Spicy Besan Omelette

 Greetings,

Here's a perfect brunch recipe to pair with your favourite salad or stir-fried or roasted veggies! The besan or chickpea omelette is one that takes a while to make when doing a whole batch, but the wait is worth it. It is important that the batter cooks through on both sides, so it isn't a recipe that can be rushed.

Ingredients

Besan/chickpea flour: 

for 2 people: 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup water

for 3 people: 3/4 cup flour to 1 cup water

for 8-9 omelettes: 1 cup flour to 1 1/4  cup water

So just add a 1/4 to 1/2 cup more water to flour. For a thicker omelette add 1/4 cup.

2 tsp flax meal

1/2 tsp salt (pink or sea salt or black salt for the sulfuric egg taste)

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp chili flakes

1 pinch dried thyme or Italian seasoning

2 pimento peppers or other

1/2 thumb ginger

1 onion

cloves of garlic 

1 stalk celery (optional)

cooking oil

(based on how much omelettes you are making, adjust your onion and such to suit)

Method

1. Mix/whisk flour, water, flax, salt, turmeric, cumin, cumin, chili flakes, thyme/Italian seasoning in a large bowl and set aside.

2. Finely chop the onion, peppers, celery, greens. Finely grate the garlic and garlic.

3. In a frying pan with a dribble of oil, saute the pimento, onion, celery and ginger.  Spread them evenly around the pan, then scoop a 1/4 cup of batter and evenly cover the fried seasonings, making a circle.

NOTE: You are not using all of these fresh seasonings, as you will add a little or a generous amount of each to every omelette you make.

4. Allow to cook for about 10 minutes on a low heat before you flip. the top will seal over and the batter firm up. When you insert the spatula underneath, it should all stay together like a pancake, that's how you know for sure that it can flip. Give it time to brown nicely. After flipping, allow it another 5-10 minutes to brown on the other side.

Do this for each omelette.

I also fry up greens, eggplant, tomato, okra or chickpeas to go with the omelettes if doing brunch, or pair with a salad for breakfast.

Fulljoy!

Sis Ila Addis

Quinoa Black Bean Bites

 Greetings,

These Quinoa Black Bean bites are one of my favourite creations to pair with a salad. The recipe is quite simple, and so basic that you can get creative with it, adding your ground nuts and seeds and spices as you desire.

Ingredients

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa

1 large sweet potato (or you can use any potato)

1 cup cooked black beans (1/4 cup dried beans)

1/8 cup arrowroot/tapioca powder

salt, powdered turmeric, cumin and dried thyme/Italian seasoning for taste - try 1/2 tsp of each or just a few dashes.

Method

1. Cook quinoa (1/2 cup grain to 1 cup water, which can be seasoned with salt, turmeric and cumin as well). Also cook the black beans and sweet potato.

2. Mash the potato and black beans separately.

3. Combine the mashed potato and beans with the quinoa, arrowroot.tapioca and seasonings in a large bowl.

4. With a spoon, scoop off small bits of mush, roll into small balls. Place directly on a greased flat sheet,

5. Bake at low-medium heat until the balls get golden brown or develop a crispy exterior.

Allow to cool, store in an airtight container lined with paper towel. 

They also pair great with my besan quiche!

Hope you fulljoy these! With a dipping sauce they make the perfect appetizers if you are having friends and family over for a special celebration! Just insert toothpicks to serve! 

This is definitely one my womb-friendly recipes.

Blessed Love

Sis Ila Addis

Blender Blackbean Burgers

Greetings,

This blackbean burger recipe is one that I created recently because I was having trouble with them falling apart. Also I wanted a cheaper option rather than using potato and quinoa like in my older recipes posted here. This one I prefer and have had great success with them being light, tasty and firm (no falling apart). I eat these burgers in the morning with salad and quiche instead of with bread. But they are great on their own or with a nice dipping sauce of your choice. You can also make them into balls if you want an appetizer or to serve with pasta. I make them small like in the palm of my hand or big and flat. The shape or size is up to you!
Note that I use my food processor but I am sure a blender will work just fine.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup dry black beans + 1 tsp baking soda (you can use 2 cans if you wish)
1 small onion
1-2 pimento peppers
1 clove garlic or 1 tsp garlic powder (I use powder if I have it)
1/2 tsp pink salt
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp dried basil, thyme or Italian seasoning flakes
1/4 tsp paprika
1 spoon tomato paste
1 tbs cooking oil
1 tbs water
1/4 cup arrowroot flour or tapioca
1/8-1/4 cup flour (cornmeal works really well as it does not make the dough dry out, but if you don't use corn then use your preferred flour)

Method:

1. Add the baking soda to the dried black beans in a bowl, cover well with boiling water. Cover the bowl and allow to sit at least 1-2 hours.

2. Rinse the soaking water and then in a pot, boil fresh water. Add the beans and boil until they are soft.

3. Throw off the water and allow the beans to cool in a colander.
Or just empty and rinse the beans from the can.

4. Add all the ingredients except for the 1/8-1/4 cup of flour or cornmeal, to your machine and blend to a thick dough. I tend to chop the onion, garlic and pimento into small bits first before adding to blender.

5. Remove and place in a bowl. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let sit 1/2 hour to an hour so that the arrowroot flour will thicken the dough. This part is important.

All ingredients fully blended together make this paste.

6. Uncover and sprinkle the 1/8 cup of flour or cornmeal, turning into the dough with a spoon. Add the extra 1/8 cup if needed, as you start to form the burgers/patties, so that it won't be sticky, but it shouldn't be overly sticky.
The dough will stick to your palm as you keep rolling but it should not be a lot.
Makes 14 smallish burgers (size of palm of a small hand lol). It all depends on how big you make them. The number you get.
Place them on your baking sheet or pan which is pre-greased.

This picture, the onion and other fresh ingredients were not blended with the beans.

7. Bake at low-medium temperature 150-200 C for fifteen minutes on one side, then flip and bake another 5-10 on the other. However, once the underside is well browned I flip and place them back in the oven, then turn the oven off and allow them to completely cool in it.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge, lasts as long as you need them to! You can also freeze them if you need to, then toast them.

If you make them please drop me a comment below and let me know what you think! You can alter the seasonings per your taste. Tag me on Instagram @italpeople if you post a picture!
Be sure to follow my Ital With Ila board on Pinterest as well to keep up with when I post recipes. I also have an Ital People page on Pinterest but it needs updating!🙈 I will be sure to get on that and post the link.

Love and Health!
Ila

Cashew Cheeze in Block Form

Greetings,

Giving up cheese is always the hardest part of going vegan or ital. It is part of so many favourite dishes and often we backslide because of that. Over the years I have missed it in sandwiches, pizza and as a topping for salad. Thankfully the vegan community online discovered the Japanese gelling agent agar-agar which is an all natural plant-based gelling agent unlike gelatin which comes from pigs. So with agar you can make jellies and gummies and all kinds of desserts and now cheeze!

With this recipe you can make numerous small blocks of cheeze or one big block. It all depends on the size of the container or containers you use. Here are a few things to note:

*OIL YOUR CONTAINERS BEFORE YOU POUR!* I cannot stress this enough, as my first go-round, I forgot this vital part! The cheeze will NOT budge as an entire block if you forget!

*Make sure you have your containers oiled and ready to go BEFORE you mix in the melted agar as the cheeze thickens immediately once blended with the agar.

* I use the bottled kind for this recipe specifically as sometimes the lime/lemon can be too tangy which can affect the flavour you get, but you are free to use your fresh limes or lemons once they are properly ripe.

*Put all the salt if you want your cheeze to have flavour!

*Your blender MUST be able to properly blend nuts right down to a paste. I use my food processor which is ideal. A Vitamix will work as well.

*If you only have agar strands you will need a Nutribullet or a blender that has a milling blade or the flat blade, to make it into a grainy dust. You need to mill the strands as fine as possible, using a pulse method instead of just letting it blend at high speed, because the agar is so light that it just flies around without breaking down. So pulse the Nutribullet - slide  on and off a lot as that keeps the agar flakes to the bottom of the blender where the blade is. I hope this makes sense!

#Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups or a 200g pack raw unsalted cashew nuts (don't soak to retain the flavour)
You can also use 1 cup of cashews, but adjust the agar water to 1 cup as well.
1/3 cup water
5 tbs lemon/lime juice (4 tbs also works)
2 tbs coconut oil (I use Nariel brand which is slightly refined for cooking but still solidifies in cold temps. But I figure whatever cooking oil without a strong flavour can work)
2 1/2 tsp pink salt
1/4 cup nutritional yeast (you can omit it you don't use or have, I find it still tastes great!)
1 tsp garlic powder
(1/2-1 tbs chili flakes if you want a peppery cheeze)

Gelling Ingredients:

1 tbs agar powder to 1 cup water
OR for agar strands you need 1/4 cup of the milled strands and 1 1/4 cup water.
A small pot and spoon

Method:

1. Add all the #Ingredients to your food processor or blender and blend until a smooth paste is formed. The nuts should not be gritty any longer, though one or two grains may still be there. Stop and rest your machine as needed, and push down the paste from the sides as needed.

Leave the mixture in the blender while you prepare the agar.

2. In a small pot bring the 1 cup of water to boil and add your 1 tbs of agar. STIR CONTINUOUSLY until a thick gel forms.

OR if using the agar strands: pull apart strands and using a scissors clip them into fine pieces. Using the milling blade on your Nutribullet, mill them to as fine a dust as you can manage. This is important as it takes a while to form the gel and if the pieces are too big, they take forever to gel. Add tsp amounts of water if necessary as you keep stirring but remember not to add too much.

3. When the agar is properly melted, add it to the blender/processor. Blend until it is mixed into the cheeze. Pour IMMEDIATELY into greased container(s) and allow to cool properly. Slap the container on to the counter to make the cheeze settle properly.

4. Cover and store in the fridge to set for at least 5-6 hours, but I tend to leave mine until the morning.

You can simply scrape with a knife and spread onto your crackers or bread, or you can slice or even grate the cheeze. The more agar the firmer it will be but it will still be soft enough to spread.

My huge block lasted about 2 week in the fridge. When I make smaller blocks however, I found they should be consumed within 7-9 days.

I hope you like this one, it is certainly a favourite with every member of my family which is a huge success for me! I often have to police the poor cheeze or it will be devoured in no time! (It's expensive to make!)

Let me know how you make this recipe your own in a comment below or if you have tried it, leave a review! Tag me on Instagram so that I can see and share your creation @italpeople

Love!
Ila

Savoury Besan Crackers

Greetings,

Giving up wheat flour in the form of crackers and bread or wraps is hard! But I am determined to go gluten free this year and have therefore pulled back out my old besan flour recipes and have given them another go, revamping my crackers and wraps (the wrap recipe to come when next I make, so that I can take some pictures).

These crackers are perfect with the block cashew cheeze, or the walnut paste and with salad.

Ingredients

1 cup besan flour  (you can also blend different gluten free flours to make up a cup, but be mindful that millet flour has a bitter taste.)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp pink salt
1 tsp olive or coconut oil
3 tbs water (4 if necessary)
1 tsp chia and 1 tsp flax seeds
you can also add chili, basil or rosemary flakes to switch it up2 s
2 sheets of parchment/wax paper
a flat baking tray or pizza pan
butter knife or pizza roller
rolling pin

Method:

1. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

2. Add the oil and slowly add the water until a very thick dough forms. Knead the dough until it is soft and smooth. Sprinkle more flour into the bowl and coat the ball.

3. Tear out two sheets of wax paper. Make them long enough to cover your baking tray as the crackers will be lifted and placed onto the baking tray with the wax paper.

4. Sprinkle flour onto the bottom wax paper and then place the ball of dough, flatten the ball and coat with flour. Place the top sheet of wax paper and using rolling pin, flatten the dough.
This part will take a while, as you try to make the dough as flat and even as possible, about 1/8 thickness. I usually remove the top wax sheet after a while, sprinkle more flour on top and then roll again without the wax until it is as flat as possible.

5. Using a pizza cutter or bread knife or dinner knife slice the dough into the cracker shapes you wish. Be sure not to cut the wax paper underneath too!

6. Lift the wax paper onto the baking sheet. Place in the oven, top rack. The oven should be at 150-200 C. You don't want it to be too hot or they will burn quickly.

Bake for 10-15 minutes until the crackers are golden brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and allow to cool considerably.

7. Pull the crackers from the wax paper carefully.

8. Store in an airtight container or mason jar for proper freshness, when FULLY COOL. I keep mine on the counter top and they last about 5-6 days. You can toast lightly if they feel a little soft.

I hope you like this one. It's a Womb or period or fibroid -friendly meal as well because it lacks wheat.
Please leave a comment or review below when you try this! Let me know how you put your own spin on it! Tag me on Instagram so I can see your yummy crackers @italpeople.

Love
Ila

Eggless Besan Quiche

Greetings!

This recipe is one of my Sunday Prep meals along with my new Blender Blackbean Burger recipe, both eaten with a salad. My kingman and I are giving up bread so instead of eating with bread we substitute with a side salad of lettuce, tomato, cucumber and seeds (pumpkin, chia, hemp and sunflower).

I found the basics for this recipe on Pinterest, but I added a few powdered spices to give it more flavour as salt alone just simply will not do for a savoury flour like besan/garbanzo/chick pea!

Here are some tips I discovered over the last month or so making these weekly:

*Allow the batter to sit for a while, that allows the flax and besan to work on creating a thick batter, You don't want it to be too wet. The longer it rests the least likely it will not cook in the centre.

*A foil container to bake the quiche in works much better than regular tins which can cause the quiche to stick, but once you get the temperature right (low) sticking should not be a problem.

*Filling a pie dish with only a cup of the batter, or any dish beside a muffin tin will cook quickly and avoid the inside not cooking. The deeper the batter the longer it takes for the inside to cook.

*To store the finished quiche, line your air-tight container at the bottom with paper towel, then each layer of quiche with paper towel, and the top, because you want to absorb any moisture that will form in the fridge.

* You need 18 muffin holes or 3 muffin pans to make all muffins. I use 2 muffin pans and 1 pie pan or bread pan for the remaining batter which is about a cup of batter. Or I use 3 pie foil pans and 1 bread foil pan. I bake this one batch in multiple containers so that I have enough pieces to stretch from Monday to Friday.

*Oil the pans generously as the batter will stick easily as it cooks!


Ingredients

Batter:
1 3/4 cup besan/garbanzo flour
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried basil flakes
3/4 tsp pink salt
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1 flax egg (1 tbs flax meal and 3 tbs boiling water)
2 1/4 cup water

Veggies:

3/4 cup canned corn (optional but my daughter likes it and I am working on getting her into more vegan foods)
1 cup finely chopped bell pepper usually 1 big one or 2 smaller ones
1/2 a zucchini finely diced
2 leaves of greens finely chopped  (optional, i don't always include)
1/2 red onion finely chopped
chives finely chopped
1/2 finely grated carrot
*You can change your veggies as you desire but about 3/4 cup of each is good.

Oil for your baking pans *remember to coat them well*

Method:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: the besan flour, nutritional yeast, baking powder, salt, cumin, turmeric, garlic, basil, paprika and any other seasonings you use.

2. Mix the flax egg and let fluff up or turn gooey. With the whisk add it to the batter mixing it completely in, and ALLOW TO SIT WHILE you prepare the veggies.

4. Finely chop all your veggies and add them to the batter and whisk together again.

5. Oil your baking pans well. The spray oil can works best. Using a 1/4 cup measure, scoop the batter into each muffin hole. If using a pie or bread pan, use a 1 cup measure. Using the measuring cups REALLY help get the most out of your batter.

6. Bake on top rack at a low-medium heat, 150 C or 300 F. Bake for 30 minutes, 35 the most for muffins especially.
A toothpick inserted in the centre should not be wet but a bit of the quiche will be on it.

7. Remove from oven and allow the quiche to COMPLETELY COOL which will also thicken the centre properly.

8. Toast to reheat as necessary.

I really hope you fulljoy this recipe as I surely do and my family - minus my son who isn't a fan of the savory flavours. This one was a big win with my daughter who is a very picky eater and is transitioning from dairy in her diet (Our eating habits were always meatless but included dairy when she was born and younger so it has been a struggle to get her on board with our dairy-free livity over the years. And now that I am trying to go as gluten-free as possible that is a whole other fight! But don't sweat it if you have this issue too, as the older they get, the more they want to eat and they tend to try the alternatives willingly!)

If you try this recipe please leave a comment, even your variation! And if you post a picture on Instagram, tag me @italpeople.
 Also, if you have a recipe to share email italpeople@gmail.com and I will post.

Lentil Pie or Loaf and Shepherd's Pie

Greetings,

Today's recipe is my recent creation, and one that my entire family enjoys every week - which is a rare thing as my children, mostly my daughter, are very picky eaters.

I will be giving two recipes, one for the lentil base which can be a pie on its own, and the other for the shepherd's pie, which is really just the addition of ground provision on top of the lentil base.

Now for a big dish you can use 1.5 cups of lentils, for a small dish 1 cup. My big dish is oval at 14x10 inches wide and the small is 10x8 inches wide. They are both 2 inches deep.

Lentil Pie or Loaf

1 or 1.5 cups lentils (the brown kind)
1 small onion
1 pimento pepper (optional)
4 chives
2 garlic cloves
1.5 tbsp flax meal (ground flax seeds)
1/4 cup quinoa or chickpea flour (any flour you desire)
1/8 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp ground seasonings: turmeric, cumin
salt
tomato paste
cooking oil of choice
1/4 eggplant (optional, you can also use another vegetable like carrot)
baking dish large or small
colander/strainer


Method:

Soak the lentils in a dish for at least an hour so that they will take very little time to cook.
Cook them until they are soft. Remove from heat and throw into the strainer/colander with a bowl underneath to capture the water. Give it a stir or two to get the water out.

Finely dice the onion, pimento and chives (or celery as in my pic below, seasons are to your taste). Grate the garlic. Slice the eggplant into circles then cube each layer.

Transfer the strained lentils to a large mixing bowl, and using a fork, mash the lentils until it become mushy - do NOT mash ALL of the lentils, just mash enough to make it mushy which will help blend and hold together the ingredients.

Add the fresh and dried ingredients, salt, the flour, flax meal and nutritional yeast. Add one spoonful of tomato paste. Drizzle a little oil in. Take the water that you strained off, which would have settled, and pour off the top layer until you get a lentil sludge at the bottom of the bowl. Add this to the other ingredients and stir everything.

Grease the pan with a little oil and spread a 1 inch layer of lentils. Flatten with a spoon. Add some more tomato paste for the top layer and spread it all over evenly, then sprinkle more nutritional yeast.

Bake at a medium heat on top shelf for about 20-30 minutes. I don't usually go by a time, to be honest, I take out the pie when all around the edges are dark brown and have pulled away from the dish, that means the bottom is brown as well.

Allow to cool away from heat so that the pie will firm up.

If you allow it to cool all the way it will be quite firm and easy to cut and serve.

As a bonus, you can also grease a muffin tin and pack the lentil mixture into it to make separate servings. When I do the muffins I smash them and then put it in a sandwich with lettuce, tomato and cucumber.

Shepherd's Pie

Follow the same method for the lentil pie.
You will need potatoes or breadfruit, dasheen or yam for the top.

Make a mash potato (or other ground provision) with a little coconut milk, turmeric and salt and butter if you use it. After you spread the lentil base and tomato paste then spread the mashed potato same way. Then sprinkle with nutritional yeast again which replaces cheese.

Base same way, take out when the edges have darkened and pulled away from the dish.

Cool and then use a knife to carve out serving sized pieces.

This is guaranteed to be a recipe you make every week for the family! Perfect for Sunday.

Simple Sorghum Recipe

Greetings,

Today's recipe comes direct from Afrika, from the Ital Zambians, a group of Rastafari promoting Ital foods and culture in Zambia. Their focus is to build and strengthen the Zambian Ital Community through gardening, farming and preserving the knowledge and use of indigenous foods.
Anna, the communications specialist for Ital Zambians says it best:

"The Ital Zambians initiative was created by the Zambian RasTafarI community in an effort to create stronger links with Italists locally and globally. Our mission is unity.

Locally, I and I strive to take Zambian Italists out of their isolation and alienation by creating supportive networks where ones may easily access good food and good company.

Globally, I and I aim to share the beauty of Africa with world RasTafarI. We hope to shatter prejudices and erase the stigma cast on the motherland so that Africans in the Diaspora may have a clearer picture of the homeland. We also aim to facilitate visits and repatriations for those who are ready to return home.

Our goal is to serve the well-being of all African peoples locally and globally. 

Our deepest intention is to see all Africans prospering and self-actualising."


Ital Zambians is sharing their Simple Sorghum Recipe which is "perfect food for athletic people with active, outdoorsy lifestyles."

Step 1: Soak grains in water overnight

Step 2: Sprout grains in collandar

Step 3: Boil sprouted grains in water for 60-75 minutes, until soft.

Step 4: Serve with vegetables.

If you are able to purchase Sorghum in your area please do and give it a try! Tag us @italpeople and also @italzambians on Instagram and share your experience!

Give thanks to Anna and her community for sharing this with Ital People! I look forward to more recipes and pictures from Zambia. Rastafari around the world should definitely connect and share the works and livity.

Email me at italpeople@gmail.com to share your message and ital recipe!

Blessed love!
Ila Addis

Kickin Carrot Falafel

Greetings my fellow Italists!

Starting 2019 with a Kickin Carrot Falafel recipe donated by Sistren Mariah Grooms aka @blended_sol on Instagram → Make sure to follow her page for mouthwatering pictures that will inspire you to keep up the Ital Livity!

She has blessed us with this recipe from her E-Book which you can find on her website ILivity
She offers lots more so make sure and check out and support her Ital services on the site.

With the ginger and cayenne combined, trust me your taste buds will be kickin 😁

If you try the recipe out, please be sure to leave a comment and let us know how it went! Also tag @italpeople and @blended_sol in your posts on Instagram so we can repost your Kickin Carrot Falafel as well!

I hope more of you will donate recipes to the Ital People blog so we can really share our Ital creativity for the benefit of the collective!

💚💛💚

Ila Addis

Walnut Paste or Meat - Tuna Fish Substitute

Greetings!

I saw a few recipes online talking about "Taco Meat" using walnuts and it interested me. This recipe is not like the ones I saw because they included ingredients like sundried tomatoes and whatever else. I decided to just use my usual go to ingredients for practically everything I make and was pleasantly surprised by how DELICIOUS this nut meat (or paste) is!!!!!!!!! I love it combined with the flavours of cucumber, tomato and watercress especially.

Trust me, it's worth a try! It is now my favorite salad dressing or salad companion and tastes great with chickpea flatbread or tortillas or in a sandwich with homemade bean burgers/patties. Honestly because of the lime and red onion flavour boost, it tastes just like tunafish! I am serious - although it has been so long since I had tunafish that me saying so is pretty laughable. Still it even looks like it. So instead of making tuna sandwiches, whip up a batch of this walnut paste and fulljoy!

Now the key to this recipe is not to over-blend so that it is fine and grainy but not too chunky.  You can use a mini chopper like a mini blender, regular blender or the small cup of the Nutribullet. You want to pulse for a bit and not blend it too long.

You will need:

1 cup walnuts (soaked for a few hours)
1/8 cup water
1 small clove garlic or to reduce the strong garlic breath, use two dashes of garlic powder instead
1/4 a small red onion (white onion will not give the same flavor but it can be used)
1 leaf of chive (optional)
1 small lime juice extracted or at least 1 tbsp juice I estimate
2 pinches pink/sea salt
2 pinches dried cilantro leaves
2 pinches dried basil leaves
1 splash Braggs soy sauce (optional)
Drizzle (1.5 tsp) of cold pressed coconut oil (or oil of your choice)
1 dash of nutritional yeast  (1/2 tbsp) (optional but if you have it, use it)

To get the full seafood taste try adding a dash of Braggs kelp seasoning.

Method:

Grate the clove of garlic and chop the onion and chive into smaller bits to help blending. Also break up the walnuts into smaller pieces after draining water.
Combine everything in blender cup.
Pulse ingredients in mini food processor or blender until a fine grainy texture arises. If you have problems blending, stop and use a spoon to push it down. You can add a little tip of water as needed. you can decide how wet or dry you want it to be but ideally aim for the texture shown in the pictures.
The aim is to blend until everything is broken down into a paste.
Using the Nutribullet blend until it stops moving, remove, shake everything to the bottom and blend again two more times and that should be fine.
Store in a glass jar and consume within a week.
The more lime and onion the nicer the flavor. Be careful not to add too much salt because it will take over the flavour of everything with the lime!

It's a great addition for those who are seeking to eat more raw meals daily. Try the salad!

2 tomatoes
1 cucumber
2 leaves of greens like kale or pakchoi
1/2 bell pepper
parsley
pumpkin or hemp seeds
2 dollops of walnut paste
olives

If you want to make the cucumber sandwiches as shown below, just slice some cucumbers into long thick slices, slice some tomatoes into circles and add a few sprigs of watercress. Spread the walnut paste onto the cucumber then layer with tomato and watercress.
Yumm! Ital goodness.

For breakfast for my kingman I make a sandwich with the walnut paste, a chickpea patty, tomato or cucumber. He loves it as do I. Our yutes love it on crackers.

Please tag me on Instagram @italpeople so I can share your pictures if you try this versatile delicious, recipe.

*Recipe updated 1/8/20*

Health and Wealth
RasTafari Live
Sis. Ila Addis

Falafel or Veggie Nuggets Recipe

These “falafel” can probably better pass as vegan “chikn nuggets” or veggie nuggets - I'm not really sure what they should be called :p - But they are delicious none the less! I especially find them more enjoyable on the second day, lightly toasted. I enjoyed them with oven baked vegetables and sauteed sweet potato slices.
The recipe I came up with is very simple and won't take up too much time in the kitchen.

You will need:

2 cups chick peas
2 large leaves shadon beni (optional if you have it)
1 small onion
3 cloves garlic
2 pimento pepper or other
6 chive greens
1 bunch parsley
1 cup chickpea flour
Salt, ground turmeric, cumin, paprika etc

Method:

Blend shadon beni, onion, garlic, pepper, chives, parlsey and place in a bowl.

Blend the cooked chick peas with no liquid.

Place in bowl with seasonings, flour, salt, turmeric and cumin etc. Mix well.

Form into small balls and flatten and round edges.

Fry on both sides in oil. I personally don't like fried food besides the occasional plantain, but I knew the effect would be lost if I baked these. However, baking is worth a shot and I will try it next time to compare flavor.

Makes 12!


Tell me what you think if you try it!

Ila Addis

Vegetable Rice Noodles One-Pot

This recipe started out as a soup but once everything cooled – which is a must when eating soup because that’s when the flavors appear – the liquid disappears leaving a sauce. The rice noodles basically soak it all up. But never mind, it’s still pretty delicious and with slices of avocado, it’s pure heaven! The flavours of ginger and rosemary carry it to a whole other level and make it so enjoyable!

Ingredients

Pack of rice noodles – use half.
1 small red onion
1 big pimento or other pepper
3 cloves garlic
2 leaves of shadon beni/culantro
1 thumb ginger
Sprig of fresh rosemary
Sea or pink salt
Powdered cumin, turmeric, Italian seasoning, dried or fresh basil, paprika
Nutritional yeast
Powdered coconut mylk or liquid
Tomato paste
½ cup canned corn
Half 1 big carrot
Half 1 big chocho or christophene
1 cup of shredded cabbage
3 florets of broccoli
1 tomato



Method:

Because this is an Asian-inspired dish make sure to slice everything in long lines.

Cut the onion in half and slice making little half circle strips. Slice the pepper in thin circles. Also slice the shadon beni in lines across. Grate the ginger and garlic using the big holes. Cut the tomato into small cubes.

Put these seasonings in the pot and throw in some oil – sesame or regular cooking coconut oil would be fine.

Prepare the vegetables by peeling and washing them. Slice the chocho, carrot and cabbage in a way to make long lines of the vegetables. Cut the broccoli into small pieces as well.

Heat the seasonings and oil and sautee them for a minute before adding water. Then add the salt, powdered cumin, paprika, turmeric, Italian seasoning and dried basil – or any other seasonings you like. This forms the base.

When boiling add the rice noodles and allow stir in, then drop in the vegetables. Allow to cook for five minutes and add a few dashes of nutritional yeast, powdered coconut mylk (about 1/8th cup if using liquid) and a spoon of tomato paste. Also pick the needles off your fresh rosemary and drop them in.

Allow another few minutes of cooking, cover and allow to cool. I took the cover off of mine to allow it to cool as I usually do with my soups and this is probably why the water dried out, so maybe only put the cover on part ways to preserve your liquid if you wish to have it more as a soup.

I hope you enjoy this as much as we did – one pot meals are a favourite in my kitchen so this was definitely a win!

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