Morning Sandwich Sushi Roll

This idea came to me when I went for a visit to Lebanon. I had learned of the benefits of seaweed and wanted to share it with family back home. So I took a bag of Nori with me. One day I woke up and went to eat breakfast when I realized we were out of the daily pita bread we usually eat. Everything else was available. So out came the nori seaweed - the substitute to a pita. I used 2 sheets to ensure it held strong.

The toppings I used were must-have ingredients in Lebanon and among my family. The main ingredient is the Labneh (Cheese cloth Strained/Pressed yogurt - with a creamy consistency), then I used Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Parsley, Radish, Lettuce.

 I added Labneh to one sheet & covered it with the second sheet & also topped that with labneh. Then just as you prepare sushi, I started added the ingredients that I had. I'm assuming this can be done with many other food choices, it's just a matter of trying it out and deciding on whether it taste good or not. I finally rolled it up and got this:



Might I add, I enjoyed the flavor, as did my younger sister. But I also enjoy eating the nori sushi sheets on their own. Perhaps my taste buds have adapted to the taste and didn't mind it with the Labneh.

It's almost close to the cream cheese they add to some sushi rolls (minus the rice). Enjoy & let me know if you've tried this out - liked it or hated it. 

Lastly for those of you who don't know Labneh
 
It's simply a yogurt strained of it's whey. After preparing the milk & adding bacterial culture - you end up with yogurt. This yogurt can be separated of it's whey through a straining process with a muslin or cheese cloth. Take note; the whey (a yellow translucent liquid) contains minerals and health benefits, don't toss it, rather use it in soups, baking  etc. After strained, it's just a matter of putting it in the fridge until your ready to enjoy it!

All the Curried Nuts a Chicken Can Get

 

Raisin and Nut Crumble with Coconut Curried Chicken, Radicchio & Red Peppers

All within a few days of each other, I ended up with the same ingredients. But I wanted to do a different recipe. So SPICES to the rescue!

Curry it was! 

which means more Turmeric 

I prepared the Nut & Raisin Crumble the same way as I prepared it in the Nuts, Fig & Raisin Crust Chicken Pizza minus the eggs and the zaatar. The dough didn't hold too well due to the lack of a binder (the egg) - so I crumbled it. I also added a tsp of curry powder to the mix.

On the side I had marinated the chicken in the curry powder & cooked it with garlic & onions. Unlike the Pizza recipe, I decided to slightly cook the available vegetables by adding them to the cooked chicken right before I took it off the stove. 

Red Bell Peppers

Radicchio

Lettuce

Raisins

1 tsp shredded Coconut

Lastly I needed a sauce, so went with a Coconut Curry sauce. 

¼ cup light coconut milk

1 tsp soy sauce

½ tsp toasted sesame oil

1 tbsp shredded Coconut

½ tsp curry powder

1 clove garlic, minced

½ tsp Sriracha hot chili sauce

1 tsp cornstarch

Whisk all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and let the mixture simmer for about 2-3 minutes until glossy and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

With pretty much the same ingredients, I was able to make 2 different recipes with different tastes. The options are endless!

Going Nuts For Pizza

Nuts, Raisin & Fig Crust Chicken Pizza

I've been experimenting with nuts lately, and I decided to make my self a pizza. I wanted all the nutrients I can get in my veggies, so I kept them away from heat. Hence my partially raw pizza. I ended up only cooking the chicken, and the crust for as little I can, just to crisp it up.My measurements were rough, so there is no exact recipe. But anything goes!

	Nut Crust  3 Tbsp Raw Almonds 3 Tbsp Raw Walnuts 2 Tbsp Raw Pistachio 2 Tbsp Shredded Coconut  1 Tbsp Flax Seed 1 tsp Kalunji (Nigella) 3 tsp Pinenuts 2 Tbsp Raw Sesame Seeds 2 Tbsp Zaatar Mix 2 tsp Turmeric 2 tsp Sultana Raisins 2 Tbsp Dried Figs 2 Cloves Garlic 1 Egg (extra ground nuts or flour to fix dough consistency)	Kneaded Dough
Grind & Mix together all Nuts, Fruit & Spicing Ingredients	Add Egg & knead dough until you get a play-dough consistency More ground nuts or flour can be added to reach desired consistency	Pre-heat Oven at 350° Oil your tray or baking dish Press dough to form ½ cm pizza crust Bake for 15 min or until slightly golden

On the side I had prepared the Pizza Sauce 1 small Tomato ½ Onion 3 cloves Garlic 2 tsp Tomato paste 2 tsp roasted Chilli peppers ½ tsp Oregano ½ tsp Basil ¼ tsp Black pepper pinch of salt	I used some of the pizza sauce to flavor my chicken, but the remainder of the sauce was used as a raw sauce. While cooking the crust, I added some cheese. Then topped it with my pizza sauce flavored chicken bits.
To treat my self I made some caramelized onions. But fresh is better. If I had green onions I would have used that instead. Caramelized Onions 1 small Onion 2 Tbsp Sugar ¼ cup Water - Boil water - Melt Sugar - Add sliced Onions -  Stir until water evaporates & sugar starts browning	Over the chicken bits, I added the sauce, and then the caramelized onions. Now to choose my Toppings. Red peppers Raddichio Avocado Black Olives Lettuce The amount is up to you. Add more or less of what you like and dislike.

Tasted wonderful, and I loved the colors.

Mustard benefits - seeds & greens

Mustard seeds are grown in 3 main varieties white, black and brown. The black seeds are common in South Asia and the brown seeds are native to sub-Himalayan plains of North India.

Mustard seeds are high in calories and are good source of dietary fiber; recommended in cholesterol controlling and weight reduction programs.

Mustard greens are an excellent source of essential B-complex vitamins such as folates, niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, pyridoxine (vitaminB-6), pantothenic acid. Niacin helps lower blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels.






Mustard is rich source of many health benefiting minerals.
- Calcium
- Manganese
- Copper
- Iron
- Selenium
- Zinc

These minerals are especially concentrated in these seeds.

Mustard seeds and its oil has traditionally been used to relieve muscle pain, rheumatism and arthritic pain. Mustard oil is applied over scalp in India and is believed to stimulate hair growth. Its ground seeds act as a laxative, stimulant to gastric mucosa and increase intestinal secretion.