Chickpeas Polenta(Panisse) with Olives and Sun dried Tomatoes

Some flours remain unused in my pantry forever.Once of those is Chickpea flour(besan),I got this one pack last Ramadan,consumed a couple of times for these delicacies and rest has been in there since.I chanced upon the pleasing Panisse recipe in my treasured Mayo clinic cookbook ,just in time before the expiry date of the flour.
Panisse is a filling french snack,with polenta like soft texture,that is also served as side.The snack is usually cut and fried like french fries.The cookbook's adaptation is baked panisse,which is then broiled until crispy and then made more appealing with the olive and sun dried tomatoes topping.The vegan substitute Tofu was not in the book,but should work next best instead of eggs.

To find the star ingredients in this recipe,the chick pea flour,track down your nearest East Indian or Arab store,you are sure to spot it in the flour aisle.


Recipe: Chickpea Polenta ,adapted from Mayo Clinic Cookbook.
Ingredients
1 3/4 cup(9 oz/280g) Chickpea(Garbanzo bean) flour[Available in Italian,Arab and East Indian stores]
2 cups(16 fl oz/500ml) plain soy milk or reduced fat milk
1 cup Vegetable stock or water
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic,finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme ,oregano or basil,chopped or 1 teaspoon dried
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon turmeric(optional)
3 Organic Egg whites(Vegan substitute : 4 oz silken tofu)
For Topping
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion,sliced
1/4 cup black olive,chopped or sliced
1/4 cup dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes,soaked in water to rehydrate,drained and chopped


Method
In a blender or food processor,combine flour,milk,stock,oil,garlic,mustard,salt and pepper.Process until smooth.Pour batter in a bowl and let stand for few minutes.

Preheat oven to 375F.Lightly coat a 9 x 13 inch baking pan or dish with cooking spray.

If using Eggs
In a large,grease free bowl,using an electric mixer on high speed or hand whisk,beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.Gently fold the egg whites in to the batter.

If using Tofu
Use a hand whisk and beat the tofu until smooth.Mix in the batter.

Now pour the batter in to the prepared pan.Bake until puffed and lightly brown around the edges,about 20-25 minutes.Let cool for 15 minutes.

While polenta is cooling,make the topping.In a small saute or frying pan,heat the oil over medium heat.Add the onion and cook until soft and lightly golden,about 6 minutes.Add the olives and tomatoes and cook for a minute.Remove from heat.

Sprinkle the onion olive mixture over the baked polenta.Broil until the top is lightly brown.Watch carefully,this takes only about a minute.
Cut the Polenta in squares then cut the squares on the diagonal in to wedges.Serve immediately.Can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days.Warm before serving.


Hosting Weekend Herb Blogging #225

I'll be hosting the Weekend Herb Blogging event for the week(March 15th-21st).Share your unusual delicious foods.Talk about the one unique ingredient used and please keep the entries exclusive(cannot be sent to other food events).For more rules check here and send your entries to YasmeenHealthnut AT gmail DOT com.

Alfa-alfa Sprouts Olives Citrus Salad.

I learned a lot about Alfa-alfa sprouts from Malar's enlightening post here.Hunting in vain for the alfa-alfa seeds in stores everywhere I was unmindful that a store very close by sells the full-grown alfa-alfa sprouts for just a $1,certainly affordable and saved all the work of sprouting at home.
Make sure the sprouts you buy from a reputable store are fresh and ISCA(International Sprout Growers Association seal) certified label on the package.Read more about caution while sprouting at home in my post here.
The tangy green olives and citrus fruit complement well with the crisp sprouts for a quick and refreshing crunchy-munchie salad.

Ingredients
2 cups Alfa-alfa sprouts
1 cup green olives
1 Orange or grape fruit,segments
1/4 cup dried fruits like Cranberries or Raisin or Cherries
1/4 cup roasted nuts like almonds,pecans or walnuts
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive oil
1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon orange blossom water or rose water(optional)
1/4 teaspoon each of ground cinnamon and cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt

Method
Prepare the dressing by whisking together oil,salt spices ,orange blossom water and lemon juice.Combine the rest of the ingredient in a large salad bowl,drizzle over the dressing and mix .Serve on side with whole grains.

The salad is my entry for A fruit a month(AFAM),hosting the Olives this month is Priya's Easy N Tasty recipes.And WYF:Quick Meals.

Artichokes Hearts and Pimento Olives Rotini Pasta.

At first it seemed like an approachable vegetable with a pretty flowery structure,tempting me to buy it fresh rather than canned.Following the simple steps as this page,I started to cut this unusual vegetable hoping I'll be able to carve a fresh artichoke heart.But my amateur skill in cutting this vegetable was not sufficient to perfectly carve the artichoke hearts.So much for my experiments I ended up wasting the artichoke.

Buying the canned artichokes was a big time saver for this recipe although I understand canned artichokes doesn't have the same nutritional value as the fresh ones.But I did save this video for my next cook-up with fresh artichokes come this spring(about 4 weeks away),the best season for artichokes.


The buttery mild flavor of artichokes complements well with the strong flavor of green olives.Or using green olives stuffed cherry peppers(pimento)also lightens the bitterness in green olives.Whole grain rotini pasta was just the right kind of pasta to go with in this all Vegan recipe,which I'm sending to the Vegan Italian Food event,hosted by Vaishali of Holy Cow!.And also to Presto Pasta Nights,host this week is Wiffy of Noob Cook.

Ingredients
1 pound Whole grain Rotini pasta.
1 can(14 ounce) artichokes hearts,drained
2 big plum red tomatoes,finely chopped
1 small onion ,finely chopped
1/2 cup pitted green olives or pimento olives
2 big cloves garlic,finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt(less cause I'm using both canned olives and artichokes which already have good amount of sodium)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Method
Cook the rotini pasta until al-dente as per the package directions .Drain.
In mean time heat oil in sauce pan on medium heat,add the garlic and saute for few seconds until aromatic then add the tomatoes,cover and cook until tender about 10 minutes,stir occasionally.When tomatoes are tender stir in the dried basil,artichoke hearts, pepper and salt.let flavors infuse,allow to cook for another 5 minutes.Then combine the mixture with cooked pasta and olives.Serve warm.


In Health News
For an important update in BMI guidelines for South Asians,please read the Dietitian Sweta's post on her blog Bonne Nutrition.

Hachapuri(Cheese bread) with Olives Green Mung Stew

Hachapuri
The Georgian cheese bread Khachapuri\Hachapuri adapted from Nigella's Feast was by far the cheesiest bread I ever baked.I usually don't cook with cheese that is not low in fat.Thankfully in this recipe all the 3 cheeses used are available in low fat\fat-free ,which is appropriate for those concerned about the high fat\high cholesterol in the Cheese.If you love cheese but are worried about its high cholesterol use low fat\fat free cheese which have relatively lower cholesterol,and Organic is even better.
The hachapuri is like the stuffed cheese pizza,only that we don't use yeast but baking soda instead.My hacahpuri seemed to have puffed more that expected,you could slightly reduced the quantity of baking soda if liked.This bread is great for dunking in a hearty stew and can easily feed 4 starving souls.
Ingredients
For Dough
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cup of all purpose flour
1 cup fat free Yogurt
1 Organic egg,reserve half for the filling.
2 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoon Olive oil
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
For filling
3/4 cup fat free ricotta cheese
3/4 cup reduced fat feta cheese,crumbled
1/2 cup partly skimmed mozzarella,grated

Method
Combine the flours ,salt and soda in a bowl.In another bowl,whisk the egg,reserve half of it for mixing in to the cheese filling and with the egg for the dough, mix in the yogurt and butter,using a fork break the butter in to the mixture.Now add this mixture in to flour and make a dough and lightly knead until smooth.Cover and let rest for about 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425F.
To prepare the filling ,crumble together ricotta and feta and grate in the mozzarella.Add the reserved egg and beat the cheese mixture together.
Sprinkle some all purpose flour on the work surface.Divide the dough in to 2 equal portions.Roll one portion in to a circle about 4 inches,spread the cheese filling and leave the small border around the edges.Fold in the edges to seal the outside of the bread.Sprinkle some flour and lightly press and place the dough on the greased baking sheet.Repeat the same with the other half of the dough.

Bake the bread for about 15-20 minutes until golden brown.Slice in to wedges while still hot and serve warm with soups or stews or curries.

Any leftovers can be stored for 2-3 days in a refrigerator,reheated before use.
This cheese bread is my entry for BBD-Cheese Bread,hosted by High on Hog

Olives Garlic Green Mung Stew
Bharti's quick fix Tomato and Garlic Mung Soup was the hearty accompaniment with this lofty cheese bread.I added Olives for more flavor and made it in a thicker stew's consistency.

Ingredients
1 cup Green Whole Mung Lentils
1/2 cup green and black olives,pitted and sliced.
3-4 cloves medium garlic cloves,crushed and chopped
1/2 teaspoon Turmeric
3/4 teaspoon chilly powder
3/4 teaspoon ground spices(like cardamoms,cloves ,cumin and cinnamon)
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds(Zeera)
1 cup tomato sauce(I used pasta sauce for more flavor)
2 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tablespoon chopped herbs,I used Cilantro
Salt as per taste

Method
Wash and Soak the lentils for 15-20 minutes.
Heat oil in a pressure cooker(PC) or skillet with lid,add the cumin seeds,after few seconds add the chopped garlic .Don't let the garlic burn,after about a minute ,add the tomato sauce and spices.Drain all the water from the lentils and add to the mixture along with the sliced olives,add 2 cups of water and season with salt.Cover and cook until lentils are tender 12-15 minutes on medium high heat in a PC and 40-50 minutes in a skillet.Uncover and stir and simmer for another 5-10 minutes until gravy thickens,garnish with chopped herbs and serve hot with bread\roti\parathas.