Chickpea Cakes

From Lucid Foods cookbook, by Louisa Shafia

Makes approximately 10 cakes

2 tbsp. olive oil, plus extra for frying
1 yellow onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
2 tbsp. ground coriander
2 tbsp. ground cumin
2 tbsp. dried mint
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups cooked chickpeas
2 teaspoons salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup bread crumbs

Heat in a large skillet and add 2 tbsp. of olive oil, followed by the onion. Sauté for 5 minutes until soft, then add the garlic, jalapeno, coriander, cumin, mint, turmeric, and cayenne, and sauté for 2 more minutes. Remove from the heat, and stir in the chickpeas. Let cool.

Put the mixture in a food processor and pulse until the chickpeas are broken down, but the mixtures still has texture. Fold in the salt, egg, 1/2 cup of bread crumbs. Refirgerate the mixture for 20 minutes so it can firm up and cool completely, making it easier to form into patties.

Pour the remaining 1/2 cup of bread crumbs onto a plate. Form 3 tablespoons of the mixture into a ball. Flatten the ball against your palm, shapint it into a cake. Dredge the cake in the bread crumbs. heat a skillet with 1/4 inch of olive oil. When the oil is hot, drop in several cakes and fry until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Drain on a wire cooling rack. if you prefer to bake the cakes preheat the oven to 425 F. Place the cakes on an oiled, parchment-lined baking sheet and brush each one with a little olive oil. Bake for 10 minutes, then roate the pan and bake for 5 minutes, or until the cakes are brown on top and crisp. Serve hot.

The Best Granola Ever

The Best Granola Ever
Lucid Foods Cookbook

2 cups raw nuts, coarsely chopped
2 cups rolled oats
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
salt
6 tablespoons maple syurp
5 tablespoons olive or canola oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups dried apricots chopped
1/2 cup raw, unsweetened coconut flakes
3 tablespoons cacao nibs

Preheat oven 250 degrees F
Combine the nuts, oats, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and a dash of salt in a large bowl and stir. Add the maple syrup, 4 tablespoons of the oil, and the vanilla extract and stir.

Spread the granola evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Stir the granola well, rotate the pan, and bake for 15 min more. At this point, the granola should be almost completely dry. Add the apricots and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the mixture, stir well, and return the pan to the oven for 5 min. Add the coconut flakes and bake for 2 min more. Remove the pan from the oven and stir in the cacao nibs.

Let the granola cool before serving.

Photo shoot