Being plant based, I wanted a sandwich to fill the void of an egg or tuna salad sandwich. When I discovered the idea of smashing chickpeas to use a filling, I couldn't wait to try it. 

The recipe I am sharing here is what I make most often, but it's easily adaptable to your taste and preferences.

Want Tuna vibes? Add fresh dill, chopped capers and or nori.

Egg Salad? Basil and Kala Namak (Black Salt) to impart that distinct eggy taste. 

I sometimes add curry powder and raisins instead of fresh herbs. 

I keep thinking about how I could turn smashed chickpeas into creamed "tuna" and peas on toast like my mum used to make. 

I usually use multi grain loaf or my brown bread for making sandwiches out of the smashed chickpea mixture. 

As far as what else to add to the sandwich?
Whatever you like.
Pictured below I added sprouts and tomato. 
Sometimes I add veggie bacon.
Sometimes I add vegan cheese slices.
Instead of sprouts I love fresh crunchy lettuce or arugula. 

I always spread some vegan mayo on the bread, and occasionally mustard. 

What to serve along side smashed chickpea salad sandwiches.
I can't have these sandwiches without a side of my home made bread and butter pickles. 

Also I default crave potato chips when I'm having something like this, but if we are keeping it healthier, I like veggies and dip, grapes, or really—all of the above. 

1. Smash you chickpeas and add them to a bowl with all ingredients. You can either use a potato masher or a fork, or put them in your food processor. 2-3 pulses should do it. You just want to chop them and this happens quickly. You don't want to make hummus!

2. Stir to combine. Taste. You may want to adjust herbs, acidity, salt, pepper etc.

3. Build your sandwich! (however you like, but this was delicious)

A. Mayo

B. Sprouts

C. Tomato

D. Smashed Chickpea Filling

E. Enjoy!

This granola recipe is something I return to again and again. It’s delicious, simple, and adaptable. My go-to combination seems to be almonds and dehydrated strawberries, but feel free to use your favourite fruit and nut combination.

The granola is sweetened with maple syrup, and I love the addition of cinnamon and cardamom. It’s one of my favourite breakfasts served with yogurt and fresh fruit. I especially like it with frozen blueberries somehow. I thaw them for 30 seconds in the microwave, turning them into berries thawed enough to eat but still cold and just the tiniest bit icy, a perfect start to a warm summer morning.

1. Add oats, almonds, coconut, maple syrup, canola or coconut oil, cardamom, cinnamon and salt to a large bowl. (Fruit gets added after baking) 

2. Stir everything until evenly combined.

3. Spread everything onto a parchment lined baking sheet. (or two smaller ones) Bake in a 300F oven, stirring every so often, for about 55 - 60 minutes, or until the oats are golden brown. (do not underbake or it won't be crispy) 

4. Cool completely then add your favourite dried fruit. 

Strawberry Granola  
For whatever reason making my granola recipe during strawberry season has become a ritual. 2 pints of strawberries sliced and spread out onto the four trays that fit in my dehydrator is the right amount for this recipe. I will let them dehydrate for a few hours then I start checking on them. Inevitably some (the thinner ones) are ready first. They should be chewy and pliable when ready. 

Of course, you can use whatever dried fruit you want! 

To dehydrate my strawberries, I sliced 2 pints put them in my dehydrator at 140F. After 3 hours some of them were ready. However, some of the thicker ones took 4 times longer. I just keep checking every couple hours and removing any that are ready. For the record, dehydrated strawberries taste like candy, but are definitely a lot better for you!

Dried Apples / Walnuts 

Dried Blueberries / Pecans 
​
Dried Mangoes / Pumpkin Seeds 

If you haven't heard of bolani, it is a simple Afghan flatbread made from dough stuffed with potato and leek (although the fillings can vary), then fried in oil until golden and crisp.

Bolani is humble fare, but it is addictively good. When I first had it at a restaurant, it was served with a tomato sauce with a hint of warm spice, particularly cinnamon. I liked it enough to recreate at home, but the chef in me suspected there was something I would enjoy even more.

So I went looking for inspiration and came across an Afghan green chutney on Pick Up Limes. I made it once, then again, tweaking it along the way until it landed exactly where I wanted it. The result is a bright, fresh condiment made with cilantro, parsley and jalapeño, blitzed with toasted walnuts, white pickling vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper. And because I couldn't resist borrowing a little inspiration from the cinnamon-spiced tomato sauce I'd had at Ca'Miri, I added just a hint of cinnamon and cumin.
​
The combination is everything I wanted alongside the bolani: fresh, tangy, herby and a little spicy, with enough richness from the walnuts to balance the crisp, golden potato-filled dough.

I  took a trip to Spain in December 2022. I spent several months prior day dreaming about all of the Spanish food I would discover.  No trip to Spain would be complete without experiencing authentic paella, patatas bravas, or Pan Con Tomate. I am happy to report that I did indeed enjoy those dishes in Spain. What I couldn't have imagined, was that I would go to Spain and fall in love with flavours from Afghanistan. That however, is precisely what happened. 

I ate in restaurants almost daily during my two week stay in Valencia. Much of my time was spent in Old Town, which is a beautiful and vibrant part of the city. It's mainly a pedestrian area, so be sure to put on a pair of comfortable shoes, as you'll undoubtedly be wandering through the narrow, winding cobble stone streets for hours. It's full of great restaurants, shopping, Central Market & so much more. I also wouldn't be surprised if you find yourself lingering in an alleyway taking in the graffiti that stretches across every spare inch of empty wall space. The spray painted murals and art are a striking juxtaposition to the medieval fortification I passed through to enter into the area every day. The Serranos Towers were originally a defensive structure at one of the cities busiest gates, and is now a historical point of interest for tourists and a popular location for special events in the city.  If you do visit Valencia, my suggestion would be to spend at least a few days in Old Town, but then be sure to venture elsewhere because there is lots to explore outside that area. I honestly think you could spend every day of your life wandering around Valencia trying new restaurants, and you wouldn't be able to try them all.

Finding Food outside of Old Town in Benimaclet

One night without a plan, I was wandering around the city in an area I hadn't seen before, called Benimaclet. It is a vibrant, multicultural area in Valencia that is a bit off the beaten path, so there aren't as many tourists wandering around. It was about 7pm, I was hungry, and hoping to find something with vegan options. After walking around for what I'm sure was an hour, I stumbled upon an Afghan restaurant called Ca'Miri. I was definitely keen, and not only because I was tired and ready for food! In my experience with globally inspired food and menus, it's common to see offerings centered around humble whole food ingredients. Pulses, legumes, rice, vegetables and delicious spices are common in the Middle East, and I love all of it. 

I walked into the restaurant on a quieter night, Bob Marley playing in the background. First, I enjoyed a spread of several smaller dishes including rice, beans, lentils & salad. All of it was delicious and the kind of food I could eat every day of my life. What really inspired me however, was what came next. It was called "Bolon" on their menu, "Bolani" seems to be more common if you search online. Either way, it's incredibly delicious, I was instantly obsessed and knew I would be making some version of it as soon as I arrived back in Canada. ​

1. Make The Dough
I have tried a version of bolani dough without yeast, and with a small amount of yeast. I think I prefer the yeasted version, but it is worth noting both variations seem to exist. I couldn't resist adding a little bit of turmeric powder to my dough, I am obsessed with the gorgeous yellow colour it lends, though I can't speak to authenticity. 

The dough comes together simply either by hand or in a stand mixer or even a food processor. A batch of dough will give you four Bolani, enough to feed four people a light meal with a salad along side. The idea is to roll the dough quite thin into a circular shape. No thicker than a tortilla. 

2. Prepare The Leek and Potato Filling
The filling is simply mashed potatoes mixed softened buttery leeks, olive oil and salt and pepper.  It's addictively good on its own, and would make a lovely side dish as is. 

First cook washed, peeled and chunked russet potatoes in salted boiling water. While they are cooking, soften leeks in a pan with as much extra virgin olive oil as needed (a generous glug), along with a pinch of salt and pepper. 

Strain cooked potatoes, then dump them back into the pot. Mash in cooked leeks, more olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.

3. Roll The Dough
Dust your work surface, and rolling pin with flour. Roll each ball of dough into a thin circle shape, no thicker than a flour tortilla you'd pick up at the store. 

4. Add Potato Leek Filling
Divide the potato-leek filling evenly among the rolled-out pieces of dough, spreading it over one half of each piece while leaving the other half bare. Fold the dough over the filling to form a half-moon, then pinch the edges firmly to seal. (You may have a bit more potato filling than you need. I just eat it with a spoon if I have a bit left.)

5. Heat a generous amount of canola oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add bolani to pan. (it should sizzle when it hits the oil) Cook until golden and crisp on one side, then using a large spatula, carefully flip over and repeat on second side. Lift out of pan onto a paper towel lined plate, sprinkle with sea salt. On a cutting board, cut into wedges and serve. 

Condiments to serve along side the Bolani - Afghan Green Chutney
Even if you didn't serve this with anything to dip it in, it's still really good. I'm a big fan of condiments though, and I love spooning small amounts of Afghan green chutney on all of my bites. A delicious blend of cilantro, parsley, toasted walnut, garlic, jalapeño pepper, and vinegar. 

​I love this Afghan Green Chutney for many reasons, but one of them is it's such a great way to use up cilantro and parsley that you might have hanging out in the fridge, and instead of using lime or lemon for acidity, it calls for straight up white vinegar (or white pickling vinegar). It's affordable and something I always have in the pantry. You can also use it to accompany more than just the bolani. 
Serve it with fried street foods, rice, vegetables or your favourite protein. 

If the green chutney doesn't seem like something you'd be into, I noticed lots of variations being served with minted yogurt. When I had bolani in Spain, it was served with a cumin and cinnamon spiced tomato sauce.

Bolani is good enough to make again, and again, so go ahead and experiment and discover what you like!

Storing and cooking leftovers
I didn't cook my bolani all at once. I refrigerated all of the components separately in glass containers and made it for dinner a few days in a row. It worked really well. Just bring your dough to room temperature to relax before trying to roll out and proceed with recipe as written.

If you have leftover bolani that is already cooked, store it covered in the fridge, then heat in a hot skillet with a small amount of oil until re crisped and heated through.