Twist It Your Way…Then Shout About It: Lentils, Yams, and Sprouted Socca!

I swear I do a lot of normal things. But first, I change them to fit what I need and want.

Todays Thoughts:

Ethiopian Food. Have you ever had it?

There was a lot more than lentils involved! I met up with Katelyn from Chef Katelyn on Friday night for Ethiopian food and a little nutrition/health chatting. It’s great to meet young people who have such an evolved interest in health, fitness, and food. We happen to have 15 years between us, but we also work out at the same gym and eat the same way, so we had tons to talk about–she’s a great girl with a huge and amazing future ahead of her. Oh, the places you’ll go, Baby!

How many people in your neighborhood like to eat kale for breakfast and dream about making fun stuff in a vita-mix and food dehydrator?!

Oh, and because Natural Oasis was so good Friday night with Katelyn, Joe and I went there on Saturday for dinner too. We ordered many of the same things from Friday night, plus some things Joe wanted to try. I didn’t take pics…but Katelyn did, so go check them out on her blog!

Next Up: Yams

Initially, I said I made a new sweet potato recipe. I’m pretty surprised I said that, because I actually researched the difference between sweet potatoes and yams once…so I knew they weren’t the same thing. Anyway, my sweet potato recipe was actually made with yams (and I’m sure it would taste good with either one!).

First, I made coconut butter (dump shredded raw coconut in the food processor and process and scrape the sides until it turns into “paste.” It takes about 20 minutes!). Then I removed all except 3-4 tbsp of it. Next, I added 10-20 drops of vanilla stevia to what was left and processed again…At that point? I took a roasted mini yam, peeled it, and threw it in the food processor.

The result? Fluffy, yummy, bright orange (beautiful!), warm Coco-yam-mash. I don’t like yams (or sweet potatoes) much, but I loved this—ate it for breakfast once, and dessert the next time.

I used the mini processor bowl---I think it worked best for the coconut (allowing me to scrape sides a little less often)
Roasted (350 degrees for 1 hr) mini yam...peeled.
Lovely. Why do I love orange so much?
I will be using this in future dessert recipes---it's very dessert-y tasting, but has no sugar added!

Sprouted Soccas

Sprouted Chickpeas!
To Be Dehydrated
Dried overnight...
Made into flour in the vita-mix (no special blade or anything...just the regular wet blade)
1.5 cups of chickpeas yielded 1 cup flour. I mixed it with 1 cup water, and added 1 tbsp olive oil (for flavor) and some chopped dried rosemary, dash of sea salt, and black pepper...
Coconut oil in the pan---one side (the first side) always turns out darker than other (when I make them!). They are usually cooked through by the time I flip them.
I ate them with chopped salad (greens, tomatoes, red pepper, salad booster, olive oil, hemp seeds)
Truth: It really looked more like this!
I made relatively small soccas---I like them thinner and smaller. What are your favorite socca ingredients?
Please excuse the ridiculously awful picture. I want to point out that I also made sprouted hummus with part of the chickpeas. I separated out a cup before I put the rest in the dehydrator. This was good! Different than regular hummus, but really good. I will definitely do it again! (Ingredients: sprouted chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil....I'll do it as Kitchen Sink Hummus next time!)
Yes, that is what you think it is. Don't knock it till you try it!

Upcoming post titles:

Hormone Casserole

Work Your Metabolic Machine with Food

*Everything is always subject to change on a whim 🙂

What “normal” things do you change into something else to fit your life?

38 thoughts on “Twist It Your Way…Then Shout About It: Lentils, Yams, and Sprouted Socca!”

  1. Can't wait for the upcoming posts!
    I looove sweet potatoes…so I bet I'd like that sweet potato/coconut mash! =D

  2. i'm jealous that you have a food blogger w/ similar tastes in your neighborhood!

    I'm always changing “normal” things to fit my lifestyle…especially w/ being a vegetable loving gluten intollerant person!

  3. Katelyn @ Chef Katelyn

    Ahhhh remember when you told me about the coco sweet potato mash?! I peed basically, I can't wait to get my hands on some yams so I can try it:)

    Slash seriously, why are they NOT eating it?

    P.s. what is that delicious looking grape tomato combo?!
    P.p.s. I saw Eke today and thought of you. I can't wait for his class on Tuesday, girl we are going to be JACKED

  4. Erica - Itzy's Kitchen

    It is SO wonderful to meet up with other like minded bloggers 🙂 Glad you guys had fun and loved the food. The chickpea flour looks INCREDIBLE! Ah! I want some 😉

  5. I stuck a clove of garlic in the middle of a grape tomato…a little spicy,

    but oh-so-good!

    Wa-hoo—can't wait for Tuesday! I went to spinning this morning—it was

    great…but gotta hit the arms 🙂

  6. i'd LOVE to try ethiopian food!! i think there is one restaurant in my city but i am not sure who i could get to be adventurous and try it with me!
    i think it's wonderful to have friends of different age groups. some of my friends are early 20's while others are 50+ and i love getting a fresh life perspective from them.
    i need to try making socca! it's all over the bloggie world and sounds really good!
    enjoy the rest of your sunday eve, lisa!

  7. Hmmm, I always buy dried chickpeas at the Persian deli down the road- but when I attempted it at home they were sort of soggy? ugh, very discouraging…

  8. i've never tried Ethiopian, but i definitely would love to! if it's spicy, i'm game. i haven't seen any African restaurants in downtown Sydney, but there must be some out there…

    (er, sweet potatotes and jams aren't the same thing?) 🙂

  9. Indeed it is! In fact, I'd like to marry myself for this one 🙂

    The tomato and garlic flavors complement each other perfectly! I squeezed

    out some of the seeds before I stuffed the garlic in…mmmmmm.

  10. What unusual and wonderful sounding recipes. Anything with coconut is a hit in my book. I am always looking for more ways to use it. Thanks!

  11. DiningAndDishing

    Yum I love Ethiopian Food!! We have several good places in DC for that genre. I really enjoy the vegetarian plates with little tastes of lots of dishes. It's a fun interactive way to enjoy a meal! 🙂

    – Beth @ DiningAndDishing

  12. I've never tried Ethiopian food… but you might have just hooked me! 🙂

    Wow we eat lots of yams and sweet potatoes in Brazil… also tapioca is sooo good! And it tastes delicious! 🙂

    Gal the foods you make! Yummmmmm! 🙂

  13. Allison @ PickyEatingRD

    The more i read the more i think i neeeeed a dehydrator. I think my boyfriend may kill me if another kitchen appliance gets put on my counters!!!!

  14. Just reading this made me realize how much more time I need to make for food prep. I tend to blow this type of prep off because of the time constraints but it all looks so good! I've never tried Ethiopian…not sure we even have it in our area…but I'll have to look!

  15. Thats so funny, never heard of anyone going out for “Ethiopian Food” sounds good though!

    I like using my mini prep for jobs like that too. You're right, so easy to just scrape the sides!

  16. Oh Yum 🙂 Your sweet potato mash looks absolutely delicious! I've never tried Ethiopian food, but only because it's not available in our town–I have, however, tried Kenyan food and loved it!

    I LOVE the new look of your blog!

  17. I do not like coconut but that coco + yam whipped mixture looks so delicious — almost like sweet potato pie with coconut butter instead of marshmallows mixed in!

  18. Yumm I love Ethiopian food. I took my family to an Ethiopian restaurant for my 20th birthday and they all hated it and complained. That did ruin the mood a bit.

    I also love sweet potatoes AND yams. I know the difference but I tend to say “sweet potatoes” more often because I don't like the word “yam.”

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