My Awesome Aunt Beth sent us an incredible care package on our journey into Vegan hood. Vegan sloppy joe mix, couscous, lentils, Buckwheat, Hummus mix, etc. Such good stuff. And I have been using the recipes on the back of the packages. Quite easy (creative, I know).
I decided to make the Buckwheat Tabouli, and Hummus, which of course needed Pita bread to go with it. The Pita would have to come from scratch. Of course I chose to do all of this on a day our helper was sick, and with good knowledge that our bread machine was broken.
I took both girls to the market, I spent a total of 10 yuan ($1.47) on all the veg I needed , and then went downstairs to use our neighbor's bread machine while they were out of town (I knew I would not have time to knead dough and wait, etc.).
As I cleaned all the veg (it would be eaten raw in Tabouli, so it needed really good cleaning), Sophia played with play dough, Bella slept, and then Sophia joined me in 'washing' the mint (I had quite a bit extra). This kept her busy while I chopped all the clean veggies.
The Pita bread was another issue. I couldn't remember if I added salt, and I also used half whole wheat flour, I had no idea what this would do. It was all okay except I was having trouble getting our oven hot enough (it needs to be hot so that it will puff up, then you know it will make a pocket). By the second batch I noticed our oven door was not closing all the way, oh no. And then I watched as the screw came out (a-gain) and left me having to prop the door closed with a really heavy pot. But it worked and the last few turned out fine. They all tasted great you just couldn't 'open' a few of them.
Abby showed up unexpectedly in the afternoon, after David (aka: the most amazing husband ever) did a HUGE amount of dishes.
Abby, Sophia, and David LOVED this whole meal, me too of course.
Here it is:
(this is from 'Eden Organic' brand)
Buckwheat Tabouli
2 cups cooked buckwheat, cooled and fluffed
1 cucumber, chopped
2 small tomatoes, chopped
2/3 cup green onions, chopped
1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped
2 cups fresh parsley, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup Olive oil
2 tsp sea salt
Combine all ingredients. Chill at least 1 hour. Serve on romaine leaves, in pita bread.
(Whole Wheat) Pita bread
(there are so many recipes out there but I got this from my friend K and adjusted it)
| 1 1/8 cups warm water (110degrees F/45 degrees C) |
|
| cups all-purpose flour (I used half whole wheat)
|
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| 1 teaspoon salt |
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| 1 tablespoon vegetable oil |
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| 1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar |
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| 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast |
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- Place all ingredients in bread pan of your bread machine, select Dough
setting and start. When dough has risen long enough, machine will
beep.
- Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently roll and stretch dough
into a 12 inch rope. With a sharp knife, divide dough into 8 pieces. Roll
each into a smooth ball. With a rolling pin, roll each ball into a 6 to 7 inch
circle. Set aside on a lightly floured counter top. cover with a towel. Let
pitas rise about 30 minutes until slightly puffy.
- Preheat oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C). Place 2 or 3 pitas on a
wire cake rack. Place cake rack directly on oven rack. Bake pitas 4 to 5
minutes until puffed and tops begin to brown. Remove from oven and
immediately place pitas in a sealed brown paper bag or cover them with
a damp kitchen towel until soft. Once pitas a softened, either cut in half
or split top edge for half or whole pitas. They can be stored in a plastic
bag in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for 1 or 2
months.
