Vegetarian Mock Meatloaf

I have to say that I think I make a pretty killer meatloaf. It's my mother's recipe and the quintessential meatloaf in my book, since I grew up eating it. However, my traditional recipe calls for 1.5 lbs. of meatloaf mix (beef, pork and veal) and real bacon on the top. It's delicious, but not too great for your health. So I've lightened it up a lot by making this mock meatloaf topped with extra-lean turkey bacon. Alternately, you could use soy bacon or omit it altogether to keep it strictly vegetarian. The meatloaf itself doesn't taste quite as savory as my original version, but it's pretty darn good, and the texture is right on. I borrowed a lot of inspiration from Jeanne Lemlin's mock meatloaf from Vegetarian Classics and made a hybrid with my recipe.

Mock Meatloaf

9 slices whole wheat sandwich bread, toasted
2 c. walnuts
3 large eggs or prepared egg substitute to equal 3 eggs 
1 onion, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic
1 small green bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
1 celery rib, roughly chopped
1 handful parsley
1 (16 oz.) can crushed tomatoes, tomato puree or tomato sauce
1 T. olive oil
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
½ tsp. salt
fresh black pepper
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. vegan Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp. dried basil
1 pinch nutmeg
commercial dried breadcrumbs, as needed
5 slices veggie bacon, cut in half (optional)

For the glaze:
¼ c. brown sugar
¼ c. ketchup
¼ chili sauce
¼ c. cider vinegar

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a 9x5" loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment paper, then butter the paper again.

Tear the toasted bread into pieces and place in the bowl of a food processor. Process into coarse crumbs and remove to a large mixing bowl. Process the walnuts into coarse crumbs and remove to the bowl as well.

Add the egg substitute, onion and garlic to the food processor and pulse until chopped and well combined. Pour into the bread-walnut crumb mixture. Next, process the green pepper, celery, parsley, tomato puree and olive oil until a paste is formed and remove to the mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper and add the basil, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, nutmeg and poultry seasoning. Stir until everything is well combined, adding dried breadcrumbs if the mixture seems too moist.

Pour into the prepared pan and top with the veggie bacon slices. Prepare the glaze: Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer until slightly thickened. Remove 2 T. of glaze and brush on the top of the loaf, reserving the rest for serving.

Bake the loaf for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until an inserted knife comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool 5 minutes before inverting the pan. Then, allow it to cool and additional 20 minutes before slicing.



I served my Dijon Brussels sprouts and some roasted potatoes alongside. I've posted the former recipe before, and for the latter, just thinly slice some cleaned, unpeeled potatoes, toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, chopped fresh rosemary and thyme and bake alongside with "meatloaf" until they are crispy, stirring every so often. Yum!

Summer Pasta Salad

This is my famous recipe that I take to just about every barbecue and cook-out I attend. My balsamic potato salad is another faithful standby, but everyone seems to rave about this one. It's really quite simple too. The only hard part is making it in huge amounts as I always do (I usually triple or quadruple the recipe.) I was never one much for mayonnaise-based salads, or mayonnaise in general, for that matter, so I like this "Italian style" much better. It's adapted from a recipe I got from my future mother-in-law (Jamie Oliver's Best Pasta Salad), but I've added some stuff to it, namely more veggies.  Try it out - I guarantee it will be a hit.

Summer Pasta Salad

12 oz. tri-color rotini pasta (or the pasta of your choice)4-5 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
2 crowns broccoli, cut into florets
2 medium carrots, peeled and grated into ribbons*
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 large cucumber, peeled and sliced into half-moons (and seeded, if you prefer)1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
½ c. Kalamata olives (or other black olives), pitted and halved
¼ c. extra-virgin olive oil¼ c. canola or vegetable oil
4-5 T. white wine vinegar½ tsp. onion powder
½ tsp. organic cane sugar
Kosher salt and fresh black pepper, to taste
1 large bunch fresh basil, leaves removed and cut in a chiffonade
1 T. fresh chives, chopped (optional)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta to al dente according to package directions.

While the pasta cooks, add the broccoli florets to a microwaveable dish with 1 T. water and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave for 3 minutes, drain off any excess liquid and set aside.  Repeat this procedure with the carrots and the red pepper.

In the last 5 minutes of the pasta's cooking time, add the peeled garlic cloves.  When the pasta is cooked, fish them out with a slotted spoon and set aside.  Drain the pasta well and transfer it to a serving bowl.

Place the cooked garlic on a cutting board and sprinkle generously with kosher salt.  Using the back of a large knife, move the blade back and forth horizontally, scraping the garlic along the cutting board until a paste forms.  Add the paste to the pasta.

Dress the pasta with the olive oil, canola oil and white wine vinegar, then add all of the vegetables (broccoli, red pepper, carrots, cucumber, tomatoes] and the olives to the pasta.  Sprinkle in the onion powder and sugar, and toss everything well to combine and season generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle in the basil and chives and season generously with salt and pepper.  Toss once again and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Notes: For the carrot "ribbons," I simply use my vegetable peeler and shave off thin layers... I find it produces a more delicate effect than using the big end of a box grater.  You can also use the shredding disc of a food processor, if you prefer.  Another little thing I do is, after halving the tomatoes, a give them a little squeeze over a bowl to get out excess seeds and water. I personally do not like fresh tomato much, so it makes it easier to contain the "tomato-ey" taste in the salad. And finally, I also give the broccoli a rough chop after it's been steamed so that it incorporates itself better into the salad. People who claim to hate broccoli have eaten it this way because they don't even know it's there!

Gnocchi con Salsa dei peperoni arrostiti

There is a true art behind the making of gnocchi, and I have never dabbled in that art myself. There is such delicacy in gnocchi dough that, in order to achieve that perfect, pillowy texture in your end result, you have to handle the dough just right and really know what you're doing. That's a lot of pressure, and certainly a little beyond my basic dumpling-making skills. Making pasta or spaetzle isn't nearly as complicated, in my opinion. So I buy whatever frozen or vaccum-sealed brand of gnocchi is cheapest when I am at the store. I do make the sauce from scratch, however, and it's one that I think is pretty good, if I do say so myself.

Gnocchi with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

1 T. olive oil
1 small onion, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (12 oz.) jar roasted red peppers, drained and roughly chopped
1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
1½ c. plain soy milk
1 tsp. cornstarch
½ tsp. dried basil
a few fresh basil leaves, cut in a chiffonade (optional)
Salt & fresh black pepper, to taste

Add the olive oil to a large saucepan and heat over medium-high heat. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper and cook until translucent. Then add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add the roasted red pepper pieces and cook the mixture about 5 minutes, stirring occassionally. Make a small space for the red pepper flakes (if using) and toast them lightly for about 1 minute. Stir in the dried basil.

Transfer the mixture to a food processor (or blender) and process until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl once. Return to the pot.

In a small bowl, whisk the soy milk with the cornstarch to make a slurry, making sure to beat out any lumps. Add the milk to the red pepper mixture and stir well to combine. Simmer over medium heat, stirring often, until the mixture thickens. Stir in the fresh basil, if using, and adjust seasonings. Serve over the pasta of your choice, store in a sterile jar for up to 1 week, or freeze for future use.

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The accompanying side dishes are easy, quick and healthy. A side salad with the homemade dressing of your choice and sauteed squash: Mince 3-4 cloves of garlic and cook them in a small amount of olive oil in a very large skillet. Cut 2-3 zucchini and 2-3 summer squash (also called pattypans) in half lengthwise, then slice into thin half-moons. Add the slices on top of the garlic, adding a but more oil if needed. Then, I just let them cook until the pieces touching the bottom have crisped up a bit, then I give them a good turn over, pressing down each time with a flat wooden spoon. Sprinkle in some seasoned dried breadcrumbs to absorb any liquid coming off the squash. Season well with salt, pepper and a little dried thyme, basil and Italian seasoning. Deglaze the pan with white wine (or water, if you prefer) and add a small pat of butter or margarine (recommended: Olivio or Smart Balance.) Simmer until all the liquid has reduced. Sounds like a lot of work, but it's so simple and yummy!

Salsicca con Peperoni

Of all the meals I make, this is likely W's favorite, and I like it because it's so easy to pull together. I am been wanting to make my own vegan sausages for some time, using vital wheat gluten, tofu and TVP, but I have not been ambitious enough yet. If I ever get around to it, I'll post the results here. So instead of pork sausages, I've been using extra-lean turkey links (I recommend Jennie-O.) It's a little pricier but so much healthier than even regular turkey sausages or chicken sausages. We also prefer using hot Italian sausage, but if you like the milder sweet Italian variety, go for it. Making sausage and peppers is pretty intuitive, but I've found everyone makes them differently. My mother, my future mother-in-law and I all prepare it similarly but with slight variations. This is my version.

Sausage & Peppers

1 T. olive oil
1 package of soy or extra-lean Italian turkey sausages, 5-6 links (sweet or hot variety)
1 very large (or 2 medium) yellow onions
3-4 cloves garlic, minced (or according to taste)
2-3 large green bell peppers, seeds & ribs removed and cut into thin strips
1 large red bell pepper, seeds & ribs removed and cut into thin strips
1 pat margarine (recommended: Olivio or Smart Balance)
White wine, as needed
Water, as needed
½ tsp. dried basil
½ tsp. dried oregano
Salt and fresh black pepper, to taste
5-6 deli sub rolls

Start by adding a light drizzle of olive oil to a large, high-sided skillet with a lid and heat it over medium-high heat. Add sausage links and cook according to package directions, usually about 15 minutes, or until no longer pink in the center. [Note: If you use soy sausages, simply heat them through.] You will want to flip them periodically to brown them on all sides. When cooked through, remove to a plate and cover to keep warm.

Add the remaining 1 T. olive oil and cook the onions until translucent. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in enough wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits (or fond) on the bottom of the pan. Add the margarine and pepper strips and pour in enough water to come just up to the top. Rub the dried herbs between your palms and sprinkle into the pan. Season well with salt and pepper, cover the pan tightly and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes with the lid on, then cook an additional 10 minutes partially covered, or until the liquid had reduced into a thick sauce and the vegetables are limp and soft.

Re-warm the sausage in the veggie mixture if necessary. Place each sausage on a deli sub roll and top with the onion-pepper mixture.

Mole de pollo (Festín latino)

This meal is a big mish-mosh of different Latino flavors, but really, I just wanted an excuse to try Ingrid Hoffmann's Chicken Mole. I am a huge mole fan, but it takes so much time and so many hard-to-find ingredients to prepare that I have never made it at home. Her recipe seemed to promise a quick and easy shortcut with readily available ingredients, and it was decently good. It was pretty nice and spicy, so I'm glad I reconsidered adding an additional chipotle pepper, because it would have been too much heat, even for me. I would also advise against using any kind of sweetened dark chocolate. I have seen a lot of FoodNetwork.com reviewers using Hershey's Special Dark, but I just think it's too sugary for something like this. I opted for straight-up baking chocolate, and I feel the rich bitterness of the pure cocoa is more authentic. All in all, the recipe is definitely suitable for an at-home, gringa cook like me, but it does lack a certain depth of flavor, I think. Still, W raved so highly about this entire meal, I think I'll make it again in the future. The side dishes are super easy, so I will talk about them last.

Also, that drink you see in the background is a kalimotxo (calimocho), a popular Basque drink consisting of half red wine, half Coca-Cola. I enjoyed it a lot... not something I would sip on all evening, but it went nicely with the meal. W, however, did not care for the unique flavor combination at all, so it seems to be one of those things one either loves or hates.

As to the sides, the black beans could not be simpler: take 1 can of black beans (or 1 cup, soaked overnight) and place in a small saucepan. Cover by 1" with water, chicken stock, or vegetable stock. I seasoned my beans with salt, a little pepper, about ½ tsp. ground cumin and a good shake of Goya Adobo (which I love.) Bring to a boil and cook until beans are softened and the liquid has evaporated.

For the fried corn, I used 3 ears of fresh corn and cut it from the cobs. Add about 1 T. canola or vegetable oil to a large sauté pan and heat until slightly rippling. Add the corn, then season with salt and pepper, and another good shake of Adobo, if you have it. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking. It's so simple, but trust me, the results are amazing. My fiancé couldn't stop eating it.

And finally, the cilanto-lime rice. Cook your rice as usual (I used about 2 c. quick-cooking, long grain white rice.) Then, add the zest of 1 lime, the juice of 2 limes, a small handful of cilantro (chopped), ½ - 1 tsp. salt and a pat of margarine or butter (optional.) Stir well to combine. This rice is sooo good. I know I am a fiend for rice, but this is really so delicious.

Pantry Soup To Make You Better

So we got back from the wedding Sunday night, and while it was wonderful and a lot of fun, it was the week of zero sleep for us. So the day after getting home, even after sleeping for 10 hours, I was feeling run down.

We obviously haven't been to the grocery store since returning, but I wanted something wholesome to make me feel better. And nothing works better (for me) than chicken noodle soup. Being, naturally, without any chicken, there isn't any in this soup, but you could certainly add some cut-up boneless, skinless chicken, which is what I usually do when I make this for W when he's under the weather. Everything else is stuff that, I imagine, anyone who cooks has in their pantry at any given moment, more or less. The method is also the basic foundation of my kick-ass Pasta e Fagioli (which I will post someday) minus a few secret, special touches. You'll see by my "measurements" that it's not an exact science, so it's simple to whip up when you're feeling like crap as I do now... here's to hoping it's not the swine flu!

Pantry Chicken-Noodle Soup

1 T. olive oil
1 small onion, roughly chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
4 c. good, homemade chicken broth (or 1 box fat-free, reduced sodium broth)
1-2 c. filtered water
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 handful baby carrots (or 1 medium carrot), chopped
1 big handful uncooked egg noodles
2 sprigs rosemary
1-2 sprigs thyme
1 small handful fresh parsley, chopped (or 2 T. dried parsley flakes)
Salt & fresh black pepper, to taste

Add the olive oil to the bottom of a large pot and when it shimmers, add the onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook until translucent, then add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour the chicken broth and water into the pot. Tie the rosemary and thyme sprigs together with kitchen string, then add to the pot. Cover and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, chop the carrots, celery and parsley and add to the broth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. When it comes to a boil, add the egg noodles, cover lower to a simmer for 30 15-30 minutes. Serve hot and feel better!




Notes: Remember what I said about keeping herbs in the freezer - it's a great trick! I also keep a big, Chinese take-out container full of homemade stocks and broths in my freezer for times like this, but if you find a good brand of boxed broth (Trader Joe's organic broths are pretty good) then I always think it's fine to use. Homemade just gives it that certain je ne sais quoi, plus the added bonus of knowing what's in it. There has been extensive research into chicken broth as a cure-all remedy proving it's more than just an old wives' tale; it really does have curative properties and is full of restorative nutrients. The veggies will also help you in the vitamin department, while aromatics like garlic and onion are natural antiseptics for the body, helping you to fight infection. And the noodles give you a little needed boost of energy when you're feeling ill and lethargic. Add some chicken or cubed tofu and you've got lean protein as well, so chicken-noodle soup really is a pretty wonderous thing. I'm already feeling better!

Farfalle Primavera

This is my version of a Giada De Laurentiis recipe... I do have my own "lightened-up" version of Pasta Primavera, but I do really like this method as well. It's a real departure from the stereotypical heavy pasta dish one usually finds in Italian-American restaurants - you know, drowned in a cream sauce dotted sparingly with vegetables.

W's sister is getting married this weekend (!!) so we will be out in western PA for several days... therefore, I shall not be cooking, let alone blogging. This is it for a while:


Giada's Pasta Primavera

1 lb. farfalle ("bowtie") pasta
3 medium carrots, julienned
2 medium zucchini, julienned
2 pattypan or summer squash, julienned
1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 T - ¼ c. olive oil (or enough to coat the vegetables thoroughly)
1 T. herbes de Provence seasoning blend
½ tsp. Italian seasoning blend
1 handful fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and fresh black pepper, to taste


Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Generously salt a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Cook the farfalle pasta according to package directions, drain and reserve, tossed with enough olive oil to prevent clumping.

Meanwhile, cut the vegetables and place in a large roasting pan. Drizzle with enough olive oil to coat, sprinkle with salt, fresh black pepper, herbes de Provence and Italian seasoning; toss well. Roast for 10 minutes, then stir the vegetables and return to the oven to roast for an additional 10 minutes, or until golden (≈20 minutes total.)

Spoon the vegetables over the drained pasta, add the chopped parsley and toss well to combine. Adjust seasonings and serve.




Notes: Here's a tip for cutting the squash and carrots in a julienne. Slice the carrots into rounds, then stack a few of them on top of one another and make thin, vertical slices et voilà – matchstick pieces!

PS - You don't need to use both red and yellow peppers if you can't find them/don't have them lying around/can't afford yellow peppers (they are a tad bit pricier.) Any kind of spring veggie works in this; I've added eggplant before with fantastic results. You may also not have herbes de Provence handy (it is also a bit pricey) so just use Italian seasoning in a pinch. However, if you've never used an herbes de Provence seasoning blend, you should buy some... it's so versatile and great with all kinds of vegetables. As an afterthought (having turned the oven on to 450°F in the springtime), I may try grilling the veggies in the warmer summer months for a nice light dinner minus the boiling-hot kitchen. Well worth it, though!

Also, Giada tosses hers with quite a bit of grated Parmesan cheese, so if you're one of those cheese lovers, go ahead. You can find her original recipe here.

Healthy Breakfast Sandwich

I'm pretty sure I survived most of my freshman year of college on Red Bull, cigarettes and Dunkin' Donuts' sausage and egg breakfast sandwiches. Yeah, I know, right? Oh, to be young. I still really crave those big, fluffy bagels topped with greasy, spicy, salty meat... but it's so horrible for you! One sausage, egg and cheese has 660 calories, with 270 from fat!! That's seriously outrageous. Now, to be fair, nowadays they offer some egg white flatbread something-or-other, which wasn't around in my day. But to be honest, I don't really have the time or money to be going out for an overpriced sandwich in the morning.

My standard go-to breakfast when I am just too tired is a hard-boiled egg (whites only), a bowl of Fiber One and a glass of O.J. But when I feel like jazzing it up a bit, I make one of these babies.

Here I used soy-based ham substitute (called Smart Ham by Lightlife), but you can use a variety of options, such as soy bacon or soy sausage patties (or even links, I guess.) If you're not into the whole meatless meat thing, turkey bacon or lean ham would likely be great.

Also, I should note that most people seem to like cheese on their breakfast sandwiches... if you know me at all, you'll know that I hate cheese in most instances. Aside from seafood, it's my most detested food. But I understand that I am the minority by far, as we seem to live in a cheese-obsessed country. (Have you ever tried eating out in America? There's cheese on or in flipping everything!) I would suggest soy cheese slices or low-fat cheese... Did you know you can lose between 10-20 pounds in a year just by cutting out (or cutting down significantly on) cheese? That's what I've heard anyway... But without cheese, this sandwich comes to 172 calories (yes, I counted!) so if you want to splurge, a slice of cheese is fine, I guess.

I know it doesn't look like much, but it tastes awesome, and it's just a much healthier alternative to its fast-food peers.


Egg White Breakfast Sandwich

1 whole wheat or whole grain English muffin, split with a fork
2 eggs
1 slice soy ham substitute (such as Lightlife's Smart Ham), or the
lean breakfast meat of your choice
1 drizzle real maple syrup (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste


Start by separating the eggs over a small, microwave-safe custard dish and discarding the yolks. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, lightly toast the English muffin. Cover the custard dish tightly with plastic wrap and microwave for 1 - 1½ minutes (you may need to experiment with your own microwave.)

Drizzle one half of the muffin lightly with maple syrup, if using. Place the slice of ham (or whatever "meat" you are using) on the bottom half. Use a spoon to gently scoop the cooked egg from the custard dish and place on the ham. Place the second half of the English muffin on top.

Serve with fresh fruit for a complete breakfast.


Picture coming soon...

Thé vert glacé

In the overly warm summertime months, this is hands down my absolute favorite refreshing beverage. Enjoy!

Iced Green Tea

4 c. filtered water
8 green tea bags (strings and paper tags removed)
¼ c. Demerara, Turbinado or pure cane sugar
¼ c. honey (preferably local and organic)
2 c. very cold water (filtered or purified)

In a large pot, bring the 4 c. water almost to a boil. Add the green tea bags and stir with a wooden spoon, pressing gently on them. Cover and allow to steep for 1-3 minutes.

Pour in the sugar and honey, stirring until dissolved. Pour in the very cold water. Transfer to a pitcher and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Serve chilled over ice.

Vegan Banana Chocolate Cake

I tried this recipe tonight, adapted from Toni Fiore's Delicious TV show, a vegan cooking series. This cake uses a lot fewer super unhealthy ingredients than your standard cake, but it's still a dessert, so use moderation. It uses soy milk and baking powder as a leavener, both of which cut cholesterol a lot. Cane sugar is still sugar, but at least they don't process the hell out of it with chemicals like they do white sugar, and the grain-sweetened vegan chips are actually quite yummy, although you could use regular chocolate chips, I guess. I was surprised how easy it is... it took no time at all! And it's really, really delicious... vegan food is often surprising that way!


Banana Chocolate Cake

1¾ c. unbleached all-purpose or whole wheat pastry flour
1 c. Demerara, Turbinado or pure cane sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
¾ c. plain soy milk
½ c. canola or vegetable oil
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 overripe bananas, peeled (the peels should be very dark brown and the flesh soft)
¾ c. grain-sweetened vegan chocolate chips


Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a 9" cake pan by spraying it with non-stick cooking spray.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Pour in the soy milk, oil and vanilla and stir until just combined.

In a separate bowl, mash the overripe bananas with a fork, then add to the mixture and fold in. Next, gently fold in the chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Invert onto a cooling rack, then invert right-side-up again and cool for 20 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired.




Notes: W's mom (who cannot eat dairy) had some soy whipped cream at her house which I tried. I want to buy some tomorrow... I'll bet it would be awesome on this!

Non Naan

I don't want any Indians getting on me about how unauthentic my quick naan recipe is, so I am going to make the disclaimer that I am a white girl who likes Indian food but is certainly no authority in the matter. I do, however, love naan bread when I go to Indian restaurants. Bear in mind that I'm not the best at making it (it came out too thick this time, probably because I didn't let the dough rest long enough before forming it) but no matter what, it's freaking delicious and, relatively speaking, it's a pretty quick way to get your bread fix.

White Girl Naan Bread

2/3 c. warm water (warm enough to activate the yeast, but not so hot as to kill it)
½ packet active dry yeast
2 c. all-purpose flour
3 ½ T. nonfat, plain yogurt or plain  soy yogurt
½ tsp. kosher salt
¾ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. garlic powder (optional)
3 tsp. melted margarine or butter* or canola oil, divided - plus more for frying

Pour the water into a large bowl, then add the yeast and whisk. Stir in 1 c. of the flour, cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and leave it in a warm place for 30 minutes.

Now add the rest of the flour (1 c.), along with the yogurt, salt, baking powder and garlic powder (if using.) Use your [clean] hands to mix the ingredients and then form a rough ball. Pour 2 tsp. of melted margarine or oil over the top, rubbing it to coat. Cover the dough again and let rest another 15 minutes.

After 15 mintues, spray a work surface with some non-stick cooking spray. Pour 1 tsp. of melted margarine over the dough, then turn out onto your work surface and knead for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Re-cover and let rest for 15 minutes more (This is the last time! No one said making bread was fast.)

After the dough has rested, knead again lightly on a floured work surface to bring the dough together, then divide the dough into pieces. Depending on the size and/or quantity you want, this may vary, but I usually divide it into sixths.

Heat a 10" skillet over medium heat. Meanwhile, use floured hands to form balls, then flatten into very thin circles. Brush one side with additional melted margarine and place in the pan, buttered side down. Cover tightly with a lid and leave it for 1 minute, or until bubbles start to form and the buttered side is lightly browned. Then brush the other side with melted butter, flip it, cover it again and cook another 30 seconds to 1 minute. Repeat this process until all the dough has been used.



Notes: This time around, I had actually just used up the last of my yogurt the day before making a tzaziki sauce, so to subtitute (I was quite proud of my innovation) I mixed powdered milk I use for baking with a smaller amount of water than one would generally use to make a yogurt-like consistency. The dough wasn't quite as tender as when I use yogurt, but it was still good! I made it to sop up some soup, so it served its purpose well.

Also, as an aside, it's been so warm that I just put the dough outside to rise so it's out of the A.C., but in colder months, I preheat my oven to the lowest temperature, turn it off and then leave the bowl to rest on the stovetop.

* Traditional Indian cooking uses ghee, which is essentially clarified butter. To make this, melt the butter until the milk solids (the white "scum") sinks to the bottom. Then spoon off the golden liquid, leaving the solids at the bottom and discard. The spooned off liquid is clarified butter and can be used in all kinds of international cooking.