Plastic-free, healthy, and tasty: Home-made sourdough pancakes

Annemieke of Plastic Free Tuesday is back! This time she shares with us a recipe for sourdough pancakes.

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Eating without buying or throwing away any plastic is easy and fun! Just Do-It-Yourself! #DIY! Home-made food is usually also healthier and more delicious than eating out or taking away. And it saves money.

Last month I shared with you how to make your own plastic-free sourdough starter. It takes about a week before the starter is alive and kicking. Your starter is ready to be used for baking if it is bubbling vigorously. Sometimes, my starter is so alive that it escapes the jar!

Initially, I started to experiment with sourdough when I was looking for a plastic-free alternative to baking powder. The baking powder I used for my carrot cake muffins came in plastic and I wanted to get rid of it. On the internet I read that baking powder can be replaced with sourdough in combination with baking soda. In many parts of the world, the latter comes in cardboard boxes.

To keep the sourdough starter alive, I stir daily with a clean, wooden spoon. Every second day, I add new flour and some water (23-26 degrees Celsius/73.4-78.8 F) in a 1:1 ratio. Every week, I feed my starter a big meal. I empty almost the entire jar. I leave only about 1 deciliter in the jar. I then add about three times as much flour and lukewarm water (again, in a 1:1 ratio) and stir. This kind of big meals makes that the pH drops. This makes it easier for the bacteria to multiply.

It would be a waste to throw away the sourdough that I take out of the jar. So instead, I follow the instructions of Sandor Katz to use this sourdough to bake pancakes. It’s easy and super delicious. Just note that because this recipe involves fermentation, it is a two-step process. In the morning (or evening) you prepare the dough, in the evening (or next morning) you can eat the pancakes.

Ingredients

3 deciliter sourdough starter

4 deciliter flour (I use whole-wheat flour)

4 deciliter water (23-26 degrees Celsius or 73.4-78.8 F)

1 onion

1 clove of garlic

1 bell pepper (I prefer a green one)

coconut oil, butter or any other kind of oil

2 eggs

salt

1 tablespoon peanut butter

For plastic-free flour in Dahab, you can buy your flour from the bulk bags, for example at 1,000 Items, using your own reusable bag or container. The shop carries all purpose and semolina flour. You can also purchase whole wheat flour in paper sacks from Chef’s. Remember to bring your own bag or container and you can buy the onion, garlic, bell pepper, butter, and eggs without plastic packaging. Look for local peanut butter brand AHEF which comes in a glass jar.

Step 1.

In the morning (before you go to work) or in the evening (before you go to bed), transfer 3 deciliter sourdough starter from the jar in a bowl (preferably plastic-free) or pot. Add 4 deciliter of flour. Add the lukewarm (23-26 degrees Celsius) water. Blend everything until the dough is smooth. Put a clean kitchen towel on top and leave it to rest for at least a few hours so that it can ferment. After about 10-12 hours, there will be bubbles in the dough.

Step 2

Usually I blend the sourdough starter, flour, and water in the morning and leave it to ferment the whole day until I come back from work in the evening. Once the dough is ready for baking, chop the onion and mince (or chop) the garlic. Cut the bell pepper into small pieces.

Pour some oil in a frying pan. Fry the onion, garlic, and bell pepper. In the meanwhile, add the 2 eggs, some salt, and the tablespoon peanut butter to the dough. Blend until smooth. Add the fried veggies too and blend again.

Heat some oil in the frying pan. Pour some dough into the frying pan. I prefer small and relatively thin pancakes (because they turn out nicest this way), so I do not fill the entire pan. I only use a little bit of dough for each pancake. Make sure you move the frying pan around so that the dough is spread out. You don’t want thick pancakes, because that means risking that the outside is done but the inside is not.

Wait until the upper side has turned dry. Then, carefully flip the pancake. Once both sides are golden brown, the pancake is ready.

This recipe will make about 10 pancakes.

The pancakes are still very delicious the next day if kept refrigerated. They are delicious served with peanut butter, vegetable based spread, and/or avocado.

This is a recipe based on the instructions of Sandor Katz in his book “The Art of Fermentation” (page 236).

Bon appetite!

Popcorn: A Perfect (almost) Plastic-free Snack

We all have our own preferences when it comes to the snacks we love. Popcorn is one of my favorites, satisfying my craving for salty crunchiness. It’s also a great alternative to all the snacks available on the market. You know, all those snacks packaged in plastic – potato chips, nuts, energy bars, cookies, and cakes. Besides the issue of the plastic packaging, the nutritional value of these “foods” is also questionable. I’m not a big fan of snacks on most days, so it is easy for me to REFUSE these packaged snacks. When I do feel the need for a snack, one of the foods I reach for is popcorn.

If you bring your own bag, you can purchase popcorn completely plastic-free from the bulk bags at 1,000 Items (Alf Sunf) in Assalah Square. This past weekend, I paid LE 10 for a kilo of popcorn. Make sure you buy from the bag that says “POPCORN” because corn feed for chickens is also available.

Bring your own bag or reuse a plastic one you already have.

To pop the popcorn on my stove, I cover the bottom of a pan with about a tablespoon of cold vegetable oil or ghee (clarified butter). I then pour the kernels in, just enough to make one layer.

The oil, unfortunately, comes in a plastic bottle so when I purchase oil I always buy the largest bottle possible. (Crystal Sunflower Oil, 3 Liters) This at least reduces the amount of plastic that will need to be recycled. 

Plastic-Saving Tip: Buy the largest bottle available.

The ghee comes in a glass jar that can be reused or recycled, but it does have a small amount of plastic on the lid. I prefer the ghee not only because it’s less plastic, but it’s tastier too!

Less plastic and better tasting – ghee

I cover the pan and put in on medium heat. As the oil heats, I shake the pan gently every once in awhile to make sure all kernels are covered evenly in oil. I continue to do this as the kernels pop. Once the popping has stopped, I remove the pan from the stove and pour the popcorn into a large bowl, sprinkle some salt on top, and start munching. I don’t measure anything so if you need more precise instructions, read these.

What is your favorite snack food? Does it come packaged in plastic? Do you make it yourself? Do you have any recipes to share?

Refuse ~ Reduce ~ Reuse ~ Recycle

Aboo Ahmad Restaurant – for plastic-free takeaway

I finally snapped a photo of our favorite place for Egyptian street food – Aboo Ahmad’s! For those of you who haven’t eaten here yet, we highly recommend it. The restaurant is located in Asalah Square between 1,000 Items and Ghazala Market.

Not only do they make the tastiest foul and falafel in town, the staff is also willing to put your takeaway sandwiches in your own container or wrapped in paper.

Most people get their food in plastic bags – and Aboo Ahmad gets very busy during the lunch hour – so please remember to be patient with the staff when you request paper or for them to use your own container. They are always happy to do so, but they work on “autopilot” so your request involves a bit of an interruption. But we have now visited there enough times that the staff knows when they see us coming that they won’t be using plastic for our food!

Shopping for Spices and Skipping the Plastic

If you enjoy cooking or baking as much as we do in our house, you probably purchase a variety of spices, which are usually sold in small plastic packages or in small glass jars. That used to mean that we would come home from the supermarket with numerous plastic packets of spices, some holding barely a tablespoon of spice. If we happened to shop in Sharm el Sheikh, we might purchase spices in glass jars (with plastic tops), some of which we managed to refill or reuse.

Spices, then, were high on our list of priorities for foodstuff we wanted to purchase package-free. We are lucky here in Dahab because there are several different shops in town that sell spices from bulk bags. But, of course, what we shoppers have to remember is to bring our own containers!

Our favorite shop to buy spices from is the spice/nut/candy shop directly next to Ralph’s German Bakery in Assalah Square. (I have no idea what the name of this shop is. Must ask the next time we are there!) When we started purchasing our spices in bulk, we brought along our own REUSABLE plastic boxes, like the ones pictured below.

Anise and ginger – two of the most-used spices in our house.

Then I came across a post in Dahab Gives and Wishes on Facebook where someone was offering three empty tea tins for free – so I grabbed them! They are perfect for filling up with spices and skipping ALL plastic. 🙂

This amount of cinnamon should last a couple of months.

This shop next to the bakery offers a variety of spices in bulk: cinnamon, ginger, anise, cardamom, cumin, coriander, pepper, and more! And, yes, like all of our plastic-free adventures, it sometimes involves some persistence on our part to REFUSE the plastic bags. But as we continue to visit this shop and request that they use our own containers, the shop keepers get more used to us and have an easier time dealing with the scale and boxes. So, as always, be patient in explaining your request and wear a smile on your face and most shopkeepers will be happy to fill your containers.

What spices do you use most in your kitchen? Are you willing to try buying spices in bulk? What would make this easier for you?

Refuse ~ Reduce ~ Reuse ~ Recycle

Dahab Defender: Annet Fransen

Many of you may already be familiar with Annet, a talented baker here in Dahab, but did you know that she also works hard on reducing plastic waste? When I saw a post on Facebook about Annet reusing Tetra Paks as packaging for slices of cake, I contacted her to learn about her efforts. Impressed by what she was doing, I nominated her as a Dahab Defender and asked her to tell us more about what she does. She was kind enough to answer some questions for our blog:

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You are well-known in the Dahab community for your delicious brownies. What other baked goods do you offer and where can they be purchased?

– Ah, essential questions first  – For the moment I’m only baking for the Hands of Dahab Market (Thursdays at the Tea Garden in Mashraba). [UPDATE MARCH 2016: Annet is baking now for the Dahab Community Market on Friday afternoons at Sheikh Salem.] I also do the occasional special order for a birthday cake or special event – these are often special ‘projects’ such as gluten-free or sugar-free baking. I like to do my foodie research and come up with a nice alternative for these occasions, but I keep this baking down to a minimum as I also have a ‘real job’ to attend to.

What motivated you to start reducing waste?

Living in Dahab, and walking around town, having to step over dirty diapers, plastic, glass etc.. it’s almost impossible not to be motivated to reduce waste 😉 I’m not a diver and only an occasional snorkeler, but I’m obviously also aware of the damage to the coral and marine life from waste disposal. Here in Dahab, as everything is less structured than in Europe, you soon learn to take responsibility for some basic things, such as waste. Without a fully functioning waste disposal system, waste reduction is the way to go. You can easily compost and/or feed organic waste to the goats, recycle/upcycle some of your boxes & bottles for use around the house and garden. I’m definitely not reducing waste as much as I should just yet, but if we can all do a little the effect is already there.

Polystyrene trays, plastic wrap, and plastic utensils are typically used by many sellers to serve or package food. What alternative packaging do you use?

I use mostly paper for all my packaged foods – whether these are recycled magazines or large rolls of ‘brown paper’ for wrapping pie slices and cookies/brownies. I also collect Tetra Paks & small cardboard boxes for more fragile items, such as pies with cream toppings. I think it’s fairly easy to reduce or completely eradicate polystyrene this way. At the market, we’ve also introduced a 5 LE money-back policy for anyone who brings their own containers (this is funded from our table fees). Quite a few people have gotten used to bringing their Tupperware to the market. I still offer plastic forks, but a lot of people don’t take them, as they buy a drink at the restaurant with their cake and then use a teaspoon, or eat with their hands.

Paper packaging instead of plastic.

Reusing magazines as food containers.

Where do you get the materials that you recycle?

I use rolls of paper that we buy by the kilo in Cairo. I cut the large rolls into squares, and a large paper roll will last me at least a year. In addition to that I use magazine pages and recycled boxes & Tetra Paks. So far my own supplies have been pretty much sufficient, but I could definitely use more Tetra Paks 

Tetra Paks as plates.

What about in the shopping and preparation of your baked goods? Have you found ways to reduce the packaging waste of the ingredients you purchase?

I usually bring my own bags to the market, and I go for paper packaging (flour for instance) where I can, I also bring my own egg box (also to reduce breakage), but that’s as far as I’ve come in this department..

What has been the biggest obstacle that you have faced in your efforts to reduce waste?

To some extent, a lack of planning on my part. I also find it tricky to transport the pies to the market without using plastic bags – here I’ve been reusing plastic bags from my shopping.

You also offer cooking classes at your home. Can you tell us a bit more about these and any earth-friendly practices you promote through these classes?

Yes, I’ve been offering cooking classes – though at the moment I just find I’m too busy for them. In these classes I always try to show my students how I grow salads & herbs in my own garden. And I always make a point of showing how much of our cooking class waste can go on the compost heap, and how easy it is to have one in the garden. A lot of people are worried about bugs, smells etc., but I’ve never found this to be a problem with my compost.

Do you have any advice for other vendors or small business owners who would like to start reducing waste? Where should they start?

• Find suppliers of paper packaging. They are definitely there in Cairo, and I’ve heard rumors of paper packaging in Dahab (maybe you know more about this?).

• Try to give customers a small incentive for bringing their own container, maybe a small discount or a larger portion? People really appreciate this and you also reduce cost by not using packaging.

• You could also offer reusable packaging, such as a few Tupperware containers or other food containers, for resale in your restaurant/shop, to get people started on bringing their own containers and raise awareness.

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Many thanks to Annet and the Hands of Dahab Community Market for their efforts in reducing plastic waste!

Remember to bring your own container to the market on Fridays, Dahabians! And if you have empty Tetra Paks, consider saving them and passing them on to Annet to reuse as plates. (Note: Currently, Tetra Paks are NOT collected and recycled by Hemaya.)

Search for the Dahab Community Market Group on Facebook to contact Annet or other vendors and organizers. 

Refuse ~ Reduce ~ Reuse ~ Recycle

Tools for Takeaway

One piece of advice to help reduce our use of disposable plastic that I have shared often is to bring your own containers when shopping for groceries and carrying takeaway meals. You may have enough glass or stainless steel containers at home that you can REUSE. I have an odd assortment of containers that I use for buying butter, cheese, spices, etc. But several years ago, we purchased these takeaway containers:

Takeaway Containers: LE 71 from Alf Sunf

It has four small stainless steel containers that fit inside a large (unfortunately) plastic insulated container. These sets, made in India, are available at Alf Sunf (1,000 Items) in Mashraba. We checked on the price last week – still only LE 71, the same price we paid years ago.

These have been ideal for packing food for picnics at the laguna! But they are also great for carrying takeaway and leftovers from restaurants. Of course, if you eat in at restaurants, you don’t have to worry about plastic containers, but my husband has a bad back which means he often prefers to order his food to-go and eat in comfort at home (instead of on the usually uncomfortable restaurant chairs).

We have used these takeaway containers at the Blue House Thai Restaurant, Mix Restaurant (for koshary), and the “Shark” restaurant for Egyptian meals in Asalah Square. These places will happily use your containers instead of plastic and Styrofoam. We’ve also used them to bring home leftovers from El Huseiny – the kebab and kofta man in Mashraba. And we always carry them with us to the Dahab Community Market at Sheikh Salem House on Fridays for whatever goodies we want to buy, usually ma’ashi.

Besides the containers available from Alf Sunf, there are also ones, made in Thailand, available at the big Ghazala Market on the shore. Some of them have 3 containers, some 4, but they all have plastic lids instead of stainless steel. These start at LE 120 and the price goes up from there depending on the size:

Hot & Cool Containers at Ghazala Market

Prices start at LE 120.

What tools for takeaway without plastic do you use?

Refuse ~ Reduce ~ Reuse ~ Recycle

Homemade Crunchy Granola

In her efforts to help us reduce our plastic footprints, activist and author Beth Terry poses several questions that encourage us to reflect on the plastic trash that we “throw away”. One of those questions is: Which items can you replace with plastic-free or less-plastic alternatives?

One of the items that used to end up in my trash was the plastic bag that breakfast cereal comes packaged in. This was an obvious starting place for me to look for plastic-free alternatives, not just for the sake of the environment but also for the sake of my wallet! My preferred breakfast cereal is granola (similar to muesli) and the tastiest cereals are always the imported – and expensive – brands. Since there were no plastic-free alternatives on the market, it was time to make my own granola. That’s exactly what I’ve been doing for several years now. And as I’ve learned about more plastic-free alternatives as far as the ingredients go, I can now create a completely plastic-free granola!

I can’t share an exact recipe with you, but here is a list of what went into the batch of granola I made today:

Whole meal flour (purchased in a paper sack)

Oatmeal (purchased in a metal tin that can be recycled)

Dried Coconut Flakes (purchased in my own container from the bulk bags)

Walnuts (purchased in my own container from the bulk bags)

Sesame Seeds (purchased in my own container from the bulk bags)

Cinnamon (purchased in my own container from the bulk bags)

Butter (purchased in my own container)

Molasses (comes in a glass jar, can be recycled)

Vanilla Oil (purchased in a small glass bottle from a local spice shop)

Dried Apricots and Raisins (purchased in my own container from the bulk bags)

Basically, I mix all the dry ingredients except for the fruit together in a large bowl. I use about a cup each of the flour, oatmeal, and coconut and about a ½ cup each of the nuts and seeds. I melt the butter and molasses together, add a few drops of vanilla oil, and then pour the melted butter over the dry ingredients and mix together. 

All of the ingredients mixed together.

Next I spread the mixture on a tray and bake until crisp and golden brown. (Today I baked the granola for a bit too long so it’s extra dark and crispy!) 

Baked granola on a tray mixed with dried fruit.

Once it’s cooled down, I mix in the dried fruit and then store in containers. Delicious with milk or yogurt for breakfast…or covered with a chocolate sauce for a healthy dessert. 🙂

Enough granola for a couple of weeks!

Not only is my granola plastic-free and less expensive, it’s also tastier than any packaged cereal. Win-win-win! (The plastic jar that I’m using here for storage originally contained honey and I am REUSING it. I need more large glass jars!)

If you’re interested in preparing your own granola or breakfast cereals, simply search the Internet for recipes. There are tons of tempting recipes available out there! 

Refuse ~ Reduce ~ Reuse ~ Recycle

Bring your own container for take-away!

Who doesn’t love koshary?! I know I do! But I REFUSE to buy koshary from the street carts because the pasta and rice are usually already packed in a disposable plastic container. Instead we buy koshary for take-away from the Mix Restaurant on the corner of Fanar Street, across from Leila’s Bakery. A delicious, nutritious, and plastic-free meal!

Buying Butter without Packaging

Egyptian butter is often sold in either plastic bags or on polystyrene trays with plastic wrap. You’ll usually find this butter in the big freezers or refrigerated deli counters. Imported butter is also available wrapped in waxed or foiled paper. 

Fortunately for us here in Dahab, it’s also very easy to buy butter without any packaging! Simply bring your own container and ask the deli clerk for the amount of butter, in fractions of kilos, that you would like to buy. He’ll weigh your container first and then add the butter that you’ve asked for. When you are ready to check-out, the deli clerk will confirm with the cashier how much butter he has given you. Buying butter in your own container allows you not only to reduce waste, but also to choose the exact amount of butter you’d like since the clerk will be cutting off smaller pieces from a large block of butter. Buy a lot and keep it in your own freezer or purchase just a small amount. It’s up to you!

REFUSING to buy butter in its usual packaging takes some practice – and some planning! As usual, we recommend the deli at the 1,000 Items (Alf Sunf) supermarket located in Asalah Square. The clerks there are friendly and are now used to us bringing our own containers. Friends of mine have also reported that El Wekala supermarket, next to Ibrahim’s veggie shop in the square, are also open and easy-going about customers bringing their own containers.

(If you’re wondering what’s so bad about the polystyrene trays, read this.)

Have you purchased butter using your own container? Did you find the clerks helpful or did you run into any problems? Or are you willing to try this on your next shopping trip?

Refuse ~ Reduce ~ Reuse ~ Recycle

 

Buying from Bulk Bags

In my last post, I wrote about buying flour in paper sacks or buying it from the bulk bags available at stores in Asalah. Today, I’d like to talk about other food goods that we can purchase from these bags.

Buying from the bulk bags is a great way to reduce the amount of plastic you bring home from the supermarket.

Besides flour, here are a few of the items you can purchase from the bulk bags:

• lentils, several variety of beans, chick peas

• karkade

• white rice

• sesame seeds

• sage

• nuts (almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts)

There’s more, of course, but these are the items that interested me the most. And all of them are typically sold in plastic packaging and some of them – like the nuts – with polystyrene or plastic trays as well. 

TIP: Research what’s available in bulk from your favorite shop. Check out other shops if you can’t find what you’re looking for. Our favorite shop is 1,000 Items (Alf Sunf) in Asalah Square.

We bring either a reusable cotton bag (recently washed) or a plastic box. We usually weigh and fill the containers ourselves, but sometimes the store clerk will assist with the weighing by taring the scale (setting it to zero with the container on it). If you don’t have a bag or container to use, you can always REUSE plastic shopping bags that you already have. This is, in fact, what the clerk at 1,000 Items says he sees more people doing.

TIP: Bring your own reusable bag or container and remember to weigh it before you fill it.

Some of the goods will need to be washed and/or picked through before use. We didn’t do this with the first bag of lentils we purchased from the bulk bag – and we have learned our lesson after trying to eat a bowl of very gritty lentils! It’s not uncommon to find a few small stones mixed in (found a couple in my last batch of chick peas), but I’ve also found rocks in food packaged in plastic so it’s just good practice to pick through all dry goods before cooking.

TIP: At home, transfer the goods to a glass or other reusable container for storage.

We didn’t switch to buying these foods from the bulk bags all at once. We started with the nuts and moved on from there. It takes time to form new habits so be patient with yourself. We haven’t actually bought the rice from the bulk bags yet; it’s next on our list. But each item we can purchase without packaging means less plastic trash!

TIP: Choose the one food item that is usually packaged in plastic that you use the most and start with that one. As you – and the store clerk – become more used to this plastic-free habit, choose and add another item to purchase from the bulk bags.

Do you purchase items from the bulk bags? If so, do you have a preferred store? If not, are you willing to try? Why or why not?

Refuse ~ Reduce ~ Reuse ~ Recycle