Advice I got about the blog: keep it simple!

The man’s back is out and he can’t get out of bed?! You unload an entire filthy car after a ski trip, do some laundry, clean, cook, comfort, help with homework, pack, drive, drive back, load and unload the dishwasher, remind the kids not to stay in the shower too long, read, hug, say goodnight, cleanup the house, do another load of laundry, take out the compost, then the garbage, then the recycling, work a little, crash, wake up in the morning, coffee and a piece of toast (GF cause that’s what the dr said), wake up the kids and start all over – while he’s lying there in bed?!

Honey, keep it simple. Show the backyard, say something nice about the weather, take a picture of a leaf or two, make it look good, you know, have some fun…

Food trends are great – I follow them closely and participate from time to time – I want to be trendy too you know, I hear it’s good for the skin.

The one trend that seems to stay forever is ‘greens’. The kind of greens you eat not for their taste, but to make your jaws stronger and for their junk food antibodies. And here is the problem: take kale for instance, we can add it in a soup or hide it in a pot with lots of other things that will hide its nature. What is hard is to use it fresh and whole in a way that will make me real happy.

So after walking to school and slipping inelegantly on the rain slick sidewalk while explaining to my girl why she can’t have a sleepover tonight while her dad is walking around the house in pajamas bent into a question mark shape (she had one anyway…) and her mom is beat both mentally and physically, I walked into the kitchen and whipped the kale out of its paper bag. It was clear right away that it wasn’t going to cause any more problems, with my aching bum and all.  Maybe that’s why I got a more than edible – really tasty – bowl of fresh kale salad.

And since I ate a whole bowl and am pumped full of iron and minerals, I have the energy to write down the recipe.

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Raw Kale Salad

From mybissim | Salads

* You know I’m just joking. I really do like kale.
* You can also use this recipe with raw chard or just 2 huge bunches of parsley and cilantro, as an herby delicious salad.
* This salad can be made in advance

Total 00:30

Prep 00:25

Cook 00:05

cal Calories 204kcal

High fat Total Fat 18g

sat fat Saturated Fat 4g

chol Cholesterol 13mg

sodium Sodium 212mg

Low carbs Total Carbohydrate 8g

Serving size 101g Calories from fat 162kcal Fiber 2g Protein 5g Sugar 1g

Ingredients

• 1 bunch kale ( about 4 cups chopped)
• juice from ½ a lemon
• salt
• a small bunch of parsley, leaves only- chopped
• ½ cup of almonds – slivered, blanched or whatever you want ( pine nuts will be great too)
• 2- 4 oz. feta cheese , crumbled
• Dressing:
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon water
• 1 Tablespoon wine vinegar
• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 small garlic clove – chopped finely or mashed
• chili pepper- sliced thinly or chili flakes to taste

Directions

1. Wash the kale leaves and dry them well. Remove stems and chop very fine.
2. Transfer to a bowl and add a little salt and the lemon juice. Mix well with your hands and let it stand for 15 minutes or more. The salt and lemon soften the kale and make it nicer.
3. Place all the dressing ingredients in a jar, close and shake well.
4. Once the kale has finished soaking up the salt and lemon add the chopped parsley, almonds and feta.
5. Pour the dressing on top and mix well. Check seasoning and add chili or salt if necessary.
6. Put on a cape and go save the universe.

– Nutrition Facts

for 100 grams

Calories Fat Cal.

Nutrition Facts Description Wikipedia

Analyzed by Kitchenbug

And since I’m on a roll, I’m going to give you another great kale recipe for the strong and brave among you. This time it’s a green soup that I dearly love, though I admit I’m the only one in my family that does. If you can get pass the green mush Dr.Seussy looks, you’ll discover a gentle rich and creamy soup that tastes like mushrooms and forest.

Green Soup with Kale, Chard & Mushrooms

4 short ribs
10 oz. mushrooms (I used baby Portobello)
4 chard leaves
4 leaves kale
2 garlic cloves
½ onion
1 bunch parsley
1 peeled potato
1 teaspoon curry powder

Place the beef ribs in a wide pot, cover with water and a little extra. Bring to a boil, clearing off the foam from the top, cover and cook for 1 hour.
Meanwhile place the vegetables in the food processor: greens, garlic, onion, mushrooms, potato and parsley and chop well. You’ll probably need to add a little water to make it easier, and it may need to go in the food processor in two rounds.
Once the beef has had its time alone, add the rest of the ingredients, spice vigorously and bring to a boil. Simmer for 2 hours, occasionally stirring and checking and fixing seasonings.
The soup should be thick and creamy; if at the end of cooking you find yourself wishing for a thicker consistency, add 1-2 spoons of quick polenta in a thin stream and cook a short while longer.

Serve with a drizzle of olive oil on top.

Beets are the kind of food you either love or you don’t. There’s no maybe.
I love them.
Sweet and gentle with an all-natural beautiful food coloring.
You can make magic with it.Beets can be cooked in many different ways:
Baking paper (wrapped in tin foil): scrub thoroughly, drizzle with a tiny bit of olive oil and salt, wrap well and bake-steam at 350f / 180c for about an hour. If it’s very large add a little more time.
In the oven: Peeled and chopped roughly with lots of olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake at medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until it’s caramelized and soft.
On salt: Place whole beets on a bed of salt and bake at medium heat until they’re soft. The outside will be ugly and inedible but the insides heavenly.You can also eat beets in many different, all lovely, ways:

Hummus/Bean & Beet Spread

From mybissim | Appetizers | Mediterranean or Greek

You can spread a little on toast for dinner or host with it. No matter how or when I can promise you no one will ignore this dish. And it’s tasty too!

Total 00:10

Prep 00:10

Cook 00:00

cal Calories 93kcal

fat Total Fat 6g

sat fat Saturated Fat 1g

chol Free Cholesterol 0mg

Low sodium Sodium 62mg

Low carbs Total Carbohydrate 9g

Serving size 76g Calories from fat 54kcal Fiber 3g Protein 3g Sugar 4g

Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked chick peas /beans (from a can is good too!)
• a small piece of cooked beet (juice from a raw grated beet will work too)
• 1 small garlic clove- peeled
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon raw tahini
• Juice from half a lemon (more to taste)
• ½ teaspoon fresh rosemary and oregano leaves
• Water- as needed
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Place in the food processor and pulse until completely smooth or not- depending on your likes,
2. It’s nice to reserve a few whole pieces (chickpeas or beans and some herbs or the end and drizzle with some olive oil.

– Nutrition Facts

for 100 grams

Calories Fat Cal.

Nutrition Facts Description Wikipedia

Analyzed by Kitchenbug

Quinoa in Beets: Pretty in Pink

I always have cooked quinoa around lately

1 cup warm quinoa
1 beet cooked anyway you like- diced
1 teaspoon dried coriander seeds
Juice and zest from a lemon – start with half a lemon and add to taste
salt and freshly ground pepper
olive oil – a splash

Roast the coriander seeds on a clean dry pan for about a minute, so they give off scent and taste.
Crush the seeds with your hands on top of the quinoa.
Add the beets, lemon and season.
Mix and add a drizzle of olive oil.

The quinoa and beets need to be slightly warm in order to give and take. Just like us humans.

Salad with Beet-Quinoa

This salad is good with regular old quinoa, but the pink quinoa is much prettier!

1 endive – finely sliced
2 handfuls of any kind of sprouts you like
1/4-1/2 cup cooked quinoa
a handful of pomegranate seeds
1 Tablespoon crushed almonds
Juice and zest from a lemon – to taste
olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
parmesan shavings

Mix and check seasoning – should be lemony, fresh and kicking!

Lentils, Beets and Caramelized Onions in Balsamic

My guests loved this salad, which has sweetness and different textures that come together well.

It will work well with other kinds of legumes or even with precooked wild rice or barley.

¼ cup brown lentils
1 large purple onion – peeled
3 medium beets – scrubbed and washed
1 Tablespoon olive oil + more for roasting and serving
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
salt and freshly ground pepper
soft goat cheese
a handful of parsley leaves

Preheat the oven to 350

Peel the onion, halve it and slice each half into 4-5 pieces so they remain connected at the base.
Transfer to a baking parchment, drizzle few drops of olive oil and wrap well. Wrap and seal with tin foil and transfer to a baking pan. Do the same for the whole beets.
Transfer to the oven for an hour and a half.
Meanwhile, boil water in a small pot and cook the lentils for about 20 minutes, until they’re soft but not falling apart. Drain.
Peel the beets while they’re still hot. Mix with the caramelized onion and drizzle the balsamic and olive oil. When the lentils are ready add them, mix and season well.
Transfer to a flat bowl, crumble some goat cheese on top, scatter the parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.

And some photos, too beautiful not to post:

Blood oranges and beets: a very Berkeley combo. Goes with avocado, purple onion, mint, feta and olives.

This one is a chocolate cookie recipe that doesn’t contain any flour or dairy- – perfect for Passover and for those of you who don’t eat gluten. This must raise the Q: So what do they contain? Good thing you’ve asked! They have lots of things my kid likes – nuts, seeds, coconut and cranberries (you can combine all of them or just add one, and every combination yields a slightly different flavor) and chocolate of course.. My favorites version was made with lots of pumpkin and sunflower seeds, which yielded a more original and unique cookie taste.

These make perfect ice cream sandwiches! For ice cream sandwhiches I like to chop the nuts and seeds finer and serve the cookies in a big jar or pretty plate with 2-3 different ice cream flavors. Everyone can make their own dessert. Yummy!

Gluten Free Chocolate Cookies – Flourless, Perfect for Passover

From mybissim | Cakes and Cookies

You can create these cookies in two ways: For smooth looking cookies blend the entire nut/seed mixture into the chocolate. Or if you want chocolate studded with nuts and seeds only mix slightly so that they remain visible.

Total 00:20

Prep 00:10

Cook 00:10

cal Calories 109kcal

fat Total Fat 7g

sat fat Saturated Fat 2g

chol Cholesterol 19mg

Low sodium Sodium 10mg

carbs Total Carbohydrate 10g

Serving size 24g Calories from fat 63kcal Fiber 1g Protein 2g Sugar 8g

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup packed brown sugar
• 5 oz. good quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1.5 oz. chocolate chips, milk chocolate or bittersweet chocolate
• 2 Tablespoons almond flour or hazelnut flour
• 2 Tablespoons unsweetend dry coconut-
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup mixed: any kind of nut, seeds, cranberries, cocoa beans. You can add a little bit of chia seeds

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350f. Line two wide pans with baking paper.
2. Beat sugar and eggs in the mixer for about 10 minutes. Mixture should be thick and light in color at the end.
3. Meanwhile, melt the chopped chocolate in the microwave or in a bain marie. Mix until smooth.
4. Nut/seed mixture: chop the nuts fine or roughly, however you like. Seeds and cranberries can stay whole or be chopped too.
5. When the egg mixture is ready, remove the bowl from the mixer and gently add the melted chocolate. Add the vanilla extract, hazelnut or almond flour and coconut and stir. Gently fold the nut/seed mix in.
6. If the mixture seems too soft at this point let it sit for 10 minutes to solidify. You can also add a little cocoa powder or almond/hazelnut flour but no need; the cookies are perfect exactly like this.
7. Make small cookies using a spoon or a small ice scooper and place on the baking pan spaced half an inch apart. I recommended not making them too big because they are very intense and flavorful and small works best.
8. Bake 8-10 minutes. The cookies will look soft but will firm up in a short while.

– Nutrition Facts

for 100 grams

Calories Fat Cal.

Nutrition Facts Description Wikipedia

Analyzed by Kitchenbug

Happy Holidays!

Basic Quinoa Recipe

From mybissim | Side Dishes

The instructions mean advanced preparation. If you’re short on time skip the overnight wait and go straight to cooking after the soaking- washing process- it will still taste good.

Total 00:20

Prep 00:05

Cook 00:15

cal Calories 114kcal

fat Total Fat 3g

sat-fat Free Saturated Fat 0g

chol Free Cholesterol 0mg

sodium Sodium 99mg

carbs Total Carbohydrate 18g

Serving size 40g Calories from fat 27kcal Fiber 2g Protein 4g Sugar 0g

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1- 2 teaspoons oil
• 1 ¼ cups boiling water
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Transfer the quinoa to a colander and wash well.
2. Fill a large bowl with water and place the colander in it for 5 minutes.
3. Rinse well under running water and repeat. You can repeat as many times as you want or let the quinoa soak longer. Strain well and either cook immediately or even better – let it stand overnight – you’ll see the beginning of some sprouting.
4. Heat the oil in a pot and sauté the quinoa for a few minutes while stirring.
5. Add the boiling water and salt, stir, cover and cook on low heat for 14 minutes.
6. Turn the heat off and leave covered for the perfect texture.
7. Fluff with a fork.

– Nutrition Facts

for 100 grams

Calories Fat Cal.

Nutrition Facts Description Wikipedia

Analyzed by Kitchenbug

Quinoa ,Spinach and Soy Sauce

Good hot, lukewarm or cold. That good.

1 cup cooked quinoa – as per recipe above
~9oz fresh spinach leaves, washed
1 garlic clove – chopped
1 – 1 1/2 Tablespoons soy sauce (saltiness varies between brands)
a few drops sesame oil – to taste

Place the spinach in a wide pan or pot with few drops of water and sauté slowly covered on low heat, stirring occasionally. The spinach will lose liquid and volume.
Add the quinoa and the rest of the ingredients. Stir, and continue cooking so flavors will absorb.
Taste and fix seasoning.

Quinoa in Curry and Seasonal Vegetables

Simple comfort food – or maybe it was eating half a pot that made it comforting…

1 cup washed and soaked quinoa – using basic recipe instructions
2 cups of finely diced vegetables – anything goes (I used carrots, yellow beet greens, onion and scallions)
1 garlic clove- chopped
1 little olive oil
1 teaspoon curry powder
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 cup boiling water
salt

Sauté the vegetables and garlic slowly, until they soft.
Add the washed quinoa and spices and continue sautéing for a few more minutes, while stirring.
Add the hot water, bring to a boil, cover and cook on low heat for 15 minutes or until the water has evaporated.
Leave covered for 10 additional minutes.
Fluff with a fork.

My favorite beets come in bunches – roots, stems, leaves and some mud. When I’m done with the beets I still have the beautiful greens just begging for some action.

On occasion I’m so happy to find them that I start with the greens. If you hold them up to the light, you find decorative bands of crimson, fuchsia and fluorescent yellow or orange or all of them together, as beautiful as a rainbow.

“Look what nature can create…” my Mom used to say. And I find myself repeating over and over.

When I’m pressed for time, I chop them into soups, place them in rice that turns pink making the kids happy or sauté them with some olive oil, salt, chilies nd lots of garlic, as if they were spinach.

And when I have time, I bury them in soft layers of potatoes and cheese, send them to the oven to get more intimately acquainted and after an hour I pull out a fragrant and pampering pan.

Beet Greens

From mybissim | Main Dishes

Total 01:45

Prep 00:45

Cook 01:00

cal Calories 176kcal

Low fat Total Fat 4g

sat fat Saturated Fat 3g

chol Cholesterol 13mg

sodium Sodium 281mg

carbs Total Carbohydrate 26g

Serving size 179g Calories from fat 36kcal Fiber 4g Protein 9g Sugar 4g

Ingredients

• 1 large onion
• olive oil
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 washed beet greens bunches = 6 packed cups after chopping
• 2 lb. potatoes, peeled
• 3- 4 garlic cloves
• ½ teaspoon freshly round nutmeg
• 3.5- 5 oz. shredded sharp goat cheese or parmigiano reggiano

Directions

1. Finely dice the onion and transfer to a pan with some olive oil and a little salt. Steam gently until soft and translucent.
2. Add the chopped beet greens, stir and cook for 10 minutes until the leaves soften.
3. Season with salt, pepper and the nutmeg.
4. Slice the potatoes thinly.
5. Drizzle a little olive oil in your baking pan and start building: potatoes, salt and pepper, beet greens, cheese. You can go with either 3 layers of potatoes with 2 layers of greens-cheese in between, or 2 layers of potatoes and the greens and cheese in the middle. Either will taste great.
6. Finish with grated cheese and some salt and place in the oven for an hour or until it turns fragrant and brown.

Tips

• You can eat it right away- piping hot and falling apart or let it set for a short while and then it holds firm.

– Nutrition Facts

for 100 grams

Calories Fat Cal.

Nutrition Facts Description Wikipedia

Analyzed by Kitchenbug

While we were away last year, we moved our belongings into the large studio adjacent to the new house we bought in Piedmont, California. The Man, who has demonstrated impressive interior design abilities over the past few years, arranged them during his frequent visits. He unpacked all of our books, even those that had been living in boxes in the garage for ages, arranged them by subject and lined them up like soldiers on shelves.I never would have thought of old books as a winning décor element, but now that it’s done, it looks great.

We spent our first few days back in the studio, mattresses on the floor, bags everywhere and giant pines from every window. “Did you miss it here?” asked my daughter as we silently snuck out past sleeping boys one morning, heading to the neighborhood café. There are different ways to miss something I answer; there is the sharp ache you feel with your entire body and the slow pains that creep up on you. I thought I didn’t miss Berkeley, but now that I’m back I realize how much I did.

Every night after the kids go to sleep I spend time with my old books,. Each reminds me of different times, places and people. I find an old Chinese quote in one: Recreating something with words is like living it twice.

After a few days back I find myself writing sentences in my head, talking to myself and yearning for a free morning in the kitchen. Things I’ve managed to put aside over this past year.

New beginnings for a new year. May it be a good one.

Plum & Rose Petal Jam

After publishing this post on my Hebrew blog I discovered a similar recipe with berries  in the lovely Plum Gorgeous: Recipes and Memories from the Orchard by Rommy Steele, a local Oakland resident.

The rose petals add beauty but aren’t necessary. If you don’t have any, it’s not a problem.

4 pounds /~ 2 kg. plums
28 oz. / 800 gr. sugar
2 fresh garden roses, petals only, washed well
1 vanilla pod
4-5 drops rosewater
½ lemon

Wash, pitt and roughly chop the plums.
Transfer the plums, rose petals and sugar to a large pot. Slice the vanilla pod in half lengthwise, scrape the inside of the pod with a spoon or paring knife and add the seeds and pod into the pot. Bring to a boil and cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally the lightly bubbling pot. If a lot of foam forms on the top you can remove it but patient stirring and cooking will cause it to disappear.

Cook for an hour or so until the jam thickens. To test thickness – remove a tablespoon or two to a small bowl and freeze for a few minutes. When done, add the drops of rosewater (I suggest starting with half of the amount as rosewater can be different from brand to brand) and squeeze the lemon into the pot, cook for an additional minute.

Fill sterilized jars and seal immediately.

A book, so I’ve learned this year, is a birth
Emotional, painful and happy

Moments of sweetness and moments of stress
Strange movements, sharp pains and a wonderful feeling of new.

A book, so I’ve learned, is a lot of work. For many people.
But I got to the finish line.

It even has an incubator.

And a doula (Efrat, my graphic designer).

Spinach, Swiss Chard and Bulgur Patties

Perfect for those days where your fridge is full of greens you couldn’t resist at the market or when you really want to feel virtuously healthy, beautiful and strong.

1 bunch swiss chard (about 6 leaves)
1 bunch spinach
1 bunch parsley
1 bunch cilantro
2-3 stems of fresh mint – leaves only
1 large onion – peeled
2 large garlic cloves – peeled
6 Tablespoons whole wheat bread crumbs
3 eggs
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon ground coriander
3.5 oz /100 gr. feta cheese – crumbled
¾ cup bulgur – uncooked

Preheat the oven to 400 f / 200 c.

Wash the greens well. Separate the white stem of the chard from the green leaves. Keep both. Remove the hard stems from the parsley and cilantro bunches.

Place in the food processor: onion, swiss chard stems, garlic and bread crumbs. Chop well and transfer to a bowl. Chop the rest of the greens and add to bowl.

Add the rest of the ingredients, mix well and let it sit for 20-30 minutes, so that the bulgur can absorbs the liquids.

At this stage I recommend frying a small patty in a frying pan so you can taste seasoning and correct.

With lightly oiled hands (the mixture will be soft but will stabilize in the oven) roll round flat patties and place on 2 large baking pans covered with parchment paper. Lightly pat some olive oil on each patty. Roast in the heated oven for 20-30 minutes until the patties are slightly golden but still green and fresh looking.

Serve with yogurt or sour cream mixed with some fresh garlic and some olive oil.

Once a week my sister and I meet on the beach for a ‘walk’. Really it’s for that wonderful herring sandwich in a crusty baguette and a shot of vodka you can find at the covered market at the Tel Aviv Port. But don’t tell.

I never go home without a bag of colorful carrots. They’re not always tastier than regular carrots, but they are by far more beautiful. Each carrot has a unique pattern and color combination, uncovered fully when peeling. Nature’s beauty –

And what do I do with them?! Pickles, salads and pink little cakes without a shred of food coloring.

Pickled Carrots, Radishes and Kohlrabi

Sour-hot-sweet are the extreme tastes of these pickles. Refreshing, livens up a meal and looks good on the windowsill.

* If you use these carrots the liquid in the jar will turn a hot pink that even the kohlrabi will drink up.
* Regular carrots will work just fine in this recipe and if you want some color, add in a half beet, sliced

7 carrots of any kind
2 kohlrabi
2 large radishes or several smaller ones
4 cups water
2 cups apple or citrus vinegar
3 garlic cloves – sliced
1 small chili pepper – sliced (use less if you don’t like spicy)
2-3 lemon slices – no peel, quartered
½ teaspoon salt

Peel the carrots and slice into circles. Peel the kohlrabi, cut in half and slice. Wash the radish well, halve and slice. Transfer to a large pot, add the water and vinegar and bring to a boil. Cook for one minute at a boil, turn off the heat and let the pot cool a little.

Once cooler, transfer the vegetables to a large jar using a slotted spoon and sprinkle the lemon, garlic and chili between the layers. Add the salt and cover with the cooking liquid. Cover with a thin layer of olive oil and let the contents cool completely before sealing the jar.

The pickles are ready after four days but extra time will make them taste even better. Keep on your windowsill on cool days and in the refrigerator when it’s hot. Use a clean fork to remove vegetables from the jar.

Grated Carrot Salad

A tasty, refreshing salad from my friend Ofri.

The seasoning will depend on the type of carrot and sesame oil used. I suggest you start slow and add as needed.

5 thick carrots – peeled
1 lemon
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 Tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon date syrup or honey
salt
a handful of peanuts – roasted and roughly chopped
fresh cilantro

Grate the carrots in the food processor, or if you want to develop arm muscles, use a regular grater .

Season, mix, taste and fix until it tastes great!

Saturday 8:30 AM. I’ve barely opened my eyes when Michal and I are already on our way to the market in Tira. “It’s not a real market”, she warns me, meaning it’s not a fruit and vegetable market. I find it entirely satisfying except for the guard at the entrance telling us no cameras are allowed!

On the way in we encounter an old man with a few upside down cardboard boxes. He has small oranges with faded peels that taste like heaven and beautiful fresh young fava beans. They both come home with us.

The market itself is a jumbled mix of plastic containers, pantyhose, soccer balls and slippers. We eat Turkish Burekas with lots of hot sauce and a hard-boiled egg. And then we find enough stalls of fresh fruit and vegetables to make me happy. Freshly picked produce with clumps of earth still on the roots – beautiful meaty artichokes and bunches of fresh greens. Best of all, fragrant piles of fresh garlic, heaven for garlic lovers like us.

At home, though we both have other things to do, we steal time together. We haven’t eaten for a whole hour (!) so Michal chops up some fresh cilantro with hot red chilies, adding lots of olive oil and salt. The three of us (the Man has now joined us) dip fresh pita bread in it, standing at the counter. It’s the smell of old times when we used to eat together a lot and a combination of tastes that’s worth every ounce of accumulating body fat.

And even though time is short, Michal makes us delicious pot of rice, laced with fresh fava beans and greens, just like her mother used to make for her years ago. Later, eaten with fresh yogurt mixed with fresh chopped mint it will make everyone happy!

Note: when fava beans are young and very fresh, they don’t need to be shelled before cooking! The pod is delicious.

Fresh Fava Beans and Rice

Can be made with brown rice: 1 1/4 cups rice + 2 cups water + 55 minutes cooking time

1 ½ cups jasmine rice
2-3 cups fresh fava beans, cleaned
olive oil
fresh salt and pepper
2-3 garlic cloves – sliced thin
1 bunch cilantro
a handful of fresh mint
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
2 – 2 ½ cups water

Prepare the fava bean pods: If they’re young and thin slice them between the beans. The older thicker pods need to be peeled and you only use the beans themselves.

Heat the coriander seeds in a pan, until you smell a mild coriander scent. Remove from heat. Be careful not to burn them! Crush using any method you want.

Chop the cilantro and fresh mint.

In a pot, heat the garlic and fava beans in a generous serving of olive oil. Cook for a minute or so and add the rice, spices and herbs. Cook for a couple of minutes. Add the water, bring to a boil and continue cooking, covered, on low heat. It’s best to start with 2 ¼ cups of water and add more if needed. It should take about 20-30 minutes. The rice should be soft and fava bean flavored when done. Letting the pot stand wrapped in a kitchen towel at the end of cooking always improves flavors and textures.