Since, I just could not come up with a name for the dish in English that would reflect the true nature of the dish - I threw it out as a question to my Facebook friends.  So, this post is an ode to all the fun names they came up with…Niv, a most creative food blogger of Panfusine came up with ‘Kedgeree’, the British dish that traces its roots back to the India Khichri and uses fish and rice. Mohita, my high school pal, names it ‘Rictle’ – Rice + Lentil, dear Indu called it the ‘Rice Porridge’, my cherished undergrad friend Helen wondered if ‘Rice Polenta’ should be the way to go and Kamy coined a real cool name - the ‘Indypot’ or Indian hot pot Finally, decided to stick with the original name as suggested by the guys. They made school a barrel of fun but stuck to tradition when it came to dish-naming – Navin, a grad school pal and Vivek, an undergrad friend  Thanks all – given the various names, even a first-time taster can hazard a guess as to what the dish is going to taste like…

Ingredients:

1. Yellow split mung bean: 1/2 cup
2. Rice: 1/2cup (preferably Basmati rice)
3. Oil: 1/2 tbsp
4. Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp (optional)
5. Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp (optional)
6. Curry leaves: 7-8 (optional)
7. Freshly crushed peppercorn: 1/4 tsp
8. Salt: to taste

Steps:

1. Wash and drain the mung bean and rice mixture.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed quart vessel. Add the cumin seeds and curry leaves to the heated oil and stire till the cumin seeds become a darker brown.
3. Add the rice and mung bean mixture and stir for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add 3 cups of water and the tumeric powder to the mixture. 
5. Bring the water to a boil and then turn it down to a simmer. Cover it leaving a ent for the steam to escape.
6. Stir the mixture every 5 minutes. It will be cooked in 25 minutes. Add salt and pepper. Add 1/2 cup – 1 cup water more if a more gooey texture is desired.

Serve it hot with mashed potatoes.

The making of Allergy Friendly (AF) Mini Savory Bean Pie…

• Prep time: 2 hours 30 minutes
• Cook time: 30 minutes
• Servings: 6

Ingredients:

Crust:

1. In a heavy bottomed vessel add a pinch of salt and 2 tbsp shortening to 1 and ¼ cup water and bring it to a boil. Simultaneously, boil ¼ cup water and keep it aside.
2. Lower the flame completely and add the rice flour slowly while stirring the mixture constantly. If the dough seems too dry add the extra boiled water that had been kept aside. Turn off the heat and cover it with a damp kitchen paper towel. The dough forms in less than a minute.
3. As my dear friend Indu reminded me – once the dough cools down knead it thoroughly again to get a smoother crust. Thanks girl for the shout-out

Filling:

1. Wash and soak the mung bean/matpe bean in enough water to cover it completely for 2 hours.
2. Drain the water and grind it coarsely in a blender with just enough water so the blades can move.
3. Heat 2 tbsp of shortening on low flame in a small nonstick pan. Add the coarsely ground thick batter to the pan with salt to taste. Stir it constantly to ensure that it the batter has no excess moisture in it but remains moist. Remove from heat.

Putting it together:

1. Melt 1 tbsp of shortening. Use some of this to grease the inside of 6 ramikens using some of the melted butter substitute. On a pastry board spread out 1 square foot of plastic wrap. .
2. Grease the tip and palm of your fingers with a little bit of the melted butter. Take a ball of dough slightly bigger than a golf ball. Roll it into a smooth ball ensuring there are no lumps and press it down in the center of the spread out plastic wrap.
3. With the tips of your greased fingertips gently spread the dough to a size large enough to fit the bottom of the ramiken.  Dough made from rice flour is a little brittle and will form cracks as your spread it. Don’t worry about it – just seal it with your fingers. In fact, the few cracks and rough edges add to the homemade country appeal.
4. Gently turn over the flattened dough onto the palm of your hand and press it down into the ramiken. Smooth out any rough edges or splits with your fingertips.
5. Add 1/6th of the prepared filling into the flattened dough lined ramiken. Now flatten out another ball of dough to fit the top of the mini-pie and lay it gently on top of the filling. Pinch the edges just like a regular pie. Use the edge of a greased fork to give the crimped look. Prepare the remaining mini-pies the same way. 
6. If you own a steamer, place the ramikens on a plate that will fit inside the steamer and steam the pie for 12 – 14 minutes. You may need to steam the mini-pies in 2 batches.
7. If you don’t own a steamer: Take a big and deep vessel and add 2 inches of water to it. Place a vessel inside it and a plate on top of it. Now place the ramikens on the plate. Cover the vessel with a lid leaving a little gap for the steam to escape or cover it with a muslin cloth. Steam it on medium high flame for 12 – 14 minutes.
8. Wait for the steamer to cool down slightly before removing the steamed pies. Let the pies cool down…lo and behold – Allergy Friendly Mini Savory Bean Pies are ready to be served

• Prep time: 30 minutes
• Cook time: 30 minutes
• Servings: 6

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup(s) of White Rice Flour
2. 4 tbsp. of any Allergy Friendly oil/shortening
3. 1 cup(s) of Frozen Fresh Grated Coconut
4. 2/3 cup(s) of Jaggery / Dark Brown Sugar 
5. 1/8 tsp. of Cinnamon/ cardamom powder

Method:

The words of Tagore – a poet and Nobel laureate come to mind:

‘Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high
Where knowledge is free…
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit
Where the mind is led forward by thee
Into ever-widening thought and action…’

So, this post is by way of my Thanksgiving for the opportunity to get my voice heard and features one of my all-time favorite comfort foods growing up – ‘crispy, diced potatoes’. Yup – potatoes are one my favorite vegetables if you can call it that

Crispy Diced Potatoes

Ingredients:

1. 6 medium-sized Potatoes (preferably Yukon gold)
2. Oil: 1 tablespoon
3. Mustard seeds: 1/4 teaspoon (optional)
4. Turmeric: 1/2 teaspoon
5. Paprika: 1 teaspoon
6. Salt to taste

Method:

1. Peel the potatoes and wash thoroughly.
2. Cut into small 1/2 inch cubes as follows:
   

   Cut the potatoes into 1/2 inch thick circles.

   

   Stack 2-3 circles and cut them into 1/2 inch thick strips

   

   Now cut it cross-wise to get smal cubes.

3. This is how the cubed potatoes look – arent they cute?
4. Heat the oil in a dry heavy bottomed wide vessel on low to medium flame.
5. When the oil is hot add the mustard seeds carefully. You will hear a mild popping sound as the mustard seeds heat up.
6. As the popping slows dows (much like while popping corn) add the potatoes and the turmeric powder.
   

   Add diced potatoes and turmeric powder to the heated oil.

7. Stir thoroughly so that the cute cubed potatoes are evenly coated with turmeric. Cook covered and stir every 3-4 minutes.  
8. In about 20 – 25 mintues (depending on the type of potato) it will be almost cooked. Add the paprika powder or chilli powder ( if you like to turn up the heat) and salt.
9.  Stir well and continue cooking uncovered for to the desired level of crispiness…
10. Serve as a part of the Thanksgiving side dish spread. Alternatively, it can be servved as an appetizer atop a crouton, cracker, bread or tortilla. Of course, ensure that whatever it is served with is AF (Allergy Friendly)!As

A word of caution – there is probably no food out there that is hypoallergenic in the true sense of the word. So, people could be allergic to potaotes too though the incidence of it is far lower than the top 8 food allergens as of today.

Not to sound like a strict nutritionist but seriously cauliflower is  a good source of Protein, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Magnesium and Phosphorus, and an awesome source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Folate, Pantothenic Acid, Potassium and Manganese.

So, consider dressing up your festive table with this powerhouse of nutrition – Allergy Friendly (AF) Roasted Cauliflower!

The dish alongside my son's Thanksgiving craft

Yield: Can serve as a side dish for upto 8 people.

Ingredients:

1. 1 head of Cauliflower
2. Tumeric: 1/4 teaspoon
3. Paprika powder: 1 teaspoon
4. Oil: 1 – 1.5 tablespoons
5. Cumin Powder: 1/2 teaspoon
6. Coriander powder: 1/2 teaspoon
7. Garlic cloves: 1-2
8. Salt to taste

Method:

1. Break the head of cauliflower into small florets and wash thoroughly.
   

   Washed Cauliflower Florets.

2. In a heavy bottomed deep saucepan heat the oil on low-medium heat.
3. When the oil heats up (there will be a slight haze above the oil and you can smell the oil) add the garlic and stir it till it is light golden brown.
4. Now add the cauliflower and the tumeric and stir so that the tumeric coats the florets evenly.
   

   Ass tumeric to the cauliflower

   

   Stir to coat the cauliflower evenly.

5. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Stir a couple of times to ensure it is not sticking to the bottom.
6. Add paprika, coraiander powder, cumin powder and salt and stir again.
   

   Add remaining spices and stir.

7. Depending on the quality of the cauliflower, it will release water and make it mushy and flavorless. To prevent that from happening – increase the heat if it becomes watery. Cover and cook for 5 more minutes if you like it crisp or longer if you like it roasted a dark golden brown – like I do  
   

   Just about cooked...

8. Serve it as a side dish on your Thanksgiving table - it can be had as-is, with a tortilla, with some white rice or with plain pasta. 
   

   Delicious and Healthy

Tips

• All the spices (cumin powder, coriander powder, garic, tumeric and tumeric powder) are optional. Use it only if you are not allergic to them. Cauliflower is a delicious and healthy vegetable and tastes awesome.
• Garnish it with 1 tablespoon of finely chopped cilantro or parsley. The fresh green against the yellow roasted cauliflower – pretty as a picture!!!
• This dish can be prepared beforehand and reheated in the microwave without any significant loss of flavor or texture.

Aah – this countdown has put me in the Holiday spirit already! Enjoy and take care

So, here is to Allergy Friendly (AF) Mung Bean Crepes

Yield: Approximately 20 – 25 crepes.

Ingredients:

1. Mung Bean (split and hulled): 1 cup (Whole Foods and most health food stores stock it) 
   

   Dried, hulled, split Mung Beans

2. Uncooked White Rice: 3/4 cup                           
   

   Raw Rice

3. Cumin Seeds: 1/2 teaspoon (optional)
4. Peppercorn: 3-4 (optional)
5. Cilantro/ Coariander leaves – A bunch (optional)
6. Salt to taste
7. Oil: to grease pan while making pancakes

Method:

1. Wash and soak the mung bean and rice in enough water (that it completely covers the rice and beans) for atleast 3 hours. Add the peppercorn and cumin seeds too. The mixture will absorb water and soften as well as swell up.
   

   Soaked Mung Beans and Rice

2. Drain the water almost completely and add half the mixture to the blender.  If you like the flavor of cilantro add that to the blender too along with tumeric powder and salt.
3. Grind till smooth. Add more water if the mixture is getting stuck and not grinding easily. Caution – add water a little at a time. The consistency of the batter should be like pancake batter. The batter shown below is green in color because I ground cilantro with the rice and bean mixture. However, adding cilantro is entirely optional. Grind the rest of the mixture and store the batter in a container that is large enough so that there is atleast 2 inches of empty space on top.
   

   Mung Bean Crepe Batter.

4. Let the batter ferment in a warm, dry place for atleast 2 hours. The batter can be kept it in the oven but make sure that the oven is ‘NOT’ on. If you want a slightly sour taste to the batter like sourdough bread – let the batter ferment overnight. If the weather is warm the batter will ferment much faster.
5. The fermented batter will expand a little because of the incorporated air . Hence the empty space needed in the batter container. The batter will overflow if it is just the right size The fermented batter will be light and fluffy. Now we are all set to make the crepes…yayy!
6. Place a large non-stick or cast iron griddle on medium heat.
7. To test if pan is ready: When you place your hand about 6 inches above the pan and can feel the heat of the pan or if you sprinkle a teaspoon of water in the center of the pan, it sizzles and evaporates almost instantly – the pan is ready
8. The first crepe should be a test one – place a tablespoon of batter in the center of the pan. Immediately with the back of the ladle, gently press the batter down and spread it out in a circular (clockwise or anticlockwise) fashion till the crepe is of desired thickness. As you spread it out the crepe will start cooking and drying out – so you wont be able to spread it any further.
   

   Pour batter in the center of the griddle

   

   Use the back of the ladle to spread the batter

   

   Spread the batter by moving ladle in a circular fashion towards the outer edge.

9. Dot the edges of the crepe with any oil you are not allergic to. Let it cook so that the top of the crepe is almost try.
   

   Dot the edges of the crepe with oil

10. With a flat spoon like the one shown below, gently pry the edges of the crepe free of the griddle and flip it over gently like you would a pancake, crepe or omlette.
    

    Gently release the edges of the crepe from the griddle

    

    Flip it by inserting the flat spoon underneath the crepe

11. Cook on the other side for about a minute approximately. Basically both sides should be cooked and you can cook it desired brown color and crispness.
    

    Cook the other side of the crepe

12. If the small crepe comes out properly  without sticking to the pan- the pan is at the right temperature and you can make the next crepe with a quarter cup of batter. Use about 1/2 – 1 teaspoon of oil when making a crepe this size. 
13. Serve it hot with a dollop of dairy-free butter of your choice
    

    High protein AF Mung Bean Crepe!

Mung Bean crepes are super easy to make and taste good whether they come out thick or thin/ soft or crisp. A few pointers  will make the process even more facile

Tips:

• Try making it a non-stick griddle the first time. The crepe will release easily from the pan almost 100% of the time.
• However, if you are like me and prefer a cast-iron griddle the crepe may stick if the pan is too hot or too cold. With a damp kitchen towel clean the surface of the griddle so there are no more pieces sticking to it. Adjust the flame to ensure that the griddle is the right temperature and try again.
• Just like a savory crepe, it can be stuffed with onions, spinach, tomatoes, jalapenos, a sprinkle of your favorite cheese, shredded chicken or anything else your creativity allows
• Remaining batter can be stored in the refrigerator section for upto a week. Psst…you can prep the batter a few days before you actually need it and serve out a gourmet dish early in the morning with very little effort

What better way to start off than a delectable dessert…

AF (Allergy Friendly) Rice Pudding

Ingredients:

1. Rice: 1/4 cup (Basmati rice works wonderfully well!)
2. Coconut Milk Beverage: 3 cups (or, Oat Milk/ Rice Milk/ Dari-Free/ Hemp Milk)
   

   Coconut Milk Beverage Original (Photo courtesy: www.turtlemountain.com)

3. Coconut Milk: 1/2 cup (This has a high fat content and adds to the texture of the pudding)
4. Sugar: 1/4 cup
5. Saffron: 4-5 strings
6. Raisins: 1 tablespoon
7. Dairy substitute: 1 tablespoon (for e.g Earth Balance Coconut Spread)

Method:

1. Wash and drain the rice.
2. In a thick bottomed vessel, heat 1 tablespoon of butter substitute on low to medium heat.
3. Add the raisins and stir. They will plump up as they warm up and absorb the fat. This helps soften the raisins and makes it more flavorful when used in dishes.
4. Remove the raisins and drain the excess oil in a plate lined with a paper towel.
5. Add the washed and drained rice to the remaining oil/ butter subsititute in the pan. Stir it till it is a very light golden brown.
6. Now add 2 cups of the coconut milk and the sugar to the rice. Let the rice cook in in on low to medium heat stirring at regular intervals.
7. In approximately 30 mintues the rice will be completely cooked and be soft and mushy to touch. Add 1 more cup of coconut milk beverage and 1/2  a cup of coconut milk. 
8. Add the raisins and saffron strings. Let it cook for 5 – 10 more minutes or till it is slighlty more liquid than desired consistency. As the dish cools down – it will thicken further.
9. Serve chilled. A further twist – serve warm on a frosty Thanksgiving day and feel it warm your soul

Wanna turn it up a notch – serve it in a small earthen bowl like I have. The flavor imparted by the earthen dish is very natural and earthy – absolutely eclectic and, totally safe too! You can get small earthen bowls in stores like Home Depot!

 Tip:

1. Coconut Milk works very well in this dish because of its flavor and fat content. However, Oat Milk, Dari-free and Hemp Milk are great options too especially if you are either allergic or do not like coconut. Rice Milk pudding tends to be too watery so that would be my last option.

Crunchy Rice Sticks.

This is a slight twist on yet another festival favorite from my mom’s kitchen. So here is to spreading the light of good will and the aroma of Allergy Friendly festivities from our kitchen to yours…

Making this snack requires the use of a Crunchie maker or mould/strainer (self-named in lieu of a better word!!!). The mould essentially works as shown below though it could be made of different metals and designed slightly differently than that demonstrated.

A Crunchie Maker is available in ethnic Indian grocery stores. Or, you could buy an exclusive Allergy Foodie Crunchie maker/mould with engraving, directly shipped to you. Email me at AllergyFoodie@gmail.com for further enquiries. The Allergy Foodie mould will come with a recipe booklet to make many more snacks and savories

Crunchie Maker

Crunchie Maker consists of 3 parts - the 2 shown and a detachable plate!

Maker can be fitted with different plates depending on crunchie being made!

Now that we are geared up with the technology part of the snack, here is how this yummy snack is churned out…

Ingredients:

1. Rice Flour: 3 cups
2. Matpe Bean flour/ Urad daal flour: heaped 1/3rd cup
3. Butter substitute or oil: 2-3 tablespoons
4. Cumin seeds powder – 1/2 teaspoon (optional)
5. Salt to taste
6. Oil to deep fry (Use oil with high smoking point like corn oil)

Method:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine rice flour, matpe bean flour, cumin seed powder, butter substitute and salt.
   

2. To the dry mixture add water a little at a time to make a slightly wet dough similar to cookie dough consistency -approvimately 2 cups of water to get the right consistency. Ensure that there are no lumps in the dough. Cover and set aside.
   

   The Rice Stick dough.

3. Heat oil in a wide, deep, thick-bottomed vessel on medium heat. Pour enough oil so it is atleast 3 inches deep. A quick test to assess if the oil has reached the temperature right for deep frying – dip the holding end of a wooden ladle in the oil. If bubbles quickly form around the edges of the ladle, the oil has reached deep frying temperature.
4. To get the desired shape use the plate in the crunchie maker that has the desired shape. Crunchy Rice Sticks traditionally uses the plate with small holes. Grease the insides of the mold with a little oil to make squeezing out the dough easier.
   

   The plate used in the Crunchie maker to make Rice sticks!

5. As a good luck charm, shape 1/2 inch diameter ball of dough into a cone. This is fried first as the auspicious start to a great batch of crunchy rice sticks
   

   The good luck charm

6.  Take a small amount of dough and make a ball a little bigger than a golf ball and press it inside the mold. You will get about 10 balls this size from the dough.

   

   Place dough in the hollow part fitted with the plate underneath!

    
   

   Place the solid part on top to push down like piston!

7. Now press the mold down over the oil moving it in a slow circular motion as you press down till the entire dough has come out in the form of thick twine. Do a practice round on a plate and then do it directly in the hot oil.

   Festival fervor peaks   

   

   Press the dough out directly in the hot oil.

8. Cook it on low to medium heat for a minute.

   

   Careful – the oil will rise the moment the dough gets squeezed into it.

   Using a ladle with with holes in them gently spread the rice sticks just a little.Gently turn it over and cook till it is golden brown on the other side too. It takes approximately 3 minutes of cooking on each side to get a light golden brown color. If you like – cook them a minute longer on each side to get reddish golden brown rice sticks. 

   

   Light golden brown - ready to be taken out

9. Remove it from the oil and gently put it on a paper towel lined plate. Repeat the process till the dough is over.
10. Store it in an air-tight container once completely cooled down.

    

    Crunchy Rice Sticks!

    Crunchy Rice Sticks can be eaten as an anytime snack. They can also be used instead of croutons in soups and salads.  Enjoy crunching…                                          

Mom and dad doting on my little one...

 Homes are beautifully decorated  with lamps and traditional artwork. Children and adults alike dress up in their best and brightest and the atmosphere lights up to a million fireworks. Moms slog it out for days in the kitchen to whip up an amazing variety of sweet and savory items alongside a sumptuous festive lunch.

However, little surprise – almost none of the dishes are allergy friendly. But, my little one loves this fun-filled festival so much that over the years, I have slowly tweaked mom’s recipes to make Diwali a joyous and AF (Allergy Friendly) one. Over the next 2 days, leading up to the big day on Oct 26th – I will spread the light of joy and the aroma of yummy dishes from my home to yours…

Coconut cake or as my mom would call it ‘coconut burfee’ was one of my favorite sweets growing up. They taste a lot like coconut macaroons but even better because they are AF (Allergy Friendly)! Before I go any further, I would like to emphasize that ‘coconut is not a nut’. It is just a fruit of one of the varieties of palm trees.

So, here goes…AF Coconut Cake

AF Coconut Cake - yumm!

Yield: Approximately 15 pieces

Ingredients:

1. Fresh coconut gratings: 1 cup (Available in the frozen section of South Asian stores)
2. Sugar: 1 cup
3. Saffron: 3-4 strings
   

   Saffron strings.

4. Cardamom: 2-3
   

   Whole cardamom and the black seeds inside used for flavoring.

5. Raisins: 1 teaspoon
   

   Raisins before being fried.

6. Water 1/3 cup

Method:

1. Grease the bottom and edges of a square baking dish and keep it aside.
2. In a small deep dish, heat a teaspoon of oil on a low to medium flame. Add the rasins to the heated oil and stir. In a couple of minutes the raisins will absorb the oil and swell up and also brown a little. Remove it from the pan and keep it aside. This process helps release the flavors in the raisin and also softens it for use in desserts.
   

   Fried, swollen, browned raisins!

3. 1/8 th of a teaspoon of cardamom powder can be used if you have the powdered version readily available. However, like with any spice or condiment – freshly ground cardamom tastes way better. Pop open a 2-3 cardamoms and loosen the black seeds inside. Crush it a fine powder in a small mortar and pestle. You can also use a rolling pin to crush it. Keep it aside.
4. In a heavy bottomed vessel or good non-stick pan, combine the sugar and water and place the pan on a low to medium flame.
   

   Sugar solution

   

   Sugar

5. Add the coconut gratings once the sugar has completely dissolved and keep stirring.
   

   The moisture needs to evaporate for the mixture to come together.

   

   Add fresh grated coconut to the sugar solution.

6. The mixture will become thick and gooey in about 20 minutes. At this stage add 1 tablespoon of any butter substitute or oil and continue stirring keeping a close watch . You can skip adding any fat at this point but it helps the mixture come away from the edges of the pan more easily as the moisture evaporates completely.
   

   Almost done...

7. In approximately 5 minutes, the mixture will start rising up a little and leave the edges of the vessel. Add the cardamom powder and saffron strings and mix well.
   

   Add raisins and saffron once the mixture dries up and leaves the edges of the vessel.

8. Immediately pour the mixture into the greased dish and spread it evenly. The back of the wooden ladle can be used to spread the mixture out evenly.
   

   Pour the cooked mixture into a greased dish.

9. When it has cooled down slightly, cut the mixture with a greased knife into small squares gently.
   

   Cut the cake when it has cooled down slightly.

10. Let it cool completely and now you will be able to seperate the squares easily. Pry the squares apart gently to avoid breaking them.
    

    Coconut cake

11. Store in an air-tight containerfor upto 2 weeks in a cool, dark place :-)

Keep following my ‘Diwali Special’ series. Tomorrow we will whip up a batch of crunchy rice sticks.

This recipe is completely ‘Anu-grown’ - it popped into my head today, amidst my random musings of a happier, healthier world.  And since then, I have been walking around with a goofy, pleased smile all day which became goofier once it passed the ultimate taste test – the taste buds of a 6-year old

A quick caution about oats – it is technically not considered ’gluten-free’ by the FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations). So, those with celiac disease or gluten allergy are advised to stay away from it. However, recent research indicates that some cultivars of oat can be a safe part of a gluten-free diet. But, that topic merits a seperate post and I promise to give it my immediate attention :-)

To set the taste buds tingling, here is how the final mouth-watering AF (Allergy Friendly) Oat Pancakes should look like…

AF Oat Pancakes

 The proud mother must add that the perfect pumpkin was picked by my 6 year old and of course no breakfast is complete without a cup of freshly brewed coffee. Embracing fall, the colors, the apple cider, the pumpkin and more in all its glory! The cup is a gift from a dear friend who has always motivated me with her strength of character, intellect and ready smile  

The making of AF (Allergy Friendly) Oat Pancakes…

Makes 8, 6″ diameter pancakes;
Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 cups quick oats

1 tbsp rice flour

1 carrot (peeled and shredded)

1/2 cup finely chopped spinach

Finely chopped spinach and shredded carrots.

salt to taste

3 tsp oil (any oil that you are not allergic to: corn oil, olive oil etc.)

1/2 – 2/3 cup boiling water

Method:

1) Pour the boiling water over the oats in a mixing bowl and mix thoroughly. Set aside for 5 minutes so that the oats soften and become yummiliciously gooey

2) Add the rice flour, chopped spinach, shredded carrots and salt to the oats and mix thoroughly. It should be of the consistency of thick cookie batter.

Oat Pancake batter - ooh, so healthy looking!

3) Place a cast iron griddle/ skillet on low flame. A non-stick skillet can also be used but I prefer staying away from non-stick.

4) When the pan is slightly heated, take a tablespoon of the batter and place it in the middle of the pan. Gently press down the batter with the back of the spoon so it spreads out to form a small pancake. You could either use the spoon used to ladle out the batter or use an oiled tablespoon so that spreading is easier and the dough does not stick to the spoon.

Notice the oil greasing the edges of the pancake...

5) Dot the edges of the pancake with approximately 1/4 tsp of oil and increase the flame to medium.

6) After 2-3 minutes, flip the pancake with a flat spatula and gently press down the pancake so it becomes thinner. Cook for 2-3 minutes on the other side too. Both sides can be cooked for 1-2 minutes longer if you desire a dark golden and crispier pancake.

And the other side cooks to golden crispness...

The spatula that works like a charm for making these pancakes.

7)  Serve hot with a dollop of allergy friendly butter substitute or my son and I love it as-is

Up close and personal - healthy and delicious!

A perfect start for a Fall morning...

8) An important note – before making the next pancake, reduce the flame to low again. Bundle up a paper towel and wet it a little and use it wipe the surface of the pan. Wait for a few seconds for the pan to cool down further. Now the pan is ready for the next tablespoon of batter. If the pan is too hot, the batter will start cooking the moment we put it on the skillet, making it difficult for us to spread it.

Variations:

1) If veggies is not your cup of tea, substitute the salt and veggies for a teaspoon of sugar and follow the rest of the steps as above. Serve it with syrup!

2) Other vegetables that can be used – shredded cabbage, finely sliced onions, parseley, cilantro and anything else your fertile imagination dreams up…

All my posts are close to my heart since food allergies are something that I deal with every single moment of my life. As my little one says, ‘mommy – AllergyFoodie is my dot com, right?!’ However, some posts are just a tad bit more special and this is one of them. Today marks the 1 month anniversary since I lost a cherished friendship. Yes,  ironically, on 9/11 – a poignant reminder of an even greater sadness that took hold of the world. A reminder to cherish all our relationships to the utmost because as my 15 year-old niece so sweetly puts it, ‘ I always say love you when saying bye to my parents because what if it is the last time I see them.’