Tia's Basque Country Garbanzo Bean Soup

We've been making hummus lately. I like to can garbanzo beans in the pressure canner to have on hand for a quick batch of hummus.

As I was canning the beans, it got me thinking about a simple garbanzo bean soup that I had for dinner one night at Tia Victori's piso in Pamplona, Spain.

Yep, I've been to Spain.

I went with a friend who had relatives there for 5 weeks. We spent time in Pamplona, Barcelona, Sevilla and Rota. That was before digital cameras.

Did I mention I was cold when I was thinking about this soup? Well, I was. It was a very simple soup. I went online to try to find a recipe that would suffice. Nothing. Just fancy schmancy soup with sausage, chorizo, etc.

No, no no! That's not how it was. It was simple.

Did I mention simple?  I think I did.

So I decided to just try to do my own.

I started with raw beans and started boiling them. It didn't take long. I happened to be cooking down a chicken carcas for broth so I scooped some chicken broth in with it. I also chopped up some carrots and tossed them in with some salt and pepper. (There were no carrots in Tia Victori's soup though, just simple soup. I know you know.)

The soup took maybe 30 min, start to finish. I didn't think the kids would be too excited but I poured the bowls and we all sat down. It was DELISH! So simple! So good.

The boys and I loved it. The little gal will have to warm up to the idea I guess. It was SO good! My oldest son requested I make more today and it's gone again.

One minute miracle muffin

I am so excited to share this recipe with you. This recipe can be used by people with allergies, celiac disease, diabetics, low carbers and anyone who wants something more substantial than just a piece of toast for breakfast. The basis of the recipe is flax meal! Go here to see how I make my flax meal quick and easy.

All those years when my son was allergic to everything...we could have had this IF we only knew about it.

I have learned about it because I am eating low carb, trying to lose some weight (always!) but this is such a wonderfully healthy recipe regardless of your carb intake.

Why?




It is grain free, dairy free, low carb and LOADED with fiber (can you say flax meal) yet tasty!

I replaced the Splenda with stevia.

Basically, you put all the ingredients in a bowl, stir and cook in the microwave. Or you can bake in a mug for a more muffin-like shape.

If you have a little pink and orange elf on your counter, ask them to stir.

Make sure and have soft butter ready to spread when it gets out of the toaster. It’s a little tricky to pour the lump out of the bowl. I make sure it is firm on top before I take it out of the microwave. Then dump the bowl upside down on a cutting board. Let it cool for a minute and then carefully slice in half with a bread knife so it can fit in a toaster.

Toast and butter. Butter is a must!

It is surprisingly good and bread-like. I have added some ginger and cloves to make it more gingerbread-ish.

I'd like to make a larger batch and bake it in the oven. Try it and let me know if you make any great alterations of it.

It can also be watered down and made into a pancake.

One Minute Miracle Muffin

1/4 c flax

1 tsp cinnamon

1 egg

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tb coconut oil, melted

1 packet of Splenda or Stevia

Microwave 1 min 30 sec. Slice in half and toast, spread with butter.
2.6 carbs

Can you believe it?! It's definitely not bread, but it really fills the void when eating low carb.

Try it!

Honey Mustard Curry Chicken

This is one of my favorite recipes for dinner when we have guests. It's so simple and always turns out delicious.

I promise you...you won't be disappointed.

Honey Mustard Curry Chicken

3 lbs. chicken breast

1/4 c. butter, melted

1/2 c. honey

1/4 c. mustard

1 tsp. salt and curry

Bake at 350 for 1.25 hours. Baste every 15 min. I always serve mine over rice with steamed broccoli, except for when this picture was taken.

Really!

You may have noticed that it does have 5 ingredients (plus 1), but it's too good to be disqualified just for one little ingredient.

Now that you've finished dinner, go outside and take a nap by the river.

For more five-ingredients-or-less recipes, go over to Rocks in my Dryer.

Almond Butter Ball Treats

1 cup almond butter

1/2 cup honey or brown rice syrup

1/4 cup carob powder

1/4 cup chopped or ground nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, etc.)

1/4 cup coconut

1/4 cup sesame seeds

Optional additions: flax meal, ground sunflower or pumpkin seeds, etc.

In a medium bowl, stir together nut butter and sweetener. Stir in rest of ingredients. The mixture should be thick. Test the consistency by pinching a bit of dough between your fingers. It should mold well and hold it's shape. If too dry, add a tiny bit of water, and if too wet, add more carob or ground nuts.

Shape into small balls of about 1 tablespoon of dough. Roll in coconut, sesame seeds or chopped nuts. Some rolled in each kind looks pretty arranged neatly on a plate. Refrigerate for 1 hour before using. Store in the refrigerator.

This recipe is easy, yummy and good for you. The kids love them. It's very flexible too. With this batch I ground up some pumpkin seeds in a coffee grinder and threw in some ground flax seeds too. I also couldn't find my carob powder so used cocoa instead. Still good.