Geek : a person often of an intellectual bent who is disliked.

I’m a natural born geek.

Growing up, I had a hard time making and keeping friends. Even imaginary friends never tagged along for long.

I always was top of my class, but I never was the teacher’s pet. I guess even my teachers thought I was too geeky.

I was into boardgames, collecting live ants and slugs, and digging to China.

Once, I even went to golf camp.

I was a typical bookworm. I used to think that books were a reflection of reality. No wonder I felt out of place in the real world.

If I had found a magic lamp, conveniently rubbed it and met a genie who would have granted me three wishes, I would have asked for a treehouse, for the courage to run away and for a best friend.

I never got to have a treehouse (I guess single moms have other priorities), though I had lots of trees to climb in, which is better than nothing, I guess.

I never ran away. I was way to scared of my mom’s temper. Plus, how was I gonna explain why I ran away? “Mr. officer, I ranaway because that’s what little girls do in books”.

When I turned 12, some supernatural invisible magic force granted me one wish : I met a filly who’d eventually become my best friend in the whole wide world. She was stunningly gorgeous and witty. She was no geek. Not to mention that she was a redhead : I had found my very own Anne of Green Gables! I never knew why we got along so well, sometimes I still wonder why she loved me back, but she help me deal with the truth : books don’t reflect reality, they distort it to make it tantalizing.

In high school, not only did I want to fit in, I wanted to be cool. My pretty redhead of a best friend did the best she could to help me through the process with some fashion tips, reverse psychology and constant support. But being cool was out of my reach, no matter how hard I tried, no matter what color my hair was, no matter how low I tried to keep my grades.

After high school, as an attempt to blend my geeky nature and my clumsy coolness, I traveled to ancient persia on an archeology internship. As I was digging up stolen scrolls and flying carpets, the prince of persia walked by and fell for my moony stares, my inept conversation and my black kurt cobain wannabe glasses. He found all of my geeky traits enticing and told me so. Somehow, I was freed : someone (a boy!!!) loved me for who I was, maybe I could do the same.

I came back home and proudly aced my way through college. Then, my life took a rather homey turn. I could’ve become the perfect housewife, or the perfect cook, or even the perfect party host. But I went from geek to food geek instead. I know everything there is to know about food : I know that strawberries and chocolate don’t share the same aromatic profile, I know that instant oats contain as much fiber as old-fashioned oats, I know that you have to use a large pot and a good amount of salt to properly cook pasta.

And I know how to make the perfect breakfast out of chickpea flour.

Just like the prince of persia looked beyond my geeky ways, you must look beyond the chickpea and bake this bread. It is moist, and tasty, and good for you. But don’t eat to much of it, you might magically turn into a geek…

chickpea breakfast bread (print)

recipe adapted from dinners & dreams

3 eggs

1/4 cup honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup chickpea flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

pinch of salt

1 banana, mashed

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup chopped dates

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

1/2 cup grated carrots

Preheat the oven to 350. Coat a loaf pan with cooking spray.

Using an electric mixer or hand whisk, mix the eggs, honey and vanilla until well combined.

Combine the chickpea flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a separate bowl. Add them to the wet ingredients. Mix again until the batter is smooth and homogeneous.

Fold in the banana, nuts, dates, raisins, coconut and carrots.

Pour the batter in the prepared pan. Bake until the cake is set and slightly browned, 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool before unmolding.

nutrition facts : 210 calories; 9.2 g fat; 4.4 g dietary fibers; 17.3 g sugars; 7 g protein

pain-déjeuner à la farine de pois chiche (imprimer)

recette adaptée de dinners & dreams

3 œufs

1/4 tasse de miel

1 c. à thé d’extrait de vanille

3/4 tasse de farine de pois chiche

1 c. à thé de bicarbonate de soude

1/2 c. à thé de cannelle

1/4 c. à thé de sel

1 banane, en purée

1 tasse de noix de grenoble, grossièrement hachées

1/2 tasse de dattes, hachées

1/2 tasse de raisins secs

1/2 tasse de noix de coco râpée, non sucrée

1/2 tasse de carottes râpées

Préchauffer le four à 350. Vaporiser un moule à pain d’enduit à cuisson.

Battre les œufs, le miel et la vanille à l’aide d’un fouet ou d’un batteur électrique.

Mélanger la farine de pois chiche, le bicarbonate de soude, la canelle et le sel dans un autre bol. Ajouter les ingrédients secs aux ingrédients liquides et battre à nouveau.

Incorporer la banane, les noix de grenoble, les dattes, les raisins secs, la noix de coco et les carottes.

Verser la préparation dans le moule à pain. Cuire de 35 à 40 minutes. Laisser refroidir avant de démouler.

valeur nutritive : 210 calories;  9,2 g de lipides; 4,4 g de fibres; 17,3 g de sucres; 7 g de protéines