lettuce sandwiches

Lettuce Sandwiches
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Makes: 4 servings

1 pound ground meat (chicken, pork, or beef) (I used ground chicken breast)
1 small onion, cut in half then sliced
4 large cloves of garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
Soy sauce
1 bouillon cube
Vegetable cooking oil
Green leaf lettuce, red leaf lettuce, or iceberg lettuce
1 tablespoon mustard powder
1/2 tablespoon water

Add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to the ground meat in a bowl. Combine.  Set aside.

Mix mustard powder and 1/2 tablespoon water. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon cooking oil in a large skillet. Fry the onions until softened, about 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds. If needed, add another tablespoon oil. Add the meat and cook, turning frequently, until no longer pink. Add the bouillon cube and 1/4 cup water. Add soy sauce to taste.

Serve warm with lettuce. Spoon a bit of meat into a lettuce leaf. Sprinkle on some soy sauce and mustard to taste. Fold and eat!

high-fiber pancake mix

I am running out of breadfruit flour so I thought I would stretch it by mixing it with all purpose flour, and still get the high-fiber benefits. This is my go-to recipe for pancakes, and has been for years, from the Betty Crocker cookbook. I’ve made it with spelt flour and now breadfruit flour, and it has worked every time!

High-Fiber Pancake Mix
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 2-3 minutes per pancake
Makes 12-16 pancakes

1 large egg, beaten
1/4 cup breadfruit flour or spelt flour
3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup low-fat milk
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Add all ingredients to a medium bowl and mix well with a fork. Using a dinner tablespoon, spoon a spoonful of batter onto a hot griddle and cook until it is bubbly. Flip the pancake and cook until the bottom is golden.

gluten-free high-fiber breadfruit flour banana bundt cake

In taste, this cake is similar to cakes made with whole wheat flour. It is dense. But instead of being dry, this cake is moist, tender,  and full of banana flavor. And it can be made entirely by hand. The cake plate and server in the picture are gifts from my mother.

Gluten-Free Breadfruit Flour Banana Bundt Cake
Prep time: 25 minutes
Baking time: 45 minutes

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup superfine sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup milk
juice of one lime
3 medium very ripe bananas, mashed
1 1/2 cups breadfruit flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, optional
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, optional

Preheat oven to 350˚F/175˚C. Grease a bundt cake pan and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine melted butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time and combine. Add vanilla with the last egg. Set aside

In a medium bowl, combine milk, lime juice, and bananas. Add to butter-sugar mixture.

In another medium bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and cinnamon, if using. Add all at once to butter-sugar-banana mixture. Mix until dry ingredients are just moistened.

Scrape into the prepared pan. Bake 40-45 minutes. Cool in the pan 10 minutes. Unmold and cool completely on a wire cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. If desired, dust the top with powdered sugar.

spare ribs in black bean-garlic sauce

Spare Ribs in Black Bean-Garlic Sauce
Prep time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes

2 pounds spare ribs, chopped into 2 inch lengths
1/3 cup salted black beans
8 large cloves garlic, chopped coarsely
1 tablespoon vegetable cooking oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1-2 teaspoons black soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
salt and pepper

Put the black beans in a small bowl and cover with water. Let it sit five to ten minutes until softened, then drain water. Mash the softened black beans to a paste. Set aside.

Add the garlic and mix well. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the black bean-garlic paste and fry until fragrant. Add the spare ribs, turning to coat thoroughly. Season with soy sauce and black soy sauce. Add 3/4 cup water and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, for 45 minutes. Stir ribs occasionally.

Remove the cover and let the ribs cook on medium high heat until the sauce is reduced and thickened. Taste. If it’s bitter, add sugar. Taste again, then season with salt and pepper.