Sprouted Chickpea Falafel

1 3/4 cups sprouted chickpeas (or regular dried chickpeas, soaked for 24 hour)
1 small onion, quartered
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 cup fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 egg
Vegetable oil for frying

Combine all ingredients except the oil in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely minced but not pureed.

Pour about an inch of vegetable oil into a deep pan and heat to 350° F.

Form small patties of the chickpea mixture and fry in the heated oil until deep brown.  Flip over and cook on second side until fully browned.  Remove and drain on paper towels.

(Alternatively, to bake falafel: Heat oven to 375° F.  Oil a rimmed baking sheet.  Scoop out 2 tablespoons of chickpea mixture at a time - shape into small patties about 2 inches wide and 1/2-inch thick.  Place on the oiled pan.  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, carefully flipping the falafels halfway through baking, until deeply golden on both sides.)

Serves 4 to 6.

From The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman via Life in Recipes blog, with minor changes

Sprouted Hummus

1/2 cup dried garbanzo beans
1 garlic clove, sliced
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 jalapeno or serrano pepper, minced
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons sesame tahini

Soak the garbanzo beans at least 18 and up to 24 hours.  Drain and rinse them.  Place in a sieve or sprouting jar, and rinse and drain 2 to 3 times per day for 2 to 3 days, or until sprouts have emerged from the bean.

Place the sliced garlic in the olive oil and press the slices gently with a spoon to better flavor the oil.  Set aside to allow flavor to infuse.

Rinse the beans well.  Place in a medium saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to medium and continue simmering beans for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until tender.  Drain and rinse well in cold water.

Slip the papery skins off the garbanzo beans, and place the beans in the bowl of a food processor.  Add the pepper, lemon juice, salt, and tahini.  Pulse for 10 seconds, until the ingredients are loosely blended.

Remove the garlic slices from the olive oil and discard them.  Pour the oil into the feeder tube of the food processor, so it drips into the bowl in a slow and thin stream, and process until the olive oil is incorporated and the hummus is well-emulsified.  Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container.  It will keep in the fridge for about a week.

From Nourished Kitchen blog

Maple Apricot Hermit Bars

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon bread flour
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour or whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped dried apricots, or 1/2 cup chopped apricots and 1/2 cup golden raisins
1 cup maple syrup*
1/2 cup canola oil or avocado oil (1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon, to use same measuring cup for molasses, so molasses will slip out nicely)
1/3 cup unsulphured molasses
1/2 cup reduced fat milk, almond milk, or soy milk
4 teaspoons turbinado sugar

Heat oven to 350° F. Grease a 9x13-inch metal or ceramic baking pan.

In a large bowl, whisk flours, baking soda, spices, and salt, until combined.  Stir in apricots (or apricots and raisins).  

In a separate medium bowl, whisk maple syrup, oil, molasses, and milk.  Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients until fully combined.  Continue mixing for 50 strokes.  Scrape into prepared pan.  Use a spatula to spread batter evenly, ensuring that apricots are evenly distributed.

Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, until puffed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with turbinado sugar.

Let cool completely before cutting into 24 squares.  Layer bars between pieces of parchment paper inside a resealable container.  Store at room temperature for 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

Makes 24 bars.

From Maple by Katie Webster

*Can also be made with maple sugar, and result will be more cookie-like.  Use 3/4 cup maple sugar in place of maple syrup and decrease bread flour to 1 cup.

Oatmeal Buttermilk Pancakes

1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white whole wheat flour or whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
2 cups nonfat buttermilk
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons avocado oil or canola oil, divided

In a food processor with steel blade attachment, grind oats for about 45 seconds, until the texture resembles coarse flour.  Add flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and pulse to combine.  Add butter and process until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Transfer oat mixture to a large bowl.  Use a spoon to make a well in the center.  In a large measuring cup, whisk together buttermilk and egg until combined.  Pour into the well and gradually stir until oat mixture is moistened.

Brush 1 teaspoon oil over a cast iron or nonstick skillet.  Heat to medium-high, when oil isn't smoking but a bead of water flicked onto the surface sizzles and evaporates in a second.  Ladle 1/3-cup scoops of batter onto the griddle and spread them into circles; the batter will be thick.

Cook undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes, until most of the bubbles that form have popped and the edges are starting to dry out.  Use a spatula to flip pancakes; the bottoms should be browned.  Continue cooking for another 1 to 2 minutes, until browned.  Transfer to a platter or baking sheet to keep warm in a 200° F oven.  Repeat steps with remaining batter, adjusting heat to medium-low to prevent scorching and rebrushing with oil as necessary.

Makes 12 pancakes.

From Maple by Katie Webster

Radish, Edamame, and Lentil Sprout Salad

1 teaspoon canola oil, plus extra for drizzling
1/2 red onion, finely sliced
150 grams lentil sprouts
1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
1 lemon, grated zest and juiced
100 grams edamame beans, thawed if frozen
100 grams sugar snap peas, sliced lengthwise
100 grams radishes, sliced lengthwise
1/2 yellow bell pepper
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat, then add the onion and saute for 3 minutes, until softened.  Add the lentil sprouts and sunflower seeds and cook until the seeds are lightly golden.  Stir in the lemon zest and a pinch each of salt and pepper, then remove from heat.

Transfer the sprout and seed mixture to a large mixing bowl, and add the edamame, sugar snap peas, radishes, and yellow pepper.  Add the lemon juice, a drizzle of canola oil, and some salt and pepper.  Toss together, then serve.

Serves 2.

From The Detox Kitchen Bible by Lily Simpson and Rob Hobson

Flaky Butter Crust

Full recipe (with half-recipe measurements in italics):
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour  (1 1/4 cups)
1/2 teaspoon salt (1/4 teaspoon)
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces (6 tablespoons)
1/4 cup vegetable shortening  (2 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon sugar  (1 1/2 teaspoons)
1 egg, cold  (1 egg)
2 tablespoons ice water  (2 teaspoons)
1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar  (1 teaspoon)

Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl and toss to mix.  Cut the butter and vegetable shortening into the flour until the butter is evenly distributed with pieces of fat no larger than split peas.  Add the sugar and toss with your fingers to incorporate.

Beat the egg, water, and lemon juice with a fork in a separate bowl.  Drizzle half of this liquid over the flour, tossing the mixture with a fork.  Add the rest of the liquid, tossing and blending as you pour.  Work the mixture briefly with your fork, then try to pack the dough together, like a snowball.  If dry spots remain, use wet fingertips to pull them into the ball of dough.

Divide the dough in half (if using for a top and bottom crust, make one half slightly larger than the other), and flatten each half into a disk about 1/2-inch thick.  Wrap each half in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

To roll the dough, place a 12-inch square of wax paper or plastic wrap on a work surface.  Place half of the dough on it and roll the disk into a 12-inch circle.  Dust the dough's surface with a little flour, if needed, to prevent the dough from sticking.

Flip the wax paper over, inverting the rolled dough over the pie plate, then peel off the paper.  Tuck the dough into the pan without stretching it.

If making a pie shell:
Trim the overhang to an even 1/2-inch, then tuck the overhang under, sculpting the edge into an upstanding ridge.  Form a decorative edge, if desired, cover with plastic, and freeze.

If making a double-crusted pie:
Roll out half as for a pie shell but do not trim.  Cover with plastic, and refrigerate while you roll the top crust.  Fill the pie, run a moistened fingertip around the rim of the bottom crust and lay the top sheet of dough over the filling.  Press down slightly where you've moistened the edge, to seal.  Trim the overhang to an even 1/2-inch, then tuck it under, sculpting the edge into an upstanding ridge.  Form a decorative edge, if desired, and poke three or four steam vents in the top crust with the tines of a fork.  Bake as directed.

To partially prepare a pie shell:
Heat the oven to 425°F.  Line the frozen shell with a 12-inch square of foil, tucking it into the contours of the pan.  Spread about 2 cups of dried rice or beans in the bottom and slightly up the sides of the foil.  Bake the crust in the lower part of the oven for 15 minutes, then carefully lift out the foil and the beans.  Prick the bottom several times with a fork, so steam can escape.  Reduce oven temperature to 375°F and bake for another 10 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.

To fully pre-bake a pie shell:
Proceed as above, but bake the crust for about 20 minutes after lowering the heat, until evenly browned.

Makes enough dough for one double-crusted 9-inch pie or 2 9-inch pie shells.

From Maple Syrup Cookbook by Ken Haedrich

French Canadian Maple Sugar Pie

1/2 recipe Flaky Butter Crust
3 eggs
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup plus 1/2 cup brewed tea
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Pinch of salt
3/4 cup coarsely chopped almonds
1/2 cup golden raisins, coarsely chopped (raisins are optional - if not using, additional 1/2 cup of tea above is not needed)

Prepare the pie shell according to the directions, line a 9-inch pie plate with the pastry, and refrigerate or freeze.  Heat the oven to 450° F. 

Whisk together the eggs and sugar in a large bowl.  Add the maple syrup, butter, 1/4 cup tea, vinegar, and salt, whisking until smooth.  Stir in the almonds.  Plump the raisins in remaining 1/2 cup of tea by microwaving for 1-2 minutes.  Drain raisins and add them to the mixture.

Place the pie shell on a heavy baking sheet and pour in the filling.  Place on the center rack of the oven and bake for 10 minutes.  Then reduce oven temperature to 350° F and continue to bake until the center is set, about 25 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 8-10.

From Maple Syrup Cookbook by Ken Haedrich, with a few changes