Recipe: Vegan Sooji Halwa with Pineapples and Pistachios

This Indian dish is nutty, slightly sweet, and has a lovely aroma from the cardamom.

Sooji is another term for cream of wheat. When my mother and mother-in-law visit, they always make a breakfast entree or dessert using Sooji, which can be found at Indian grocery stores. I'm sure you can use the Cream of Wheat you find at the store as long as the only ingredient listed on the box is wheat. 

I made a dessert out of the Sooji last night using pineapples and chopped pistachios. I found the recipe here. 

To make the dish more savory, you can sautee some finely chopped onions and add it to the sooji halwa along with some chopped tomatoes and a little cilantro. You can substitute cashew halves and raisins for the pistachios and pineapple. 

Recipe: Chickpea Curry

This chickpea curry is fragrant and filling.

My chickpea curry, which is based on the Indian dish Chole, has great texture and is very filling when paired with rice or eaten with naan or tortillas. It’s also very simple to make.

If you can, purchase a seasoning blend called Pitta Churna (it can be bought online and at Amazon.com). It contains a blend of fragrant organic spices that are a wonderful addition to your diet. I use this seasoning blend in my chickpea dish.

Chickpea Curry

Ingredients:

1 T oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1-inch piece of ginger minced or 1 T of garlic paste (you can buy this at Indian grocery stores)

1-1/2 T of Pitta Churna

1 can (1 pound-13 oz or 822 grams) of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

¾ c. to 1 c. of vegetable broth

1 T organic sugar

Juice from half a lemon

1-2 T of vegan buttery spread

Directions:

Heat the oil on medium heat and add the chopped onions. Sautee for 3 minutes. Add Pitta Churna and cook for 1 minute. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute. Add the chickpeas and cook for 3 minutes, mixing every 30 seconds or so. Add ¾ c. of veggie broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover the pot, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the lid, add the sugar, stir and taste. I added a couple big pinches of salt to my pot and a large pinch of black pepper (black pepper paired with turmeric increases the anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric). Add the juice of half a lemon and 1 T of vegan buttery spread (you can add another tablespoon of vegan butter if you like your dish creamy). Stir and taste. Adjust the seasonings to your liking – either adding a small dash more of sugar, salt, or Pitta Churna. Let the mixture cook another five minutes and then serve with rice, naan, or tortillas. Garnish with a little cilantro, red chili flakes, chopped hot peppers, hot sauce, or siracha.

The sauce is creamy, sweet, and fragrant. The chickpeas have a bit of chew to them, while the onions still have a crispy bite. 

Review: Jem Raw Organic Nut Butters

My breakfast this morning: Bob's Red Mill rolled oats sweetened with Jem Raw Organic's Cinnamon Red Maca Almond Butter. The nut spread is perfect on fresh fruit, smeared on toast, or eaten off a spoon. 

My dinner last night: The crusty whole wheat bread, pungent raw onions, and fresh cilantro cut through the sweet -- but balanced -- barbecue sauce on the textured soy protein.

It probably wasn't until a few years ago when I tried something other than peanut butter with my jam. I tried almond butter and instantly fell in love. It's smooth, yet clings to the inside of your mouth. Since then, I've seen almond butter in its purest form, as well as mixed with spices and/or flavorful additions, such as chocolate. 

I don't recall exactly why I ordered Jem Raw Organic's Cinnamon Red Maca Almond Butter last year, but I think it might have had to do with the small-business appearance of the company and their apparent dedication to quality. Their nut butters are raw (meaning they're not prepared at a certain level of heat), organic, extremely smooth and creamy, have a slightly runny consistency, and come in four flavors -- all of which I've tried.

• Cinnamon Red Maca Almond Butter: This is my absolute favorite flavor. The creamy spread envelops your tongue, and you're hit with the cinnamon flavor and a pleasant sweetness that comes from the coconut palm sugar. I don't know what red maca (a strength and stamina enhancer) tastes like, but it must add to the overall amazing quality of this spread. I eat a little off a spoon if I want something small and sweet after a meal, and I've spread this on fruit and bread and mixed it in oatmeal and smoothies. 

• Macqui Camu Super Berry Nut Butter: Made from raw sprouted almonds like the Cinnamon Red Maca Almond Butter, this product is a close second as a tasty spread. It has a fruity taste that is very pleasant and cuts through the sweetness. 

• Coconut Cardamom Almond Butter: This almond butter definitely tastes like coconuts and cardamom and was more sweet than salty/savory. It worked perfect as a spread over my not-so-sweet white vanilla cake and as an ingredient in my smoothies. Those who enjoy eating Indian sweets will love this spread.

• Chocolate Hazelnut Spread: This nut butter is comprised of sprouted organic hazelnuts and is a wonderful replacement for Nutella and similar chocolate-hazelnut spreads. The organic cocao nibs are front and center as a flavor profile, so much so, that I found this spread to be more one-note when compared to the other spreads, which pulled your taste buds in different directions with the spicy, sweet, and savory components.

 

Follow Jem Raw Organics on their Facebook page to learn about discounts and free-shipping offers. I usually wait until they offer 10-20 percent discounts before ordering. Each 6 oz. jar costs $12.99. There are 1 oz. jars for $3.99. You might be able to find the nut butters cheaper on Amazon.