Chickpea Gazpacho, a recipe from The Bard of Bat Yam, Poet Laureate of Zion , Stephen Darori

Who said you couldn’t enjoy soup in the summer? This creamy Chickpea Gazpacho is a perfect light and refreshing summer appetizer. It’s also easy to make, as there there is no cooking involved, as far as the actual Gazpacho is concerned.

We love this dish because it’s a deliciously simple way to get in 2 servings of veggies without even noticing. It also provides a healthy dose of fats — in the form of olive oil and avocados. And since this dish is 100% plant-based, there’s a dose of fiber in every single bite. There really isn’t a soup more perfect than this.



Since 2016 is the International Year of the Pulses, we decided to put a spin on a traditional Gazpacho and add chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans). Chickpeas (and all pulses for that matter — think black beans, lentils, dry peas and beans) contain a whopping 9 grams of protein per ½ cup. They are also jam packed with fiber, which studies suggest can help to lower cholesterol levels, keep you feeling full and prevent constipation.

It’s no secret that we’re a fan of pulses. That’s why we’re taking the Pulse Pledge — a commitment to eat more nutritious, delicious and sustainable pulses this year — and we’d love for you to join us!

We totally think this soup is worth making, so get the ingredients to give it a go. If you try it, let us know in the comments below what you think. Anything different you would add here or do differently? We want to know!

CHICKPEA GAZPACHO
Serves 2

SOUP
1/2 yellow pepper
1/2 large cucumber
3 small tomatoes (heirloom a plus)
1/2 cup of chickpeas, cooked
1 clove of garlic
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/4 avocado

ROASTED CHICKPEAS
3/4 cup of chickpeas, cooked
1 teaspoon of paprika
Salt and pepper to taste

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS
5 cherry tomatoes
Small bunch of cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Start by preheating the oven to 400F
2. Rinse cooked chickpeas with water and then pat dry with a towel a couple of times to drain any excess liquid and make for better roasting
3. In a bowl, combine beans with salt and pepper and paprika. Stir.
4. Then add beans to a baking sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes or until the chickpeas are crunchy. We recommend flipping halfway through to make sure they cook evenly.
5. Now we'll make the soup. Place all soup ingredients in the blender and blend away until you get a creamy consistency.
6. You can either chill for an hour or serve immediately.
7. Top the gazpacho with roasted chickpeas, sliced cherry tomatoes and cilantro.

Collard Chickpea Egg Nest, a recipe by The Bard of Bat Yam, Poet Laureate of Zion , Stephen Darori

In case you’ve missed our other posts about pulses, pulses are a family of legumes that includes lentils, beans, dry peas and chickpeas. They are a rich source of plant-based proteins and amino acids for people around the world, and can be incorporated into meals in so many fun and creative ways.



Along with protein, pulses are rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals like folate, iron, and potassium. Just one cup of cooked pulses gives you over half of the fiber you need for an entire day! They are rich in soluble and insoluble fiber, both of which offer endless health benefits ranging from weight management to improved digestion.

Chickpeas are rich in fiber and complex carbohydrates. Chickpeas can be incorporated creatively into so many recipes- just last month, we featured a Chickpea Gazpacho recipe!

The great thing about pulses is that they are easily accessible to communities in different parts of the world because of their affordability. They are also amazing for our environment- pulses use only a fraction of the water other protein sources use. They enrich our soil, which results in crops with improved nutrient profiles. With all of that being said, let’s get to this recipe! It’s incredibly easy to whip up, and consists of throwing all ingredients into a skillet. Before you know it, you’ll have a satisfying dish that can be enjoyed for breakfast or even dinner.




COLLARDS CHICKPEA EGG NEST
Serves 1
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INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup collard greens, thick stems removed, finely sliced
1/2 cup cooked chickpeas
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 eggs
Salt & pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. On a pan or skillet, heat the olive oil and add the onion and garlic. Sauté for 1 minute over low-medium heat
2. Then add the collards, and sauté with the onion and garlic. Place the lid on the skillet, and allow to cook for 3 minutes
3. Remove the lid, add the chickpeas and tomato sauce to the pan, and cook together for another 3 minutes over low-medium heat, with the lid on
4. Next you'll crack your eggs and allow them to cook without the lid for 6-8 minutes or until the desired doneness is reached
5. Top with salt and pepper, to taste

NOTES
Enjoy with toast!

Turmeric Vegetable Fried Rice, a recipe by the Bard of Bat Yam, Poet Laureate of Zion, Stephen Darori

We’re taking a new, healthier spin on a greasy take-out staple with this Turmeric Vegetable Fried Rice!

We added turmeric for an extra anti-inflammatory kick. It also just makes the rice look really pretty and yellow. Turmeric is a multi-purpose spice. It’s rich in curcumin, which has been shown to have anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial effects. Turmeric also has powerful antioxidant properties, which can help fight cancer-causing free radicals. In India, it is commonly used for treating a variety of skin ailments, including acne, eczema, and rosacea.This flavorful spice is incredibly affordable! It also lasts for long periods of time in the food pantry.

This fried rice is made with brown rice for some extra fiber and B vitamins. Brown rice differs from white rice in that it’s a whole grain that contains the fibrous bran and nutritious germ. White rice removes the shell with the bran and the germ to increase the shelf life.

Let’s get this one going! When cooking your brown rice, add 1/2 tablespoon of turmeric to the boiling water, and cook as per package instructions. Set aside once done. In a large pan, heat the sesame oil, and add the onions. Sauté for 1-2 minutes over medium heat. Add in the eggs, and cook for 1-2 minutes. Then add in the mixed vegetables, 2 cups of the cooked turmeric rice, and the soy/tamari/aminos. For the mixed vegetables, we got the frozen pack of green beans, carrots, corn, and peas. You can get any frozen vegetable mix you enjoy though! Cook over low heat for 4-5 minutes. Turn off the heat, and mix in the cabbage and sprouts. Add salt, to taste, and top with scallions. Enjoy!

How do you spice up your fried rice? What do you think of our Turmeric Vegetable Fried Rice? Let us know in the comments below!

TURMERIC VEGETABLE FRIED RICE
Serves 3
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INGREDIENTS
2 cups cooked turmeric brown rice*
1 tablespoon sesame seed oil
1/2 red onion, chopped
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup mixed vegetables (carrots, green beans, corn, peas)
1 tablespoon soy/tamari or coconut aminos
3/4 cup shredded red cabbage
1/2 cup bean sprouts
Salt, to taste
Optional: chopped scallions

INSTRUCTIONS

1. When cooking your brown rice, add 1/2 tablespoon of turmeric to the boiling water, and cook as per package instructions. Set aside once done
2. In a large pan, heat the sesame oil, and add the onions. Sauté for 1-2 minutes over medium heat
3. Add in the eggs, and cook for 1-2 minutes
4. Then add in the mixed vegetables, 2 cups of the cooked turmeric rice, and the soy/tamari/aminos
5. Cook over low heat for 4-5 minutes
6. Turn off the heat, and mix in the cabbage and sprouts. Add salt, to taste, and top with scallions. Enjoy!

NOTES
*When cooking your brown rice, add 1/2 tablespoon of turmeric to the boiling water, and cook as per package instructions.

Vegetable Fried Rice Salad, a recipe by the Bard of Bat Yam, Poet Laureate of Zion , Stephen Darori

Make it a gourmet meal and serve with Instant Pot Asian Ribs.

Duration: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS
SAUCE
3 scallions, thinly sliced
⅓ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
Dash of hot sauce
2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
2 garlic cloves, grated
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

FRIED RICE
Toasted peanut oil or grapeseed oil for stir frying
1 stalk broccoli, cut into small pieces or 2 cups frozen
¼ cup frozen peas, thawed
¼ cup frozen or fresh carrots, diced small
¼ cup frozen shelled edamame, thawed
3 scallions, sliced
2 cups cooked brown or white rice, leftover rice works best for this
2 eggs, lightly whisked
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION
Sauce:

1. Whisk scallions, soy sauce, vinegar, honey, hot sauce, ginger, garlic, and oil together and set aside.

Fried Rice:

1. Heat a wok or large sauté pan over high heat. Add enough oil to have a quarter-inch of oil in the pan.
2. Add broccoli, peas, carrots, edamame, and scallions and stir fry until cooked through and lightly browned.
3. Push vegetables to the side of the pan and add rice. Stir fry until rice is crisped up and lightly browned.
4. Push rice to the side and add eggs. Cook eggs until they are completely set. Stir vegetables and rice into eggs and pour sauce over the entire mixture. Turn off the heat and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Maple Cake , a recipe by the Bard of Bat Yam (#BardOfBatYam) , Poet Laureate of Zion (#PoetLaureateOfZion) and Stephen Darori

MAPLE CAKE Makes 2 loaf pans.
3 large or 4 small eggs 1¼ cups demerara or regular sugar 2 packets vanilla sugar or 2 to 3 drops of vanilla extract ½ cup oil 2 cups fresh orange juice (can mix with cream or yogurt if the cake doesn’t need to be parve) 2½ cups white or spelt flour, sifted 1 tsp. baking powder Pinch of salt Topping: ½ cup chopped walnuts, sesame seeds, almonds or hazelnuts Syrup topping: ½ cup maple syrup In a large bowl put eggs, sugar, vanilla sugar, oil, and orange juice. Mix well until smooth. While mixing, gradually add flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until all the lumps have disappeared.

Grease two loaf pans or use baking paper. Pour in batter in both pans and flatten. Sprinkle nuts on top.

Bake in an oven preheated to 180° for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out dry.

Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. Poke holes with a toothpick and separate cake from the sides of the pan using a knife. Pour maple syrup on top of cake. The syrup will absorb into cake and make it nice and moist.

Lentil Burgers , a recipe by the Bard of Bat Yam ( #BardOfBatYam) , Poet Laureate Of ion ( #PoetLaureateOfion ) and Stephen Darori (#StephenDarori), @StephenDarori)

LENTIL BURGERS Makes 12 burgers.

¼ cup olive oil 2 large onions, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 heaping Tbsp. cumin 1 tsp. sweet paprika ½ tsp. harisa Salt and pepper, to taste 1 handful of parsley, chopped 1 handful of coriander, chopped 1 bunch of mangold leaves, chopped finely 1½ cups orange lentils or cooked organic quinoa 1 cup green lentils, soaked overnight and cooked ½ cup chickpea or whole-wheat flour 1 Tbsp. olive oil 1 to 2 Tbsp. raw tehina For frying: Oil (use the same amount you’d use to fry schnitzel) Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion and the garlic and fry until golden brown. Add the spices and the parsley, coriander and mangold. Stir and cook until mangold is reduced in volume. Turn off the flame and cover. Let sit for 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the two types of lentils, chickpea flour, olive oil and tehina. Knead mixture with your hands until it’s a bit sticky, but comes off your fingers. You can add more tehina or chickpea flour if needed. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Wet your hands in the bowl of water and form balls with a diameter of 4 to 5 cm. Heat oil in a large pot and fry balls on both sides until golden brown. Alternatively, you could bake in oven. Place them evenly spaced on baking paper and spray them with canola oil.

Bake in an oven preheated to 180° for 25 minutes.

The burgers will be ready when they lift off the baking paper easily. Serve warm. Can be served with sauces for dipping if desired.

TIPascale You can make an endless number of variations of this cake.

For example, you can add dried dates or cranberries, hazelnuts, raisins or fresh fruit slices.

You can also add different spices, such as ginger, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Instead of two cups of orange juice, you can replace this with one cup of orange juice and one cup of yogurt or cream.

Chocolate Rolls , a recipe by the Bard of Bat Yam (#BardOfBatYam) , Poet Laureate Of Zion (#PoetLaureateOfZion) and Stephen Darori (#stephendaror, @stephendarori))

CHOCOLATE ROLLS Makes 28 to 32 rolls.

1 kg. flour, sifted 2 Tbsp. dry yeast ½ cup sugar 3 Tbsp. cocoa powder 200 gr. chocolate chips ½ cup oil 2½ to 3 cups water 1 Tbsp. salt Wash: Bowl of water For sprinkling on top: 3 Tbsp. flour, sifted In the bowl of an electric mixer with a dough attachment, add flour, yeast, sugar, cocoa powder and chocolate chips. Mix for a minute or two.

While mixing, gradually add the oil and water. Mix until smooth. Add salt and continue mixing for seven more minutes.

Spray oil onto dough and let rise in a warm place for 90 to 120 minutes.

Separate the dough into 28 to 32 equally large round balls. If you choose to make rolls a different shape, the number of rolls will change accordingly.

Arrange rolls on a tray that’s covered with baking paper or is greased. Brush rolls with a little water and then sprinkle with flour. Using a pair of scissors, make two indentations in the form of an X in the middle of each roll.

Bake in an oven preheated to 190° to 200° for 20 to 25 minutes.