THE WORLD IS A PLAY GROUND
Ahhhh to be a 2 year old! :) You get to sleep 12 hours plus a nap and play allllll day! And, you can eat literally every hour and have the energy to constantly run, run, run, and yet not be out of breath.
Read Morebreakfast
1. Chia-almond milk pudding with Rhubarb and strawberry compote, coconut granola and fresh peach slices | 2. Chia yogurt, watermelon and peach salad, with fresh mint leaves
Chia Breakfasts with Summer Fruits
There is much to say about slow breakfasts, the kind where you take the time to construct a composed morning bite that is brimming with the inspiration of the season. There is even more to be said for ones that can be made in parts ahead of time and assembled at whim to recreate the feeling of slow inspired living.
Today's breakfast ideas are of the latter. Components made as you will and then layered the morning of for a spectacular indulgence in self! :)
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Butternut Squash rustic boule baked using the no-knead bread technique.
Fresh Pea Spelt Tartine + Butternut Squash No-Knead Bread
A quick shout out to everyone who helped choose the cover image for this post. I had sent out a request to all email subscribers (if you aren't on the list, you can sign up on the right) last week to vote on whether they preferred the shot of this gorgeous boule on a dark background or light. Light was the overwhelming choice and here it graces the beginning of the post!! Thank you guys!
As you can imagine, for me the act of asking was more than just about this picture. It was as much to get an understanding of what you as readers were feeling, as also about learning to take feedback on my work. The truth is I preferred the dark one because of the high notes of contrast and how much it stood out. Also, I love pairing brown with black and just showing how glorious brown can be.
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Buttermilk Chickpea Flour Bread with a biscuit like crumb.
Sunday Toast - Buttermilk Chickpea Loaf
This loaf is a variation of a flavor version I had made earlier. As it is made with 100% bean flour, I lightened it with buttermilk to add airiness and make it not so dense. Yet, because of the very weight of the protein pack chickpea, it behaves much more dependably than other bean flours and stays whole when sliced thin. It is really good toasted with a little salted butter and piled with scrambled eggs. Plus it takes all of 30 minutes from start to finish!
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Oh la la .. In the land of Nar
As I write, I am sitting in my very European room in a boutique hotel in the Old city of Istanbul. All around me for the last couple of weeks has been an abundance of a fruit that I thought I would rarely see when I left India. Pomegranate!
Anar in Hindi and Nar in Turkish... Very similar owing to some overlap of Arabic/Urdu in both languages. Prior to the middle East, I was content to eating this fruit by hand, peeling back the skin and patiently peeling off the arils and quickly popping them into my mouth. Here though you get its juice, crushed in front of you, at pretty much every corner and middle of each block. Such a divine luxury indeed!
The many stands selling the delicious juice of this fruit abound the city and several markets in the country!
There is some history with the Ottoman empire's fascination with the fruit. Much to do with its appearance itself from the arils that look very like high quality rubies to the symbolism of lushness of life as this is one fruit that yields several seeds. In short, the fruit, to them represented abundance, richness, family and so forth. Many dishes are laced in different ways with this fruit, either in its fresh form or as syrup.
Today, its popularity, at least of the fresh fruit has become global. The pomegranate has taken the fancy of the North American eater as well. Ever since the POM Wonderful brand, introduced this fruit into mass market, it has taken every health conscious eater by storm. Now, cold weather has become as synonymous with this bejeweled fruit as with the orange.
In the five or so years, when the fruit has been commonly available in the market, the flavor has been consistently improving and the organic ones are nearly as delicious and sweet as I remember them from my childhood. Before I left on this trip, I bought a boat load of them and munched on them all day long. They simply made everything taste great and added so much oomph to a dish especially as I became equally infatuated with other flavors from this region like tahini.
Today's recipe does not have much to do with the fruit itself per se. Yet, I think it is superbly enhanced by the addition of it whilst serving. The Apple and Pumpkin Granola is a fine breakfast on its own. Have it with your favorite milk and any fresh fruits you like. If I may, I would recommend having it with strained yogurt laced with tahini and topped generously with fresh pomegranate. A very healthful and satiating combination it will prove to be...!
APPLE AND PUMPKIN GRANOLA
2 cups oats
1 medium tart apple, diced small
3 T pumpkin puree, unsweetened
2 T raw honey
1 T brown sugar
1-1/2 T olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup mixed nuts and seeds
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Mix together the oil, honey and pumpkin puree.
Rub the mixture into the oats, massaging them to coat throughly.
Fold in the apples and sprinkle the sugar and salt over.
Spread the oats in an even layer on a baking tray.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning once midway until browned and the apple pieces have lost most of their moisture.
Cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container.
