And How We Start the 2011??.....With A Good Breakfast!!

Grains sold in an Egyptian Market 

First of all......All the best for 2011!!!.....joy, peace, happiness, health, harmony and specially gratitude....gratitude for the good  and the bad things that for sure will happen to us....the good things will provide joy to us.....the bad things will provide strength to us.....and we need both to continue walking in this life......

After many days of eating Christmas food, going to dinners, visiting friends, receiving guests at home.....we need to start eating healthier and with a good breakfast!! 

We had try these three breakfasts (Ful Medames, Eggs with tomatoes and Sumac, and Quinoa with Rice, Milk, Figs and Almonds), and they are very yummy. Two of them are with grains, and the other with proteins (egg). We eat  Ful Medames and Eggs with Tomatoes and Sumac for a quick lunch as well....we love them!!

I love grains, I really do!!.....lentils, fava beans, chickpeas, red beans or any kind of grains, legumes or seeds (like quinoa) is something that really attracts me to eat......

Although, I do eat them regularly, I do not eat them at breakfast. Nevertheless, in Egypt we tried a fantastic dish  called Ful Medames that is made with fava beans and garlic.....and it's been eaten at breakfast!

It took me a long time to search for a recipe of Ful Medames that I like. Even though, it is not the same taste that I tried and loved in Egypt, this recipe is very close to that. Of course, flavours walk along with memories.....and I cannot replicate exactly the taste of the dishes that I tried in that fantastic journey.......

Ful Medames (my way.....quantities of the spices will depend on your taste!)

2 cups of cooked fava beans (if you use dry fava beans, then I recommend you to peel them after cooking them)

1/4 cup of olive oil (more for topping)

salt

pepper

cumin

4 garlics (crushed)

lemon juice

chili-pepper flakes(if you wish)

parsley (if you wish)

Side dish for the Ful Medames

Tomatoes (chopped)

Feta Cheese

Purple onion (chopped)

Salt

Olive oil

For the Ful Medames

In a pan, heat the olive oil with the garlic. Add the fava beans, and mash them with a fork. Season it with salt, pepper, cumin, chili-pepper flakes (if you wish) and lemon juice. Serve warm with chopped parsley (if you wish) and olive oil on top. Serve along with chopped tomatoes, feta cheese, purple onion, and pita bread.

Pita bread

This is the first time I made pita bread. I googled it, and came up with many recipes. Nevertheless, I used the  recipe that is in the following link http://www.amideastfeast.com/recipes/pita-bread/ 

We liked it very much. We baked it over a hot stone, and grew a lot, but it did not make the usual pocket. In the future, I want to try a different version and compare them.

Our first pita bread

I love Lebanese food, and since I found the site Taste of Beirut, I have developed a better understanding of what Lebanese food really is (and how to cook it!!).....Since I saw the Eggs with Tomatoes and Sumac, I knew I had to make them.....and we made them for breakfast with our home made pita bread. You can see the recipe in the following link http://www.tasteofbeirut.com/2010/08/eggs-with-tomatoes-and-sumac/

Thanks Joumana!!.....

You can read about Sumac here

Sumac

Our Eggs with Tomatoes and Sumac

And lastly, but not the least, one of my favourite breakfasts...

Quinoa and Rice with Milk, Almonds, and Dry Figs

1/2 cup of quinoa (I used prewashed)

1/2 cup of rice

1 litre of milk (or more)

Dry figs (I used 7)

Sliced almonds

Cinnamon stick

Cardamom seeds (crushed)

Sugar (to your taste)

In a pot, cook the rice with 1 1/2 cups of milk, cinnamon stick, cardamom and three tablespoons of sugar (more or less up to your taste). The rice has to be fully cooked, and the milk has to be absorbed. If during the cooking you see that the milk is being absorbed too fast, then you can add more milk. Let it cool, and discard the cinnamon stick.

In another pan, cook the quinoa with 1 1/2 cup of milk (medium to low heat) until fully cooked (about 20-25 minutes). Let it cool.

Re-hydrate the dry figs in a bowl with hot water for 10 minutes. Chop the dry figs

When both are cool, mix them together, add more sugar if you wish, and add the chopped dry figs, and the sliced almonds. Mix well together, and serve warm or cold (I like it cold). Enjoy!!

Quinoa and Rice with Milk, Almonds, and Dry Figs