Monthly Archives: February 2015

Recipe: Chickpea pancakes

I have never been a fan of savoury breakfasts. However, the January issue of Bon Appetit magazine was full of various healthy eating ideas and one recipe that caught my interest was squash, leek, and chickpea pancakes. I made them this week and loved them! They remind me of one of my favourite Chinese appetizers, green onion pancakes, but healthier, since these pancakes are made with chickpea flour and also contain veggies. Having made them with both carrots and squash, I must say I prefer the taste and texture of the carrot pancake. Plus, I am curious to try this recipe as a sweet carrot pancake…(shallot and salt need to be omitted for that experiment)

3/4 cup chickpea flour

1/2 cup water

1 egg

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt to taste

1 cup grated squash or carrot

1 shallot finely chopped

salt and pepper to taste

plain yogurt and chopped parsley for serving

In a medium bowl, stir together chickpea flour and water, whisk in egg, olive oil, baking powder and salt. Let batter stand, as you cook the veggies.

In a oiled skillet over medium heat, saute shallots and squash until cooked through, about 2-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Stir cooked squash and shallot into chickpea batter (can be refrigerated overnight). Batter should have a thin, pourable consistency, add water if necessary.

Heat an oiled skillet (same one as above) over medium heat. Spoon 1/4 cupfuls of batter into skillet. Cook until bubbles form in the pancakes, flip and cook until browned. Repeat until batter is finished, about 6-8 pancakes. Serve immediately topped with yogurt and chopped parsley. If you have any leftover pancakes, they can be refrigerated and heated up in the toaster (homemade toaster pancakes!)

 

chickpea pancake topped with yogurt and parsley

chickpea pancake topped with yogurt and parsley

Happy Valentines Day

Valentines Day in many ways is a contrived and commercial holiday to me. However, the middle of winter is a great time to journey into the depths of the heart and reflect on love. A friend told me years ago to consider all the love I have in my life. This is a reflection that has become a consistent source of comfort through challenging and good times, since I feel so much gratitude for all the love I have in my life, and realize there is always room for more. When I notice all the love in my life, I also remember all the love that I am and have to offer.

Love is a feeling and an expansive state of being, within each of us. What place does love hold in your heart and your life at the moment? Love is living with enthusiasm for all the different experiences of life and love is what we have to offer the world with our unique individual presence. Happy Valentines Day!