Bean and Millet Salad

Ingredients

1 cup millet, rinsed uncooked

2 ½ cups water

2 cups cooked black beans or kidney beans

2 large tomatoes, chopped

1 small red bell pepper, diced

1 medium cucumber, seeds removed and diced

1 medium onion, diced

chopped parsley (optional)

chopped cilantro, to taste (optional)

½ cup corn kernels (optional)

Dressing

1/3 cup water

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon cumin

Directions

Cook the millet in 2 1/2 cups of water. (Best way to cook millet is to let the millet and water boil on high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer the millet in a covered pan for about 25 minutes till water is absorbed).Fluff with fork and allow to steam and cool.In a large bowl, combine millet, black beans, tomatoes, pepper, cucumber and onion. Mix all dressing ingredients until well blended and pour over the salad, tossing to blend. Cover and refrigerate until the salad is well chilled.Serve on lettuce leaves or stuff into pita bread or wrap in a tortilla.

Fava Bean Soup ( An Egyptian Breakfast)

Ingredients

(serves 4 – 6 )

2 cups dried fava beans (or 4 cups cooked fava or broad beans)

1 teaspoon cumin

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 – 2 tablespoon olive oil (more or less according to taste)

1/4 cup lemon juice or more according to taste

2 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped

water, used to soak or cook fava beans (about 6 cups)

Salt and pepper (optional , according to taste)

Directions

Soak fava beans overnight. Drain fava beans and save water.Peel the skins from the fava beans and place in large saucepan. Measure 6 cups of soaking water and add to the fava beans.Bring to a boil on medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 45 minutes, or until beans are soft. Once beans are tender, remove beans from heat and puree beans and garlic cloves in a blender.Return pureed fava beans to saucepan and bring to a boil.Add water if needed.Stir in cumin, lemon juice and olive oil and bring to a second boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Serve in a bowl and sprinkle parsley on top.

Broccoli Tofu Cheese please

Ingredients
(serves 2)

250 grams firm tofu (cut into even sized cubes)
2 cups broccoli florets
1 tablespoon canola oil
2- 3 cloves garlic
2 small onions
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper acc to taste

Directions

Drain tofu and fry it in heated oiled pan till they are brown. Put them aside and fry onions and garlic in the oil left from frying tofu. Add broccoli and cook it for a while by covering the pan. Add tofu back and sprinkle cheese on top.

Creamy Broccoli Soup

Ingredients
(serves 4)

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cups or 1 package (10 ounces) frozen broccoli
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth or water
1/4 teaspoon marjoram or oregano
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 cup reduced-fat (2%) milk
salt and pepper (acc to taste)

Directions

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add onion and sauté until tender. Add broccoli, chicken broth, marjoram, and cayenne; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until broccoli is tender. Remove from heat and stir in milk. Purée in batches in a blender. Heat through to serve.

Old-Fashioned Baked Custard

Ingredients

(serves 6)

4 to 6 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt, optional

3 cups skim or low-fat milk, heated until very hot

Ground nutmeg or cinnamon for garnish, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Adjust oven rack to center position. Lightly butter (or use non-fat vegetable spray) six (6-ounce) custard cups and set them into a large baking dish. If cooking custards in a metal pan, cover the bottom of the pan with a layer of newspaper to ensure an even temperature on the bottom.

In a large bowl, beat eggs slightly; add sugar, vanilla extract, and salt and beat until dissolved. Mix in hot milk until blended. Pour egg mixture into prepared custard cups. Sprinkle with nutmeg or cinnamon.

Bring the water for the water bath or Bain-Marie to a light simmer on top of the stove; carefully pour hot water into the baking pan to come half-way cup the sides of the custard cups. NOTE: The most common mistake people make in baking a custard is not putting enough water in the hot-water bath. The water should come up to the level of the custard inside the cups. You must protect your custard from the heat. Carefully pour hot water into the baking pan to come halfway cup the sides of the custard cups.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until set around the edges but still loose in the center. The cooking time will depend largely on the size of the custard cup you are using, but begin checking at 20 minutes and check back regularly. When the center of the custard is just set, it will jiggle a little when shaken, that's when you can remove it from the oven. Remove from oven and immediately remove cups from water bath; cool on wire rack until room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

Pudding in a Mug

Ingredients:

(serves 1 )

1 T cornstarch

2 T unsweetened cocoa powder or 1 oz unsweetened chocolate

2 T sugar

3/4 c skim milk

1/4 t vanilla

some dark chocolate shavings (optional)

Directions:

In a large mug dissolve cornstarch, cocoa, and sugar in milk. Microwave on high for 2 min or until mixture boils. Stir, nuke for 30 sec, stir and nuke again in three 30 sec intervals watching through the door to stop and stir when it starts to overflow. This is done to ensure that cornstarch is cooked. Stir in vanilla and dark chocolate shavings. Chill in refrigerator at least 1 hour. Garnish it with whipped cream (optional)

Variation:

For Banana Pudding: stir in some chopped banana

For Butterscotch Pudding : Minus the chocolate and use brown sugar instead of white sugar and add bit of butter when it has just boiled through (abt 1 T )

For Vanilla Pudding: Don't add chocolate but stir in double or equal amount of vanilla extract.

For Chocolate Mousse: Wait until the pudding cools for a few hours in the refrigerator and then gently fold in a carton or thawed cool whip.

For Chocolate Almond pudding: Add extra 1/8 t of almond extract

Other Variations: Try 1/4 t of bourbon (even brandy or rum) instead of vanilla extract for added kick OR add fresh mint to mask sweetness of pudding OR pour the pudding into graham shells for tasty snack. If you don't have cornstarch add equal amount of all purpose flour.

Basic Bean Chili

Ingredients:

(serves 4 )

1 medium onion chopped

1 medium green bell pepper diced about ¼ inch pieces ( or mixture of green, yellow and red )

1-1/2 cups + 1 TBS vegetable broth or water

6 medium cloves garlic, chopped

3 - 31/2 cups black beans

3- 4 diced medium tomatoes

2 TBS ground cumin

2 TBS red chili powder

2 TBS dried oregano

1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen

¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro

salt & black pepper to taste

some shredded cheese or Dollop of yogurt (optional)

Directions:

Heat 1 TBS broth in a medium size soup pot. Sauté onion and bell pepper in broth over medium heat for about 5 minutes stirring frequently, until translucent. Add garlic, cumin, red chili powder and continue to sauté for another minute.

Add 1 ½ cups broth and rest of ingredients, except cilantro and corn. Simmer for another 20 minutes uncovered. Add corn and cook for another 2 minutes. Add chopped cilantro and season with salt & pepper to taste. Sprinkle some shredded cheese or dollop of yogurt on the top Yummy!!!

Variation:

For 3 bean or 5 bean soups- choose mixture of any of following beans according to taste: red and white kidney beans and black beans, garbanzo beans, pinto beans etc.