Germinating & Sprouting Chickpeas

I know what you're all thinking, "she must be losing her mind being in that house with her husband being out of work for so long"!  And chances are...you are correct!  But, I have sprouted chickpeas, almonds, sesame seeds and quinoa all successfully without any fancy equipment.   Why would you do this, you ask? Well, these dried peas contain nutrition and fiber we otherwise do not get in our diets.  They also contain anticancer substances when sprouted (So...here are some of my 'secrets' for germinating and sprouting chickpeas.)  If you are all are interested, I can give you the low down on the other seeds, nuts or beans which are easy to sprout without the expensive equipment!

So here is to our health...extra fiber (a bonus):

These are the cute little containers I have used for years to hold my orgainic little dormant treasures and YES, I labeled them!  Looks like I need to make a trip to the co-op for some more Chickpeas!

Step 1:  GERMINATING

*  First rinse the Organic RAW chick peas (they are also called Garbanzo beans), then soak them in purified water for 12 hours.  (I use a plain old plate and set it out on the kitchen counter, NOT in direct sunlight)!

Place chickpeas on plate "Single layer...do NOT pile"



Next, add the purified water until just covered and wait, and wait, and wait! For 12 hours to be exact!

Then after 12 hours they look all puffed up, now you can sprout them for the nutritional benefit!

Step 2:  SPROUTING

This step is just as easy, you wash the chickpeas one more time!  Then recover with purified water and place plastic wrap over the plate and set out on the kitchen counter again.  Then you wait and wait and wait (12 hours again)!  They will start growing then you are ready to eat them.  Just wash and gently dry them.  If you keep them refrigerated in a container they will last for 3 to 5 days!  Enjoy!

Look how YUMMY!

Pumpkin Soup

I had another pumpkin just sitting out in the front waiting for me to do something with it!  So tonight I made a pumpkin soup!  I also baked the seeds for extra toppings!

1 medium pumpkin, seeded, peeled and diced into 1 inch chunks

1 medium onion, diced

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
1 cup 2% milk
1/4 cup cognac
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:

1) Boil cubed pumpkin in water until soft.  Drain and place in batches in Cuisinart and blend, set aside.

2) Next, saute onion in pan until transparent and add to the Cuisinart and blend with the pumpkin.  Add the nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and pepper.

3) Take the cognac and deglaze the pan you sauteed the onion in, cooking liquid down to 1 tablespoon then add to the pumpkin mixture.

4) Pour all the pumpkin back into the initial pan you boiled the pumpkin in and set on a low temperature adding the milk in at this time.  Adjust spices and warm to desired temperature before serving.  Serves 4.

For Serving:  I placed a little whipped cream in the center and dusted with cinnamon the children thought they were getting a dessert for dinner:)

Pork and Lingonberry Crock Pot

Before I had to go to work today I was already wondering what I would be making for dinner???  If I don't figure it out in the morning I'll have to scramble to figure it out after work.  So... I pulled some pork chops out of the freezer and defrosted them quick in the microwave.  Then proceeded to make this amazing Crock Pot dish just by transposing one of my Grandmother's recipes we used to eat on special occasions... that took forever to make.  This version was quick and I believe just as good if not better.  Now, if you have know idea what 'Lingonberries' are you most likely are not Swedish.  These are purchased in a jar.  I use the lingonberry preserves which are easy to buy if you live in Minnesota (basically they are in every store on the shelves with the jams)!  If you live anywhere else you might need to go to a speciality store?  However, while visiting my father-in-law in Connecticut I found them pretty easily at a Stop-N-Shop!  I hope this helps.

4 Pork Chops (bone-in)

1 Tablespoon Olive oil

1/4 cup dry sherry

2 granny smith apples, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick, take the seeds out of the star shape in the center.

The apples sliced!

1/4 cup Jumbo raisins

1 cup lingonberry preserves

Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:

1) Place salt and peppered pork chops in saute pan with the olive oil and saute until just browned on both sides, about 2 minutes per side (Do NOT cook through)!  Place in crock pot.

2) De glaze the saute pan on high heat with the dry sherry and cook down to two tablespoons.  Pour of the liquid on the pork chops.

3) Next, arrange the apples in the crock pot, add the raisins and the lingonberry preserves.  Place the lid on the crock pot and cook on low temprature for 6 hours.  Serve with rice or potatoes.  You can also make a gravy out of the sauce if you wish.  That is what I did....it was amazing!

Tuscan Turkey Sandwich with Lemonaise

The kids did not have school today which meant me making lunch for the gang.  So I made bagel sandwiches with a 'Lemonaise' rather than Mayonnaise for a lighter 'flair'.  This is really yummy, you should try this if you can't have dairy...a great alternative!

4 bagels (your choice)
2 slices "Boar's Head Tuscan Turkey" per sandwich (8 slices total)
1 Tablespoon Lemonaise "The Ojai cook brand", per sandwich, (4 tablespoons total)
1 leaf of Romaine lettuce per sandwich (any other greens you feel like adding is always a benefit)
1 slice of tomato per sandwich (4 slices total)
1 slice Gruyere cheese per sandwich (Omit this is you can't have dairy)
Salt and Pepper to taste


Method:

Layer the ingredients in an eye pleasing way and serve. Beautiful, served with sliced peaches on the side. Serves 4.

Sunday Chicken Pot Pie

Sunday's are for family and meals.  These don't need to be expensive meals either!  I'm all about frugal these days with my husband being out of work for over a year!  Here is a meal using what I had both in the house and out in the garden!  Enjoy!

I served this meal with Dinosaur Kale and Romaine Garlic Salad!

Pastry:

1 cup flour

4 tablespoons butter, diced

2/3 cup cream cheese, diced

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tablespoon water

Filling:

2 boneless chicken breasts, sauteed and diced

6 large carrots, peeled and cut into disks

1 large onion, diced

3 celery stalks, diced

4 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

3 tablespoons corn starch, mixed with 5 tablespoons cold water

1 tablespoon flour, mixed with 3 tablespoons cold water

1 1/2 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup brandy (from my husbands liqueur cabinet...don't tell) 

Salt and Pepper to taste

Egg White mixture:

1 tablespoon egg white
1 teaspoon water
Mix the two together!

To Make Pastry:

Toss together flour and salt.  Place flour mixture in Cuisinart food processor and add butter and cream cheese pulse until resembles course crumbs.  Add the water to make dough stick together.  Make into a ball, wrap and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

To Make Filling:

1)  Saute chicken until just done and place on a plate to cool.  Use the same saute pan and saute onion, carrots, and celery about minutes.  Move completed sauteed vegetables to a bowl add the parsley and mix.  Dice up the chicken and place in the same bowl with the vegetables.

2)  Next,  place the brandy in the saute pan and cook down, scraping brown bits until the liqued is cooked down to around two tablespoons.

3) Then add the chicken stock to the pan.  When warm add the cornstarch, flour mixtures and salt and pepper to taste.  Cook until gravy thickens, and adjust seasonings.

4)  Divide the vegetable/chicken mixture between the individual oven safe bowls.  Pour the gravy into the bowls over the vegetable/chicken mixture.  Preheat the oven to 425.

5) Lastly, roll the out dough and cut into circles to place over each bowl.  Cut the remainding dough into preferred shapes and place on top of covered bowls.  Brush egg white mixture over the completed pot pies and place in the preheated oven.  Pot pie is done in 20 minutes or so depending on the size of your bowls.

Enjoy!



Come see an Amazing Free Concert

Attention! Attention to all! 

 If anyone is interested in a free chamber music concert this coming Sunday Novermber 7th, put on by the Isles Ensemble... please come.  It starts promptly at 2:00 pm at Lake of the Isles Lutheran Church.  I've attached a link at the bottom of the photo if you would like more details.  I'm going as well to see my good friend play the Viola (Johanna, blond in the back row)!  Can't wait...see you Sunday!

For more information click on the sight below:

http://www.islesensemble.org/Templates/aboutus.html

Pumpkin Puree over Cheese Ravioli

  My kids made these adorable vegetable decorated pumpkins a couple of weekends ago at the Arboretum near our house.  After they were displayed for a week or so I noticed they were not looking so good.  So... I thought I would make dinner out of them!  Let's not tell the children what they are eating for dinner, lol!

Cute Pumpkin...which will now be dinner!

2 medium yellow onions, peeled and diced

4 tablespoons butter, (your choice)
1 small pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and diced

Note: Dice the pumpkin in smaller cubes for quicker sauteing time

2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon fresh sage, diced
2/3 cup skim or 2% milk

Salt & Pepper to taste

1 bag of cheese Ravioli (your choice)

Method:

1) Saute onions in the butter on medium/high heat for 5 minutes.  Once the onions until turn opaque in color add the diced pumpkin and nutmeg and continue to saute with a lid on the pan until the pumpkin becomes soft, 15 minutes.

2) Next, add the Cinnamon, sage, and milk; stir to combine.  Simultaneously, begin to boil a separate pot of water for the cheese ravioli.

3) Once the remaining spices and milk are added to the pumpkin mixture place it in a small Cuisinart or blender and blend on high until no lumps are visible.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Place back in pan used to cook the pumpkin to keep warm while the Cheese Ravioli is cooking.

 

4) Once ravioli is done mix a small amount of the pumpkin sauce with the ravioli and serve by placing the sauce on top of each pile of ravioli and decorate with sage and a dusting of Parmesan. 

Pumpkin Puree over Cheese Ravioli...Yum!