Apple Cinnamon Couscous

Ingredients

1 cup apple juice
2 tbl dried apples diced
2 tbl Raisins
1 tsp cinnamon or to taste
1/2 cup couscous


Directions

Put apple juice, dried apple, Raisins and cinnamon in a saucepan. Bring to a boil.

Stir in couscous, cover, and remove from heat.

Let stand 5 minutes.

Fluff couscous with a fork and serve.

Finnish Carrot Pancake with Cranberry Sauce

The Finnish name for the carrot pancake is Porkkanapannukakku. The Finnish name for the cranberry sauce is Karpalokastike.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup carrot grated
1/2 cup Onion grated
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs or wheat germ
4 lrg eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup flour white, Wheat or Rye
1 1/2 tsp salt or less to taste
1/2 tsp thyme scant
1/2 tsp nutmeg scant
1/4 tsp ground cumin
freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tbl canola oil

cranberry sauce :

12 oz fresh cranberries or lingonberries
1/2 cup maple syrup up to 2/3 cup
1 x orange
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1 dsh cinnamon

Optional : sour cream


Directions

For the carrot Pancake: In a mixing bowl, combine the grated carrots, grated Onion and bread crumbs or wheat germ. Toss to mix evenly.

Preheat the oven to 450 deg F. In a blender or by hand, combine the eggs, milk, flour and seasonings until smooth.

You may need to scrape down the sides of the blender or bowl once or twice. In a large mixing bowl, combine the carrot mixture and the contents of the blender.

Heat about a tablespoon of oil in a heavy 9" or 10" cast iron skillet, or similar heavy shallow baking dish that can go in the oven. Heat the oil in the skillet.

When quite hot but not smoking, pour in the pancake mixture; make sure the carrots are evenly distributed.

Place the skillet in the preheated oven. After 20 minutes, lower the oven temperature to 350 deg F and continue to bake for another 10 - 15 minutes. The pancake should be light brown, puffy and crisp.

Serve immediately, topped with cranberry sauce and sour cream, if desired.

To prepare cranberry sauce :

Wash and drain the cranberries. Remove any soft or discolored Berries, and any stems or leaves. Wash the orange, and grate the orange rind only (avoid the bitter white pith) squeeze the juice from the orange.

You are looking to obtain about 1/2 cup of juice and grated rind combined. Mix all the ingredients in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat for 10 - 15 minutes, stirring, until the cranberries have popped and the sauce is thick.

May be made ahead. Serve hot or cold. Commercial whole berry cranberry sauce or commercial cranberry/orange relish can be substituted, if you must.

Chili non carne

Ingredients

1/2 cup dry kidney beans (or other bean if preferred)
1/4 cup bulgur
1 small red and 1 small white Onion, cubed
1 1/2 tbsp minced garlic (or more, if you like)
1/2 cup celery, cubed or sliced
1/2 cup carrots, cubed or sliced
1 tbsp chili powder (start with a 1/2 tsp if you aren't a spicy food freak, and add a little at a time until it's just right for you)
1 tbsp cumin (1/2 tbsp to start)
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp each of fresh basil and oregano, chopped fine
1 yellow squash, cubed (spaghetti squash works best)
1 zucchini, cubed
1 green and 1 red bell pepper, cubed
1 cup sliced Mushrooms
1/2 cup cubed tomatoes
1/2 cup tomato paste


Directions

Soak Beans overnight. Drain, rinse, and cook in 3 cups fresh water over medium heat until tender (about 45 minutes). Drain and reserve cooking liquid.

Bring 1/2 cup water to a boil and pour over the bulgur in a bowl. Let stand 30 minutes to soften the grain (water will be absorbed).

Place 2 cups water in a soup pot and add the onions, carrot, celery Squash and spices. Cook over low heat until the carrots are almost tender, then add the zucchini, peppers, Mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes.

Stir in the kidney beans, tomatoes and the reserved cooking liquid from the Beans. Cook for about 30 minutes more or until the veggies are tender. Add the bulgar to the pot at this point.
Mix the tomato paste with water until smooth, then stir into the vegetable mixture.

Season to taste. Add more water if necessary until the desired consistency is reached.

Pulse Chutney

Pulse Chutney is an vegan Indian recipe. Use fewer chili peppers if you do not want it so hot.


Ingredients

2oz / 50g green mung beans
1 1/2 inch / 3 1/2cm piece of ginger root
4 green chili peppers
salt
lemon juice


Procedure

Soak the green mung beans for 3 to 4 hours. Allow to sprout. Mince the green chilies and fresh ginger and salt. Grind to a paste in a mortar and pestle or food processor. Season with lemon juice.

Chickpea Burgers

Ingredients

2 large egg whites or 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup or more sesame seeds
1/2 tsp. curry powder
1 Tbs. canola oil
2 green onions, finely chopped
3/4 cup finely chopped white or cremini Mushrooms
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cooked or canned Chickpeas, drained and 1/2 cup liquid reserved
1/3 cup sunflower seeds


Directions

In medium skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add green onions and Mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

In food processor or blender, combine garlic, Chickpeas and reserved Chickpea liquid and process until smooth. Transfer to large bowl and combine with Mushroom mixture. In food processor or blender, process sunflower seeds to make a coarse meal.

Add to Chickpea mixture along with curry powder; mix well. Stir in egg whites or bread crumbs (mixture will be soft).

On a large baking sheet, make 8 beds of sesame seeds for patties. Shape burger mixture into 8 patties and place on seeds. Flip to coat both sides generously.

Grill patties on a well-oiled vegetable grill or broil 4 inches from heat source, 3 to 4 minutes on each side until browned. Serve right away.