Urad Dal with Spices

Complicated dishes can grace any table, but such fashionable and simple but flavorful dal dishes which include this urad dal dish with spices are a really perfect solution when you are pressed for time however need to make certain your family is well-nourished. Pleasing to the attention and palate, serve with a rice dish or Indian flatbread and any vegetable facet dish for a whole meal.

This recipe makes use of cut up urad dal with out skins. These versatile mild flavored beans, while cooked in curries soak up the flavors of the spices and greens. They have to be rinsed well and are regularly fried with out soaking or cooking ahead in aggregate with aromatic seeds and spices for tempering vegetable curries. The opportunities are as countless because the imagination of the cook.

If oil is used rather than butter or ghee, this dish is vegan pleasant.

Other Urad Dal dishes from Lisa's vegetarian kitchen you're certain to experience:

Urad Dal with Tomatoes

Urad Dal with Toor Dal and Spinach and Parsley

Wild Mushroom and Paneer Pilaf with Urad Dal

Urad Dal with Fresh Fenugreek

On the top of the reading stack: Betty Crocker's Indian Home Cooking by Raghavan Iyer

Audio Accompaniment: Paul Kalkbrenner

Spicy Tamarind and Channa Risotto Kitcheree

As a diner I love the creamy and toothsome texture of risottos. And as a prepare dinner, I love the countless creativity that may be implemented to the making of them. A risotto is essentially a clean canvas on which to color your favorite flavors, Italian-themed or in any other case, making this a super vehicle for fusion-style cooking ? There are even dessert risottos obtainable.

I've had some super successes with risottos earlier than, but this is my first Indian-style model.

I used a number of the conventional tastes of Indian cooking on this risotto, cooking the rice in a warm tamarind vegetable inventory and seasoning it with a fave aggregate of spices and fried seeds, which include the usage of nigella and fennel seeds to offer the risotto a lovable onion-and-anise fragrance. A sector a part of channa dal or break up yellow peas lends an earthiness that balances the various warmness and perfume of the seeds and spices as well as the beauty of the rice, and makes this risotto essentially an unconventional type of "khichari" or kitcheree ? The conventional Indian rice and dal one-pot comfort food.

The dal or cut up peas also provide a protein element to the dish, making this risotto kitchari an attractive choice for a complete light and simple dinner if served with a side salad or veggies. It's also a vegan-pleasant meal in case you use oil instead of ghee to fry the spices.

Nigella seeds, additionally called kalonji or black onion seeds, are effortlessly discovered in any Indian grocer, as are channa dal, tamarind paste or dried tamarind pulp.

Other risotto or rice dishes you could experience:

Simple Chana Dal, Dill and Tomato Khichri

Pilau Rice with Nuts and Seeds

Spicy Azuki Bean Risotto

On the top of the reading stack: The Meat Lover's Meatless Cookbook: Vegetarian Recipes Carnivores Will Devour by Kim O'Donnel

Audio Accompaniment: Off The Sky - Nonlinear Surface Tensions / Mileece's Reduction (Studies Of Lifeform In Transit)

Baked Blue Grape Pancakes

This recipe has been sitting in my draft folder for a yr since the final time blue grapes had been in season right here. By the time I eventually were given round to typing up the recipe and placing my pix their glory had exceeded. Now, though, it's far the time of yr again when the ones the ones of us going into the autumn harvest season in Ontario and the northeastern United States are capable of select and purchase baskets of these splendidly candy and tangy little beauties. If you revel in Concord grapes, you'll love these deep blue "Coronation" grapes. Perfect for snacking on, they're additionally best for baking with because they're seedless.

Once once more, I turned them into a pancake. Last 12 months I made a few blue grape pancakes with a blue grape sauce. They had been so scrumptious, I desired to try a baked pancake version to exhibit this valuable fruit. One benefit of baked pancakes is which you do not have to stand in front of the skillet, flipping them in batches and preserving the completed ones warmed at the same time as you go through the batter. They're additionally ridiculously clean to make. But what you'll sincerely admire is the gentle, creamy and slightly chewy texture of the baked pancake ? With a slightly crisp exterior, it's like eating a baked custard with the sweet juice of the blue grapes strolling at some point of.

If you can not find Coronation grapes, Concords can be used if they are to be had for your area ? Squeeze the end of each grape contrary the stem to split the skins from the pulp, and discard the skins. If using different desk grapes, add an extra tablespoon or of sugar or honey to the sauce.

More baked pancakes that you'll revel in from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:

Baked Strawberry Pancakes

Baked Blueberry & Peach Pancakes

Baked Coconut Mango Pancakes

Apfelpfannkuchen (Baked German Apple Pancake)

Chickpea junkie- Teriyaki Chickpea fry

Sometimes I wonder if it’s possible to have a major overdose after eating same food all the time. Would I have a withdraw when I stop? Will my body be like; Hey girl, what is up, I need my daily dose!!!
I think I was very close to finding out in person,  after I discovered versatility of the super bean – chickpea. At this stage, I’m more than sure, that I have exploited their potential to the max. For some reason they’re always handy and go well with everything really, so for the last few months I was serving various special dishes, most of which had chickpea in it. From various hummuses, stews, bakes, to cakes and salads. And don’t worry I will share all the recipes with you eventually,  because it’s all good.
Beans were very rarely used back at home,  so everything I know about them, came to me after “the turn”. Beans are super protein source, so for those of you who are wondering “where do I get my proteins from”, this is defo one to watch.
I will touch the protein myth in another post for sure but for now, let’s focus on the little fellas.
Many ppl would avoid beans, because they have experienced discomfort after consuming them, and I admit,  it was my concern for some time as well. I mean,  u don’t want to go around bloated and full of lethal gas waiting to be released at most unexpected moment.
No need to panic guys. U can actually de-gass your beans to make them more digestible,  and your body eventually will get used to processing them and that uncomfortable feeling will no longer be an issue.
The trick is the whole prepping and cooking. Most beans need soaking for several hours before we can cook them. Soaking helps to get rid of those indigestible complex sugars (oligosaccharides) from the outer coating of the beans, which causes bloating and gas. At same time it helps to clean them from all the chemical residue,  and shortens the  cooking time. For best results, leave them covered in water overnight to ensure proper hydration.  Make sure you will discard the dirty water after soaking and rinse those babies nice and clean.
But very often it will happen,  you will simply forget, or you will have an emergency dish to prepare, and no 12 hours to spare. No need to panic. There is one trick that can save the day. Of course you can always use canned beans, but let’s try to stay as much unprocessed as we can.
Rinse your beans and place them in a pot, cover with 2 inches of water and bring to boil. Turn the heat down and let them soak for an hour in this hot water. Rinse and clean after an hour, cover with fresh water, and boil until soft. One Italian mama gave me a tip, to make those beans nice and soft, for both soaking and cooking,  add 1 tsp of baking powder to the pot. And you’re done
With this in mind I’m sharing with you my favourite combo of flavours –
Teriyaki Chickpea fry.
It’s super easy to make and you can play with it and add your favourite stuff. I like it simple, meaning not overdo on other favourite stuff, but focus more on the chickpea itself
And it goes like this:
Chickpea fry
2 cups cooked chickpeas ( or 1 can )
1 large carrot, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic (can be optional if you’re not a fan)
Salt, pepper to taste
Coconut oil for frying
Teriyaki sauce
1 cup water
1/4 cup organic soy sauce or liquid aminos
4 Tbsp coconut sugar
1 Tbsp rice or apple cider vinegar
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Glazing
2 Tbsp corn, tapioca or potato starch
1/4 cup of water
Let’s start with preparing your teriyaki sauce. Place all ingredients except the glazing into small pot and bring to simmer. In a small dish create glazing liquid.
Stir in the glazing into the hot sauce mixture, and keep stirring it on low heat until you achieve nice consistency of thick sauce. If you don’t want chunky pieces of ginger and garlic, you can blend those first ingredients before heating them up, it’s up to you.
Set the sauce aside to cool down.
Now you can start on that fry thingy.  Heat the oil on the wok or non stick pan, fry garlic, then onion and carrots until tender ( approx 5 min). Now you can add your cooked chockpeas, fry for few minutes and finish with adding that teriyaki sauce. Let it stew for few minutes, until the chickpeas will be completely soked in that delicious sauce. And that’s about it guys. It’s super tasty and comforting dish. You can have it with either rice or bread, it goes well with everything.
Note: you can always go for the store bought teriyaki sauce, but it’s so easy and simple to create your own, and you avoid all of the processed crap on the way.
Enjoy the fun and deliciousness,  and don’t forget to add some love to it.

Gratitude and Crunchy Granola recipe

It’s so awesome to be able to share your passion with the world, even if it’s only small part of the world. You feel flow of gratitude every day, you feel supported and loved. With every compliment you get every day, of course your ego is tickled, but with awareness and openness,  you simply get confirmation that you doing what you should be doing. And it feels good.
I don’t even know why I’m doing what I’m doing to be honest with you, but it feels right.  I’ve never been that passionate about cooking and spending so much time in the kitchen. Passionate about food, yes of course,  but more about the consuming part of it, rather then making it. But here I am, on a tropical island,  running a restaurant. I mean if you would tell me that’s what I’ll be doing 2 years ago, I would defo laugh out loud.  On top of that I’m sharing this experience with my man and friends who are always there if u need help.  Seriously,  I must be the luckiest one
With that in mind, I feel like I need to give back in order to keep the energy exchange flow going, so time for another recipe.  This one is on a special requests from a customer, who is trying to recreate our granola back at home, and wasn’t successful so far. It’s super quick and easy to make,  u just need to stock up with a bunch of products, that you can store and use it for other recipes and have them always handy.
And it goes like this:
Crunchy breakfast granola
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup rye flakes
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup chopped almods
1/2 cup chopped cashews
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup goji  berries
1/4 cup dates
1 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup coconut sugar or any liquid sweetener of your choice
2 tsp cinamon
1 Tbsp Vanilla extract
Preheat your oven to 180 Celsius and prepare baking tray with parchment paper.
Toss together all seeds,  nuts and flakes. In a separate bowl whisk together oil and sugar, cinamon and vanilla and add it to the seed and flake mix. Give it a good shake until all dry ingredients are coated in the sweet stuff. Now spread it evenly on the baking tray, and bake for about 30 minutes. Every 10 minutes move the mixture around the tray with spatula, this way you will ensure all babies are nicely toasted
They are ready when turning ice golden brow  colour.  Take it out and cool it down for few minutes, then add dried fruits and mix together. Tadaaaa.  Super crunchy granola for your breakfast,  or as healthy snack. Of course feel free to add whatever nuts, seeds or dried fruits you feel like.  The beauty of it is that you can always create new blend of flavours here.
Enjoy the fun of making it, and don’t forget to add some love to it.
Love

Is It Right For You? The Nitty Gritty of Quitting Coffee

Coffee is a staple in the lives of millions of people. For many, it’s the friend that’s always there to give you a lift when you need it. It’s warmth on a cold day. It’s capable of making every cell in your body buzz with life and allowing you, if only for a little while, to feel like anything is possible. But what if you’re one of the many who are trying to go off coffee? With all its perks, how can you say no?
It may be your 1st time or your 278th time trying to quit coffee. You may even still be one the fence about the whole thing.  Understanding the “nitty gritty” details of potential challenges and allies can help you quit for good, if that’s what you’re aiming for.
You need to know why you continue drinking it (what purpose does it serve) before you can truly decide if you’re ready and able to live without it. Why?
If you just quit coffee cold turkey, you may find that there are gaping holes (needs) that are left unfulfilled.  When you find others things that can play the roles that coffee once did, it can be that much easier to let it go for good.
Why is coffee so appealing? What purpose does it serve in your life?
#1 – It gets you going when you’re dragging, groggy or tired.
#2 – It can carry you through stressful situations.
#3– It suppresses the appetite – Some people use the “coffee for breakfast” diet to try and lose weight. Not only is this not a healthy way to lose weight, but it stresses the body out and can actually cause negative health effects as well. Busy folks use it not as a diet program, but as a substitute (a poor one, might I add) for taking time to eat a decent breakfast.
#4 – It’s a stimulant that many work places provide to keep you productive through the end of the day (the crash when you get home is on your time, not the company’s).
#5 – It provides warmth and comfort – Nothing like a warm beverage on a cold day to make your insides melt.
#6 – It satisfies the body’s desire for bitter tastes, which we’ve largely cut out of the diet.
#7 – It’s something you do with friends – Many people’s lives have become so busy that meeting for coffee has become one of the easiest ways to connect with others. Cafes and coffee shops are convenient meeting spots for friends or professional connections to gather and talk.
#8 – It can connect you with your community – Visiting your favorite local coffee shops, chatting with the baristas, and feeling like you’re not a hermit (especially if you’re a free-lancer or student) can be an important element of your day.
#9 – It has many proven health benefits – New studies have shown that coffee (in moderation) can have a positive effect on Type 2 diabetes, certain forms of cancer, and even Alzheimer’s disease.
As you read this list, you may be thinking to yourself, “These don’t sound so bad.” In some respects, you’re right. These are all needs that we have, and coffee (up until now) has been the quick fix. The question remains: is coffee solving or suppressing the real issue at hand?
People choose to quit coffee for many reasons: saving money, health conditions, frazzled nervous system, adrenal fatigue, headaches, sugar addiction, etc. Many people experience withdrawal symptoms when weaning themselves off of coffee and caffeine. There are things you can do to make this process less traumatic and more rewarding.
These insights can help you fill the perceived holes and unsatisfied needs that are often created when you give coffee the boot. Not only can they make it that much easier for you to embrace a coffee-free life, but you’re likely to become healthier and happier in the process.
(Crowd roars with applause)
Get good sleep
Allowing your body to fully rejuvenate will mean less need for “energy crutches” like caffeine and other stimulants.
De-stress your life
People often use coffee to get them through the day, to blast through stressors (temporary solution) instead of taking the time to dissolve the stress at the core. Move your body, write, work out, dance, meditate, shower, or do whatever works for you to channel that energy.
Eat a good breakfast
Sorry, but coffee doesn’t count as breakfast. It may suppress the appetite for a bit, but often leaves you ravenously hungry come lunch time. Start the day out right by eating a healthy breakfast that works for your body. It can change the way life unfolds.
Stay hydrated
Every cell in your body needs water to function properly. When you are fully hydrated, you can perform at your peak without the need for stimulants, caffeine or sugar.
Plan ahead for the 3:00pm energy dip
We’ve all experienced hitting the “3 o’clock wall,” feeling like a crash test dummy – lifeless, crumpled, and not good for much. You can avoid this by eating a solid yet light lunch. Heavy meals = “food comas”. Make sure you’re consuming meals full of nutrient dense foods and sources of long-lasting energy—protein, complex carbs, beans, legumes, etc.
Bring snacks
Instead of reaching for coffee when you need energy, grab a handful of nuts, piece of fruit and cut-up raw vegetables. They can give you a much-needed energy boost while improving your health (double win!).
Switch to decaf
I know a lot of coffee drinkers have some pretty strong opinions about decaf coffee. If you do go off coffee (for personal or medical reasons), decaf coffee can still provide a similar taste without the massive levels of caffeine. Choosing organic water-processed coffee is ideal, as it minimizes the pesticides and synthetics used in growing and processing the beans.
Get your bitter taste elsewhere
According to Ayurveda, bitter is one of the 6 tastes call Rasas. There are numerous health benefits of bitter tasting things, including cleansing and detoxifying the body, and reducing fat. To help you transition from dark roasted coffee to herbal, non-caffeinated teas, try roasted dandelion root tea (no caffeine!). It tastes similar to coffee and is beneficial for the liver. Other bitter tastes can be found in dark leafy greens, broccoli, celery, beets, and sprouts.
Give your adrenals a break
Caffeine can be very taxing for your adrenals if you are already suffering from adrenal fatigue. If you lead a high-stress lifestyle, chances are you may fall into that category. Allow the adrenal glands to rest and recover by reducing your caffeine in take. After all, they are responsible for your “fight or flight” response, and that’s one reaction you want to be razor sharp!
Be active
There are countless benefits to movement and exercise – we’ve all heard the drill. When it comes down to it, our bodies were meant to move in dynamic ways. Regular movement—yoga, dance parties, walking, swimming, climbing trees, or bouncing on a trampoline with your favorite little person—is one of the best ways to fuel your energy battery. After a good boogey, a long hike, or an intense workout at the gym, every cell in your body feels alive and buzzing. That is as good as any dose of caffeine and all the side effects are positive ones.
Quitting coffee can be quite a journey. You may be able to simply choose to stop drinking it without any problems, or you may go through withdrawal—headaches, energy rollercoasters, and other less pleasant symptoms. The key is to keep coming back to why you’re cutting back or eliminating it in the first place.
You may have many intentions for quitting coffee. You may have a desire to feel more clean and vibrant in your body. You may wish to be less dependent on substances to show up for life. You might simply want to save your money or give your body a break.
Get real with yourself about what role or purpose coffee serves in your life. Find ways that appeal to you of getting those needs met through other methods. Give yourself a taste of what it’s like to live a coffee-free life.

The Gluten Dilemma: Good or Gastric Disaster?

Everyone these days seems to be going gluten-free. Big grocery store chains are even riding the wave and rolling out their own brand of gluten-free goods. Is this just another health trend or is there substance behind this dietary shift?
The answer is both.
In order to explore this dilemma, you’ll need to know what gluten is, where it can be found, and how to tell if it’s working for you or against you. Ready to dive in?
Defining Gluten
Everyone talks about gluten, but what is it? According to the Oxford English Dictionary,

Gluten (noun) – a substance [a mixture of two proteins] present in cereal grains, especially wheat, that is responsible for the elastic texture of dough.
Origin: via French from Latin, literally ‘glue’

Gluten is the glue that binds everything together. It dough its elasticity, helps it rise and keep its shape, and gives it a chewy texture. We’ve all made dough ball with slices of Wonderbread. That’s gluten at work.
Where You Can Find It
There’s an easy way to remember what grains have gluten in them. They are the BROWS grains, (think eye brows).
Barley
Rye
Oats*
Wheat
Spelt
*Oats do not naturally contain gluten in them, but are often processed in facilities that also process gluten grains. This is very important for those who are allergic to gluten or have Celiac disease (an allergy is different than an intolerance).
Any product that is made with these grains will also contain gluten. This includes common dietary staples such as pasta, bread, and cookies. Gluten can also be found hiding in unlikely places such as energy bars, soups, scrambled eggs, and mashed potatoes. If you’re eliminating gluten from your diet, make sure to ask at restaurants if there’s gluten in their dishes, and be familiar with the sneaky sources the wait staff might not think of.
People have been eating wheat for thousands of years, so why is it all of a sudden becoming an issue? The wheat we eat now is a very different type of wheat that our ancestors ate. According to Dr. Frank Lipman, “American strains of wheat have a much higher gluten content (which is needed to make light, fluffy Wonder Bread and giant bagels) than those traditionally found in Europe.”
Could this be the reason gluten intolerance and celiac disease are on the rise, or is there something else going on? New studies have also shown that Celiac disease may have popped up as a side effect of recent genetic adaptations in humans. That brings it to another level all together.
The combination of increased gluten content in modern wheat, genetic adaptations, and an overuse of gluten grains in processed foods means major gluten overload for the body. Why is that important?
How to Tell if Gluten is Working For or Against You
When it comes to “the gluten dilemma,” there is a spectrum of disease, ranging from mild gluten sensitivity (most common) to full-blown celiac disease (less frequent).
Some suggest that Celiac disease occurs in almost 1% of all Americans. When it comes to gluten sensitivity—or where some form of immune reaction occurs to gluten—the numbers may be as high as 1 in 3 Americans. Could this be why so many people who go off gluten no longer feel an overall sense of unwellness?
Unfortunately, if you get a blood test for celiac, gluten sensitivity doesn’t show up on it. It may not show up on a test, but it can still affect you with physical, mental and emotional symptoms.
Although the majority of the damage occurs in the digestive tract, especially the small intestines, the symptoms manifest in many different ways throughout the entire body.
Here are some signs that you may be suffering from gluten sensitivity or Celiac disease:

Digestive issues such as gas, bloating, diarrhea, acid reflux and constipation
Fatigue, brain fog or feeling tired after eating a meal that contains gluten
Diagnosis of an autoimmune disease such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, ulcerative colitis, lupus, multiple sclerosis or scleroderma
Migraine headaches
Reproductive health issues such as abnormal menstrual cycles and infertility
Swelling and inflammation
Skin problems such as acne and rosacea
Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)

Like many health trends, there are those who will simply give it a go just to say they’ve tried it. For many people, including myself, going off gluten may actually be the key to healing unresolved health issues and living a better life.
When I stopped eating gluten, so many of my seemly random and unconnected health issues slowly starting resolving. Within a few months of going off gluten completely, I no longer had cystic acne (a 10 year battle), red cheeks, digestive issues (too many to name), or hypoglycemia. I was stunned, overjoyed, and totally bummed out at the same time.
Why would I be upset about resolving so many health issues?
It meant that I could no longer continue to eat unconsciously. I now understood what was causing my symptoms, and could no longer pretend otherwise. I had to and wanted to take responsibility for my health, yet felt completely overwhelmed. This was before the flood of gluten-free products on the market.
To cut gluten from your life is no small feat. It’s in everything. Some of your all-time favorite foods probably contain it. You will need to approach food in a completely new way.
This is a blessing and a challenge.
A blessing in that you get to re-evaluate what’s gong into your body and become more aware of how your food affects you. A challenge in that going out to restaurants, over to friend’s houses for dinner, or grabbing a meal on the road can become complicated.
Luckily, food producers are quick on the uptake and are coming out with gluten-free products that taste good and have a pleasant texture. If you’ve ever had a loaf (aka brick) of rice bread, you know what I mean. You can now enjoy fluffy buckwheat and chia bread, corn and quinoa pasta, rice crackers and almond meal cookies.
Before you go on a gluten-free shopping spree resembling the “Shop Till You Drop” TV show from the 1990s—cart overflowing with items frantically snatched from every possible shelf—gluten-free doesn’t automatically equal healthy.
Lots of gluten-free processed foods contain high amounts of sugar, preservative, and other unhealthy ingredients. In your excitement to explore the world of “gluten or no gluten,” don’t forget to read the labels and incorporate plenty of whole, non-gluten grains in your diet.
If you decide to explore how gluten makes you feel, know that there are plenty of resources out there to help you along the way. Ultimately, the goal is to find the foods that make you feel healthy, strong, vibrant and alive.
Don’t take my word for it. Use your body as a walking laboratory experiment and see for yourself if gluten is in fact a good or gastric disaster.