chickpea flour crackers *

Savoury crunchy little crackers, made with chickpea flour? Yes please. Simple and delicious.

equipment needed:

2 silicone baking mats or 2 pieces of parchment
2 baking sheets
rolling pin
mixing bowl
fork
mixing spoon
measuring cups
measuring spoons
oven


ingredients:

a)
1 1/2 cups chickpea flour
1/2 tapioca starch

b)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp xanthan gum powder

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp mesquite

2 tbsp coconut sugar

c)
1/2 cup coconut oil

d)
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

e)
2 tbsp coconut flour if needed

f)
sprinkle salt on top and bake



directions:

1. mix the dry ingredients together very well (a and b)
2. use a fork to mix in the coconut oil (c)
3. pour in the water and apple cider vinegar and mix well (d)
4. add coconut flour if too sticky (e)
5. roll out on 2 silicone mats using a piece of parchment to keep the rolling pin from sticking
6. using a butter knife, score it into squares, and sprinkle with sea salt
7. bake at 345 for 20 minutes
8. dehydrate further in the oven on 170 for a few hours for very crisp crunchy little crackers
9. store in an airtight container when fully cool

** chickpea flour sticks with chili powder -- vegan, gluten free, grain free,

I get my chickpea flour  -- in this case besan flour -- from the Indian market up the street. I made these with it. One time with chili powder and mesquite, another time with garlic and oregano. The thing they had in common both times is that they were delicious. But personally, I thought the flavours worked a little better with the garlic and oregano. Although a two year old who was with us seemed to disagree, if the vast quantity of chili powder chickpea flour sticks he ate was any indication.

equipment needed:

measuring cups
measuring spoons
mixing bowl
mixing spoons
silicone mats
baking sheets


ingredients:

1/2 cup warm water
2 tbsp coconut sugar
2 tsp bread yeast

1/4 cup chia seeds
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1 1/2 cups chickpea flour
1/2  cup raw almond flour

1 tsp sea salt
3 tsp chili powder
2 tbsp mesquite


directions:

1. mix together the warm water, coconut sugar, and yeast, and set aside to proof
2. in a bowl combine the dry ingredients
3. add the water/yeast mixture to the dry ingredients and mix to form a dough
4.  roll dough into sticks -- sprinkle with large salt
5. let rise for a while
6. bake at 345 for 20 minutes

** Soft cookies -- chickpea flour cakies

There are people who live here who are big fans of the spongey kamut flour kakies that we've been making. Today I decided to mix things up by using chickpea flour and sunflower seed flour. If you are unfamiliar with sunflower seed flour, I have to tell you, I've never seen it in the store. But it's one of my favourite things to bake with. I use raw sunflower seeds, and grind them to a fine powder in my little coffee grinder. They offer such a delicate texture to baked goods, and are such an affordable alternative to almond flour. Additionally, goods baked with sunflower seed flour can go to school. Not, I mean, to get an education. Just for ... yumminess.

equipment needed:

seed grinder for chia and sunflower seeds
measuring cups
measuring spoons
mixing bowl
mixing spoon
baking sheet and silicone mat or parchment paper
oven



ingredients:

2 cups chickpea flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1 cup sunflower seed flour
1/4 cup ground chia
1 cup coconut sugar

1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp ground vanilla bean
1 tsp ceylon cinnamon


1/4 cup coconut oil
2 cups hot water
1 tbsp vanilla extract


scoop heaping spoonfuls onto a lined baking sheet and bake at 345 for 30 minutes

** Apple and (Honey) Cake -- Apple Upside Down Cake -- gluten free, grain free

So, this cake was dubbed 'not bad' and also 'yummy'. As in: "Give me some more of that yummy." It's  a perfect holiday dinner cake -- we've used it for Rosh ha Shannah as well as for Thanksgiving. I know it's not vegan, and I think it would work beautifully with maple syrup.  For the love of all that is sacred and delicious though, please don't use corn syrup. I use royal gala apples because those are the little cuties we have on hand. If you've never made cake batter using chickpea flour and tapioca starch, it is a beautiful thing.

a)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1 cup chickpea flour
1/4 finely ground chia seed
1 cup finely ground sunflower seed flour


b)
1/2 tsp ground vanilla bean
1 tsp ceylon cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda

c)
1 cup hot water
1 cup honey or maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut oil


d)
3 small apples --cut into chunks


e)
 3 small apples, sliced
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1/4 tsp sea salt


1. grease a springform pan well with coconut oil and line the bottom with parchment
2. put 1/4 cup of coconut sugar and 1/4 tsp sea salt into the bottom, and distribute evenly
3. cover the bottom of the pan with the apple slices in a beautiful pattern (circles)
3. preheat the oven to 345
4. combine the dry ingredients and set aside (a and b)
5. combine the wet ingredients and set aside (c)
6. cut an apple or two into chunks to make around 2 cups
7. mix part a and b
8. add in part c until well combine
9. fold in part d
10. gently fill the springform pan
11. bake for 60-65 minutes or until 'firm'
12. let cool
13. slide a knife around the edge before removing sides, and allow to cool completely
14. cover with a plate and invert
15. remove the bottom of the pan
16. remove the parchment

plain simple muffins -- vegan, gluten free, and wholesome

School muffins. School muffins with raisins. No nuts. No grains. No nonsense. Vegan!!

These little cuties are simple to make, and have such a simple, pleasing taste. Comforting.

The batter is made of such goodness as chickpea flour and sunflower seed flour

equipment needed:
mixing bowl
measuring spoons
measuring cups
mixing spoon
seed grinder
silicone muffin cups and baking sheet or muffin pan and liners


ingredients:

1 cup coconut sugar
1 1/2 cup chickpea flour
1/4 cup ground chia seed
1 cup ground sunflower seeds
1/2 cup tapioca starch

1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground vanilla bean
1 tsp ceylon cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tartar



1 1/2 cups hot water
1/4 cup coconut oil

1 cup raisins (or chocolate chips)


directions:

1. in a bowl: put all the ingredients except water, coconut oil, and raisins
2. mix well until completely combined
3. in a separate mixing bowl, combine the hot water and coconut oil, and let it melt
4. mix the wet and dry ingredients together
5. finally, stir in the raisins
6. scoop into 24 small prepared muffin cups
7. bake at 345 for 30 minutes

savoury chickpea flour biscuits -- vegan, gluten free, nut free, grain free, delicious crackers

I have a thing for spice. Not super hot, but funky kind of savoury spices -- a glorious combo of paprika, cumin, coriander, chipotle, sea salt, and black pepper. For me, it's entirely delectable. I like it with lentils, I like it with these crackers. So good. If you have a taste for chili powder, harissa, or cumin goodness, these might be for you. Easy to make, and good for you. Makes up two full trays of biscuits.

equipment needed:

rolling pin
baking sheets
silicone mats or parchment paper
bowl
spoon
seed grinder



ingredients:

1 cup chickpea flour
1 cup ground sunflower seeds
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1/4 cup ground chia
1/2 cup coconut flour


1 tsp sea salt (heaping tsp)
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tartar

2 tsp paprika,
2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander
1/8 tsp chipotle


1/4 cup coconut oil
3/4 cup water + 2 tbsp water



sea salt and black pepper to sprinkle on top

1. combine ingredients
2. roll out in 2 pieces on silicone mats
3. score into squares
4. place the silicone mats onto baking sheets
4. sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper
5. bake at 345 for 30 minutes

Magic Chocolate Monkey Muffins revised

Every now and then it happens. I buy bananas and my husband buys bananas and then there are just too many bananas to eat before they go rogue. And when a good banana goes rogue, there is nothing to be done for it but to make it into something baked and delicious. In this case, I felt a little chocolate was in order. Don't know why. Just did. These little vegan goodies combine the amazing body-fueling properties of hemp hearts, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, and chickpea flour with the pre-biotic goodness and baked good-springiness of tapioca starch. Sweetened with the very overripe bananas and some coconut sugar, these little cuties are a delicious, satisfying treat. We favour krisda chocolate chips which are stevia sweetened for much of our diurnal baking. If you've never used them, check 'em out. They taste pretty darn good. For chocolate chips, that is. They taste nothing like good quality belgian chocolate, but then I've never met a regular chocolate chip that did.

So, if you are looking for a terrific lunch box addition, these little muffins are nut free, dairy free, vegan, gluten-free, and super yummy. Let me know what you think!


Also, huge shout out to Victoria Whole Foods on Gerrard near Coxwell, for they give away their over-ripe unsaleable bananas rather than seeing them go to waste. This episode of yummy yummy in my tummy is partly possible due to their kind sponsorship in the form of mushy brown bananas. xoxo

ingredients:

1/2 cup hemp hearts, finely ground
1/4 cup chia seeds, finely ground
1/2 cup ground sunflower seeds
1/2 cup cacao powder
1 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1 cup chickpea flour

1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground vanilla bean

1 1/2 cups mashed bananas -- approx 4 very ripe
3/4 cup warm water + 4 tbsp coconut oil

1 cup chocolate chips


equipment needed:

1. measuring cups
2. measuring spoons
3. mixing bowl
4. silicone muffin cups or papaer muffin tray liners
5. cookie sheet or muffin tray
6. seed grinder


directions:

1. preheat the oven to 345
2. in a bowl, combine the ground hemp hearts, ground chia seeds, ground sunflower seeds, cacao, tapioca starch, chickpea flour, sea salt, baking soda, cream of tartar and ground vanilla bean. Mix until it is very homogeneous
3. in a separate bowl, mash your bananas
4. in a separate bowl, combine the warm water (not hot) and coconut oil, and let the oil melt
5. add the banana, water and coconut oil to the dry ingredients, and mix well
6. when the batter is beautifully mixed, add in the chocolate chips and mix well
7. scoop the batter into 24 small muffin cups. If you are using silicone, you can bake them standing up on a cookie tray. Or line 24 muffin cups with muffin papers in a muffin baking tray, and divide the batter evenly.
8. bake at 345 for 30 minutes
9. remove from the oven, and allow to cool before removing from the tray or silicone muffin cups

Double Layer Chocolate Cake with Ganaaaaaaaaaache

So it's like this. I was under orders by Spoiled Rotten Kid to make a double-decker chocolate cake with chocolate icing. This one whipped up in a trice, and is pretty darn wholesome. The taste is delicious, and it's rich and gooey and pleasing in the ways that chocolate cake should be.

Anyway, I mixed all the ingredients save the water together, and then added the water and mixed that. Which means the ingredients can be combined ahead of time, and just turned into batter when ready to bake.

Super simple and super easy, even if I did use both coconut sugar and date sugar. The main criticism people have of my recipes is that they can have too many ingredients. Hopefully this will seem simple all the same.


The frosting is thick and gooey, and made of good things like dates, coconut oil, and cacao. The two together make a really nice dessert that has none of the sin and all of the virtue.

Chocolate Layer Cake:

ingredients:

1/4 cup finely ground chia
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1/2 cup date sugar
1 cup coconut sugar
1 cup chickpea flour
1 cup almond flour (or use raw sunflower seeds and make a fine flour by grinding them up)
1/2 cup raw cacao powder

1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground vanilla bean
1/2 tsp sea salt

2 cups water


directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the ground chia, tapioca starch, date sugar, coconut sugar chickpea flour, almond flour, cacao, baking soda, ground vanilla bean, and sea salt. If you don't use ground vanilla bean and instead like vanilla extract, please don't add that here.
2. Stir all the ingredients together until it's a nice homogeneous mixture.
3. It's a dry, shelf-stable concoction, and you can either use it now, or put it in a sealed container to make your cake later.
4. If you choose to use it now, prepare 2 round 8 inch baking pans by covering them well with coconut oil and using parchment paper rounds to line them. Preheat your oven to 345.
5. add in the 2 cups of water to your dry ingredients, and mix really really well. If you're using vanilla extract instead of ground vanilla bean, you can add it here. Yay! Mix!
6. evenly divide the batter into the 2 pans.
7. bake at 345 for about 40 minutes, or until the top is resilient.
8. remove from the oven, let cool a little in the pans, then run a knife around the edge of the pans, and gently tip out the cakes and place on a cooling rack
9. I often let cakes cool before removing the baking parchment.




Thick Gooey Ganache Frosting:

You'll need an immersion blender or another blender for this ...

ingredients:

1 1/2 cup pitted honey dates
1 cup hot water (just boiled is good)
1/2 cup extra virgin coconut oil


1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp sea salt


1/2 cup raw cacao



directions:
1. combine the hot water, dates, and coconut oil. Let sit for at least 10 minutes to fully soften dates.
2. add the sea salt and vanilla extract, and puree with an immersion blender until beautifully smooth,
3. stir in the cacao
4. cool. I stuck it in the refrigerator for a little while.
5. use. It was perfect for generously filling and frosting an 8 inch double decker round cake. Or eat by the spoonful. I dare ya. Double-dog, double-decker dare you.


When the cake is cool and the frosting chilled, assemble your cake. When you layer a cake, get an appropriate plate, and place the first layer top side down. The bottom side is flat and even, and makes a much more receptive layer for frosting. Some pros will shave off the top of the cake to make it flatter, but I'm of the flip-it-over school of cake layering. Put a generous portion of the frosting on the first layer, and spread it gently towards the edges. Top with the second layer, nesting it securely onto the bed of frosting you have put down. Make sure the second layer goes top side down, so the flat bottom (tee hee) is upper-most. Scoop frosting onto the second layer, and smooth out towards the edges, and along the sides. This part can take a little practice, but with patience your cake will look very nice. This frosting will show the painterly brush strokes of your application, and not a smooth glassy finish because it's a little sticky. If you want a really smooth glazed look, there is a glaze I made in the past for cake that will achieve that.

Broccoli and Chickpea Crockpot

This green and white concoction is savoury, thick, and utterly comforting. The peeps in my house adore both broccoli and chickpeas, so it's really easy to love this simple dish. The cauliflower and sweet potato aren't really very noticeable, although they do provide body, flavour, and nutrition. The theme of the concoction is definitely broccoli and chickpea. Once again, I mixed a little chickpea flour into the water I added to the crockpot, which thickened up wonderfully over the cook time. Simple, satisfying, and universally enjoyed.

2 tbsp coconut oil
1 onion, finely diced
3 cups of chopped up cauliflower florets

3 cups cooked chickpeas
3 cup frozen green peas

1/2 cup diced celery

4 cups diced white sweet potato


3 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cumin
1 tbsp marjoram

3 cups boiling water
1 cup water + 1/2 cup chickpea flour

500 g broccoli florets


directions:

1. melt the coconut oil in the bottom of the crockpot as it's heating, and then go about chopping.
2. add the onions
3. add the cauliflower florets
4. add the cooked chickpeas
5. add the green peas
6. add the diced celery, followed by the white sweet potato
7. on top of all this sprinkled the seasonings
8. add the 1 cup water and 1/2 cup chickpea flour mixture
9. pour on the rest of the water
10. cook on high for 4-6 hours depending on how well your crockpot does.
11. when it's all done cooking, add in your dismembered broccoli florets, and stir in. I used frozen ones that then didn't really need to be cooked ... if yours are fresh and raw, you might give them a little cook time in the crockpot after mixing in.
12. taste, and adjust salt and pepper if needed.

October Crockpot -- a rich creamy vegan stew

With the sudden change in the weather it is truly autumn. Rainy, chilly, and grey. So, this. Not that I don't make crockpots in the summer. But this time, I really mean it.

The use of chickpea flour from our local Indian super market gives this a mellow creaminess and body that is quite delightful. I have become a raging chickpea flour aficionado. I adore it. Adore, I tell you. Anyway, these creamy delicious dish is awesomeness in a pot.

The onion, cabbage, and cauliflower melt away to nothing, so this stew is about the split chickpeas, the creamy broth, and the carrot medallions. Pretty!!

Every time my husband eats a bowl of this he declares it 'delicious'. That never gets old.

I will definitely use chickpea flour to make the broth again. Inspired!!

ingredients:

2 tbsp coconut oil
1 onion, finely diced
3 cups green cabbage very finely chopped
2 cups channa dall, split chickpeas (I used raw, dried, well rinsed split chickpeas. If you don't wanna, you can use canned whole chickpeas. I'm okay with that.)

2 cups white cauliflower, crumbled and very finely chopped

4 carrots -- 3 yellow and 1 orange, narrow and cut into discs (I used what I had from the market)

1 tbsp cumin
3 tsp sea salt
1 cup water + 1/2 cup chickpea flour mixed together

6 cups water

Socca-ish -- a vegan, chickpea flour flat bread

This is a fun and spunky little side that can be a simple meal on its own when paired with a fabulous salad, or can add a little pizzazz to other dishes.

Bow down and worship the humble chickpea in all its forms.

ingredients:

2 tbsp coconut oil
1 med/large onion diced, then cooked in the coconut oil with a little salt

3/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 cups water

1/4 cup ground chia

1 cup chickpea flour
a pinch of granulated garlic


directions:

preheat the oven to 345
1. chop the onion, and cook in 2 tbsp coconut oil with a little salt
2.while the onions are cooking, combine the other ingredients
3. add the cooked onions and stir
4.
5. spread on an iron griddle or in 2 square silicone pans and bake for 60 minutes ...

Savoury Tomato Spiked Chickpea Flour Dinner cake -- a savoury, vegan, gluten-free delight.

It's not lasagna, but it's in the same family of means as a hearty square of baked pasta. We eat this with a side of fresh salad and it makes a satisfying but simple dinner. 

ingredients:


1/4 cup finely chopped sundried tomato

2 cups finely chopped green cabbage (about 1/4 of a smallish cabbage)
2 cups finely chopped celery
2 cups finely chopped carrot





6 cups tomato sauce

1/4 cup ground chia seeds



3 cups chick pea flour
1/2  cup coconut flour
1/2 cup sweet potato flour

1 tsp baking soda

rosemary to sprinkle on top

directions:

preheat the oven to 345
prepare a baking dish -- eg lasagna pan, glass cake pan etc

1. chop the vegetables in your food processor until they are fine but not pureed
2. mix together with the tomato sauce, the chia seeds, salt to taste
3. add the chickpea flour, coconut flour, sweet potato flour, and baking soda
4. put into the prepared baking dish, smooth the top, and sprinkle with rosemary

combine and bake at 345 for 90 minutes

Savoury but sweet Chickpea flour veggie Dinner cake -- vegan, gluten free, grain free, delicious

It's pretty much delicious, and that's about all I can say. My son calls it pasta. Good for you, and good tasting. Does it get any better than that?

ingredients:



2 cup carrot, coarsely pureed
2 cups green cabbage, coarsely pureed
4 cups sweet potato, coarsely pureed
1 medium onions, coursely pureed

2 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
1 tsp sea salt
black pepper



3 cups water warm water
1/4 cup ground chia seeds
1/4 cup ground flax meal
1 tsp sea salt
black pepper
1 tsp chili pepper
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 cups chick pea flour

1/2 tsp baking soda



directions:

1. sauté the onion and garlic in the coconut oil
2. add the shredded sweet potato and carrot and 1 tsp sea salt, and  sauté
3. meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the ground chia seeds and ground flax seeds with the hot water and let sit for 10 minutes. Mix in the seasonings, cider vinegar,  chickpea flour, and baking soda
4. mix with a whisk!
5. when the shredded veggie mix is cooked, add it to the batter, and combine well
6. pour into a greased 3 L glass baking dish
7. bake at 345 for 75 minutes