the particular kitchen

molly’s muesli

molly — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 08:51:07 +0000

who’s up for some morning muesli? the photo below displays my usual breakfast of goat’s yogurt, fresh fruit, and muesli, sprinkled with milled flaxseed and maca powder. the muesli used to be jordan’s or dorset cereals brand, but now i make my own. why? because at £3.99 a box, the branded mueslis were getting a little pricey for my everyday consumption. now i can make double the size of those boxes at half the price – plus i can mix and match what i want to go into my muesli with each batch.

one thing i’ve noticed about big cereal brands is their reliance on wheat flakes and oats as a base. instead, i use spelt flakes. they taste and feel exactly the same as wheat flakes. the only issue is that they do contain gluten – far less than wheat flakes, but they wouldn’t be acceptable for someone with celiac disease. so i recently picked up a bag of guaranteed gluten-free oats and will try those in the next batch.

since having this breakfast every day, i have found that i have far more energy in the mornings, and stay full until lunch without needing a snack in between. i know a lot of people say this about their breakfasts, but trust me – i couldn’t live without my mid-morning snack and now i manage without one just fine.

in the summer, it is ideal as it doesn’t weight you down like porridge or oatmeal can. in the winter, you can switch back to a hot cereal, but i’d recommend experimenting with different bases rather than oats. try hot quinoa – either made as normal or try quinoa flakes, which act just like porridge oats. i’ve also seen millet flakes for sale at health food stores, serving the same purpose. the key, though, is to combine these bases with plenty of protein, fresh fruit, and some variety of nuts and seeds for vitamins and minerals.

the flaxseed and maca are added extras to sprinkle on, and aren’t to be included in the muesli as they need to be sealed and refrigerated for freshness. however, these two are absolute powerhouses and provide a plethora of health benefits in just one teaspoon-sized amount.

when ground up, flaxseed is much more easily digested, so try and buy a ready-milled version (or you can grind your own in a coffee grinder or food processor). the biggest contribution flax can make to your diet is omega-3 fatty acids. it also provides a decent amount of fiber. what you will notice most on a day-to-day basis is the way it can balance your blood sugar levels, lessening the severity of diabetes but also allowing you to avoid those terrible energy crashes in between meals.

if you don’t fancy making your own, be sure to look out for muesli that doesn’t contain any added sugar and uses mostly (if not all) organic ingredients. the purer the ingredients, the better!

now the fun part: would anyone be interested in trying my homemade muesli? please email me (molly at the particular kitchen dot com) and i’d be happy to talk about making you some “molly’s muesli” to try. at the moment, i think i’ll only be able to do this for readers based in the uk (sorry, americans!) – but who knows what the future holds? i’d love to hear what you think!

molly’s muesli

makes a 1 month supply, assuming you have a 1/2 cup every morning

the particulars:

spelt flakes
shredded coconut
pumpkin seeds
sunflower seeds
sesame seeds
dried blueberries
dried figs
dried cherries
flaked almonds

all products used in this mixture are organic and raw.

straight from the tuscan sun

molly — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 12:06:04 +0000

this morning, i was reading the guardian’s word of mouth blog (a favorite) and saw this great post on holiday food and how it translates back at home. it got me thinking about our recent italy trip and how we have been eating some lovely italian meals even since coming home, just to hold onto the holiday feeling!

i love bringing back food items from abroad. after my holiday in greece back in july, i stocked up on halva, olive tapenade, and some of the complimentary turkish delights they had at our hotel before boarding the plane home. in italy, the bits and pieces we brought home were a bit more sophisticated and healthy! i nabbed a small tin of olive oil and an even smaller bottle of truffle oil at the airport, but in castelnuovo (the nearest town to our villa), i picked up a bag of spice mix, found all over tuscany and used for the simplest pasta dish.

we’ve been using this stuff like mad ever since our return. in case you don’t read italian, the ingredients are: parsley, garlic, chili pepper, and salt. that’s it! all nicely chopped and dried and ready to be thrown in some olive oil before tossing with your favorite pasta. we decided to use ours with some prawns – it gives just the right amount of heat and flavor – and served with a pear and goat’s cheese salad.

i thought that you could only find this stuff on italian soil, but it turns out (at least here in london) you can find it in loads of places. try an italian deli – i know of a couple around london. also, i’ve heard there is a stall at borough market which sells it. but hunt it down and keep it in your kitchen for those last-minute meals!

spicy prawn pasta with pear & goat’s cheese salad

serves two

the particulars:

250g of your favorite pasta (we used spelt fusilli)
1 packet of cooked and peeled prawns
2-3 tbsp spice mix (or make your own using dried parsley, dried garlic, sea salt, and chili flakes)
several glugs of good olive oil
2 handfuls mixed salad leaves
1 pear, chopped into cubes
1 tbsp soft goat’s cheese, crumbled
dressing: olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, salt, pepper

cook the pasta according to packet instructions (should not take more than 10 minutes once the water is boiling). in the meantime, heat up a frying pan with some olive oil and the spice mix. once sizzling, add your prawns and toss until nicely browned on either side (careful not to burn the dried herbs).
drain the pasta and toss with the prawn mixture. add more olive oil if necessary.
toss the salad leaves, pear, and goat’s cheese together with the dressing and serve with the hot pasta! grate parmesan on top if you would like.

new grains, old grains

molly — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 07:58:10 +0000

very often, we eat what we’re given – what’s abundant and available. i know this to be very true in the states, but it’s also increasingly the case in england. this is odd, considering the proximity to europe and all of the diverse foods found therein. so it came as a bit of a shock when i had to track down farro in london. farro is to italians what spelt is to us – same thing, different name. it’s an ancient grain which we find most often in flour, bread, or pasta form. i happen to LOVE spelt pasta and flour – it has the exact same consistency as regular wheat flour but is much easier on the digestive system and is far better for your health. let’s take a look at some health benefits of spelt/farro (and other whole grains):*

source of vitamin b2, niacin, copper, thiamin, and manganese – this all means it will benefit you greatly if you suffer from migraines or diabetes
reduces the risk of high blood pressure and heart attack
reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes
a great source of insoluble fiber, which protects against gallstones and breast cancer
also a good source of protein

while on vacation in tuscany, we came across farro salads everywhere – similar to the quinoa salads we love to make at home. once i tracked down a bag of farro back home in london, i thought it would make a nice substitute for rice in a risotto-type dish. and after a bit of googling, it seemed i wasn’t the only one with that idea! farro risotto is everywhere – but the word “risotto” is a bit misleading. it is nothing like the consistency, texture, or flavor of a typical risotto, and it certainly isn’t made in the same way. but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a wonderful dish for dinner. with autumn fast approaching, give it a try (if you can find some farro for yourself!) – but if you can’t find the whole grain, pick up a bag of spelt pasta or spelt flour and try it instead of the regular stuff next time you’re having an italian dinner or baking something delicious. you might love it!

here’s my first attempt at farro risotto – it’s a definite keeper. the nuttiness of the farro combined with the slight sweetness of the squash and the punch of herby goodness? it all works together really well. even phil loved it and he’s a risotto fanatic.

farro risotto with butternut squash

serves two; recipe adapted from good housekeeping

the particulars:

olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup farro (could use brown rice instead – increase stock amount)
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 2/3 cup vegetable stock in boiling water
1/8 tsp dried thyme
1/8 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
optional: 1/8 tsp chili flakes

in a large skillet or wok (which has a lid), add some olive oil, the onion, and salt & pepper. cook until the onion is tender.
add the farro and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly
add the white wine and cook until absorbed
pour in the hot vegetable stock, thyme, and rosemary. cover with a lid and heat to boiling point. then stir in the butternut squash pieces and reduce the heat. cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the farro is just tender (mixture will be soupy). you may need longer depending on the type of farro you have.
uncover and cook 1-2 minutes longer over a very high heat, stirring constantly, until the liquid is absorbed. remove from heat and stir in the parmesan, parsley, and red chili flakes (if using).

* i am not a medical professional, but i am studying to become a nutrition consultant. if you have any questions or would like any more information, please feel free to email me or leave a comment. any nutrition advice i offer on the blog is supplemental to any medication you may be taking for a pre-existing condition.

biscuit gifts

molly — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 08:48:09 +0000

when you’re invited around to someone’s house for dinner for the first time, what do you bring?

flowers? a bottle of wine? or do you make something either to accompany the meal or as a thank you?

last night, phil and i had dinner with a family of 5, the middle child of which will be phil’s newest student this school year. at his school, it is an unspoken tradition to invite the new tutor around for dinner to get to know the parents as well as the child a bit better.

this is my second time being invited along as phil’s date and i wanted to make a good impression, so i decided to bake some cookies as a present. we don’t need to talk about how i ate 4 of them during the day because they were slightly burnt. no we don’t.

the cookies were based on a recipe i saw in the most recent issue of delicious magazine, although i put my “particular” spin on them, as usual. they are very crumbly, as they are essentially shortbread cookies with a hefty crunch. if you’d prefer yours to be perfect circles, simply cool the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes before rolling out and using a cookie cutter. however, i like things a bit rough around the edges, rustic-looking, so i hand-formed the cookies and pressed them down with the back of a fork. which gives them a nice little flourish… even if they are a little burnt.

hazelnut shortbread cookies

makes approx. 20 cookies

the particulars:

1 cup shelled hazelnuts
3/4 cup goat’s butter, room temperature
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 1/2 cups plain gluten-free flour
pinch of salt

heat the oven to gas mark 5 / 375F. spread the hazelnuts on a baking tray and roast for 10 minutes until golden. remove and spread out on a tea towel – wrap up and roll around with the palms of your hands to remove any excess shell/skin. pulse in a food processor until finely chopped.
beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until pale and fluffy. mix the flour and salt and sift into the butter and sugar. add the hazelnut pieces and stir.
with your hands, bring the dough together. at this point, you can place the dough back in the fridge to cool and roll out. otherwise, start separating the dough into small pieces.
on two cookie sheets lined with greaseproof paper, place the cookies, evenly spaced and pressed down with your palm. with the back of a fork, create an indentation in the center of each cookie (if you want!) – bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until lightly golden. do not leave for too long – they will harden as they cool, do not go by touch to determine their “done-ness”.
cool on the trays, and sprinkle with icing sugar to serve.

seasonal dessert

molly — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 10:47:10 +0000

it’s certainly been a while since i vowed to recreate my cookery school plum & orange crumble, but i finally got around to it this week. good thing, since plums are hugely in season right now – you can’t MOVE for plums, to borrow a phrase from my wise old dad. they are more of an oval shape than the plums you get in the states, and the flesh is much paler. when cooked in the oven in a crumble, they take on a baked apple-like consistency: delightfully mushy!

this past new years eve, i attempted to make this using nectarines instead of plums – not the same, i’m afraid. of course, this would work well with apples and pears (minus the orange zest). and maybe before the summer is officially over, i’ll try doing a berry version. raspberries are gorgeous right now.

this pudding is best served with something creamy: vegan ice cream? goat’s cream? i had mine with goat’s yogurt, which was slightly too bitter but did the trick in a pinch. and the topping can certainly be adapted to a vegan diet – just use a non-dairy shortening or margarine instead of the goat’s butter.

plum & orange crumble

recipe adapted from leiths cookery school – serves 4-5

the particulars:

12 plums (approx), halved and stoned
zest of 1 orange
1.5 cups gluten-free flour mix
1/2 cup goat’s butter (or other butter/margarine), cut into small cubes
1/3 cup soft dark brown sugar + 4 tbsp for plum filling
pinch of salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon

make the crumble topping. sift together the flour, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. add the butter and rub together in the flour mix with fingertips, until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. stir through the 1/3 cup of brown sugar.
heat the oven to gas mark 6 / 400F.
place the plum halves in a baking dish. sprinkle the orange zest and 4 tbsp brown sugar over the top. stir together – then sprinkle the crumble topping over the plums. put the dish in the center of the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the plum mixture becomes syrupy and bubbly around the edges of the pan.
serve warm with ice cream or something equivalent!

nuts and seeds

molly — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 07:55:27 +0000

while i continue my studies at bauman college (from afar) i keep finding so many tidbits about nutrition that i want to share on the blog. most of it is head-smackingly simple stuff: eat less sugar, drink less alcohol, etc. but sometimes, you know what you should be eating, but how to incorporate it?

the underlying philosophy behind bauman college is what’s called “eating for health“. it was originally designed as an alternative to the usda food pyramid (or in england, the eatwell plate). it adds in extra special nutrients called “booster foods” that will provide that extra dose of health in your daily meals. some might consider nuts and seeds to be an added extra in their diet – but bauman believes they should be a basic staple. booster foods include things like spices, algae, nutritional yeast, and seaweed. flaxseed, sesame seeds, almonds – these are perfect for snacking and sprinkling onto almost any meal of the day.

for example, the other night phil and i had fish with rice. of course, it was a bit more complex than that – the fish was beautiful organic salmon simply fried with olive oil, salt and pepper, and the rice was brown basmati with chopped apricots, chopped walnuts, toasted mixed seeds, and a mixture of spices. all of a sudden, our seemingly bland dinner turned into an omega-3 party!

seared salmon with brown rice pilaf

recipe adapted from waitrose magazine – serves 2

the particulars:

1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 garlic clove, finely diced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
90g brown basmati rice
30g dried apricots, chopped
450ml vegetable stock, hot
30g walnuts, chopped
30g mixed seeds
2 salmon fillets
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 lemon, cut into wedges

over a medium-low heat, warm some of the oil in a pan and cook the onion for 8 minutes. add the garlic, cumin and coriander and cook for another minute.
add the rice, apricots, and stock. bring to a simmer, then lower the heat, cover, and cook for 20-25 minutes (until the stock has been absorbed by the rice). stir occasionally.
meanwhile, warm a frying pan over a medium heat and dry-fry the nuts and seeds for 2 minutes until they are just fragrant.
a few minutes before the rice is done, warm 1 tsp oil in the same frying pan used for the nuts and seeds over a medium-high heat. season the fish and fry for 3 minutes skin-side down, then for 2 minutes on the other side.
stir the nuts, seeds, and parsley into the rice. serve with the salmon on top and the lemon wedges.

two week italian feast

molly — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 09:45:03 +0000

some more recap goodness before things get back to normal with recipes and advice and whatnot… (all photos by the philtographer)

so, in between greece and italy, there was a week or so of absolute insanity – phil and i moved apartments (across the hall, but still), he baked a wedding cake in our small kitchen, we went to said wedding, had a caterer tasting dinner, and then less than 24 hours after that were on our flight to pisa. while our 15 days in italy were certainly relaxing (mostly), i think we were both a little anxious in the back of our minds about getting back to normal life, setting up our new place, getting some work done, having things installed, etc. which is why i’m actually not that sad about coming home after our holiday. i mean, of course, yes italy is gorgeous and wonderful and we had an amazing time – but it was unfortunately in the middle of a month where we probably could have used the time at home to settle things before taking off on another adventure.

but i don’t want to downplay the superb trip we took. it had been planned for months, and involved three distinct (and completely different) parts.

part one:

we flew to pisa airport, rented a car (try driving an automatic diesel engine car in italy and see what happens – it ain’t pretty), and drove to florence. spent 3 nights exploring that beautiful city. our quirky little hotel (rosso 23) was in a great location, right on the piazza di santa maria novella with great spots to sit and watch the world go by on a warm evening.

only one of the days was ruined by a raging thunderstorm (somewhat of a theme on this trip, more later) – but we happily spent a few hours in our hotel, waiting for the rain and thunder to pass, and went out for a fabulous meal as recommended to us by the hotel’s concierge. i’ll put links to all of the great restaurants we experienced in italy at the end of this post.

part two:

a two and a half hour drive from florence brought us up towards the alps, on a very windy mountain road just outside the bustling town of castelnuovo di garfagnana. there we found our huge villa where we would be living for the next week with 10 of our closest friends. the villa’s manager, giovanni, was so gracious – made us lunch when we arrived as he and his team finished cleaning from the previous tenants’ stay and told us some general top tips about the area. when our friends arrived later that day, we all took full advantage of the solar-heated swimming pool and had the first of many homemade dinners out on the terrace.

this was by far my favorite part of our whole trip – just being in a big house with friends, soaking up all the italian goodness, the food and wine, the sights and smells, the local villages and towns, our property’s wildlife (hope you like lizards and scorpions!), and relaxing in the sunshine for as much time as possible. we did a couple of day trips during our stay: once to lucca, a beautiful old town about an hour away, and another to barga, right after the second massive thunderstorm phil and i experienced during our trip. the clouds were amazing, hovering just below the peaks of the mountains for most of the day, creating a very surreal atmosphere – very unsettled but beautiful. our last evening saw us in castelnuovo for a big meal followed by the town’s opening night of a weeklong festival – we saw flag waving, italian dance parties, marching bands, and it seemed as though everyone in the town was out in the streets celebrating, saying hello to their neighbors. a great way to end the week.

part three:

back on the road, phil and i said goodbye to the villa and our friends and headed south, past livorno and on towards grosseto. our third location was somewhere in between the two cities, the nearest village called scarlino.

it was a very sleepy area of tuscany, and would have been beautiful had it not been for the horrific weather we endured on the drive down. after getting lost in the general area of our hotel for a little while, we eventually arrived only to find they were on their 3 hour lunch break (god bless the italians) – so we hopped back in the car reluctantly and found a great little spot for lunch in a nearby town where i had some amazing seafood salad – we were definitely by the coast now. our five nights at tenuta col di sasso were not as we had hoped, but still we made the best of our beautiful surroundings. we spent the day at a waterpark, went to a natural thermal spa another day, enjoyed the hotel’s beach the next, and wandered around the swanky of port town of punta ala another. but the highlight had to be the vineyard and restaurant across the street from our hotel – we brought back a bottle of red after the gratis wine tasting and enjoyed a truly special meal at sunset in the restaurant next door. our final day in italy was spent exploring pisa, as our flight didn’t leave until the evening. yes, we saw the leaning tower and took the obligatory photos…

so to wrap it all up, i can say that i: gained a ridiculous amount of weight from all the bread and pizza rosso… got a decent tan… feel confident enough to drive like a maniac on the autostrade… had a blast with phil and my friends… and can’t believe that the next time i leave the country (other than a visit to the states for new years) will be for our honeymoon in april!

delicious spots in tuscany:

ristorante benedicta (via benedetta 12r, firenze) – beautiful restaurant near santa maria novella in florence, great homemade pasta
locanda di bacco (via san giorgio 36, lucca) – the most amazing set menus for lunch, including a vegetarian one and a VEGAN one! absolutely delicious. my favorite meal of the trip.
osteria angelio (piazza angelio 13, barga) – superb antipasti plates of meats and cheeses; the pecorino, honey & walnut plate was the prettiest
da carlino (via garibaldi 15, castelnuovo di garfagnana) – family-style restaurant, HUGE, you have to ask them for the pizza and other special menus – our friend tom won the best order of the night with his steak and truffles, smelled amazing!
la pierotta vineyard (scarlino) – a wonderful place for a wine tasting, followed by a great meal at the restaurant next door

back in action

molly — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 10:06:28 +0000

hello hello! the summer craziness is finally winding down – it has been full of action and adventure, travels, delicious food, learning things, costume parties, suntans, sightseeing, friends, and just general summery goodness. i’ve got a few photos to share with you here – the first of a few recaps i’m planning on writing. i did manage to cook a meal and take photos of it last night – which felt strangely like learning to ride a bike again – so that will be posted in the coming days as well.

but first, GREECE!

this feels like such a long time ago. i joined my friends suzanne and nilo for 6 days in greece – 3 in athens and 3 on the island of mykonos – for an exciting holiday that i’ve been wanting to take for a while. greece is one of those countries i have always planned on visiting at some point in my life, so i’m happy to be able to tick it off my list! to be honest, i was looking forward to some hot weather and sunshine, but i was most excited about the food. greek food has always been a favorite of mine – give me dolmades and baklava any day of the week and i’m a happy girl. so i’m glad the girls took lots of food photos on our holiday!

check out the beautiful CALAMARI (i hope squid doesn’t make you squeamish):

the one and only piece of baklava i ate in greece, and it was a good one:

that last one is particularly attractive – but i was SO HUNGRY after ordering a salad at the pool bar, finding it was doused in a mayonnaise-y dressing, reluctantly having to explain to the greek bartenders that i had to ask for another salad sans dressing, and being harshly interrogated and rudely tutted at because of it. certainly learned my lesson on greek salads (that aren’t greek salads, if you know what i mean) that day.

i’d love to explore some of the other islands in greece eventually. it’s a beautiful country – and i go weak in the knees for a gorgeous seascape. our hotel in mykonos – i can’t recommend it highly enough. mykonos bay hotel. it was a 5 minute walk from mykonos town, where all the action is. has its own beach (although not the best beach on the island) and salt-water swimming pool (which i loved). the rooms are minimalist but you barely spend any time in there anyway. the morning breakfast buffet was wonderful. so much fresh watermelon, lots of greek yogurt and honey (wish i could have partaken), huge dates, and some cheeky baklava if you really want to be on holiday. if you do end up staying there one day, please say hello to nikos (the hotel’s main man and chauffeur)!

it was a very long day of traveling on our return home – a 4 hour ferry ride, followed by a muddled walk through piraeus port in athens (hot sweaty athens), then an hour and 15 minute metro ride to the airport, a 4 hour flight back to london, and then the standard hour journey on tube and bus back home!

but all in the name of some summer sunshine and fun fun fun. i can’t complain too much, can i?

after greece, came italy. but that is another recap for another day.

αντίο!

p.s. here are the restaurants we enjoyed, for future ref.

Zorba’s (Mikrolimano, Piraeus – Athens) – right on the water, beautiful views, exceptional service
Psaras (16 Erechtheos Str, Plaka – Athens) – our favorite meal of the trip, make sure you get a table on the roof, beautiful sunsets and close up views of the acropolis
Kostas (5 Metropoleos str., Mykonos) – smack dab in the center of mykonos town, a temporary power cut didn’t spoil the atmosphere! we loved all the sharable starters here.
Joanna’s Niko’s Place (Megali Ammos, Mykonos) – just down the beach from our hotel, where we had the baklava picture above

crazy summer

molly — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 07:55:36 +0000

offering you a quick update here amidst a seriously hectic summer to say hello and make sure you know that i haven’t forgotten about the particular kitchen and will be back with regular updates on my return from italy. we’re off on a tuscan adventure on wednesday – two weeks of italian bliss!

and hopefully by the time we get home, we’ll have internet in our new flat and life will resume to some degree of normalcy.

in the meantime, greetings from a pub in sheffield where they have free wifi and where phil’s whole family is staying for his brother’s wedding (which was last night and unbelievably gorgeous)! i will be back with you before this summer ends – got a serious backlog of posts lined up!

grilling lightly

molly — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 12:08:20 +0000

phil and i were all prepared to barbecue last night. we had a brand new bag of charcoal, a (semi)clean barbecue from the 4th of july, and a whole slew of vegetables. but then the rains came. oh the rains. and it was COLD. an evening straight from a textbook about the british summertime. so, instead we decided to cook indoors, using a griddle pan and the oven grill.

there’s always a way!

that being said, this is a very summery and light meal, and would probably be best enjoyed outdoors by the glow of the bbq. prepare the dressing and yogurt sauce ahead of time (with goats yogurt of course) warm up some pita bread under the grill, and relax with dinner.

grilled veggies with honey dressing and spicy yogurt

serves 2

the particulars:

1 red pepper, cored and cut into strips
1 aubergine, cut into thick slices
2 courgettes, cut into diagonal slices
1 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 wholemeal pitta breads
100g plain goats yogurt (or plain yogurt of your choice)
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp harissa paste (or 1 tsp cayenne pepper)

while the grill or griddle pan heats up, combine the honey, olive oil, and cumin seeds. toss the chopped vegetables with the honey dressing in a bowl and then transfer to the heated grill or pan. keep a high heat going and flip as needed.
meanwhile, prepare the yogurt sauce by mixing the yogurt, lemon juice, and harissa or cayenne.
once the vegetables are done, toss them with the toasted pine nuts. place the pitta breads on the grill to heat and crisp up a little bit before serving everything together.