Artichoke and Spinach Pudla

I have been following Bonzai Aphrodite for a few years now, and have truly come to trust Sayward's advice-taste-recommendations, so when she raved about pudla as a high protein vegan breakfast, I was intrigued. I did some research and finally tried these indian pancakes and am so glad that I did.

They are a wonderful crepe-like savory pancake that are very easy to make. This is the first time that besan, which is garbanzo bean flour, stepped out from it's supporting role as an egg replacer and became the star ingredient. You can find garbanzo flour at a natural grocery store, and then keep it in your freezer. Garbanzo bean flour tastes awful when raw, but completely transforms when cooked. As usual, I started with a recipe and have been tweaking and tasting until I got a pudla that is just to my liking. I hope you like it too!

The nutritional stats are awesome with 15 grams of protein per serving. Also 16 grams fiber, vitamin A 24%, vitamin C 35%, calcium 13%, and 32% of iron.

Ingredients:

1 cup garbanzo bean flour (aka besan, aka chickpea flour)
1/8 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cumin
pinch of ground mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp nutritional yeast

1 cup of water

1 1/2 cups chopped fresh spinach
3 artichoke hearts, canned in water, chopped
2 green onions

Directions:

Place a large non-stick frying pan  (around 12 inches wide) over medium-low heat on your stovetop.

Put the dry ingredients (garbanzo flour, turmeric, cumin, ground mustard, salt, pepper, baking soda, and nutritional yeast) in a mixing bowl and whisk well, be sure to break up any clumps of baking soda.

Then add the water and mix to combine. It should be about the consistency of pancake batter. You can add a little more water to thin it out if necessary.

Chop the veggies and add those as well. Mix again to distribute everything.

Spray the pan lightly with cooking spray and pour half of the batter into the frying pan and tilt the pan to distribute the batter evenly. Then just leave it alone. Seriously, don't mess with it...clean up the kitchen, set the table, brew the coffee, etc. until the batter has begun to set.

It should be cooked through on the edges and some bubbles in the middle should begin to pop and leave little holes. When you reach this point (after about 10 minutes) loosen it from the edges of the pan with a spatula, shake it the rest of the way loose and go for the flip. Use the pan to toss it in the air and catch it. Or grab a friend to help you flip it with a spatula.

Leave it alone again for another 10 minutes. You want it to cook through to avoid any raw garbanzo taste. Once it is completely cooked through, fold it in half and slide it onto a plate. Serve with fresh herbs, grilled veggies, home fries, or fresh avocado slices.

Repeat with the remaining batter. You will end up with two large pancakes, which is enough to feed four people.

For 4 servings. Nutritional information from caloriecount.about.com.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 254 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories  255 Calories from Fat  31

% Daily Value*

Total Fat  3.5g 5%

Trans Fat  0.0g

Cholesterol  0mg 0%

Sodium  590mg 25%

Potassium  1040mg 30%

Total Carbohydrates  45.5g 15%

Dietary Fiber  16.4g 66%

Sugars  6.8g

Protein  15.3g

Vitamin A 24% • Vitamin C 35% Calcium 13% • Iron 32%

Nutrition Grade A

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet