LENTIL AND RICE BURGER & SWEET POLENTA SLICES

London is not only about the Olympics and a threat of overcrowding on public transport. There is so much available for the kids that Luka and I are spoilt for choice on a daily basis. Rainbow sandpit is on the Southbank, Olympic mascots from the past 44 Games are on show at the V&A Museum of Childhood, and other museums that have organised activities to the last detail...

We have visited Danish Hospitality House where the kids could enjoy Andersen's fairy tales and an artist was doing face painting of characters from the stories. There was a replica of the Olympic Village made entirely of Lego that took 300 hours to make.

We are planning to visit Casa Brazil at the Somerset House, to see Jeremy Deller's inflatable Stonehenge in Crystal Palace park (http://sacrilege2012.co.uk/), and if we have enough time we'll visit Regents canal floating market.

One day we shared this food-to-go with friends, just minutes before a huge downpour. We ate everything, there was nothing left for us to take on another adventure with us.

Make it yourself and tell me, did you take it when you went to picnic?

LENTIL AND RICE BURGER

Ingredients:

1 cup green lentils, soaked for 2 hours and rinsed

1/3 cup of sushi rice or brown rice, soaked overnight

1 carrot, minced

1 celery stalk, minced

1/4 cup of walnuts or pecans, chopped

Thyme

Pinch of ground nutmeg, sweet paprika, coriander 1 spoon of chia seeds mixed with 3 spoons of water OR 1 egg

Spoon of furikake (sesame seeds, nori and red shiso leaves)

Cook lentils and rice separately and drain. Sauté carrot, celery and nuts in a bit of olive oil, add spices when vegetable soften after 5-6 minutes and stir for a minute more.  Transfer the mixture into a glass bowl. Blend lentils, half of cooked rice and chia seeds together until you get a sticky, compact consistency; add it to the vegetables and nuts. Sprinkle furikake, add the rest of the rice and give it a good stir.   Heat one or two spoons of olive oil and add one spoonful of the mixture per burger; flatten it with the back of your spoon. Fry 3/5 minutes on each side until golden and crispy.

Serve as finger food to kids or in wholemeal buns with avocado slices (and chilli for adults).

SWEET POLENTA SLICES

Ingredients:

1 cup of water

1/2 cup of coconut milk

2/3 cup of polenta

A spoonful of coconut oil

Ground mixed spice: cinnamon, clove and ginger

Add polenta to boiling water and coconut milk, constantly stirring. After minute or two turn the flame off and pour it into a small, chilled pan. Allow it to set half an hour-hour and cut into thin strips. Fry them in coconut milk and spices on all sides until golden. Spices will add the sweetness. Serve warm with a chilled camomile tea with lemon.