Gluten – Friend of Foe?

I was thinking recently how much is too much. I am following mostly gluten free diet most of time. My intolerance test showed that my gluten intolerance only 1 point out of 3 point scale. Is it high or low? And lately i decided to keep mostly wheat free diet then gluten free. I figured that i might start introducing organic barely and rye into my diet – like maybe will start of once a week and see how it feels.

As for now – there is some pretty interesting read on “Gluten” . As for myself now, i am sure of one thing – non organic wheat is bad. It is being homogenized and modified for mass production and definitely lost many of whole grain qualities, but gains dozen of pesticides.

I sure feel much better without gluten – i wake up fresh and get less tired during the day. My abs flatter without it and my digestion greatly improved. Now is the time to experiment – will i be feeling as good with some of above grains included in my diet or my intolerance is to all gluten product other then only wheat.

Some recent Gluten Free Meals of the day:

Buckwheat Pancakes from “Organ” Ready Mix 

Buckwheat Pancakes

Ingredients:

1 Package “Organ” Pancake Mix

3 Organic Eggs (Or substitute)

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup Rice Milk

Baked on the pan sprinkled with Organic Coconut Oil.

My Lunch was – Zinc and Vitamin B6 loaded.

Baked Eggs with Spinach

Baked Eggs - My Favorite Lately

Ingredients:

3 Organic Free Range Eggs

250 gr. frozen spinach, unthawed

Goat Gaude Cheese

1 Goat Labneh Ball

1/4 red onion

1 garlic clove

1. Preheat oven to 200 C. Sweat choped onions and crashed garlic in olive oil for 2 minutes.

2. Add spinach and stir fry till spinach welts – 3 minutes

3. Turn off the heat, mix in 1 goat labneh ball. Spread spinach mixture over baking dish.

5. Whisk eggs with salt, pepper and oregano. Pour eggs mixture over spinach.

6. Sprinkle some goat gaud a on top and bake for 20 minutes.

7. I also added some Organic Salsa on top =) really loving it.

Saaaaalsa! mmmmm......

Post lunch snack aka My Mother-In-Law’ s favorite “diet” dessert

Pomegranate and Banana Mix

Pom. Banana. Yammmmm!

Method of preparation: Just mix hit up! =) And indulge!… Will give you a boost prior to work out too – full of antioxidants, vitamin C and Potassium.

It was the day -) all of the above, plus some apples and some dinner eats as feel – which were not pictures, but were definitely gluten and sugar free 😉

Some cakes posts are coming up next =)

Hidden Gems

Hi,

How is it going. I hope that everybody are healthy an in the good mood =)

My mood is just great – i wake up happy to see the Sun, I spend all day laughing and joking and fall a sleep with a smile on my face looking back to the beautiful day behind. It is a lovely lovely feeling…  

Today i woke up and had few pieces of Fresh Papaya, made beautiful Breakfast Cocktail for Mr. R – his favorite combo – banana and milk and through in there few frozen bluberries, pear and papaya. He loves his shake in the morning – what makes it even easier for me to make him a breakfast 😉

I packed my overnight Cookie Dough Cereal with me to yoga – i always have proper breakfast after the class – it keeps me going till lunch. I was running a little late and was really hoping to make it in time. It is really impolite to be late for yoga and miss breathing and then disturb the others with voice of placing your mat etc.. But hey, petrol light in my car went on right after leaving the house. “it always happens in the worthiest time possible – i thought, blaming myself for not filling it up the day before. I took another root to Fitness Center and hoped not gas station just to find out that i left my wallet at home. So – here i realized that i am not making it for yoga. I turned around and came back home. But hey, determination is the key! I searched the schedules for other close-by Yoga Centers and – going to try new Yoga Class at Zen Yoga! (which i would definitely not have time to try if situation would not be same).

So, with  a right attitude even the bad things turn to  a Good Luck =) Way to go !

Other then this would like to share my recent eats –

Baked Egg and Buckwheat

(good recipe to sneak in some super foods into the plate of Mr. R, since he is not a fan of those 😉 

Our Quick Lunch

I adapted this recipe from The Healthy Foodie with a very slight modification and adjustments suitable for my food preferences.

1/2 cup of Buckwheat Groats (not toasted)

2 Tbsp Amaranth

1 Tbsp Chia Seeds (yey – it was sneaked in to his plate)

2 cups of water

1/4 tsp salt

Wash and drain grains. Bring salty water to boil, add all dry ingredients and bring to boil. Stir, reduce heat to low and cook for 15-18 minutes.

1/2 medium red onion

1 Tbs Olive Oil

1-2 Tbsp Pine seeds

Salt and Pepper

Cook over medium heat until translucent.

Add:

250 gr spinach

And stir for 1-2 minutes until done.

Remove from heat and

Mix in for HIM: 2 Tbsp Labneh, 1 Tbsp Cheddar cheese

Mr.R's plate

Mix in for Myself: 1 Tbsp of Goat Labneh (i used i ball of Lebanese Goat Labneh from Goodies)

Divide buckwheat mixture between two oven proof dishes. Place spinach and cheeses on top. Make a well in the center of each plate and crack the egg in this little well. Season with salt and pepper. And bake in the preheated to 190 C oven for 15 minutes or until egg is set.

Layers of Foodgasmzzzz =)

He loved it =) Which i think is achievement considering the Hidden Gems in there – Chia Seeds

Egg was a bit gooey and made it all come together nicely

Off to yoga now =) and then shoes shopping at Dubai Mall.

 

I still have some picses to share from Photography workshop with Fellow Foodies – so promise to make it up in the next Post.

 

Happy,

 

Elena

 

 

 

 

 

When Millet meets Amaranth

Hello friends, how are you doing all this time?

We had a crazy holidays week in Dubai – Eid Al Adha celebration – end of Ramadan Holidays. It was really crazy in here. Mall were overly crowded and we went for a movie the other day and spent altogether 5 hours – just to reach mall’s valley parking and then to exit to highway. Most of Dubai and other emirates residents and travelers from other GCC Countries were just raving about shopping and lunching and dining and just simply mall walking, i guess.

The rest of days we just chilled, chilled and chilled with a warm cup of tea or sometimes something hotter 😉  We lazied around, watched a lot of movies at home and played PS3/iPad games.

I was still managing to go to yoga every single morning and really enjoyed quit gym (which happens only holidays). Why people always assume that weekends and holidays should be excluded rom fitness routine? It takes only an hour a day! So DO it!

I also greatly enjoyed wall climbing with dubai blogger Anjia  at new Venue in Mirdiff City Centre called Walltopia. It was my first ever Wall Climbing experience and i totally loved it. It really different type of work out – it is something other then dancing what i really enjoyed. Hope to do it more often though – nice break from gym.

Here is some recent eats – in order to alkaline my body’s PH balance i am greatly concentrating on alkalizing foods. So the breakfast is totally down to it.

Millet and Amaranth Porridge (Credo – can’t sweeten it – spice it up ) 

Can't sweeten it - Spice it up!!

Serves 2.

1,5 cups water

1/2 cups millet and amaranth 3:1 ratio

1/2 tsp cinammon

cardamom

all spice

nutmeg

Bring to boil, cover with a lid, reduce heat and let it simmer for 15 minutes.

Add:

1/2 unsweetened Almond Milk (but Amaranth milk will be good too)

1/3 cup of dry Goji Berries and Mulberries

1 Tbs of Shelled Hemp Seeds

Cover and simmer for another 5 minutes.

Before serving i mixed in 2 Tbsp of milled Flax Seeds, drizzle of Yacon Syrup and teaspoon of Cashew Butter.

I enjoyed it with Carob-Chicory Mocchachino

Cappa "Mocha chino"

1 tsp of ground Chicory (Chicory mixtures help detoxify the body and regulate metabolism)

1 tsp of Carob Powder (My Favorite “Cocoa”)

Stevia

1/4 cup of boiling water

MIx together.

Add 1/2 cup of warm foamy unsweetened Almond Milk (i use my Nespresso Cappuccino maker for it)

Heading to the Food Photography Work Shop – so exited that can learn how to photograph properly and edit pictures, since being rally silly and posting just on-the-go pictures all the time.

Best,

Elena

Breath Away

How often do we think about our breathing? It comes naturally, right. So why to to worry about. We don’t breath – means we don’t live. But when we do breath, do we do it in any specific manner? Have you ever try to observe your breath other then at yoga class? never did, until i discovered the benefits of it.
It is known fact, that breath is fully connected to the level of stress in you body. Same as you can limit stress at yoga practice, you can limit it it during day-to-dayy life, simply, by observing your breath. Is my breath short or long, deep or shallow, fast or slow. Have yo ever notice, that when you get angry or stressed you heart start racing and breath becomes short and shallow? Or when you scared, it slows down?
Yoga practice brings us into control of our breathing through Pranayam techniques and teaches us to reduce stress through Meditation. On the Yoga Journal Website both of them described widely.

Both of those yogic techniques are great to learn and use, but how often do you get an opportunity in real life to take a moment by yourself to meditate? Me – never, sad to admit, but other then short Khapallabhati Pranayama before morning Sun Sun Salutation or Mriji Mudra in the evening i have not progressed.

My yoga teacher thought us, and i follow it now and see the benefit – PAY ATTENTION to YOUR BREATHING. When you feel overwhelmed, stressed or even angry – just pay attention to your breathing. this is what i do:

1. I seat down keeping straight spine (on a chair, couch or anything beside me), relax my shoulders and do not cross either my legs or my arms (trying to open my palms so they can face up and be open to the energy of universe). I silent my mind by concentrating on my breath.

2. When i feel that i am in full attention of it, i start slowing it down: breathing in to the count of 3 and breathing to the count of 3. Then slowly increase the number of second i breath in up to 6 or 8 counts. Then reverse it and increase breathing out time, keeping breath in as short as 3 or 4 counts. Every breath you take – make sure to make it deep and expand all your diaphragm and rib cage – fell that cold air enters your nostrils, filling up you abdomen (abdomen rises), filling up your diaphragm (it expands), filing up your ribcage and your chest. Breeth out slowly, feeling how warm air leaving your internal organs all negative energy is leaving your body.

3. And i do not thing about anything else at that moment, other then my breath. But what can be more important than that? You are breathing – meaning you are alive.

The great part about this technique is that you can do it at any given time and it will require just a few minutes. After that you breath will become very even and you will notice that even after breathing without much attention to it, you will breath deeply and slowly.

Pay attention to your breathing even without stress situation, and it will help you no to get there at all.

Recent Eats
I started my day with “Mighty Cereal” Bawl with fresh figs and then had early lunch (3 horse before my yoga practice).

Big one-plate meal consisted of left over red rice and baked vegetables. And I added some sprouted beans and boiled chickpeas on top for extra protein and fiber. Sprinkled it with turmeric powder, hemp seeds and sea salt. Foodgasmic!

Later I snacked on this,
Chia Seed Carob Cookies

Recipe adapted from Pure2Raw blog but slightly modified in order to reduce sugar content.

Recipe:

3/4 c gluten-free baking flour blend
3 T carob powder (I did not opt for cocoa since I was tested with intolerance to coca beans and trying to avoid it in any for)
1/2 t gluten-free baking powder
1 t cardamom
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t salt
3 T chia seeds
3 T pumpkin pure (Twins used 2 T of applesauce, but I had home made pumpkin pure and increased amount of it, since reduce the sugar)
2 T virgin coconut oil, liquid
Seeds scraped down from 1/4 vanilla bean (since I cannot find gluten free vanilla essence in Dubai, I am using fresh beans)
1 tsp of powdered stevia
3 T water
1 T Raw Blue Agave

Makes: 11-12 cookies

Place all dry ingredients into big bawl. Add all liquid ingredients and mix. Lastly add coconut oil and stir well to combine. Add 1 T of water more if the dough is too crumbly (depending on the baking mix you used and sugar reduction it might require a bit more water)
Scoop the dough onto a cookie sheet lined with baking paper and freeze for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 170 C.
Place chilled cookies into warm oven and bake for 12-15 minutes.

Indulge!

Breath and relax,

Elena

Lazy Weekend Meals

So, weekend is over in Dubai! How was yours?

We finally watched “X-men First Class” and totally loved it! Such a treat for fans.
Then we hanged around the mall and had a a very pleasant dinner with family after all.

Mr.R was overly occupied with his new game and I was happily spending my time at the kitchen, enjoying it after a few days break because of the finger healing process.

Miso Glazed Salmon with Red Rice and Baked Vegetables

Baked vegetables:
I chopped a lot of different Low Glycemic vegetables (avoiding potato of course): baby zucchinis, red cabbage, white cabbage, carrot, celery, broccoli, red onion, baby eggplant. In small sauce pan added 1/3 cup of olive oil and placed pot on medium fire. Added 4 minced garlic cloves and fried it until just fragrant, removed from fire and let it stand for 20 mins to absorb more flares into oil. Chopped fresh basil leaves and fresh rosemary leaves, mixed it with oil too. Seasoned with salt and pepper. Poured oil dressing over chopped vegetables and mixed to coat evenly. Baked in preheated to 220 C oven for 40 minutes, mixing once.

Red rice from Organic supermarket has an amazing nutty taste which is so pretty different to the regular brown rice variety. But it requires much longer cooking time. I washed and drained 1 cup of red rice and 1/2 cup of brown rice (to make it more colorful). Added rice to 4 cups salted boiling water, covered with a lid so no steam can escape, reduced heat to minimum and left it for 40 minutes on the stove, without opening or stirring. After that, removed from heat, opened it, fluffed it with a spatula and covered again. Let it rest for 15 mins, while was preparing salmon.

Miso Glazed Salmon was a bit of a down part of the dish – since it was my first ever experiment with miso dressing (other then mKing miso soup). But still was pretty eatable -)) I mixed 1 tbsp of Organic Brown Rice miso paste (did not have white miso paste a hugely regretted it after tasting – it must be with white paste – it would be milder) with 1 tsp of Gluten Free Organic Soy Sauce, 1 tbsp of fresh minced ginger and 1 tsp of sesame oil, added just a small drizzle of Raw Organic Blue Agave And mixed it all very well. Marinated salmon for 30 minutes in this mixture and then baked under broiler at 220 C for 4 minutes on each side. It was ok, but next time will make the paste milder and use White Miso. Will be experimenting with it, so Improved versions will be coming soon -))

 

 

Saturday morning went to Yoga after 2 days break and felt great! Did powered up Sun Salutation and really worked on those abs and core, which always make me break into sweat and loving it more an more. My favorite pose for core straightening is Full Boat Pose (Paripurna Navasana)

Through this pose in the middle part of our practice and hold it for at least 30 seconds, repeat twice and you will feel your abs burning.

Tomorrow will be new yoga mat shopping – yey! Can’t wait to finally have my Manduka Eco Light Mat in cherry color.

Cheers,

Elena

Pumpkin pie for breakfast?

I still remember that time when I used to have a chocolate croissant and coffee for breakfast. I was starving by lunch time after that. It never really filled me up. Now my breakfasts are different – they are high in protein, gluten free and very different every day. But the most important thing is that they fill me up – it is like a fuel which you put in the car and which keep your car going till the next “gas station” on full speed and not just dragging there.
I have variety of grains for breakfast like those described in so many other my posts

Mix of wholegrain brown rice, corn, sorghum and buckwheat. 1/4 cup of uncooked cereal contains 4 g of dietary fiber and 4 g of protein. I buy them from Organic Supermarket of course. they are so cooled in my blog as Mighty Cereal – just love them.

Also I had a Big Day for organizing kitchen cupboards yesterday and I realized that I have a whole huge packet of Garbanzo and Fava Beans Flour. Hmm… Just thinking now what shall I use it for… Other then Socca of course.

There is still some few items I got recently from – what a surprise a LuLu hypermarket in Barsha – Lucuma Powder and Hemp Seeds. Both of this items I wanted to get for a long time and could not find them anywhere in Dubai. So how surprised I was to find them in LuLu?!?

New addition to the family of Super Foods in my pantry:

More about Lukuma . It has a sweet taste, great for avocado ice cream and rich in B vitamins.
More on Hemp Seeds hemp seeds reach in Omega 3, Omega 6; packed with essential amino acids, easy to digest; gluten free and cholesterol free. Just one word – super foods! Great to kiss in to cerela or sprinkle over the salads.

And down the line, my today’s breakfast – Famous Fro-Yo. All healthy goodies all over the world love it and having it hundred different ways! Mine is always different, but today is Pumpkin Pie Fro-Yo

Fro Yo is basically a mix of cold yogurt with protein powder and thinned out with a splash of milk or milk alternative of your choice. Today I mixed goat yogurt with 1/2 portion of Raw Organic Brown Rice Protein Powder, added 1 tbsp of almond butter, 2 tbsp of sesame seeds paste and thinned it out with goat milk. To make into pumpkin pie – just added 2 tbsp of home made pumpkin pure, 1 tsp of chia seeds (for omegas) and spiced it up with Pumpkin Spice Mix. I topped it up with some dry mulberries and dash of Yakon Syrup.

Tastes just like Pumpkin pie filling or the frozen yogurt with pumpkin pie flavor but way healthier! And of course sugar free and gluten free -)

Hope you also have healthy breakfast on the Weekend day.
I am of to make egg tacos for late breakfast for Mr.R – who’s weekend breakfast always merged with my lunch -))) ahhh… The kNight and Day story continues -)))

Have a great weekend,

Elena

Sick leave

I cut my finger filly bad recently. Was rushing to separate slices of frozen corn bread for snack and the knife went right through my finger. The cut was really dip and doctor even recommended to stitch it. I preferred to let it heal naturally though and just being very careful with it now.
Down line: no rush when you have a knife in your hand.
Since I am cut of of cooking for a couple of days – keeping it simple and nutritional.

Mighty Cereal Breakfast – my fav lately – mix of organic brown rice, millet and corn.

I boil little less then 1/2 cup of this cereal in 1,5 cups of water for 10 minutes, add 2 tbsp of sesame seeds paste, Raw Organic Protein, and mix in the following: chia seeds or hemp seeds for omegas, goji berries or other berries for antioxidant, Lucuma or Maca or Yacon syrup or stevia powder for sweetness. That is all all tastes very good, plenty of whole grains and protein.

For lunch I made Salmon with spicy Lentil salad.

Seasoned salmon – 200 gr. Fillet – with salt and pepper and some turmeric. Grilled in the oven for 15 minutes. Boiled French lentils for 20 minutes, added chopped red onion and coriander. Dressed it with lemon-walnut oil and Garam Masala dressing.
Really good lunch and really great for one person.

Fr dinner we headed to the Mexican Restaurant on Jumeirah and I was hugely disappointed to discover that they have not prepared Tamale for that day, so we ended up sharing beef corn taco with guacamole and salsa. I even purchased some of their home made corn tortillas and brought them home with me for a quick fix later.

I miss yoga and did simple stretches and few poses just to keep my muscles stretched, sincei and not going for the classes lately (no to put any pressure on the cut finger).

Hope everyone is healthy,

Elena.

Moroccan Harira

To continue my post on ramadan – recipe of Moroccan Harira. I adjusted it to my diet preferences. For example, some cooks adding noodles to it – I could not do that since they r not gluten free, so I opted for only rice. And I. The end soup most of the time being thickened by flour – I could substitute it for some gluten free starches but decided to fully omit it since the soup boils on the stove for a couple of hours – the stock becomes really thick by itself.

I cook it in 6 quart pressure cooker to speed up the process, but also can be done without with extended time.

Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil and 1 tbsp of butter in the pressure cooker. Add 300 gr of lamb (pieces and bones) and brown the meat all over.
In meantime in food processor mice 1 kg seeded and skinned tomatoes with 1-2 celery sticks (optional but give nice flavor to the stock) and 1 medium onion. Add this mixture to meat. Finely chop parsley and coriander to make 1 cup in total. Add to soup. Add pre soaked over night chickpeas – approximately 1,5 cups and add 3 cups of water. Season with 1 tbsp of salt, and 1/2 tsp of white pepper and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Now, add the res of the spices: 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp saffron threads, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp Moroccan coloring (not available in UAE as long as I know, so if you dod not have it just increase turmeric to 1 tsp.), 1/2 tsp of paprika. Also you can add some dried chilly if you like it spicy – I don’t – since it is Iftar meal is best to keep it not spicy.
Mix all of it, close the lid of pressure cooker and bring to maximum temperature, reduce the heat and cook for 40 minutes. Remove from heat, let the pressure drop, open lid and keep it simmering on law heat. Mix 3 tbsp of tomato paste with water and 2 tbsp of lemon juice and add to soup. Add 1/4 cup of brown lentils and add water to come to the maximum possible of pressure cooker. Let simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes or cook under pressure for 15 minutes. when lentils almost done – add 2 tbsp of white rice and cook for 15 minutes until rice is done. Make sure not to overcook your soup – lentils should be always in soup – it should not reach the point of mashy texture.
Serve Harira with a lemon wedge on the side and fresh bread – like “Msamen” or any other fresh bread.

Sahten!

Elena

Ramadan Kareem – Ramadan Generous, in deed!

There is just something in Moroccan dishes what hugely attracts my appetite. The spices, the combination of sweet and spicy, which creates this irresistible flavor.
I discovered for myself Moroccan cousin at it’s very best last year during Ramadan. That time I was going to the house of one woman, very good friend of my in-laws. This woman (I will redder to her as A.) has a very big heart and every Ramadan she is making her cooks to prepare fresh daily meals and give it to poor.
It was amazing experience for me to be part of it!
Every day there was a full on cooking happening in her kitchen. The cooks and servants (who were also fasting) were waking up early and starting cooking up to Iftar. Daily meals included:

Freshly made from the scratch Moroccan Harira – hearty soup with chickpeas, lentils and lamb. Huge three pans were steaming on the specially installed stoves from early morning:

Moroccan bread “Msammen” – was also prepared fresh on daily basis

from this amount of dough:

And that was not all! There was also Moroccan Pancakes made of semolina and served with warm butter and honey mixture:

Before every single Iftar poor people were gathering close to the gates and waiting for their tern to get a set of those three course meals. Majority of those poor people do not have meat ever since it is too expensive to afford.
In meanwhile we were putting in plastic containers servings of bread and pancakes and pouring steaming hot Harira with pieces of best quality farmed lamb into their thermoses. By the beginning of evening prayer – all the food would be gone and then finally the cooks could rest and have their Iftar and rest a bit, since the same cooking pattern would begin the next morning.

It was an amazing experience and this is all what real Ramadan meaning is.
Ramadan Kareem!

Socca Al-Arabia and a little more

Hello,

How is the week going? Mine is full of cooking so far. I made beautiful lunch the other day – all what my cravings were asking for. Thinking of the post of a fellow blogger regarding cravings i decided to incorporate all of them and at one in a wholesome protein rich food and as a package gluten free.

While sun is shining in Dubai, you do not really feel eating heavy loaded meals. We do not require here heavy loaded meals to keep our bodies warm, like some people need in northern countries. But our bodies still require good dose of protein and healthy fats to be injected regular. So here is the challenge comes to place – how to create protein reach food omitting huge amounts of meat or protein powders (even though my relationship with protein powder is beyond believe – do not feel that breakfast can be more fulfilling without it). But, even though – natural sources are all there too, so why not to stock up from your nearest grocery and make it into meal!

I was running late that day. After yoga I had to go for a quick grocery sopping and reached home by around 1 pm. Lunch had to be done in minutes.

Here is the 1 Hour – 3 Course – Wholesome Meal:

Salad- Sprouted Beans Salad (adapted from http://sumanjsingh.wordpress.com/ )

I diced carrot, tomato, onion and cucumber, mixed with mixed sprouted beans and chopped coriander and parsley. Mixed 1 Tbsp of olive oil and juice of 1 lemon, seasoned it with Garam Masala and pureed over the salad, mixed it well and let it stand in the fridge while was preparing the rest of the dishes.

Starter – Chicken Livers in Pomegranate Molases (typical arabic “Mezze”)

I soaked chicken liver (about 250 gr) in room temperature water for 1/2 hour. Then dried it up with paper towel and kept aside. Chopped onions into quarter rings. Heated some olive oil in the pan and dried them for 4 minutes on law heat so they will just become very soft and transparent. Added 1 minced clove of garlic and chicken livers. Stir died on low heat until livers became very pale and cooked through. Discarded extra fat and oil from the pan and return to fire. Added 2 Tbsp of Pomegranate Molasses, 1 Tbsp of lemon juice and 1/4-1/2 cups of water. Made it come to light simmer and waited till sauce got thicker up to our liking. Removed from fire and covered with foil to keep it warm.

Main – Socca (“Farinata”) Al-Arabia

I discovered this lovely gluten free bread like goodness via website of two beautiful twins, girls who became one of my inspirations to change my lifestyle and eat healthy – this is their website Pure2Raw and all about Socca. Now there is a story of my relationship with Socca.

I made it first time 6 month ago during my annual vacation in Russia. That time i was not so much into healthy eating habits and did not know how easy it is to find Chickpea flour in Dubai. So, back in Russia, i suddenly found Green Pea Flour and was happy to give it a try. It was delicious even though completely not authentic. With time passed I found out that chickpea flour is sold in every grocery in dubai and called “Gram Flour” – so it was my pleasure to follow authentic recipe. i also found out there are millions of way to top it too 😉 so i got creative and felt like i just had to make it with Arabic Twist – it really is reminding me of taste of “Falafel” but just does not take such an effort of making it 😉

I mixed 1 cup of Garbazo Bean Flour with 1 cup of water and 1/8 tsp of salt, 1 tsp (or more) of ground cumin and Arabic Twist #1 – 1/2 tsp of “Baharat” (arabic All-Spice Mix) in the morning before yoga and kept it at room temperature. When i came back i checked the dough and added just 1 or 2 Tbsp of water more to thin it out. Preheated oven to 200 C. Added 4 Tbsp of Olive oil into 10 inch round pie pan (yeah, it is a shame, but i do not have that fancy cast iron pans). Sprinkled fresh rosemary leaves on top of the oil and placed it in the oven for 5 mins till oil becomes bubbly but not smoking. Took it out and pour the batter evenly spreading it around the pan. Returned back to oven and baked for 20-30 minutes, until it became nicely browned with crispy edges.

Took it out from the pan and cut in to portions.

Now the Arabic Twist # 2 – this is very popular sauce saved with Falafel, fish or Kofta Dishes! Mixed 2 tsp of Tahineh with 2 Tbsp of lemon juice (i like it zesty 😉 and added some water to thin it out. Spread evenly on top of my socca.

Diced some Tomatoes and placed them on top.

And, Arabic Twist #3 – sprinkled some Sumac (Arab’s fave – zesty spice added to salads, onions, spinach and on top of Tomato slices).

It was so good, so light, so wholesome and completely Sugar Free and Gluten Free! Is in’t it perfect combination?

So here it was – lunch of three dishes, ready in just one hour and all under the dietary guidelines. and so tasty too!

Tasted and approved by Mr. R (not big fan of healthy eating, i would tell you)

Hope you will try it out at home and enjoy it as much as We Did.

Feeling like short in time to cook too? What are your quick fix lunch ideas?