Sorry if you came here expecting cake this morning. You will be disappointed if you did, but maybe not because what I am sharing is just as delicious as cake, except in a different way.
My sister Cindy has a blog called Flat Belly Files (Real Food for Real People) which I really wish that she would keep up. A proponent of healthy eating, it is filled with loads of great nutritional facts, recipes and ideas. She hasn't updated it in a while unfortunately.
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This is a tasty and delicious recipe that I got from my sister. She has it on her blog. Its really tasty and whilst it might look complicated, it really isn't. I know its not really pretty, but don't let that put you off!
Its one of the tastiest salads going and it is filled with loads of fiber and protein. You can make up a batch of this and keep it in the refrigerator and you are good for lunch for a few days. The original recipe makes four to five servings. I down-sized it to make only two to three servings.
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It is filled with plenty of crisp fresh vegetables and meaty flavor-filled lentils. There is plenty of bulgur in this which is traditional to Tabouleh as well, plus lots of herbs and a fresh lemony dressing.
Everything is natural. There is nothing so far out of the ordinary as to be unobtainable, plus it is quite simply healthy, tasty good nutritious eating.
It also makes a perfectly portable delicious lunch for those of you who are on the go!
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WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE LEMONY LENTIL TABOULEH
Simple fresh and store cupboard ingredients. It looks like a lot, but that is because there are three main components to the recipe as well as a dressing.
For the bulgur:
- 1/2 cup (95g) bulgur
- 1/2 cup (120ml boiling water
- 1/4 tsp salt
For the lentils:
- 1/2 cup (95g) dried green lentils
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and bruised
- 2 small bay leaves, broken
- 1 1/2 cups (360ml) water
You will also need:
- 1/2 stalk celery, trimmed and finely chopped
- 1/4 green pepper, trimmed and finely chopped
- 1/4 red pepper, trimmed and finely chopped
- 1/4 red onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 1/4 cup (small handful) finely chopped fresh parsley
- 2 TBS chopped fresh mint
- 2 TBS chopped fresh dill
- 1/4 cup (60g) crumbled feta cheese
For the dressing:
- 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
- the juice of half a lemon
- salt and black pepper to taste
.JPG "Lemony Lentil Tabouleh")
Bulgur wheat is a low calorie whole grain that provides various nutrients and is an especially good source of manganese, magnesium, iron, protein, and fiber. For some reason it is not that easy to procure here where I live. I found mine on Amazon.
I use Bob's Red Mill Whole Grain Red Bulgur. Its non GMO. I also used President's Choice Organic Green Lentils, which I am able to purchase at our local SuperStore.
Everything else is pretty self explanatory.
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HOW TO MAKE LEMONY LENTIL TABOULEH
There are a few simple components to this dish. Cooking the lentils, cooking the bulgur, chopping the vegetables, making the dressing and tossing everything together.
You can use canned already cooked lentils if you with, but for this smaller batch I highly recommend that you cook your own. Its not hard to do. In fact I recommend you cook your own for the full batch also. There is really no comparison. Home cooked are just tastier.
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First cook the lentils. Put them into a saucepan with the water, garlic and bay leaves. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer gently for 20 to 25 minutes. They should be soft but still holding their shape. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain again. Discard the garlic and the bay leaves. Set aside.
For the bulgur measure it into a bowl. Add the salt and the boiling water. Stir, cover and then leave to sit for about 1/2 hour. At the end of that time all of the liquid should have been absorbed.
Prepare all of your vegetables and place them into a bowl. Add the drained lentils and the soaked bulgur. Toss together well to combine.
Whisk together the dressing ingredients until blended and thick. Pour over the salad in the bowl. Mix everything well together. Taste and adjust seasoning as required.
Cover tightly and chill for an hour or two prior to serving.
.JPG "Lemony Lentil Tabouleh")
This really is delicious. So easy to make as well. Once you have all of the components ready, it goes together in a flash. The hardest part is waiting the two hours for the flavors to meld together!
I served mine with some sliced tomatoes and cucumbers. You can also halve some cherry tomatoes and add them to the salad if you wish.
Low glycemic. High in nutrients. Good for your heart and your digestion, this healthy salad is destined to become a real favorite, I guarantee! Thanks sis!
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I don't always eat things which are not that healthy. I often indulge in healthy and delicious foods. Here is a small sampling of what I enjoy:
CHICKEN AND GREEN BEANS - A fabulous stir fry of cubed chicken breast meat and crispy tender green beans in a lovely slightly spicy light sauce. Quick, easy and delicious!
ALMOND CRUMBED COD - Low carb, delicious and easy to make. Tender, perfectly cooked cod loins coated lightly in a whole grain and almond crumb. This is one of my favorite ways to eat fish!
Yield: 2 - 3
Lemony Lentil Tabouleh
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 30 MinInactive time: 2 HourTotal time: 2 H & 45 M
A fabulously tasty salad that is filled with loads of fiber and nutrition! Trust me when I say it is very easy to make. This is a downsized recipe from one which my sister uses. You can make this and keep it in the fridge for several days. It makes a great lunch!
Ingredients
For the bulgur
- 1/2 cup (95g) bulgur
- 1/2 cup (120ml boiling water
- 1/4 tsp salt
For the lentils:
- 1/2 cup (95g) dried green lentils
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and bruised
- 2 small bay leaves, broken
- 1 1/2 cups (360ml) water
You will also need:
- 1/2 stalk celery, trimmed and finely chopped
- 1/4 green pepper, trimmed and finely chopped
- 1/4 red pepper, trimmed and finely chopped
- 1/4 red onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 1/4 cup (small handful) finely chopped fresh parsley
- 2 TBS chopped fresh mint
- 2 TBS chopped fresh dill
- 1/4 cup (60g) crumbled feta cheese
For the dressing:
- 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
- the juice of half a lemon
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- First cook the lentils. Put them into a saucepan with the water, garlic and bay leaves. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer gently for 20 to 25 minutes. They should be soft but still holding their shape. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain again. Discard the garlic and the bay leaves. Set aside.
- For the bulgur measure it into a bowl. Add the salt and the boiling water. Stir, cover and then leave to sit for about 1/2 hour. At the end of that time all of the liquid should have been absorbed.
- Prepare all of your vegetables and place them into a bowl. Add the drained lentils and the soaked bulgur. Toss together well to combine.
- Whisk together the dressing ingredients until blended and thick. Pour over the salad in the bowl. Mix everything well together. Taste and adjust seasoning as required.
- Cover tightly and chill for an hour or two prior to serving.
Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
When my children were growing up, one thing which I used to make frequently for them for breakfast on Saturday's was pancakes. They loved them.
When I was a child we only ever got pancakes once a year. On Shrove Tuesday. And always for supper, never breakfast.
We never got pancakes at any other time. I guess my children were spoiled a bit in comparison because I used to make them pancakes often, and always always when they had a guest come to stay overnight. It was a bit of a sleepover breakfast tradition.
I do confess that I also indulged in the pancake breakfasts. I love pancakes after all. I still crave them from time to time, but I don't always want to be making a full recipe of them just for me. I know I could freeze the extras, but I only have so much room in the freezer.
I discovered this recipe for Fluffy Pancakes for One over on a blog called One Dish Kitchen. I decided to give it a go and adapted it for use on this page. I added Metric measurements for the UK, and left out the vanilla.
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Call me pedantic, but I didn't think that vanilla belonged in plain pancakes. If you are going to add something to them like chocolate chips or fruit, maybe. But plain pancakes, vanilla is a no no for me.
I think vanilla is one of those flavorings that is highly overused. When you make a basic Victoria Sandwich Cake no flavoring is used at all. All you taste is butter, sugar and eggs. I can promise you it is quite delightfully delicious.
There are some variations that will add vanilla, but the basic version does not.
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I never saw myself as being a purist at heart, but I guess I can be one when it comes to certain things and one of those things just happens to be the flagrant use of vanilla!
Don't get me wrong I love vanilla. Just not in simple easy fluffy plain pancakes. They get enough flavor from the butter and then the syrup you pour over top when you go to eat them. Nothing else is needed. And as you can probably tell I love my butter and my syrup. 😋
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WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE EASY PANCAKES FOR ONE (FROM SCRATCH)
What I love about this recipe is that it uses all natural, pure ingredients. Nothing artificial here and you don't have to rely on having a mix. These are pure and simple.
- 1 cup (140g) plain all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 TBS granulated sugar
- pinch salt
- 1 large free range egg
- 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk
- 1 TBS butter, melted
- more butter to grease the skillet
- butter and maple syrup to serve
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I have started using unbleached flour in all of my cooking and baking. I don't want to be eating something that has to be bleached to whiten it. I would rather have it natural.
I also like to use free range eggs. In the summer months we buy them from a farmer who is just down the road from where I live. I do not support an inhumane industry such as the one which produces eggs from caged hens.
You have to pick your battles in life and that is one of mine. My first husband came from a farming family. They had battery hens. It is an appalling industry. I don't mind paying a bit more when it comes to eggs.
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I also use organic, unbleached sugar. I buy it in a huge bag from Costco. Again, I like to use as natural and unrefined a product as I can. In the U.K I used to buy only natural sugar and it was readily available in all the shops.
I also loved to use Muscovado sugar rather than brown sugar. Again, it was more natural, but that has nothing to do with pancakes! Just my fussiness!
I also don't bother for the most part with having two kinds of butter in my kitchen. I buy lightly salted and I use it for everything. (Boy, do I miss European butter.)
.JPG "Easy Pancakes for One")
HOW TO MAKE EASY PANCAKES FOR ONE (FROM SCRATCH)
Nothing is really simpler than making pancakes so long as you follow a few rules.
Pancake batter goes together much the same as a muffin batter does. Mix together your dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix your wet ingredients separately and then add the wet to the dry and lightly combine.
One don't overmix your batter. As with all quick breads (and pancakes are considered a quick bread), overmixing produces a rubbery finish. Use a light touch and just mix the batter until no dry streaks remain. A few lumps are a.o.k.
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Two, don't be in a rush. Heat your pan too high and your pancakes will be burnt on the outside and raw in the middle. Use a medium heat and don't flip your pancake until the surface is covered with tiny bubbles. By then it should be golden brown on the bottom side and you can flip it over.
You can keep the pancakes warm while you finish using up all the batter in a low oven.
I have heard it said that the first pancake is always hit and miss. I don't believe that. There is no reason why your first pancake and your second pancake and your third and so on can't all be perfect!
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This really is a great basic recipe and can be a jumping off point for you to use your imagination and try out different kinds.
If you want chocolate chip pancakes, by all means throw in a dash of vanilla and a small handful of chocolate chips.
If you want blueberry pancakes, try adding some finely grated lemon zest and a small handful of berries. I actually find it easier and better to add the berries while I am cooking the pancakes. Just sprinkle a few over top before the flip while the batter is still fairly wet and not many bubbles have formed.
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With Pancake day coming up (Shrove Tuesday on the 21st of February) here are some more Pancake recipes that you might also enjoy!
WORLD'S BEST SILVER DOLLAR PANCAKES - My children always loved it when I made these. The size of a silver dollar they loved being able to fit a whole one in their mouth. They are tender and fluffy and oh so tasty!
BLUEBERRY BUTTERMILK PANCAKES - These are incredibly light and fluffy and stay light and fluffy. Some pancakes fall after they sit. These don't. They are the best blueberry pancakes in my humble opinion.
Yield: 1
Easy Pancakes for One
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 15 Min
Light, soft and fluffy pancakes. These delicious pancakes go together very quickly and are perfectly sized to please just one person! All natural!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (140g) plain all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 TBS granulated sugar
- pinch salt
- 1 large free range egg
- 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk
- 1 TBS butter, melted
- more butter to grease the skillet
- butter and maple syrup to serve
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt together in a bowl.
- Whisk the milk, egg and melted butter together in another bowl.
- Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients. Stir together with a fork just to combine. A few lumps are okay. If you think the batter is too thick you can add a bit more milk.
- Heat a large non-stick skillet or griddle pan over medium heat. Rub with a bit of butter.
- Ladle 1/3 of the batter into the pan and rotate the pan to make a pancake.
- Cook over medium heat until the surface of the pancake is covered with bubbles, and the pancake is golden brown on the bottom. Flip over with a spatula and brown the other side.
- Keep warm and repeat to make two more pancakes.
- Serve hot with some butter for spreading and maple syrup for pouring. You can also serve some fruit on the side if you wish. I am particularly fond of peaches.
Notes
If you like blueberry or chocolate chip pancakes, you can easily adapt this recipe to suit. For blueberry pancakes, add a small amount of grated lemon zest to the batter and then sprinkle a few blueberries on top while you are cooking them in the pan.
For chocolate chip pancakes, add 1/2 tsp of vanilla to the batter and stir in 2 TBS of chocolate chips.
Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
I felt like having a scone today with my mid-morning break. Call it a late brunch as you will, as I didn't really have time for breakfast this morning and I was famished.
I didn't necessarily want to bake a full batch of scones, however. Especially where there is just me in the house.
Oh, I know you can always freeze the extras. I am a fan of fresh scones, but not so much frozen thawed out scones. You cannot beat fresh when it comes to baked goods.
I really love cream scones best of all. There is no having to cut or rub in butter. You just stir in the cream and go. Easy peasy.
I found a recipe for a small batch of cream scones on One Dish Kitchen. It looked quite reasonable and so I decided to adapt it with a few ideas of my own.
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First of all I don't think vanilla has a place in scones, not cream scones anyways, so I left that out completely. I also didn't feel like raisin/sultana scones.
I did, however, have a nice fresh bag of Zante currants and so I decided to go with them. I also decided that nothing goes better with currants than orange zest and so I added some freshly grated orange zest.
.JPG "Orange and Currant Cream Scones")
I pat the dough into an even square and then trim the edges slightly with a sharp knife and then use that same sharp knife to cut the square into evenly sized scones. Press straight down and up for a nice straight rise and even rise. No slanted lop-sides.
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WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE ORANGE AND CURRANT CREAM SCONES
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This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content, and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
.JPG "Orange and Currant Cream Scones")
I also think a good scone deserves a bit of a glaze, especially a cream scone. I added a brush of cream on top of the scones prior to baking and a tiny sprinkle of coarse Demerara sugar to give it just a bit of a sweet crust on top.
It really makes a nice finish. You could use milk as well, or even a beaten egg yolk, but I already had the cream out, so I went with the cream.
Yummy!
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Look at how nice and tall they rose. This is largely due to making sure my egg and my cream were both very cold, as well as cutting them straight.
Also, I like to handle the dough as little as possible. Over-handling the dough makes for a tough scone that doesn't rise as high.
Just stir your ingredients together to form a slightly tacky dough, dump onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently 2 or 3 times and then lightly pat into your square shape.
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One thing I love about these is that you need only a very few ingredients.
- 1 cup (140g) all-purpose plain flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp finely grated orange zest
- ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream
- 1 large free-range egg yolk
- ¼ cup (40g) dried currants
- more cream to brush on top
- Demerara (turbinado) sugar to sprinkle on top
.JPG "Orange and Currant Cream Scones")
Orange zest really helps to bring out the sweetness of the dried currants. In the U.K. I had my own currant bush and would dry my own currants in my dehydrator.
Today I used Zante Currants that I had bought from Amazon. I buy a lot of my things like that on Amazon. The prices are usually quite reasonable in price, and they come right to my door.
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HOW TO MAKE ORANGE AND CURRANT CREAM SCONES
Remember a light touch is key to getting a perfect result!!
Preheat oven to 425* F /220* C/ gas mark 7. Line a quarter sheet pan with parchment paper or use a silicone liner.
In a medium sized mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, orange zest and salt. Stir in the dried currants.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together cream, and egg yolk. Pour into the flour mixture and stir together until combined. You should have a soft slightly tacky dough.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead very lightly a few times and then shape into a 4-inch square 1-inch thick.
.JPG "Orange and Currant Cream Scones")
Using a sharp knife, cut into 4 even squares and place on the baking sheet. Brush the tops lightly with cream and sprinkle with some demerara (turbinado) sugar.
Bake 12-14 minutes until golden brown.
Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer onto a wire rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes. Serve with butter, jam, and clotted cream, if you have it.
.JPG "Orange and Currant Cream Scones")
Boy oh boy do I ever miss clotted cream. I have never tried to make any here at home. When you have had the real thing, nothing else quite comes up to it.
These scones were lovely split and spread with some softened butter and strawberry jam. I was really pleased with the end result. Flaky and light. Little bits of sticky sweet currant, a slight hint of orange and then the butter and the jam.
Washed down with a hot cup of herbal tea. This was the perfect mid-morning treat! Simply lovely.
.JPG "Orange and Currant Cream Scones")
If you are a fan of the scone, you are in for a real treat. I have loads of scone recipes here on The English Kitchen. Here are just a few of my favorites!
CARROT CAKE DROP SCONES - These are everything a great drop scone should be. Light and fluffy, no fuss, no muss. Simply mix and drop. Filled with sweet carrots, warm baking spices and sticky raisins. Sweetly glazed. These are a real favorite.
MAPLE GLAZED BLACK PEPPER SCONES - This is a small batch recipe which makes two very large scones. They have that sweet and savory thing going on. Short and buttery, studded with the heat of black pepper and sweetly glazed. Who know that maple and pepper got along so well! Simply fabulous.
Yield: 4
Small Batch Orange and Currant Cream Scones
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 14 MinTotal time: 24 Min
Tender and Flaky, these lovely scones are flavored with zingy orange zest and studded with plenty of dried currants.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (140g) all-purpose plain flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp finely grated orange zest
- ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream
- 1 large free-range egg yolk
- ¼ cup (40g) dried currants
- more cream to brush on top
- Demerara (turbinado) sugar to sprinkle on top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425* F /220* C/ gas mark 7. Line a quarter sheet pan with parchment paper or use a silicone liner.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, orange zest and salt. Stir in the dried currants.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together cream, and egg yolk. Pour into the flour mixture and stir together until combined. You should have a soft slightly tacky dough.
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead very lightly a few times and then shape into a 4-inch square 1-inch thick.
- Using a sharp knife, cut into 4 even squares and place on the baking sheet.
- Brush the tops lightly with cream and sprinkle with some demerara (turbinado) sugar.
- Bake 12-14 minutes until golden brown.
- Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer onto a wire rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes.
- Serve with butter, jam, and clotted cream, if you have it.
Notes
One of the secrets to flaky scones with a high rise is to make sure your cream and egg are cold. Also try not to handle the dough overly much as this will toughen the dough.
Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
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