Gopi's Veggie Pockets

These veggie pockets make great all in one meals, especially for when you are travelling! :-)
Makes approx 8 - 10 generous sized pockets.

Filling:
5 medium sized organic carrots peeled, washed and chopped into small cubes
I small head of celery, washed, ends and major strings removed, and chopped small
1/2 a large red bell pepper chopped into small cubes (optional)
1 1/2 cups of frozen peas
1 cup of frozen spinach
1/2 cup black olives chopped into small rings
1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
Approx 1-2 TBSP sour cream
3/4 TBSP sea salt or to taste
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp of curry powder
1 tsp asafoetida
 nutritional yeast to taste (optional)

Steam the carrots, celery, bell pepper til tender. Add the frozen spinach and peas and steam another 5 mins or til thawed.

Mix the steamed veggies with the rest of the ingredients. Use to fill the pastry when it has cooled off
somewhat.

Pastry:
Approx 4 cups sprouted wheat flour
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3-4 heaped TBSP soft ghee

Mix the dry ingredients and then rub in the ghee to make a crumbly mixture. Add enough warm water to make a soft non sticky dough. Knead a few mins to improve the texture and let sit for 10 mins.

Roll into rounds approx 2.5 x 2.5 inches. Place 2-3 TBSP of the veggie mix in the middle. Take two opposite sides of the round and pinch together til sealed especially be sure to get the corners. Be careful not to pinch holes into the pastry or it will be messy when it bakes!

Place on a lightly oiled baking tray. Bake in pre-heated oven at 390 degrees Fahrenheit for approx 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

Delicious served warm! :-)

You can make a great veggie pie using the same ingredients. Here's a picture to give you the idea! :-)

Cream and Jelly Muffins

Here's a much enjoyed dessert (which I originally made with left-over pancake batter), created on Saturday for Madhva's return from India dinner. Light and delicious and very more-ish!

Ingredients:
Approx 1 cup sprouted grain pancake and waffle mix (Arrowhead Mills)
2 cups almond meal (Trader Joe's)
1 tsp baking powder
3 TBSP cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
1 tsp nutmeg powder
1 tsp pumpkin spice mix
Pinch of clove powder
Pinch of sea salt
1/2 cup orange flavored cranberries (Trader Joe's)
1/2 cup carob chips
Approx 1/4 cup safflower oil
Approx 1/2 cup maple syrup
1 TBSP vanilla essence
water as needed

Filling:
Strawberry jelly (jam)
1 cup double cream whipped

Method:
Mix dry ingredients.
Add in the wet ingredients and use enough water to create a thick porridge like consistency, and mix well.

Spoon into a lightly oiled muffin tray and bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for approx 40 minutes.
Texture when cooled should be soft and easy to cut or break.

When cool remove form tray and cut into halves - they are crumbly so be careful when cutting to avoid breaking them.

Spread a thin layer of strawberry jelly on the inside of the bottom half . Then drop a big TBSP of whipped cream on top. Cover lightly with the top half.

Makes scrumdelicious 12 muffins. :-)

Green Bean and Tofu Stir-fry

Sooo here is the latest finger lickin' experiment from Gopi's kitchen, made for lunch today! :-) Its very simple to prepare and all the picky eaters in our house enjoyed it. :-)

Serves 4 generous portions as part of a larger meal.

Ingredients:

3 cups of fresh green beans, washed, headed and tailed

I pkg firm tofu, drained,  pat dry with paper towel, and cut into strips approx 1/2 inch wide 

1 big dollop of Vegenaise

1/2 tsp asafoetida

1 TBSP ghee (clarified butter) or oil of your choice

2 TBSP water

Method:

Heat a saute pan on medium, add in ghee. When ghee is hot, fry asafoetida for a few seconds and throw in the beans. Stir-fry for a few minutes and add 2 TBP's water. Lower heat and cover. Cook til tender.

Bake the tofu in sauce (see instructions below). Mix tofu and beans together with Vegenaise. Thats it! :-)

Serve hot, great with rice and a salad. :-) It would also work well in wraps or sandwiches.

Sauce for baking the tofu:

Approx 4 TBSP toasted sesame oil

Approx 3 TBSP tamari

Approx 2 TBSP liquid smoke

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp paprika powder

1 tsp asafoetida

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp curry powder

1 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

2 TBSP Italian seasoning

Whisk til well mixed. 

Coat tofu strips in sauce and place on baking tray. When all tofu is coated pour extra sauce over top. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for approx 50 minutes or til browned with crispy edges. Remove from heat.

Curried Spaghetti in Bechmel Sauce

Here's one of my recent experiments from Kunti's kitchen! :-) Hope you enjoy it.

Ingredients:
1/4 pk whole wheat Spaghetti, broken in 1/4's, cooked al dente, drained
1 cup mixed veggies chopped small e.g. carrots, green beans, yellow corn
2 tsp asafoetida
Approx 2 heaped tsp curry powder
1 TBSP sea salt
2 TBSP organic coconut oil

Make sure you add a pinch salt and a drop of oil into the pasta when you are cooking it, both for flavor and to help prevent it sticking together.
Heat saute pan on medium heat, add coconut oil. It will be hot enough in a few seconds, dont overheat it. Add spices. Fry for a few seconds, and add vegetables. Saute til tender and add salt. Remove from heat, and mix in the spaghetti and the bechmel sauce (recipe below).

Great served with a salad, a bed of greens e.g. kale, and a sweet and sour chutney. Serve hot. Serves 6 portions.


Bechmel Sauce:
Approx 3 cups organic whole milk
Approx 1 TBSP butter
Approx 3-4 TBSP all purpose flour
1 pinch of paprika
1 pinch of nutmeg
1 pinch of ground black pepper
Approx 1/4 cup tamari

Melt butter in saucepan on a low flame and toast the flour in it til it turns a light tan color. Add in milk and whisk to prevent lumps. Whisk in the spices Keep stirring til slightly thickened, and whisk in the tamari, cook another minute. Remove from heat.

Simple Mixed Salad

Here's another simple tasty salad and dressing. :-)

Ingredients:
3 big handfuls green salad mix
2-3 avocado's, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup roasted sunflower seeds
1/4 cup dried cranberries or raisins
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh celery heart

Mix everything together. Add dressing and serve immediately. Serves 6 portions. :-)

Dressing:
Approx 3 TBSP fresh lemon juice
3 TBSP olive oil
1 TBSP honey (optional)
1 tsp dried dill weed
1/2 tsp sea salt (optional)
A pinch of black salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp Asafoetida (optional)

Whisk everything together.

Raw Mango Pudding

Here's a simple no-cook dessert which is super fast to prepare.

Ingredients:
453g of plain chilled organic Oikos Greek yoghurt (Stonyfield Farm)
1 big ripe fresh mango, washed, and removed from its peel and stone
2 ripe banana's, peeled
1 1/2 TBSP maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla essence

Blend all ingredients for a few minutes in food processor til creamy and smooth. The consistency should be pudding-like.

Serve chilled. Serves 4 generous portions.

Cranberry Quinoa

Quinoa is a seed which was highly valued by the ancient Aztec's and Mayan's because it's packed full of protein and nutrition. This dish is light, and simple to prepare when you know how. :-) The cranberries add color and a tasty twist. Some people prefer to soak quinoa overnight to remove any residual bitterness, but I have never found this necessary so far.

Ekadashi friendly and vegan. :-)

Ingredients:
2 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained
3 3/4 cups water
1 tsp coconut oil or ghee
Sea salt to taste
2 tsp of Italian seasoning or herbs of your choice
1/2 tsp paprika powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 handful dried cranberries
1 handful toasted sunflower seeds
1/2 cup freshly chopped cilantro or parsley (optional)
A dash of extra virgin olive oil

Combine quinoa, water, oil/ghee, salt, seasoning and spices. Bring to a boil and then turn heat to low and cook covered for 15 minutes. It should be ready, soft and moist without being sticky. If its still got liquid, let it cook off uncovered for a few mins. Remove from heat, add in the cranberries and sunflower seeds, cover and let it sit for a few minutes - this helps it get fluffy and the cranberries to soften up. Add cilantro, and olive oil and toss to mix. Great served warm alongside a salad.

*On non-Ekadashi day's I like to sprinkle a mixture of freshly toasted and ground sesame seeds, nutritional yeast and sea salt over the top to amp up the flavor and nutrition. Sesame is a fantastic source of calcium amongst other things!

Spiced Barbecue Yam

Yam's are super healthy, delicious roasted and this barbecued yam dish is very simple to prepare.

Ekadashi friendly & vegan. :-)

Ingredients:
2 big orange yams, peeled and cubed medium small
2 TBSP oil or ghee
2 TBSP Italian seasoning
Ground black pepper to taste
Sea salt to taste
1 1/2 tsp asafoetida (Uncle Harry's does an Ekadashi friendly version)
Approx 2 TBSP liquid smoke
Approx 2 TBSP maple syrup

Mix everything together in a big glass baking dish and bake in a preheated oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for approx 45 minutes, or til tender and nicely roasted. Turn and mix. Serve hot.

Serves 6 as part of a larger meal.

Gopi's Monster Cupcakes

Alright!! Breaking away from all that healthy sprouted wheat flour for a moment - this cupcake recipe was inspired by the request of my sweet and powerful little friend Madhavi! :-)  They are light both in texture and flavor, super fluffy, very tasty and more-ish. :-) Hope you like these girl!

 Makes 8 monster size cupcakes.

Ingredients:
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour (sift if necessary)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 heaped TBSP fresh lemon zest
1 handful dried cranberries or blueberries (optional)
1 handful carob or chocolate chips (optional)
2 tsp vanilla essence
1 cup milk
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 cup cane sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup safflower oil
8 baking cups

Mix dry ingredients together. Mix lemon into milk to make it sour. Mix other wet ingredients and then mix everything together nicely. Spoon into baking cups and bake in preheated oven at 365 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake approx 20-25 mins til golden brown on top.

To test done-ness, lightly press your finger on the surface of the cake and if the depression you created springs back, then its done.

Remove from oven and allow to cool. Drizzle with frosting if you so desire. :-) Bon appetite!

*To turn these into fairy cakes, simply cut the tops off, and decorate with your favorite frosting/cream etc. The tops a quite delectable in their own right! ;-)


Icing:
2 tsp lemon juice
3/4 cup icing sugar or cake frosting

Mix well and drizzle over the cupcakes when they are room temperature.

Simple Spring Salad

Here is the recipe for one of my most simple, yet tasty salads. :-) Light and fresh, and perfect for lunch during this week's balmy Spring weather. Serves 6 medium portions.

Ingredients:
3 big handfuls of mixed salad greens
2 medium sized avocado's peeled and sliced
1/2 - 3/4 cup cherry tomato's chopped in half
1 handful toasted almond chips (Trader Joe's)

Place everything in a bowl. Pour dressing on top and mix well. Serve as soon as possible for max freshness.

For the Dressing:
Approx 1/4 cup Extra virgin Olive oil
Juice of 1 big juicy fresh lemon
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1 small handful of nutritional yeast
Approx 1/2 tsp sea salt or to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp asafoetida
Pinch of paprika (optional)

Whisk all ingredients together. You can chill it slightly or use it at room temperature.

Collard Greens

Ok, here we are - for all you people who have asked how to cook collard greens. This is a simple, healthy and tasty dish. Delicious served with hot buttery mashed potato's.

Ingredients:
2 bunches of fresh collard greens, washed and removed from stalk
1 1/2 TBSP oil of your choice - I used Safflower oil
1/4 tsp asafoetida
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp liquid smoke
1/2 tsp sea salt or to taste
Approx 1 cup of water

Method:
Chop greens into approx 1/4 x 1 inch wide strips. Heat oil in a deep saucepan with heavy base on a medium low flame. Add in spices and fry for a few seconds. Add in greens and stir, coating with oil. Allow to cook and wilt for a few minutes, making sure they don't burn. Then add water, smoke and salt. Simmer uncovered, over a low flame for approx 45 - 50 mins til tender. (Add more water if necessary - they should be very moist, with some liquid still present at end of cooking time).

Serve warm - serves 6 as part of a larger meal.

*You can also leave out the spices and smoke if you prefer, since its also good plain.

Israeli Couscous Stir-fry

This Israeli couscous stir-fry is a delicious light lunch dish. It was a hit here - I served it at home today along with mashed potato's, collard greens, a salad, and dessert.

Ingredients:
2 cups Israeli couscous (available in Trader Joe's)
1 TBSP ghee (clarified butter)
1 tsp asafoetida
1 TBSP dried parsley
A pinch of ground black pepper
1 tsp sea salt
2 medium carrots, peeled, and chopped into small pieces
1 cup of fresh celery chopped small
1/2 cup frozen sweetcorn
2 1/2 cups hot water
1 TBSP extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 TBSP Tamari or to taste

Method:
Heat ghee on a medium low flame. Add asafoetida and fry for a few seconds. Add in the couscous and stir-fry for a few mins, then add in the vegetables, and keep stirring, til couscous is a light golden brown. Add in the rest of the seasonings and pour the hot water on top. Bring to a boil and then turn heat low and simmer for approx 15 mins, til the liquid is absorbed - the couscous should be soft and light, and remain in individual balls - not sticky!

Remove from heat, stir in the olive oil and tamari, mixing well. Cover and allow to sit in its own steam for 5 mins or so, to absorb the tamari and olive oil.

Tasty served hot or cold. Serves 6 as part of a larger meal.

Apple Lemon Zest Crumble

I created this apple crumble with a zing for our lunch dessert today. :-) I love how the freshness of the lemony zest lifts this traditional dessert into a whole new realm of very more-ish tastiness!  Served chilled it's a perfect for the spell of warm spring weather we've been blessed with in D.C. this week. Serves 6+ generous portions. Hope you enjoy it!

Crumble Topping:
1 cup porridge oats
1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 cup sprouted wheat flour
2 TBSP slivered almonds
3/4 cup cane sugar or to taste
1 TBSP vanilla essence
Approx 1/2 cup melted butter or as needed to make flour saturated and crumbly
pinch of sea salt

Mix all dry ingredients together. Stir vanilla into melted butter and pour into dry ingredients. Mix well, should look abit like bread crumbs. Set aside.

Filling:
5 granny smith apples, peeled, sliced into 1/2 moons
1 handful of dried cranberries
1 heaped TBSP fresh lemon zest
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 TBSP cane sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1/4 tsp nutmeg powder
1/2 cup water

Heat the water. Cook the apples, cinnamon, nutmeg and maple syrup until the apples are soft but retain their 1/2 moon shape. Remove from heat and mix in the lemon zest and cranberries. Pour into a glass baking dish. Very lightly pat the crumble topping on top of the apples. Bake til golden brown on top, in a preheated oven at 385 degrees Fahrenheit.

Delicious served warm or cold, as is, or with freshly whipped chilled double cream. :-)

I've also created a variation of this dessert by replacing the apples with strawberries - leave out the cinnamon and nutmeg, and add more cranberries and a little more sugar. :-)

Gopi's Black Bean Quesadilla's

This a favorite dish in our home, all Kunti's big boys love it - here is my take on quesadilla's. :-) Serve with a salad of your choice or guacamole. Serves 8 + ravenously hungry folks. :-) 

Please note, when I cook I usually measure with my hands, using a dash of this and a dash of that, so while I try to give measurements that work for others, they are approximations much of the time!!

Ingredients
8+ large Tortilla or Lavash wraps of your choice (I like the wholewheat ones - from MOM's)
Ghee (clarified butter) as needed
2 cups chopped red bell peppers and corn (optional)
Approx 14 cups of  cooked black beans - drained
1 and 1/2 cups crushed tomato's
1/4 cup maple syrup
A drop of molasses to taste (optional)
2 TBSP apple cider vinegar
3 TBSP liquid smoke
3 tsp cumin powder
3 TBSP basil
2 tsp asafoetida
2 tsp paprika powder
3 tsp red pepper flakes or to taste (acc to hot flavor desired)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
sea salt to taste
Mozzarella cheese as needed

Method
Heat ghee on a medium flame. Add basil, asafoetida, paprika, red pepper flakes and cumin powder for a few seconds, add the red bell peppers and corn, stir-fry for 5 mins. Add in tomato sauce, black beans, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar and liquid smoke.  Cook down til thickened, add sea salt, black pepper and olive oil for another 5 minutes. Remove from the flame and stir in the nutritional yeast.

Lightly toast tortilla's on both sides on a heated griddle over a low flame. Spread a layer of the bean paste on half tortilla and Vegenaise on the other half. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over bean paste and close the Vegenaise half over it. Add a touch of ghee on griddle on a med low flame, and place tortilla upon it. Toast til golden brown, turn and repeat browning. When done set on a plate and continue process with the rest of the tortilla's.

Cut tortilla's in half, and zigzag ketchup over them. Serve warm.

*Any extra bean paste can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days. Its very useful to have at hand for making a quick quesadilla when you need something to eat in a hurry! :-)

Know your Vegetarian Cheeses

Here is a great resource! A list of cheeses which are vegetarian, by brand name. :-)

http://cheese.joyousliving.com/CheeseListBrand.aspx

Beauty and Health Enhancing Foods, Recipes n Tips

Let your food be your medicine! Here's a bunch of useful beauty and health enhancing tips, check out the videos posted below for the girls and guys. Disclaimer: I do not own these video's and have no rights over them. I found them interesting and wished to share them on! :-)

Top 5 Foods for Women

5 Important Foods for Men

Healthy Skin, Hair and Nails

Lemons for Beauty Skin

Lemon Honey Beauty Mask

Tumeric Skin Mask against Blemishes etc

Rosewater for Healthy Hair Growth and against Split ends n Dandruff

Vitamin E for Great Eyelashes

Face Beauty Yoga

Sprouted Wheat and Banana Muffins

I know, yet another muffin recipe, but hey I like experimenting! :-)
The almond meal mellows out the sprouted wheat flavor abit and creates a lighter pastry. These are more like a sweet spice bread than a typical muffin and the flavor is remiscent of banana bread with a hint of coconut flavor. :-)

Ingredients:

Approx 3 1/2 cups sprouted wheat flour
2 cups almond meal
3 tsp aluminium free baking powder
3 TBSP cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
1 tsp nutmeg powder


 Mix all the above evenly.


2 banana's peeled and chopped roughly
Approx 1/2 cup coconut oil
1 cup maple syrup
2-3 TBSP vanilla essence


Blend all the above ingredients til smooth.


Mix wet and dry ingredients with enough cool water to create a thick wet dough (sprouted wheat flour already has alot of moisure, so less liquid is better than more).

Spoon the mixture into a greased muffin tray or muffin cases. I also put a light dusting of almond meal in when I use a muffin tray, to help prevent sticking. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for approx 35-40 mins til dark golden brown.

Gently remove from tray while warm. Makes approx 12 large muffins.

Good served warm or cold. I like them warm with butter. :-)

Sprouted Wheat Samosa's

Samosa's are a type of Indian bread filled with scrumptious spiced vegetables, typically cauliflower, potatos and peas. I like creating new fillings, and have come up with a few I really like and use regularly. Usually samosa's are deep fried, but I like to bake them instead for health reasons.


I have been experimenting with how to use sprouted wheat flour . It has a different texture than refined flour and takes abit of getting used to in that regard, but its much healthier for the body and it is tasty too. I finally created a pastry I was satisfied with today, so here it is. :-)


Pastry

Approx 3 1/2 cups sprouted wheat flour
1 tsp sea salt
4 big TBSP soft ghee (clarified butter)
Enough warm water to make a smooth medium soft dough


Mix the flour and salt, and then rub in the ghee til it resembles coarse bread crumbs. Slowly add in the water (important that its warm), as you mix til you get the desired consistency. Knead for 5 mins til lovely and smooth. Set aside for 1/2 hr (this really helps it to bind together).


Filling

6 medium large potatos, peeled and cubed small
6 sticks of celery, washed, de-strung, and chopped small
1 large red bell pepper, washed, de-seeded, and cubed small
1 TBSP ghee
2 TBSP dried Oregano
1 tsp asafoetida
2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground blk pepper
1/4 tsp of blk salt (optional)
2 TBSP sea salt or to taste


Heat the ghee in a sautee pan over medium heat.
Add in the first 4 spices and stir-fry for a few seconds.

Add in the vegetables, and the rest of the spices and seasoning.
Stir well coating the veggies evenly with the spices. Sautee a few mins, stiring as needed.
Then add in 3 TBSP water, cover and cook til tender. Uncover and allow to cool somewhat.


Meanwhile preheat oven to 385 degrees Fahrenheit.


Break pieces off your pastry and roll in your palms - approx the size of a golf ball.
Roll out into round disks. (Dont use flour on the rolling surface as it will make them too dry).

Take approx 2 TBSP of the potato filling you prepared and place onto the middle of the rolled out disk. Gather one edge of the pastry and fold it over the filling to meet the other edge of pastry. Pinch or twist the edges together to seal them.

Place on a lightly oiled baking tray. Bake the samosa's for approx 20-25mins. Makes approx 12 servings.


Great served with a chutney, as a snack, or part of a larger meal. :-) Delicious either hot or cold.

Peanut and Paneer Barbecue

Yippeedoodleday..and some daft dancing around!! :-D I just created a new dish for lunch today, what fun!! I'm writing it down for you while its still fresh in my mind! :-)

Ingredients and method:

680 gm pressed paneer, sliced into medium thin strips (approx 1 inch long, 1/2 an inch wide, 3mm thick)

Bake in preheated oven at 385 degrees Fahrenheit til deep golden brown - but not dried out, turn slices over to bake more if necessary.
Remove from heat and set aside.

Sauce

Blend together the following ingredients til smooth:

400 gm plain unsalted tomato sauce
Approx 150 - 200 gm smooth plain peanut butter (unsalted and no additives)
3 TBSP apple cider vinegar to taste
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 - 1/2 cup maple syrup to taste
2-3 tsp liquid smoke
3 TBSP dried basil (optional)
2-3 tsp blk pepper
2 tsp asafoetida
2-3 tsp paprika
3 tsp cumin powder
2-3 TBSP sea salt to taste

Pour the sauce over the baked paneer (in a baking dish obviously! I used a glass dish).
Coat the paneer evenly with the sauce.
Sprinkle a generous helping of red paprika flakes over the top, and bake in preheated oven til sauce thickens and begins to darken along the edges. Approx 20 mins - 1/2 hr. Avoid over-baking or the sauce will become too thick.

Delicious and very filling! :-) Serves 4-6 depending on how hungry you are, lol! :-)
Great served hot with rice, a vegetable dish, and a salad on the side.

East meets West - Dr. Cornel West & HH Radhanath Swami - Dialogue at Princeton

Good morning folks! 


I've got some great videos to share with you today!
I'm so delighted I found these recordings as I'd only been able to catch the tail-end of this event in real time. :-) 


This is a wonderful dialogue between Princeton scholar Dr. Cornel West and HH Radhanath Swami, a spiritual teacher, activist and author, in a discussion titled "East Meets West: A Dialogue Between Cornel West and Radhanath Swami". 


Tuesday, April 19, 2011 in Richardson Auditorium in Alexander Hall.


Video 1

Video 2

Here is an introduction to Radhanath Swami for some background:

Frozen Mango Yoghurt

This is delicious and super quick to make, you just need a heavy duty food processor to blend up the frozen mango.
Serves 3 generous portions.

2 cups frozen mango cubes
350 grams Greek yoghurt
1/4 cup maple syrup or to taste
1 TBSP vanilla essence (optional)

Blend up all ingredients til smooth and creamy. It will be thick and you may need to stop the processor
to stir it. Serve within 20 mins of preparation for best results. :-)

Mini Muffins

I made mini muffins today using reusable silicone baking molds from the world market.
Im not sure how healthy it is to use these, but they make the cutest pop in your mouth muffins ever!

Mix:
Approx 1 1/2 cup almond meal
Approx 3/4 cup tapioca flour
Approx 1/4 cup Red Mill buttermilk pancake and waffle mix
2 TBS cinnamon powder
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
1 TBSP baking powder
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Blend together:
1 banana
1/4 cup safflower oil
1/4-1/2 cup maple syrup to taste
2 TBSP apple cider vinegar

Mix wet and dry ingredients, and spoon into baking molds.
Bake at 385 degrees Fahrenheit for approx 20 minutes or til deep golden brown.
Serve cool. Makes approx 36 mini's.

Avocado Cranberry Salad

Ok, so after all my talk about salad making at Burning Man, I better post a recipe! :-D

This recipe is a basic salad which I make most often at home:

Approx 3-4 handfuls spring greens herb mix
1/2 handful fresh basil leaves, rinsed and roughly torn (optional)
Approx 10 cherry tomato's, washed and chopped in halves
2 large avocado's, de-skinned and chopped into medium small pieces
1/4 cup roasted sunflower seeds
1/4 cup roasted almond slivers
1/4 cup dried (but semi moist) cranberries (Trader Joes or Moms)

Dressing:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
half that amount of apple cider vinegar
1-2 TBS honey to taste
2-3 TBS nutritional yeast
A pinch each of asafoetida, black pepper, paprika
A pinch of black salt (optional)
1 tsp dried dill
1 tsp sea salt

Whisk all dressing ingredients together until thickened.
Add in the cranberries to soften and set the dressing aside.
Mix all other salad ingredients together in a separate bowl.

Add in the dressing just before serving - unless you want soggy salad!
(That's for you, Jagannath Kirtan my friend)!! ;-)

Serves 4 generous portions.

Burning Man Adventure

Hi Folks,


I'm glad to be finally back after an extended absence! My old faithful laptop crashed more than once, dying in slow increments, and it’s hard to keep up blogging from random computers without my stash of recipes and pic’s to keep things going! Be as it may, I have promised many of you an update so here we go! :-)


I have had plenty of adventures over the last few months. The most unique, and first of its kind for me, being a trip out to Nevada for the Burning Man event. Burning Man -- to the uninitiated -- basically translates as a 24/7 week long arts carnival, with a city of 50,000 peeps camping in a dried out lake bed, in the middle of nowhere, and decompressing in every imaginable way!! Burning Man is described by its organisers an annual art event and temporary community based on radical self expression and self-reliance in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada. Yep, you heard me right! I did indeed go, and stayed there for one week, helping a few friends out in Krishna Kitchen, where we cooked up a storm, amidst dust storms and all!


Krishna Kitchen was stationed in the Red Lightening camp, who are a great crew to be with. It was quite the operation to work with no running water, and with a small, often sleep-deprived crew of cooks and helpers, to create meals for 800+ hungry Burners every day!! All credit to Nitai and his team for doing this stint year in and year out. It was wild, crazy, fun and a great big adventure from beginning to end, and yep, I’d do it again!! This little report may also serve anyone who might want to do what I did i.e. volunteer in a Kitchen, so you may be more mentally prepared for the event.


In the mornings I'd help out my friend Nanda, who was one of our core cooks. She would typically prepare 2 or 3 items for the 11am brunch e.g. one day she made chocolate pancakes with a fantastic sweet fenugreek syrup, and a big fruit salad, and another day it was fluffy muffins and a hot veggie soup. The evening meals were created by our other cooks -- Puspavan and Sunanda -- and they always had a gourmet dinner menu of 5 or 6 items up their sleeves. Typically there would be a grain e.g. rice, a subji (Indian veg stew), a savory e.g. pakora’s (veggie fritters), chutney, salad, and a sweet dish. One day, on top of our regular cooking, Krishna Kitchen also catered finger food for the TED conference, and on another day - the meal for the organizers of the Burning Man event. So we were a very busy team indeed!


Apart from brunch help, I created the salads for dinner every day, and whoa, for someone like me who has never cooked for more than 200 before, that’s a hell of a lots of chop-up to do! To give you an idea, this is an approximation of what you might use for one salad; 8 heads of cabbage, 20 - 30 heads of lettuce, 50 sticks of celery, 30 carrots, 30 apples, 20 avocado's, 10 sweet potatoes, 20 bell peppers, 10 cucumbers, 20 mini boxes of cherry tomatoes, 20 handfuls raisins or cranberries, 20 handfuls sunflower seeds, a few bunches of grapes, 16 bags of mixed salad greens, etc., etc., etc. And prepping the salad dressing, of course!


Now that may not to be too big a deal, but add to it the following; you probably need to locate water, and the transfer containers from the previous meal, wash those in a sink already stacked with dishes where the faucets didn’t work because the pump motor had burned out, and it cost a fortune to repair - never mind find a fix-it man in the middle of nowhere (and cell phones don't work). Then find, clean and set up multiple containers to wash and rinse off the salad veggies (no running water remember), cooperate with the other cooks over how many of the limited chopping boards, knives and other utensils you need to use, dust off surfaces and disinfect, and set everything up so you can actually begin prepping.


And essential to the success of all this, you need to find, beg and cajole a minimum of three Burners wandering around in the vicinity to help you prep all of the items, turning a blind eye to external appearances, whether someone is dressed as a fairy, a horned devil, or in nothing at all and wants to hug you!! :-O (As an umarried and thus celibate Krishna girl that was sometimes embarrassingly awkward ).The camps signed up with Krishna Kichen had an agreement to provide two volunteers to help out per meal, but volunteers arent always easy to find, hence the search. Once I had a crew it was my task to make sure everyone followed the conscientious Krishna Kitchen protocol of cleanliness, including not eating any of the items as we prepped, etc. Thankfully most of the time I had a willing crew of volunteers, and the people I engaged with were genuinely friendly, helpful, open minded and good fun! Some were so sweet they came back the next day to help out again of their own accord, and you know who you are! :-)


Given all of the above, if you began prepping the salad by 3pm with a good, steady crew of helpers, you would be ready in time for the 6pm dinner serve out. Of course, most of the time there would be some kind of unexpected hitch or delay e.g. running out of water. And, as Murphy's Law says, on that day, all camps will promptly send their people to pick up their meals at once and suddenly you feel like you are expected to be supermen and superwomen in all regards. Learning not to take it personal if someone loses their cool with you, when you are just a volunteer yourself, was one lesson I had to encounter. I found that to remain functional it was important to take some quiet time out for myself each day. Key to functioning smoothly was to keep hydrated, be proactive and ask for help, keep a cool head, a loving heart and the patience of a saint.


Oh, and if you do decide to go, be sure to bring ear plugs so you can sleep through the pumping music at night and remain sane. And good comfy goggles to wear, so your eyes don’t burn like hellfire from the corrosive dust everywhere - or you'll have to go to a medical camp and get your poor 'ol peepers washed out with a saline wash and liquid painkiller like I did! I sure was glad there was a medical camp nearby. One unique feature of Burning Man is that there is no monetary exchange on site, so everything is more focused upon offering and receiving in a spirit of service and friendly reciprocation. I was also impressed with the degree of environmental awareness as far as the ecosystem there was concerned e.g. no garbage lying around. Burning Man is great exposure for all exhibiting artists, and there is alot of cool stuff to see and do.


If you are busy all day serving in a camp somewhere like I was, make sure to get a couple of hours out in the evening to relax and see some of the fun exhibits e.g. art cars in the form of dragons shooting fire from their noses, to pirate ships, octopuses, and whatnot. One of my favorite experiences was heading over to the huge wooden temple in the morning and participating in a meditative Kirtan, with some hardcore Krishna Kitchen crew and other random Burners. The temple looked like a labor of love, beautifully constructed with 5 domes, decorative cut out panels, and arching walkways bridging up either side.


On the last night of the camp the temple was burned down, which was a spectacular fire to say the least. The temple had served many functions from a place of cathartic release where people wrote their pain on the walls, to a place of meditation. I even saw several marriages and other rites of passage take place there. Although to me it initially seemed counter-intuitive to burn down a temple structure, on reflection, given that nothing can be left behind when the Burning Man event is over, and given the nature of the event itself, it seemed a fitting end to the whole week. And interestingly, everyone was reverentially silent as the structure burned. It was like a digestive pause before transitioning back into the world of norms.

Gopi's Tangy Potato Salad

Yay, here is one of my favorite creations! I love potato salad, well I love potato's period, but esp in a salad. The mustard is the secret ingredient in this one, which gives it a tangy twist. And its vegan to boot, so you can please most people with this one! :-)

Ingredients:

3/4 TBSP mustard powder
3/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 cup olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp maple syrup
1-2 tsp dill
2 tsp paprika flakes
1/2 tsp black pepper
2-3 TBSP sea salt or to taste
1/2 tsp asafoetida
1/2 tsp cumin powder
3/4 cup fresh coriander leaves chopped
1/4 cup cranberries
1/2 cup roasted sunflower seeds
1 small heart of fresh celery chopped fine
1/2 cup chopped cherry tomatos
1 red bell pepper chopped small & steamed (just steam with the potato's)
3 cups mixed chopped veggies - beans, carrots, peas, sweetcorn - steamed
6 medium potatos, peeled, cubed medium small - steamed


Method

Allow steamed veggies to cool.
Whisk together all spices and liquid ingredients. Add in sunflower seed, cranberries, cherry tomato's, celery and fresh coriander leaves. Marinate til veggies are cooled, then fold in the veggies, and voila its ready to go. Serves approx 8 people as part of a larger meal. So scrumptious! :-)

Carob banana muffins

Hey Im back! Finally spring is here, Im so delighted! :-) Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita that of all seasons He is flower bearing spring. I can see why! Everything wakes up after the austere winter and becomes fresh and vibrant with new leaves and delicate petals. Its my favorite season next to Autumn.

So here is yet another muffin recipe! I havent used carob in my baking for ages, so that decided the flavor of these muffins. They're moist and scrumptious. If you prefer you can always replace the carob with cocoa powder. I ate mine with a strawberry sauce on top! :-d There's a recipe for that in one of my earlier posts. Happy baking!

Ingredients

Mix:
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup carob powder
3/4 cup wheatgerm
3 tsp baking powder
1/3 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup carob chips
1/2 cup cranberries
3 TBSP cinnamon pow (optional)

Blend:
2 ripe bananas
1 and 1/4 cup maple syrup
2-3 TBSP double cream (optional - its helpful as an egg replacer and works well with carob)
3/4 cup safflower oil
3 TBSP apple cider vinegar
2 TBSP vanilla essence
Approx 1 cup water

Method 

Mix both batches of ingredients together. Fill into oiled muffin tray - I always sprinkle something e.g. wheatgerm inside the muffin cups before filling for easier removal once baked. Sprinkle cane sugar on top. Bake in preheated oven - 375 degree fahrenheit, for approx 40 mins. Remove from tray while warm. Serve cool.

Yummy! :-)

Bhumi fruit balls

I've named these tasty fruit-balls "Bhumi" balls. Bhumi means mother earth in the ancient Sanskrit language.Today is a special festival in the Krishna culture celebrating an incarnation of the Lord known as Varahadeva. According to the Vedic scriptures Lord Varahadeva rescued mother earth from the bottom of the causual ocean (the Vedas have descriptions of the universal planetary system which differs much from the modern day view). So I made these Bhumi balls for the Lords pleasure today! :-) Hope you like them!

Ingredients

Approx 1/4 cup or less almond milk
1 1/2 TBSP vanilla essence
1/2 tsp almond essence
pinch sea salt
approx 1 cup roasted almonds
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup candied ginger pieces
1/2 cup candied mango pieces
3 TBSP of a coffee substitute mix - the one I used had roasted chicory and carob in it.
Approx 2 cups toasted wheatgerm
1/4 cup Trader Joes white baking chips (white choc chips)

Method

Blend all ingredients -- except the last two -- together in a food processor til smooth. Place into a bowl and knead in the white choc chips and wheatgerm. Roll into balls. Makes approx 14 large sized balls.

Brown spice cake with caramel sauce

Here's a neat little cake I whipped up, somewhat adjusted from a recipe I just got for chocolate sponge cake. I tweaked it so I used spices instead of chocolate, and maple syrup instead of sugar, added some salt, some almond essence and 1/2 the water called for since maple syrup is a liquid. Made this for my friend Elena's birthday today. :-) Tastes very more-ish! Would be even better with some whipped cream.

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp Baking powder
2 tsp Baking soda (I'd add a little less next time round)
2 tsp cinnamon powder (optional)
1 1/2 tsp nutmeg powder
1/2 tsp cardamon powder
1/2 tsp ginger powder (optional)
1/4 tsp clove powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 cup maple syrup
1 Cup water
3/4 Cup sunflower oil
2 TBSP Vanilla essence
1 TBSP Almond essence
2 TBSP Lemon Juice

Method:

Mix all dry ingredients, and then mix in the wet ones. Pour into a non-stick spring form baking pan. ( I still oil the bottom of non-stick trays and sprinkle on a little flour so its easier to remove the cake from the base).

Bake at 385 degrees Fahrenheit for approx 40 mins - til centre springs back when you lightly press your finger tip on it.

Makes 1 soft, light and fluffy sponge cake. Transfer onto a plate to cool.

(A blended banana would work well in this cake flavor-wise too - you would just need to adjust the liquids).

Caramel sauce topping:

1/2 lb brown sugar
4 TBSP salted butter
1/3 cup double cream
2 TBSP vanilla essence

Melt all ingredients over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cover and cook down approx 10 minutes, no more - til thickened but still pourable. Pour over the cake and serve when cooled.

Savory Party Bites

I love baking with puff pastry, especially when I don't have to make it from scratch! ;-) I whipped up this recipe "Savory Party Bites" in a few minutes based on what I had at hand in the kitchen. It's really simple and quick to make - takes less than 30 minutes. You could definitely add other vegetables, spices and cheeses to vary it. This delightful delicacy makes great finger food for a party, snack, or as part of a larger meal. Makes approx 12 squares.

Ingredients

2 sheets frozen puff pastry thawed out (Trader Joes does a good veggie one)
1 cup sour cream
1 TBSP cornstarch
1 small zucchini shredded
1/2 cup frozen sweetcorn
1 cup frozen bell pepper strips
1 tsp asafoetida
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp paprika flakes
1tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 TBSP Italian herbs
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
2 TBSP nutritional yeast
1 TBSP ghee

Method

Preheat oven to 365 degrees Fahrenheit.

Heat ghee in a saute pan over medium heat and chaunce the spices and herbs for a few seconds. Add in zucchini,bell peppers and sweetcorn and saute for 5 mins. Lower heat and mix in sour cream and cornstarch. Cook down for 5 mins or  until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and add in nutritional yeast and
mozzarella cheese, mixing evenly. Leave to cool.

Meanwhile prepare the thawed out pastry sheets by laying them on a dry flat surface and cutting into even squares (it will taste nice even if they're a little uneven - I cant cut a straight line for the life of me!). A pizza cutter probably would be a good tool to cut it evenly. 

Lightly oil a baking sheet and place the pastry on it. Place a tablespoon of  the sour cream filling onto each pastry square. Bake for 10-15 mins or until golden. Remove carefully using a flat spatula (or pan-knife as we say in Europe).

Thats it! Delicious served hot or cold - it will be gone in the blink of an eye, so hide it if you dont want it eaten before your party starts! Haha! :-D



Top left to right: Savory Party Bites, grilled asparagus, simple avocado salad, strawberry smoothie, and fried vegetable rice.

Spiced Potato Swirl Pastries

Happy New year everyone! :-)
 Here's something to warm you up in the cold winter weather! Tramping through the snow and shoveling clear your driveways will certainly give you a good appetite for sampling this recipe. :-)

There is a popular Indian dish known as Alu Patra which are deep fried spiced potato swirls. Every Indian house wife probably has her own variation of it. Since I prefer to bake instead of deep-fry, here is my own "gopi-fied" version of the recipe. These pastries make delicious lunch box snacks or a meal in themselves.

Ingredients

 
Filling:
5 medium potato's peeled, washed and cubed
1 small zucchini washed and shredded
1 TSBP ghee (clarified butter)
1 1/2 tsp asafoetida
2 TSBP Italian herbs
1 1/2 tsp tumeric
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2 tsp paprika flakes
Approx 1 1/2 - 2 TBSP real sea salt (or to taste)
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 cup sour cream
1 TBSP cornflour
1 cup fresh coriander leaves washed and chopped small

Pastry:
1 cup all purpose flour
2 cups Arrowhead Mills pancake waffle mix
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 TBSP salt
3 TBSP ghee
1 1/2 TBSP apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
Approx 3/4 cup cold water or as needed
1 TBSP oil or ghee for rubbing
1/2 cup flour at hand for dusting

Method for the filling:

Steam potato's til soft and drain. Heat 1 TBSP ghee and chaunce spices for a few seconds. Then stir fry the zucchini a few minutes and add in potato's. Stir to coat with evenly the spices. Mash the potato's, add salt, lemon juice, corn flour, and sour cream and mix well. Simmer over low heat for 10 mins stirring frequently. Remove from heat, mix in the coriander leaves and leave to cool.


Method for pastry:

Mix all the dry ingredients together. Rub in the ghee til flour resembles fine bread crumbs. Add in the vinegar/lemon juice, and then add the water slowly. Just use enough water to make a lovely soft non-sticky dough. Knead for a few minutes til nice and smooth. Place in a bowl and leave in freezer to cool for 10 mins.

On a dry surface lightly dusted in flour, roll out the pastry into a rectangular shape. Rub oil or ghee over the surface. Then spread the potato filling evenly over the pastry leaving a 1/4 inch uncovered along the edges. Then beginning on one end pinch over the pastry into a ridge and roll it up as firmly and tightly as possible. Pinch the ends and sides of the pastry shut - use a little water if necessary.

Using a sharp knife, cut the roll into approx 1 inch slices. On a lightly floured surface - to avoid stickiness from the potato filling coming out - pat them back into rounds.

Lightly oil a baking sheet and dust with flour. Place the pastries on it leaving a couple millimeters between them. Bake in a preheated oven at 395 degrees Fahrenheit for approx 20 minutes or until dark golden.

Gently remove from tray with a flat spatula and place to cool on paper towels to remove any excess oil for the bottom. They should be soft in texture. Makes approx 12 pieces. Delicious served warm with a dash of sour cream.

 

Frozen Strawberry Dessert

Ingredients

3 cups frozen strawberries
3 cups vanilla hemp milk
3 - 4 TBSP organic maple syrup or to taste
1 TBSP vanilla essence

Method

Blend all ingredients together til smooth 'n' creamy. Pour into glasses and serve immediately or chill and serve within a half hour of making.

Vegetable pie

Today I was at a loss what to cook because we are out of many basic supplies in the kitchen. Well, as they say "necessity is the mother of invention," so it was a good thing, because I had to get really creative with whatever ingredients where at hand. Since we had a few odds and ends but not enough of any one vegetable to make anything substantial, I figured instead Id make a savory pie with a medley of veggies. Turned out very nice indeed! :-)
 
Ingredients

2 cups Wholefoods brand 365 organic pancake waffle mix
1 cup Bob's Red Mill wheat farina
4 TBSP cold butter
1 tsp salt
Cold water as needed to make a smooth medium firm dough

Filling

Grated vegetables of your choice - I used:
1 medium zucchini
2 medium carrots
4 small potato's
4 sticks celery chopped small (the tender heart of it and the leaves)
2 cups of frozen spinach
1 cup  frozen of sweetcorn

1 TBSP paprika flakes
3 tsp smoked Spanish paprika powder
1 TBSP Italian herbs
2 TBSP Cumin powder
2 tsp tumeric powder
1 tsp ground mixed black and red pepper
Approx 2 TBSP Sea salt (or to taste)
3 TBSP nutritional yeast

1 cup Ricotta cheese drained or 1 cup cooked down sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt might work too)
1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheddar cheese

Method

Place flour and salt in bowl, grate butter into it and crumble it together til its looks like bread crumbs.
Add water as needed to make a firm smooth dough. Put in fridge for 15 mins. Roll out on a floured surface into a round and place into a buttered pie dish, cutting off extra pastry from sides. Keep these to the side til later.Use a fork or knife to make some slits in the pie base. Bake blind in a preheated oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for approx 10 mins. Remove from oven and set aside.

Heat 2 TBSP oil/ghee into a sautee pan. Chaunce spices for a few seconds, add vegetables and stir fry, stirring frequently. Mix in the salt, lower heat, cover and cook til vegetables are tender. Remove from heat, add in nutritional yeast, ricotta cheese and cheddar cheese. (if you use sour cream instead of ricotta cheese
cook it down first til its thickened.

Allow to cool a little. Roll the extra pastry out and cut into strips. Put vegetable mixture into the the pastry shell. Arrange the strips in a criss-cross pattern over the filling. Place in oven and bake for approx 20 mins til
golden brown on top.

Delicious, best served warm. :-)

Cinnamon raisin sticky buns

These sticky buns are tasty and quite filling! They are typically made with white flour, but I made them with wholewheat and Spelt flour(s) to make them more pleasing to those with a more health conscious conscience! If you find this combination of flours too intense and want a lighter pastry use 1/2 white flour instead .Give it a go and see how you like them. :-)

Ingredients

3 cups wholewheat flour
3 cups Spelt flour
2 TBSP Fleischmann's active dry yeast
2 tsp sea salt
3 TBSP raw cane sugar
2 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups organic milk
2 TBSP butter

Filling

Rind & fresh juice of 2 medium sized lemons
2 cups raw cane sugar
2 TBSP cinnamon powder
3/4 cup carob chips
1/2 cup cranberries
1/2 cup raisins
Approx 2-3 TBSP water

Method

You can make the bun dough by hand if you have time. I happen to have a bread machine in this house,so I made use of it.

Put all the dry ingredients into the the bread machine mixing bowl.

In a saucepan, heat the water, milk and butter til warm - if it gets hot let it cool to warm before adding to the dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients to the dry ones and switch the bread machine on to the dough setting.

Meanwhile, to make the filling; Simply mix all ingredients together and set aside.

When the dough has completed the cycle and is nicely risen remove from the machine. Roll the dough out into a rectangle on a floured surface. Smear with melted butter or oil. Cover surface evenly with the cinnamon raisin filling. Roll up tightly pinching the ends closed as you go. Seal the roll by pinching and then cut into slices approx 1 inch thick. Place onto a greased baking tray. Bake at 385 degrees Fahrenheit in a preheated oven for approx 25 mins.

Remove from oven when lightly browned and while they are still hot place a tsp of butter on each bun and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve cool.

Ekadashi Banana Almond 'n' Ginger Muffins

By popular request I'm posting this recipe for Ekadashi muffins. FYI, folks, if you are wondering, "what the heck is Ekadashi," it refers to a bi-monthly fast abstaining primarily from grains,beans and peas, which is observed in the Krishna community.

When you cant use regular flour in baking, and don't have much experience with alternative flour substitutes, the end result often is dense gluey cakes etc., as probably every person who tried baking on Ekadashi days has experienced at some point!! I developed this recipe after some trial and error, and really you would never know these muffins don't contain wheat, except that they're lighter, and if possible even more delicious than regular muffins.

This recipe is very similar to the wheat-free muffin recipe I posted a while back, but here goes for posterity.

Ingredients

Approx 2 cups freshly & finely ground almonds
Approx 2 cups buckwheat flour
Approx 2 cups tapioca flour
1 1/2 level Tbsp baking soda
4 TBSP cinnamon powder
1 tsp nutmeg (optional)
1 1/3 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup safflower oil
2 pureed bananas
Approx 3-4 cups of water
1 cup cranberries/raisins/chopped dried fruits/orange peel - as you like!!
1 cup chopped crystallized ginger pieces
3/4 cup flax seeds
Sunflower seeds for sprinkling in the muffin tray

Method

Preheat oven - 385 Fahrenheit

Mix all dry ingredients in a big bowl. Blend together the wet ingredients and pour into the dry ones. Mix well.
The dough should be medium runny and kind of goopy (that's the buckwheat being itself). The flax seeds and cranberries are going to soak up lots of that liquid, dont worry! ;-)

Oil the muffin trays, sprinkle with sunflower seeds and fill in the dough. Bake approx 30 mins, til muffins are a lovely chocolate color. If the muffin springs back when you lightly press your finger into the surface its ready. Allow to sit awhile to steam themselves loose from the edges of their cups -- this especially if you filled the muffin dough in generously to the brim -- then they will come out of the muffin tray quite easily.


Makes approx 18 muffins. Praise the Lord for giving you a grand dessert this day and be happy! :-)