Sprouted Grain Bread

This is so simple to make that you won’t believe it’s realy possible until you try it!  Enjoy the variety of ways you can enjoy this easy recipe:  hearty crepes, pancakes, and bread to eat by itself or dip into hummus!  All you really need is a cast iron skillet and a blender.

 Ingredients:

2-3 cups whole grain (can be quinoa, buckwheat, barley, farro, etc)

Water

1 tsp sea salt

1 Tbsp Oil (choose from ghee, butter, olive oil, grapeseed oil, etc)

Herbs or spices to taste

Cast iron skillet required for optimum product! 

1. Soak 2-3 cups of whole grain in a container filled with ample water to allow for grain to expand (should be at least twice as much water as grain).  In the morning, pour into a colander and rinse well, leaving the colander propped in a bowl to drain, with a lid lightly covering the top of the grain (good to have air flow, but not be fully exposed).

2. For quinoa, after 6-8 hours of sitting out to sprout, it should be ready.  For some other grains, it may take a little longer (buckwheat takes the longest).  For these grains, rinse twice a day until sprouted.  Look for sprouts to begin before proceeding to the next step.

3. Rinse grain and scoop into a blender.  Fill blender with water (to cover grain up to a ½ in over) and add salt, oil, and any herbs or spices you’d like.

4. Blend on high until a batter-like consistency.  You now can pour the entire batter into your warmed and well-oiled skillet, baking it much the way you would corn bread.  OR, you can pour a little out at a time for hearty whole grain crepes or pancakes.  

Feel free to experiment with adding seeds or sprouted lentils to the mix!

Recipe by Heather Davis

 

Tunisian Vegetable Stew

Harissa is a hot chili paste used traditionally in Moroccan and Tunisian cooking.  It is a wonderful condiment to have on hand to spice up many different dishes!  Look for it in the ethnic cooking section or the specialty deli section at Whole Foods Market or PCC.

For the stew:

2 onions                                              

2 stalks of celery                              

4 carrots                                              

3 cloves garlic                                    

1/3 cup olive oil                                

2 teaspoons harissa                                        

1 lb rutabaga

1 parsnip

1 red onion

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ cup dried apricots

28 oz can of diced tomatoes

3 cups chicken or vegetable stock

freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste

For the couscous:  (May substitute quinoa or brown rice.)

4-1/2 cups couscous                      

½ teaspoon ground cumin          

½ teaspoon ground coriander

2 teaspoons salt

7 cups boiling water

Optional garnishes:

seeds of one pomegranate        

chopped cilantro

To make stew:

1.     Peel and roughly chop the regular onions, two of the carrots, and the garlic.  Roughly chop the celery.  Add all to a food processor, and grind to a fine mush.  Set aside

2.     Peel and halve the red onion, cutting into thin half moons.  Peel and roughly chop the remaining carrots, the rutabaga and the parsnip.

3.     Heat the oil in a large kettle.  Add the processed vegetables, and cook until softened.  Add the red onion, and sauté gently for a few minutes.  Add the rest of the chopped vegetables and toss all with the oil and processed vegetables.  Sprinkle the seasonings over all.  Allow the vegetables to heat until slightly softened.  Snip the dried apricots into fourths and toss into the kettle.  Stir in the tomatoes.

4.     Add the stock and harissa, stirring again.  Bring to a boil.  Cover and cook at a gentle simmer for at least an hour, until vegetables are softened.

To make couscous:

1.     Mix together all ingredients except for boiling water in a large glass bowl. 

2.     Heat water to boiling, and stir into couscous mixture.  Cover and let stand for 15 minutes.

3.     Fluff the couscous with a fork.

To serve:

Place vegetable stew over a bed of couscous, brown rice, or quinoa. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and fresh cilantro.  Enjoy!

Serves 8-10

Preparation time: about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Adapted from a recipe in Nigella Lawson’s cookbook, “Feast: Foods to Celebrate Life”