Sunday, May 6, 2012

Lentil, garbanzo bean flour flatbread

Bailey: asleep or secretly watching TV?
Do you ever wonder what your cat does when you're away from home? They always act like they've been sleeping but what were they really up to? For instance, the picture above makes you wonder if Bailey, my cat, was napping or secretly watching TV.

Bailey with his mammoth buddies
Actually, he was napping. I think he was tired after all of his roughhousing with his canine pals, Misha and Nika. Now, seriously, I realize to some this picture makes it look like tiny Bailey is being attacked by two vicious, mammoth dogs.  But in reality, Bailey loves playing with the twosome, albeit usually one at a time, rather than the pair. He hides behind doors and springs out at them to encourage them to play. It does explain why he gets tired.

Napping buddies
But look who he likes to nap with. Just about every day, Bailey and Misha enjoy some napping time together. That wouldn't happen if Bailey were afraid of Misha.

Bailey enjoys some "me time" near a sunny window
Sometimes, it's nice to just have some "me time." For Bailey, a soft, red pillow bed next to a warm, sunny window is the perfect spot.

Lentil, garbanzo bean flour flatbread
I enjoy "me time" myself but lately my "me time" has had to include canines. I take lots of walks, make many trips to the dog park, and go on hikes with my over-zealous pair, Misha and Nika. Today, I hiked in the foothills for several hours and came home with a giant appetite for some lentil, garbanzo bean flour flatbread I had made earlier in the week and stored in the freezer. I thawed some out and enjoyed the flatbread with hummus and veggies.

Lentil, garbanzo bean flour flatbread
(makes 8-10 flatbread)

Ingredients:
  • 1 1/2 cups gluten-free flour mix (I use a mix of quinoa flour, garbanzo bean flour and arrowroot starch)
  • 1/2 cup lentil flour made by grinding up lentil beans in a coffee mill
  • 3/4 cup garbanzo bean flour
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 2 cups grated carrots
  • 1/2 cup grated Daikon radish
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
  • 2 T. ground flax
  • 1/2 tsp. sea salt
  • Optional: chopped garlic
  • Spices: 1/2 tsp. each turmeric, ginger, garam masala
  • oil for cooking the flatbread
Note: Other veggies, such as parsnips, beets, cabbage or zucchini, may be used in place of carrots and radish.

Directions:
  • Mix all ingredients together to form a somewhat sticky dough. You may or may not need any water because of the veggies used in the flatbread. However, if you do need some water, add a little warm water at a time until dough forms a big ball. Recipe-making is not a perfect science, so if the dough is too sticky, add more flour.
  • Oil and warm a cast-iron skillet on the stove.
  • Moisten your hands with water. Grab a fistful of dough for each flatbread. Keep your hands moist and flatten the dough ball into a flatbread which will be on the thicker side. Place it on the hot skillet and flatten a bit more with an oiled spatula.
  • Cook at medium heat until you start seeing light brown spots on the bottom side. Flip the bread over and cook the other side until light brown spots are seen.
  • Stack the flatbread and cover them tightly with foil to keep them warm and soft.
  • Freeze any extras.
Contributed to: http://www.dietdessertndogs.com/2012/05/03/wellness-weekend-may-3-7-2012/



3 comments:

Annie Eskeldson said...

Will be trying this! Going to sub amaranth flour for lentil flour though due to allergy. Hope the sub works okay.

Just came across your site tonight and I'm so impressed. Thank you!

Unknown said...

Thanks for the recipe and your impressive work in this blog. I just discovered it and I will visit again. I was looking for a grain free bread, so I will try this one but without the quinoa (for allergy reasons). I have sinus and ear problems all my life, and digestive problems too. I also have hypothyriodism since I had my son in my late 20's. So you know what it is like, from I just read about you. I got tired of taking so many antibiotics too. Finally a year ago I went to an allergist and I found out that I have allergies to most grains (except corn a nd rye), milk (the buttermilk) and eggs. I am doing better now, but like you said as long watch what I eat, gluten free (rice free too) and milk free. My husband is a type I diabetic so as long as what I eat has a low glucemic index, my tummy and I feel better. My pain has diminished too since I do not eat eggs, wheat and rice too. My nose is still dripping but at least I am not using a box of tissues per day. I wonder if I also have problems with the meats... How can I find out if I have candida too? Maybe that's the key problems, I wonder...

Sheree Welshimer said...

I'm so happy to be of help. It is a long journey to find answers as you can see by the many paths I have tried. For candida, you can try this online questionnaire http://www.wholeapproach.com/candida/questionnaire.php

You also can have a blood or stool test that might reveal a problem with candida or other bad bacteria.

I would love to help more. Send me an email and we can stay in touch.