Naan (leavened North Indian bread)

Sunday, January 31, 2016 - Lunch
Naan (leavened North Indian bread) - Recipe from The Joy of Vegan Baking by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau

This was my first time making homemade naan from scratch.  I cooked the naan on a pizza stone in the oven, and since only 1-2 pieces fit on the stone at a time, I was able to experiment with a variety of different dough thicknesses, cooking times, and the amount of (dairy-free) butter brushed on top.  The last couple trials turned out very well - the secret seemed to be thicker dough, with a moderate brushing of butter, cooked for the shortest time within the suggested range.

The whole process was very time consuming (8 pieces at 6-10 minutes cooking time each, plus prep time and 2+ hours waiting for the dough to rise).  I can get fresh naan from the local grocery store bakery, so it's unlikely that I'll make my own in the future - at least not on a regular basis.

Served with two curry dishes as part of a big Indian feast for lunch.

Masoor Dal (red lentils)

Sunday, January 31, 2016 - Lunch

Masoor Dal (red lentils) - Recipe from The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau

This is a quick and easy curry that can be made even more spicy by simply adding extra cayenne pepper.

I only made a half batch (4-5 servings instead of 8-10), because I made several dishes as part of a big Indian feast for lunch.

Served with: basmati rice, Chana Masala (curried chickpeas), and Naan (leavened North Indian bread)

Chana Masala (Curried Chickpeas)

Sunday, January 31, 2016 - Lunch

Chana Masala (Curried Chickpeas) - Recipe from The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau

This is one of my favorite recipes from this cookbook.  Chana Masala is a mild chickpea curry - the perfect mixture of savory and spicy, with a hint of sweetness.   It was delicious and satisfying.  I only made a half batch (4-5 servings instead of 8-10), because I made several dishes as part of a big Indian feast for lunch.  It was tasty and filling, and there are plenty of leftovers for the rest of the week.

Served with: basmati rice, Masoor Dal (red lentil curry), and Naan (leavened North Indian bread)

Indian Feast

Sunday, January 31, 2016 - Lunch

Indian feast (multiple recipes from two different cookbooks by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau)

Today for lunch, I made multiple Indian dishes:

Chana Masala (curried chickpeas) from The Vegan Table
Masoor Dal (red lentils) from The Vegan Table
Naan (leavened North Indian bread) from The Joy of Vegan Baking

Served with basmati rice

It was a delicious and filling meal, and there are plenty of leftovers for the week!

Banana and Oatmeal Pancakes

Sunday, January 17, 2015 - Lunch
Banana and Oatmeal Pancakes (Recipe from Vegan Cooking for Carnivores by Roberto Martin)

This recipe suggested making the batter entirely in the blender.  However, if I make these pancakes again, I would use the blender for the almond milk and oatmeal, then add the bananas and other dry ingredients to mix by hand.  I over-mixed the ingredients in the blender, in an attempt to fold in the dry ingredients.  The banana flavor was delicious, but the texture wasn't as light and fluffy as it should have been.  I'd like to try again - these would be good with chunks of banana still in the pancakes.

Of the pancakes I've made for this blog, these were probably my least favorite.  I loved the Golden Corn Pancakes and the Wheat Pancakes, and I'd like to give these Banana Oatmeal Pancakes another try.

Served with: tofu veggie scramble and clementines