balls and roll them in the ground almonds . Refrigerate for an hour before serving. Best is to keep them refrigerated all the time. 

Shrimp Salad

Shrimp is something I don't eat very often cause' I prefer mussels and oysters. Once in a while though I like to have some shrimp. I bought those at King Soopers. What attracted me was the "wild caught" sign. So far , so good. Well after we ate and I started to clean the kitchen I looked at the ingredients just for fun . I didn't think I'll find anything else other than shrimp. Well I was surprised to find that the shrimp I already ate contains Sodium Thripolyphosphate and Sodium Bisulfite .
Well let me tell you something ... Sodium Thripolyphosphate is a chemical which is used to deceive you about the freshness of the seafood. Also it increases the weight  of the product to which is applied. It's considered a neurotoxin. Here you can read more about this preservative.
What about Sodium Bisulfite? ! Well according to Wikipedia it's a chemical compound with additive number E222. According to New Jersey's Department of health 
Sodium Bisulfite is on the Right to Know hazardous list.
Here is what I found about this chemical :
- can affect you when inhaled
- contact can severly irritate and burn the skin and eyes
- Inhaling Sodium Bisulfate . Sodium Bisulfate can affect you when inhaled.
- Contact can severly irritate and burn the skin and eyes
- It can irritate the nose, throat and lungs
-  it may cause a skin and an asthma-like allergy
- Sodium Bisulfite is CORROSIVE when in a liquid solution.

All this is in our food, the one that's supposed to be wild caught and free of chemicals. Needless to say that I was angry.

Next time I will read the label . Live and learn, they say.

I made this salad with garlic greens. I know they are not always available but you can check some Asian stores. They tend to carry this product. If you can't find garlic greens , you can skip it or substitute with some leeks. Be careful with salt because olives and capers are already quite salty and you don't want to over-salt the entire salad. You always can add more salt if not enough but you can't remove it.
I hope you all enjoy this salad as much my daughter and I did!   

Here is what you need

Ingredients:
1 pack of large shrimp
5-6 Green onions
2-3 Garlic greens
1/4 cup chopped green olives
2 Tbsp. capers
2-3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
1/4 Extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. coarse ground Dijon mustard 
The juice of a lemon
Salt and pepper (optional)



Cook shrimp according to instruction.  After done place in a bowl . Chop onions, garlic greens and cilantro. Add to shrimp. I another small bowl mix olive oil, mustard and lemon juice. Add chopped olive. Chop capers and add to dressing. Pour dressing over shrimps and greens add salt and pepper if desired. Mix well and serve.


 

Carrot soup (vegan)

This is another vegan recipe which my daughter and my husband like a lot. I made the non vegan version a few months ago.  I made bacon bits and garnished it with it. But since I am on vegetarian diet that's how I made it for dinner today.
This soup is best with white pepper but I just discovered that I am out of it, so I used black pepper. It's not bad at all but I somehow like it with white pepper better. You also can garnish it with croutons and chopped up green onions or even add bacon bits if you are not on a restricted diet like me.
For more flavor I just washed the carrots thoroughly cut them in big chunks and did not peel them.  
The soup has slightly sweet and earthy taste that way. 


Ingredients

4 large carrots cut in big chunks
2 cups coconut milk
2 Tbsp. onion powder
2 Tsp. ground ginger
2 Tsp. ground white pepper
1 pinch nutmeg
salt to taste.

Put carrots in
pan and add water so that it covers carrots. Cook until they are soft but not mushy. Remove and poor everything in a blender. Puree until smooth. Put back in pan. Add coconut milk and onion powder. Bring to boil slowly and reduce heat to low . Simmer for 10 min on low heat. After 10 min remove from heat and add ginger, pepper, nutmeg and salt. Stir and serve!

Vegan Grain Free Tacos

I've been feeling like going on vegetarian diet for a while. I just don't feel like eating meat other than fish . I came up with this recipe recently.  It doesn't really have the taste of taco meat but it's close enough and it's yummy.
I usually make my own Taco seasoning because I don't like all additives they put in the one you can buy at the store. Of course you can use store bought taco seasoning if you would like. Also for the shells best is to use Romaine lettuce. For the tacos you see in the picture I didn't use romaine lettuce because currently I have lots of lettuce in my garden and it doesn't make much sens to me to buy any.
In my last post I mentioned that I am really bad with proportion. I'll give you the list with all necessary ingredients for taco seasoning and you need to adjust it on your own or if you prefer, use the one from the store.
That day my husband made an awesome Picco de Gallo and I topped my tacos with it and some sliced avocado. Of course you always can add cheese and refried beans if that's your wish. Hope you all like this dish.

Ingredients:

For Taco Seasoning:
Chili powder
Paprika powder
Gr. Cumin
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Oregano
Black pepper
Salt (optional)

For Tacos

1 large eggplant
1/4 cup olive oil
2 1/2 cups water
2-3 Tbsp. taco seasoning 
2-3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
lettuce leaves
picco de gallo  (optional)
sliced avocado (optional)

Cut eggplant in cubes . In a large pot add oil and water. Add eggplant and seasoning and cook until done and just oil is  left on the bottom of the pot.
Put some of the taco "meat" in lettuce leave add picco de gallo and top with sliced avocado.

Kyopolu - Eggplant salad / dip (vegan)

It's one of my favorite appetizers . It can be used as a salad, a dip or a spread on a slice of bread.  I don't know whether the origin is Bulgaria or Turkey. Bulgarian and Turkish cuisine have some similarities. This is because Bulgaria was invaded by the Ottoman empire and enslaved for 500 years. The name Kyopolu sounds Turkish and apparently Bulgarians adopted it. So I don't really know .
I usually use the grill to roast  eggplant and peppers because it gives them an additional smoky flavor. You, however can roast them on your stove if it's glass ceramic stove top or broil them in the oven.
Today, I used Anaheim peppers but when the Hatch Chilli is in season I prefer them. Seriously you can prepare this salad with any kind of peppers.
Don't forget to make some wholes in the eggplant before you start to cook, unless you want it to explode :)

Here is how they look roasted.

After they are done let them sit covered in a bowl so they can peel easily . After 5 min, peel and chop them finely the way it's shown in the pictures below

This salad makes a wonderful leftover. You can also can it but oil and vinegar should be skipped in this case and added when you open the jar.

Ingredients :

1 big roasted and peeled eggplant
5 roasted and peeled peppers (Anaheim, Hatch, Poblano) 
6 garlic cloves 
3 Tbsp. chopped parsley 
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
Salt to taste
Pecans/Walnuts to garnish (optional) 


Chop peeled eggplant and peppers. Add smashed and chopped garlic cloves. Add parsley, olive oil, salt and vinegar . Mix well and refrigerate for an hour . Before serving garnish with pecans/walnuts.

Feta Cheese Salad Dressing

I am in a mood to create dressings :) And as a Feta cheese lover I came up with this one. It's not vegan, and some people may argue whether it's healthy or not since it contains cheese and salt.
Feta cheese is one of Bulgarians' super food . Every household has Feta cheese in the refrigerator. I grew up with yoghurt and Feta cheese and I think I turn out good. Of course if the milk was  from cows treated with rBST, then we have a problem!
You can modify the herbs and spices based on your own preference.
The only disadvantage of this dressing is that it has to be stored in refrigerator where the olive oil solidifies. Therefor let it sit on a room temperature for up to 2 hours before serving. Other than that it tastes fantastic especially on kale !




Ingredients :

1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese
10 green olives (pitted)
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup coconut milk
1Tbsp. coconut vinegar
3 Tbsp. water 
2 Tsp. gr. black pepper
1 Tsp. oregano
1 Tsp. garlic powder
1 Tsp. fresh or frozen dill

Puree in a blender feta cheese with olive oil, green olives, water and vinegar. Add coconut milk. Blend until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients. Stir and voila!

Kale Salad

I love this salad because it's fast, easy and rich in protein. We need protein to stabilize the blood sugar. I usually make it with kale but when I took the picture I didn't have enough and added 2 lettuce leaves. I don't have the exact proportions for this salad. To tell you the truth I don't use particular proportions when I cook. The only time I am paying attention at the measurements is when I write for this blog .
For this salad you can use any kind of dressing really. I prefer it with my avocado dressing because it adds more of the good fats and proteins. In addition the vit C in the lemon juice helps the body to absorb iron properly .
I also highly recommend to soak in cold water seeds and  nuts over night for proper digestion.


Ingredients:

Kale
1 cucumber sliced
green olives
1/3 cup soaked pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup soaked pecans
5-6 green onions
Avocado dressing
salt and pepper to taste

In a salad bowl tear all kale leaves. Chop pecans and green onions. Add to kale. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

Avocado Salad Dressing (vegan)

I often hear "What is wrong with you ?!" when I mention that I don't like Ranch or Cesar  dressing  :)
Nothing is wrong with me! I just grew up with lemon juice, vinegar and oil. After almost 35 years a love affair with my beloved olive oil and vinegar , a couple of months ago I finally got tired of the vinegar and oil and decided to try something new. It had to be raw, healthy and of course taste good.
That's how the avocado dressing was born! You can use it in lettuce salads , on grilled chicken or fish.
If you think it's too thick you can add a table spoon or two of cold water or some more lemon juice. If the salt is not enough you can add more.
The recipe is enough for two salad bowls and you can keep it fresh in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Ingredients :

1 ripe avocado
1/8 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove
1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
1 Tbsp. sea salt
The juice of a lime
black pepper to taste


Peel avocado, remove pit and smash flesh. In a blender add mashed avocado, and the rest of the ingredients. Puree until smooth. Put in a clean glass jar and refrigerate for an hour before you serve it. Enough for 2 salad bowls. 

Zucchini Auflauf

Today, I will share my great aunt's recipe which over the years was modified many, many times. I love to experiment. That's for sure!
This dish is not vegan because it contains dairy and eggs. As you all know I only use organic products. The eggs I buy are local and free range. The cheese is made out of raw milk as well . I just love Sierra Nevada Monterrey Jack cheese. It's incredibly creamy. Buying local and organic helps a farmer , it does not support the big corporations. Well, unless you buy the big corporation's organic line ! My husband and I are working toward to get self sufficient as much as possible. This is is not very easy in Colorado because the growing season is so short. Our next project will be building a chicken coop and raise chickens for both: eggs and meat.
Anyway , I tend to drift away from the main topic :)

How I said above I use  Sierra Nevada Monterrey Jack Cheese which is not very salty . The recipe calls for 1 Tsp. sea salt however if the cheese you use is salty , use sea salt sparingly .
I cut the jalapeno peppers lengthwise and then I chop them to avoid seeds and that white part which is hot. I do it that way just because of the kids. They like spicy food but not too spicy . I personally prefer them sliced with everything. So feel free to do it according to your own preference.  This dish tastes best when chilled.

Oh, and if you wonder about the the word "Auflauf", it's German and it means casserole :))) .

Ingredients:

2 medium zucchinis
3 large jalapeno peppers sliced or chopped
1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
3 eggs
3-4 Tbsp. sour cream
3-4 Garlic cloves chopped
1 Tsp. sea salt
1 Tsp. ground coriander
 black pepper to taste
some cilantro or parsley to garnish at the end.

Wash and shred zucchinis. Put in a 8.6 x 8.6  casserole. Add jalapenos , cheese, garlic, coriander, salt and pepper. In a separate bowl beat eggs and sour cream . Add to the other ingredients and mix well. Bake on 375F until done. approx. 30-40 min. Top with cilantro or parsley at the end.
Yields 4 servings .

Finger food: Stuffed mushrooms

That's another invention of mine. After snow and rain here in Colorado, it's finally nice. In this nice warm (sometimes hot) weather I don't feel like cooking something big. Nevertheless I need proteins . So I came up with this delicious idea. I'd say the recipe serves one person. But it really is up to you to decide. It's raw and vegan. And as usual I recommend only organic ingredients !
Here is what you need...

Ingredients :

8  mushrooms
2" of a small zucchini
1 Tbsp. chopped onions
1 Tsp. capers
4-5 green olives
1 Tbsp.  chopped cilantro
1 Tsp. garlic powder
8 cherry tomatoes
Salt, olive oil, lemon juice to taste


Wash mushrooms thoroughly and remove stamps. Sprinkle with a little olive oil and set aside . Cut about 2" of a small zucchini and chop finely. Chop capers, olives and cilantro and add to zucchini. Add onions garlic powder, olive oil, salt and lemon juice . Mix well and fill mushrooms with stuffing.  Top with cherry tomato.

Salmon Kale Salad

I've realized that I haven't posted many sea food recipes and I absolutely love sea food. Unfortunately my husband does not like sea food and most of the fish out there. He just thinks that they are sea bugs and refuses even to try it. The only fish he is willing to eat is  cod, breaded and fried and it should not smell or taste like fish . I know, it's weird !!! For Valentine's day though he took me to a sea food restaurant where I got my favorite raw oysters ! Yay!

Today's recipe is a courtesy of my dear friend Barbara Rice who is a great cook and an excellent baker! She makes beautiful cakes that are not only very well decorated according to the occasion but they also taste fantastic. 

Anyway, Barbara and I were talking about sea food and she shared this recipe with me. I however changed it just a little because of my food preferences. She uses pine nuts but I am not very crazy about pine nuts and I had to substitute them with something else.  I thought that raw pumpkin seeds would blend perfect with all other ingredients. I also added some radishes, well,  just because lol ! It turned out very good and my son loved it! Oh, and one more thing. This salad contains dairy . If you are dairy free you can skip the cheese, not a big deal , although I think the cheese contributes to the entire flavor. Also  use wild caught salmon and organic veggies and cheese to avoid pesticides and GMOs . 

Ingredients: 

1/2 lb Wild caught Sockey Salmon 

3 Kale leaves 

2 Lettuce leaves
3-4 Radishes
3-4 Green Onions
1/4 cup Feta cheese (crumbled)
3 Tbsp. Italian Parsley
3 Tbsp (or more if you want) raw pumpkin seeds
Olive oil and lemon juice to taste .

 Bake salmon with desired spices. When done remove and let cool off. In the mean time wash veggies thoroughly. Tear kale and lettuce into pieces, slice radishes , green onions and chop parsley. Once salmon cooled off, just chop into pieces . Combine fish with kale, lettuce, radishes , onions and mix well. Add feta cheese, pumpkin seed , olive oil and lemon juice . Mix and serve !