Archive for the ‘Recipes for Smart People’ Category

Some people believe Thanksgiving is either a turkey with all of the traditional trimmings OR a Tofurkey.

The truth is that many vegetarians  will sit down to the traditional table with no intention of eating the turkey, but with a deep hope that the green beans will be free of bacon. And please pass the mashed potatoes.

I have found Channa, and Indian bean dish made with garbanzo beans, to be a perfect side dish for Thanksgiving. The vegetarians sigh in relief and I always get asked for the recipe.

No need for the vegetarian’s mashed potatoes to be lonely, these slightly spicy beans are perfect. If you can open a few cans, and know how to saute an onion, you can do this!

You need whole cumin seeds, turmeric, olive oil, a yellow onion, at least one jalapeno pepper, a small can of tomato paste, a chunk of fresh ginger, four cans of rinsed garbanzo beans (organic if possible) salt and pepper and that’s it! Oh, and a pot with a lid, big enough for all of the above, plus a can of water. You also need a blender or a food processor.

Throw into the warmed pot a Tablespoon of whole cumin seeds.

As you get excited by the smell, add the chopped onion and enough olive oil to saute this little aromatic delight.

Cook until the onions are soft.

Pour this into a blender.

Add the can of tomato paste, a cut and seeded jalapeño pepper (2 if you like your food hot), chopped ginger (A piece of ginger equivalent to two index fingers: more or less?? You can’t mess this up!), at least 1T turmeric, and water. Blend this really well.

Add to original pot the four cans of rinsed garbanzo beans.

Add mixture from blender. Cook this on high until it boils.

Turn it down to simmer and cover. Depending on the beans, this could take an hour or more.

You may have to add more water. You want the beans to feel soft and a sauce to have formed.

Add salt and pepper to taste. That's it!

Of course, this tastes even better once it has cooled and been reheated. This is a favorite at my house. We eat it cold with chips or crackers, and sometimes blended like hummus.

Channa is also great with great with potatoes, rice, or mixed with chunks of cooked squash or pumpkin.

www.LisaCrunick.com

Helping You Change Your Mind

Even if you have never cooked, you can make this!

You will need a heavy pot you can put in the oven. If it doesn’t have a lid, you can use tinfoil.

Check to see if you have most of these spices: cinnamon, turmeric, cayenne pepper, coriander, cardamon,and ginger.

Sweet potatoes, or yams, at least three good sized ones Carrots, four to six Something green, peas, green beans; frozen works (1 cup? 2? you decide?) Olive oil, 1 onion, a red pepper, fresh garlic 1 28 oz can of tomatoes 1 can of garbanzo beans.

When this is baked you will want to eat it with Couscous. You cannot mess this up.

All will be well, even if you do not have everything  listed.   If you need a measurement for the spices, try 1 teaspoon each, but really, playing with the spices is part of the fun.

Quick,what else can you think of that has both garbanzo beans and yams? Yams, sweet potatoes, and carrots are good for your brain food.

Do I need to say that changing your mind is easier when your brain is working?

Saute  chopped onion with a chopped red pepper, garlic and ginger root powder in olive oil. Add cinnamon (good for you), cumin, turmeric (good for you), cayenne, cardamon, coriander  (This is all good for you!) Now add 1 28 oz can of tomatoes (organic tastes way better here)

Add water. The tomato can half filled works! Now inhale as you stir your creation, and taste it. Do you want a little salt? more cinnamon? cumin?

When you are happy with it………sing ……. Add the garbanzo beans.

Look at you! Now add the sweet potatoes (big pieces with skins on), carrots and green vegetable. (I have even thrown in a quarter bag of frozen mixed veggies here and lived to tell you, you cannot mess this up!)

Do not be stingy with the sweet potatoes. Cover and bake 2-3 hours at 350.

The last hour bake uncovered. Your home will smell like heaven.

If you can wait, let this cool and then reheat the next day. But you can eat it immediately. Eat it with couscous. OH MY!

You can change your mind about anything?  vegetables? cooking? relationships?

Lisa Crunick

My craving for this usually begins at Thanksgiving. No matter how little, or much, I am responsible for dinner, I will make a fruit salad.

I want it right beside the mashed potatoes, for contrast.

Now in January, after record setting rains, high winds, cold weather and days of nothing that resembles a beach, I want fruit salad.

I encourage you to join me. You may, like me, get a reputation as being a healthy cook, when in reality, all you are doing, is exercising your ability to cut up fruit, while inhaling pleasantries.

The first ingredient: a pineapple. It needs to feel just slightly soft, yet be solid, and when you can easily pull out one of the leaves, it is ripe. If you pick up and smell it, you will really look like you know what you are doing.

Then choose some hard apples, granny smiths and braeburns are both good choices. You need two or three.

And then several large naval oranges. Produce people are amongst the friendliest in the world and they love it when you ask, "Which are _____are the best right now?"

You want the oranges to feel heavy for their size and the skins to not be too thick,'but don't be shy, ask a produce person.

You want this salad to last a few days, so choice your next fruits carefully. Pears are good, but they need to be a little firm, or they will become mushy.

Seedless grapes are good. Frozen rasperries work, but only if you are willing to have a red salad. Pomegranate seeds are fun. Make this salad to please yourself.

Choose a container that allows you to notice your fruit salad when you open the refrigerator.

Begin by cutting off the top of the pineapple and then cutting off the rough outsides. Then cut it in half from the top, and make the HUGE decision about how large or small you want your pineapple pieces to be. You will want to cut out some of the core, unless you enjoy a really LONG chew.

There is going to be pineapple juice all over the cutting board, and you will forget that it is winter. Then just keep cutting to your heart's content.

This is so relaxing. The orange smells like heaven and there is juice everywhere. You can stir your salad lightly as you make it; the color and textures are mesmerizing.

The best part is when you open the refrigerator the next day and there it is!!! Picking through the tastes, colors and textures is so satisfying. You can throw some plain yogurt on the top and a little bit of granola. Life is good.