I am, in a word, exhausted. I couldn’t be happier at the fact that today marked the end of my penultimate term of final year, the past two weeks have been ridiculously hectic. My sleep, social life and general sanity have suffered greatly, but these are all things worth sacrificing temporarily in the long run. But anyways, there is indeed light at the end of the tunnel. It’s officially Easter break and in two days I will be boarding a plane back to the (evidently not-so-sunny) island I call home for some much needed R&R. I can’t wait to see my mom, be irritated by my goofy older brother and catch up with my dad over dinner. Quality time with my bed, friends, my doggie and some warm outdoor runs are also on the agenda – all of which I look forward to, particularly the first one. *** Moving on. Travelling always leaves me in a bit of a dilemma, food wise. I don’t want to buy too much at the start of the week for fear that I won’t eat something and have to throw it out – but the contents of my kitchen are often too mismatched to make for a satisfying meal. So today when I raided my cupboards and fridge, I came up with the following: A small amount of dry quinoa, half a bag of red lentils, a potato, and some onions + enough greens/veg for a salad and a 1/4 of a bag of shredded vegan cheese. And the rest as they say, is history.
Makes 3 medium patties or two large ones
- 1/3 cup dry quinoa
- 1/3 cup red lentils
- 1 tbsp chickpea flour
- 1 tsp cumin powder – divided
- 1/8 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp curry powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh coriander, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp coconut oil
- a pinch of chili powder (optional)
- In a pan over medium heat, lightly toast the quinoa with half a teaspoon of cumin powder for about 2-3 minutes. Keep the pan moving so as not to burn anything.
- Add the lentils along with about a cup of water or vegetable stock. Season with the curry powder, salt and pepper, and coriander. Bring to a boil then cover and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.
- When done, the quinoa will be cooked and the lentils will have reduced to a creamy consistency – kind of like my brown rice and red lentil koshary, you could definitely enjoy this as is if you wish. Allow the mixture to cool uncovered for about 10 minutes.
- When cooled the lentils will have firmed up a little making this easier to work with. Add in the chopped onion, chickpea flour, chili powder and any other desired seasonings (I added more fresh coriander) along with the coconut oil and lemon juice. Mix well and shape into patties. Bake for 18-20 minutes or fry until golden brown and crispy.
Chana Masala Cheese Fries Serves 1
- 1 large russet or maris piper potato – cut into fry shapes
- 1 1/2 tsp of chana masala seasoning
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- coconut or canola oil
- 1-2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- small handful of grated vegan cheese
- Parboil the fries in boiling water for exactly 3 minutes. This may seem a bit labour intensive but it’s not, and it is totally worth it, you’ll see why later.
- Drain from water and place in a small bowl with seasoning. Coat well then place on a lightly greased baking sheet (or use cooking spray/oil in a spray bottle). Bake until golden brown and crispy – approximately 10 minutes give or take.
- Remove from oven and place in a ovenproof baking dish. Sprinkle on a healthy serving of nooch and cover with vegan cheese. Melt under the grill.
- Devour.
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