Nourishing Recipes and Wellness Guides for your Mind, Body and Soul
Since exploring London’s culinary scene last summer, and eating at the famed restaurant Nopi, I have been obsessed with Yotam Ottolenghi. He may quite literally be the master of fusing the diverse culinary traditions of the Mediterranean into beautiful, mouthwatering fare. Ottolenghi’s only rule: “the ingredients must always be first-rate, and the food gorgeous and tasty.” And so over the course of the next several months (or maybe even years) we will be exploring his world of Plenty.
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If you’re looking for a really comforting, satisfying, soul soothing dish on a (thankfully) almost end of winter night, look no further. This dish has all the qualities of that warm PJ wearing, fireplace burning, fleece blanket wrapping type of comfort with almost next to nothing effort. It’s a one pot meal that I guarantee you will make over and over… and over again. The protein in the lentils and chickpeas make this a very hearty dish that will lightly warm your stomach for hours, and without a drop of oil, butter or cheese, a large serving will fill you up but is guaranteed never to weight you down.
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This week when V and I are out riding we can feel the change in the air… As the weeks pass and the weather changes, we begin to experience the chilly Autumn days. As we ride past the tip of Lake Washington at Log Boom Park and onto the Burke Gilman Trail, smokey bonfire, apple tree and pine needle scents fill the air. And while outside we have campfires and s’mores, inside we crave delicious, wholesome and substantial dishes made on wood burning stoves with scents of roasted nuts, vanilla, pumpkin, nutmeg, mint, and sage.
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Building on our discussion of vegetarian sources of protein, I thought it might be time for a little creative and delicious inspiration. This dish is super easy to put together and is so satisfying that you really don’t need much else along side it (except maybe some warm pita bread and hummus…yum). The creaminess of the avocado, the heartiness of the chickpeas and the warmth of the cumin and cilantro come together so effortlessly, gracefully marrying the quinoa. This dish is so delicious, and nutritious, that V and I both have an overflowing bowl of it for dinner at least once a week.
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Let’s start with something as simple and unassuming as the humble potato. When we try and think of all the uses for this simple starch, amongst different cultures and types of cuisine, we immediately discover a dizzying array of possibilities. Consider the numerous types of potato, the ease with which it marries with other ingredients, the various methods of cooking it, and you have quite possibly the perfect base for a dish, a chef’s clay if you will.
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As may be true in Cairo, Beirut or Jerusalem, a falafel sandwich is and remains some of Detroit’s favorite street food. Growing up in Dearborn, Michigan (largest population of Middle Eastern peoples outside of the Middle East), I was never more than 10 minutes away from a fresh, hot, falafel. Every summer, my friends and I would ride our bikes to wait in line at a local, mom and pop, family-run falafel stand. Today, a bite of these crunchy, intensely flavorful patties, combined with cool garnishes, and folded into a fresh pita takes me home and to my childhood.
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The thought of making pita bread at home has always intimidated me. I’ve tried it a few times and they’ve never turned out quite right… Lately both kids have been eating a lot of hummus, and usually they are enjoying it with store bought pita bread, pita chips, or carrot sticks. So this was my inspiration for giving it another go. But, how do I get these flat round pizza-like doughs to puff up with steam, thereby creating that perfect pocket? The illusion of that perfect pita was hard to to turn to reality. That is, until today….
The ingredients in this recipe are as simple as it gets and with a bit of time, upper body strength and a brush of water, these pita’s puffed up like the perfect puri.
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