Turkish pancakes with herbs and greens

  

Gluten free

I came across this recipe looking for something quick, savory and healthy for breakfast. These pancakes turned out to be so tasty that became my go to weekend breakfast dish. They are inspired by Turkish pancakes from the Black Sea Region, where the locals usually serve them as a main dish with a vegetable soup or vegetable dish. In some recipes amount of flour is significantly reduced and more chopped greens are added into batter. 

In Turkey, people top them with remaining greens and thinly sliced onion mixed with olive oil and lemon juice. I topped mine with chopped radishes and tiny pieces of crumbled feta cheese. 

Ingredients:
Makes 4 medium pancakes

• 1 cup oat flour
• 2/3 cup coconut milk
• 2 organic eggs 
• 1 1/4 cup mixed greens (baby spinach, kale, collard greens)
• handful of chopped parsley leaves
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 8-10 mint leaves, chopped (optional)
• 4 tbls olive oil or ghee
• 1 flat tsp ground turmeric 
• 4-5 radishes, chopped
• 1/8 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• sea salt
• pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

Preparation:

Pour the flour in a mixing bowl, add coconut milk and whisk to a smooth batter. Add the eggs, pinch of salt, turmeric powder and cayenne (optional) and whisk together.

 Stir the greens, parsley, scallions and mint into the batter. Heat the olive oil or ghee in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Pour one fourth of the batter and spread out with a spoon in an even layer. Make a few holes in the pancakes with a fork and tilt the pan from side to side to fill the holes with the batter to get an even layer. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until lightly golden. Sprinkle with chopped radishes and crumbled feta cheese.

Red and Black Rice with Kale, Walnuts and Pomegranate Seeds

Vegan, gluten free

This hearty dish is a modernized version of a classic Turkish salad and makes the most of delectable Turkish ingredients: nutty whole grains, walnuts, healthy greens and juicy pomegranate seeds. The pinch of ground sumac in the dressing gives the dish a more distinct sour note.

The combination of red and black rice with white basmati not only gives the dish a nice dark red color and crunchy texture but also makes it “a superfood”, thanks to a high content of antioxidants and phytonutrients in the red rice and inflammation suppressing anthocyanins in the black rice. This rice combination is rich in Vitamin B6 and E, protein and magnesium.

Ingredients:
Yields 4 bowls

• 1/2 cup each red, black and basmati rice
• 3 cups kale, separated from the stems and torn into small pieces
• a small handful of dill, chopped
• a small handful of mint leaves, finely chopped
• 1 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1/2 cup walnuts, lightly crushed 
• 1/8 cup raisins (optional)

For the dressing:

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses 
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon ground sumac
• 1 tbsp agave nectar
• sea salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste

Preparation:

Cook the rice in a large pot of boiling water following the instruction on the package. You can cook each rice separately or in the same pot, starting with the variety that takes the longest.
Drain and rinse under cold running water when fully cooked. Set aside.

Meanwhile, cook kale for about 2 minutes in a large pot of boiling water. Drain and refresh under cold running water. When cold, squeeze the excess water with your hand and separate the pieces.
In a small bowl whisk the ingredients for the dressing.
Place the drained rice into a medium mixing bowl and add kale, chopped walnuts, 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds, dill and mint leaves. Pour in the dressing and mix thoroughly.
Transfer the salad to small serving bowls and top with the remaining pomegranate seeds and raisins.

Autumn bowl with basmati rice, black lentils, avocado, red potatoes and watermelon radish

Gluten free, vegan 

Fall is upon us and as leaves burst into beautiful hues of yellow, orange and red, many of us take out-of-town trips to catch a glimpse of the spectacular foliage. This vibrant season is a time of change; as the temperature starts dropping, our eating habits accordingly adjust. To protect itself from the heat loss, the body craves more comfort, nourishing foods. We gravitate towards more dense foods, such as root vegetables, grains and legumes.

Autumn is also a time for inspiration; having fiery colors around gives us boosts of creative energy and stimulates imagination. It’s a great time to incorporate more colorful foods into our diet to make it exciting and keep us inspired even when the amazing fall colors are long gone.

For this bowl I used basmati rice because of its lower than regular rice’s glycemic index (it has a medium GI). When digested it releases the energy slowly, keeping blood sugar levels more stable. This is crucial for diabetes management and prevention.

The rice combined with grated carrot, clarified butter, lemon juice and spiced up with turmeric and cayenne pepper is topped with sliced avocado, watermelon radish and skinny and crunchy red potato French fries cooked in coconut oil and garnished with sunflower seeds and sprouts. 

Ingredients:

Yields: 2 bowls

• 1 1/2 cup basmati rice, cooked
• 1/2 cup black lentils, cooked
• 1 carrot, peeled and grated
• 1 watermelon radish, peeled and sliced
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds, lightly toasted
• 1/4 cup sunflower sprouts
• 1 red potato, peeled and cut in matchsticks
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 2 tbsp clarified butter (ghee)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• salt, pepper, cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• dulse flakes (optional)

Preparation:
 

Combine cooked rice with cooked lentils and grated carrot. Add 2 tbsp melted ghee, lemon juice, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Stir until all ingredients are well combined. Divide the mixture between two bowls. Set aside. In a medium skillet heat the coconut oil. Toss the potatoes with salt and fry in the coconut oil for about two minutes or until crunchy on the outside and soft inside. On top of the rice in each bowl arrange sliced avocado, watermelon radish, half of the french fries and garnish with toasted sunflower seeds and sunflower sprouts. Sprinkle the veggies with dulse flakes (optional).

How to cook basmati rice so it's fluffy not sticky:

Rinse rice several times until water runs clear. Drain well in a fine-mesh sieve. Melt clarified butter in a small pot over moderate heat, add rice and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Stir in water and salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until rice is tender and water is absorbed, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand, covered for 5 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork.

Rice can be made 1 day ahead and cooled, uncovered and chilled in an airtight container.