Chick Pea Salad w/ Quinoa, Cilantro, Avocado & Lemon Dressing

OMG!  This salad is so freakin’ good I thought I was gonna eat the whole damn bowl!

The picture caught my eye, but the taste grabbed my heart!  I’m in love!

Chick Pea Salad w/Lemon Quinoa, Cilantro & Avocado  

Recipe Adapted from DivaDish

• 1 cup cooked tri-color Quinoa (red, black and white)
• 2 cups cooked chick peas
• 1/2 cup ripe tomato, chopped
• 2 cups spinach, roughly chopped
• 1 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
• 1/4 red onion, sliced
• 1 avocado, chopped
• juice of 3 lemons
• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 cumin
• salt and pepper to taste

 

 

 

Add to a large mixing bowl the quinoa, chick peas, tomato, spinach, cilantro and red onion.

Add in a separate bowl, lemon juice, mustard, olive oil, cumin, salt and pepper.  Whisk dressing until fully emulsified.

Add dressing onto the other ingredients and mix to combine. Adjust salt and pepper.

This salad is packed with so much goodness from the quinoa, chickpeas and spinach all the way down to the avocado and tomato!  There is absolutely nothing bad about this salad except that I think there might not be enough to share!  Serve with a big loaf of crusty Italian bread!

Toss one together and let me know how you like  LOVE IT!

Enjoy!

 

Related articles

• Chick Pea Salad on Mediterranean Flat Bread (lacucinadicarluzza.wordpress.com)
• Beach Days and Chick Pea Salad! (oliveoildiaries.com)
• Cilantro and Chick Pea Salad (rosecreekfarmscsa.wordpress.com)

Sunday Food Prep ~ Pesto Edition

It’s food prep time again folks!

I have been slacking in the food prep department as of late, but I’m back on track this week for sure.  I know how important it is to do my food prep but on the weekends when I’m running around like a crazy person I most definitely struggle getting healthy meals on the table during the week.  Today is the first day in a several weeks that I’ve been able to sleep in and wake up knowing I’m doing some major food prepping; and I LOVE IT!

I’ve had a breakthrough this week as I’ve been ordering my herbs for the summer season and with that I realized I had a ton of pesto that I made last year that I needed to use up.  So this week is my Pesto Edition.  Lots of fun stuff using up some of the pesto that I’ve had stored in my freezer all winter long.

• Pesto Hummus
• Creamy Pesto Dressing
• Turkey Chili with Black Beans and Corn
• Not Quite My Mother’s Chicken Soup
• Chickpea Salad with Lemon Quinoa and Cilantro

First lets start with the pesto since it’s the star ingredient in this weeks Food Prep series.

My Italian roots have made sure that I love Pesto and that I have it in my freezer at ALL TIMES!

                               Basil Pesto

English: Basil leaves (Ocimum basilicum). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

• 3 cups packed fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 4 garlic cloves
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more if needed to make smooth paste
• 1/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese, grated

Put basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic clove and salt in a food processor or blender.  Pulse a few times until leaves are uniform in texture and chopped.  Turn on the food processor and stream the olive oil until a smooth paste forms and comes together. If you need additional olive oil add slowly until you get the right consistency.   Add cheese and pulse a few more times until fully incorporated.

From here since I usually put 2-3 tablespoons of pesto into a ziplock back and freeze.  Pesto freezes so well there really isn’t any reason not to use up the extra fresh basil anytime of year whether it’s from the summer bumper crop or if you purchase a large bunch mid winter.  I never, ever waste fresh basil.

Pesto has a strong flavor so a little goes a long way.  Here are some of the ways I like to use my fresh Basil Pesto in addition to the recipes in this post.

I like to add it to cooked pasta,  toss it with steamed red potatoes, to dress fresh steamed green beans, add it to olive oil and vinegar as an easy way to make pasta salad and lightly drizzle it over steamed or baked salmon.

I had some major inspiration attending the Philly Farm and Food Fest last week especially from one local vendor that does fresh, organic, non-gmo hummus.  The Lancaster Hummus Co.  offered up some really unusual flavors of hummus.  They had samples of every flavor they offer on their website including my favorites from the day Chipotle Black Bean, Pumpkin Butter & Lemon Kale.  They offer up 8 unique flavors, so if you don’t like making your own homemade hummus, The Lancaster Hummus Co is a great alternative to a quality hummus.

Since I love hummus and had taken some pesto out for a few other recipes this week, I opted to make a Pesto Hummus.

Pesto Hummus 

Pesto Hummus

• 2 cups chick peas, skins removed
• 1 tablespoon Basil Pesto (see recipe above)
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup of water

I cannot stress enough the method to smooth creamy hummus is to remove the skins.  It seems like a tedious task, but like everything else, the extra work pays off.  The texture of this hummus from removing the skins just cannot be compared to any other.

Pesto Hummus

Add the beans, pesto and the salt to a food processor.

Start to process in the food processor adding the water until a smooth paste forms and the mixture loosens up.

Add the olive oil and continue to process until smooth and creamy; approximately 3 minutes.

This recipe for Creamy Pesto Dressing is what prompted the rest of my pesto creations this week.

Creamy Pesto Dressing

Creamy Pesto Dressing

• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 1/3 cup plain greek yogurt
• 1/3 cup light mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Basil Pesto (see recipe above)
• salt to taste

I used my hand blender for this, but it can also be made using a food processor or blender.  Add all ingredients to blender and process until well blended.

I plan on using this Creamy Pesto Dressing to dress chicken salad later in the week as well as for use as a salad dressing throughout the week.  It’s a great alternative to Caesar dressing and it’s a much lighter version since I replaced the sour cream with fat-free yogurt and used light may instead of the full fat version.  The taste does not sacrifice with the lighter substitutions.

Check back later in the week as I will be posting the recipes from the rest of the things on my menu.

Spicy Roasted Chick Peas

I’m the kinda gal that LOVES my crunchy snacks.  But you know, finding a good healthy alternative to oil laden chips is hard to come by these days.  Food is either deep-fried adding a ton of calories and fat or if you are lucky to find a baked snack it’s usually covered in some kind of powdered flavoring yuck.

I’ve pretty much nixed all the grocery store-bought snacks in my house this year.  My son ( who is in his late teens) is not very happy about it, but will love me later for it ~ I’m sure of it! 

But just because I REFUSE to buy the junk doesn’t mean my cravings for those salty, crunch, spicy snacks have gone to the waist side.  If anything, since they are not readily available I seem to be craving them more! I know it’s probably all in my head, but heck, I still want them!

This just comes full circle too because my new love of beans just gets deeper! 

ROASTED CHICK PEAS!

Yup, chick peas!  I know you’re probably thinking like who the hell eats beans for a snack, but you guys have to try these little buggers.  They rock!  Full of flavor, tons of crunch, and the best part ~ chemical free!  Plus, because they are beans, you get the added benefit of fiber! 

So let’s get to it ~ here’s how I did it:

I actually took frozen chick peas that I had in the freezer from when I made them in my crock pot a few weeks back (remember, click here if you forgot).

Roasted Chick Peas

• 2 cups cooked or canned chick peas, rinsed, drained and patted dry
• 3 TBSP of spice mix of your choice
• 1 tsp of Himalayan pink salt
• 2 tsp olive oil

Put the beans into a medium-sized bowl. 

Add the spice mix and the olive oil and toss to coat the peas thoroughly. 

Spread evenly onto a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt.

Roast in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let cool. 

At this point you can toss them around so that all sides get crunchy, but it is not necessary if they are still sticking to the pan. 

Return to the oven and roast for 20-30 minutes more or until crunchy.

Let cool and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.  After 4 days they might start to soften, but they still lend a slight crunch.

My first go around some of the chick peas had a really good crunch and some were still slighty chewy.  I only roasted this first batch for a total of 40 minutes, but I think I may increase it up to about 50 minutes to make sure they all end up with a good crunch.

The spice mix I used in this batch I bought at BJ’s Wholesale Club called Victoria Taylors Seasonings, they offer a variety of unique spice blends that are available on the website if you cannot find them in a store near you.  Splendid flavor and all natural spice.  No fillers. 

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If you cannot find an all natural spice mix you can just make your own. 

Try these little gems out for yourself.  It gives me the spiciness that I crave, the crunch that I need to satisfy my junk food cravings, but with none of the guilt that comes along with a bag of greasy potato chips.

Do you Sprout?

I was recently introduced to sprouting by my neighbor who sprouts almost every week. Sprouted beans and seeds can be eaten raw or in many cooked dishes. And I was so surprised at how easy it was to sprout my own beans.

According to Wikipedia:     Sprouting is the practice of germinating seeds to be eaten raw or cooked by soaking, draining and rinsing.

Dietitians have found that sprouting beans and seeds increases the protein and vitamin content at the same time decreasing the calorie and carbohydrate values. What a bang for your buck!

Sprouts are so chocked full of benefits its hard to say no to something so tasty and nutritionally dense.

Benefits of Sprouting Beans

1. High in fiber
2. Increased protein content
3. Reduced carbohydrate content making it a low glycemic index food
4. Rich source of essential fatty acids and amino acids
5. High in phytoestrogens which helps to relieve symptoms of menopause and combat aging skin
6. High in Vitamins A, B, C, D, E & K, folic acid, iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and zinc

Sprouted Moong Bean Salsa

• 2 cups of sprouted moong beans, rinsed
• 1 cup tomato, diced
• 1/2 cup red onion, diced
• 1-2 small Serrano chili, seeded and minced
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• juice of two lemons or limes
• salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients into a bowl and stir. Chill for at least 1 hour for the flavors to meld together.

Serve with chips or use as a side dish with grilled chicken or fish.

* I think that the next time I prepare this salsa I will also be adding a chopped avocado to add some creaminess to the dish.

Sprouting Moong Beans

1 cup of dried moong beans

Put beans into a ceramic bowl large enough to cover with enough water (approx 4 cups). Beans will double in size as they absorb the water. Take care to keep covered with water for 24 hours.

After 24 hours, drain and rinse seeds. Put them into a bowl or glass mason jar and cover with muslin or cheese cloth.

Rinse every 8 – 12 hours until sprouted.

I usually only grow my sprouts to about 1/4 inch before I toss them into the fridge to use in salads or cooked dishes. They will keep about a week in the refrigerator after sprouting.

 

Do you sprout?

Related articles

• How to make sprouts at home | Homemade Sprouts Recipe (expertscolumn.com)
• The Benefits of Sprouts (preppingtosurvive.com)
• Moong Sprouts or Green Gram Sprouts (aahaaram.wordpress.com)

 

 

 

My Weekly Food Prep 3/10

I was super busy this weekend cooking up a bunch of goodies to chow down on this week. Check out all the great stuff stocked up in my fridge.

To start:

Spinach and Mushroom Quiché (w/crust)

Quinoa Caprese Salad

Tropical Granola

Sprouted Moong Bean Salad

Hard Boil Eggs/Fresh Forelle Pears & chopped carrot sticks for snacking

And if that wasn’t enough……….

Homemade Chicken Wonton Soup

Frozen Yogurt Bites ~ Tropical Flavor

Even though this stock pile will last me all week-long, I’ve sampled everything already (couldn’t keep my fingers off this stuff) and I am looking forward to my daily meals because my refrigerator is stocked with some amazing food this week.

Check back all week-long for the recipes to these amazing healthy dishes.

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An easy way to stick to healthy food options is prepping in advance.

What did you prep this weekend?

Related articles

• Sunday Food Prep (eatteachblog.com)
• Quinoa, Mint and Pickle Salad (healthkitt.wordpress.com)
• Quinoa & Roast Sweet Potato Salad with Eggplant Schnitzel (thehealthygreenmama.com)
• Mexican Quinoa Salad with Fresh Guacamole (lovelaughbelight.com)

A New To Me Way to Cook Beans

Every once in a while I get these urges to do research on new kitchen gadgets. I’ve had my go around with most of the gadgets that are out there from a Panini press to the tortilla maker. The only gadgets I currently am left with are my Vitamix, Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer and Food Processor, my Kitchen Aid mini chopper, waffle maker, bread machine, food dehydrator, hand emulsifier, ice cream maker and crock pot. Everything else has made its way to the yard sale. These must-have gadgets include the tortilla maker, George Forman Grill, Show Time Rottiserrie, No Name rice steamer, espresso machine, and a ton more that I do not miss at all.

My point here is that these gadgets have come into my kitchen and quickly made their way back out. I am to the point that I use my hands for squeezing lemons, not the lemon squeezer gadget, I use my knife and a little salt to purée garlic, not the silicon roller or garlic press gadget, I use my knife to slice potatoes not the potato slicing gadget….all of these items just use up unnecessary space in my tiny little kitchen. I’m over it. So I thought.

Last week I found myself researching pressure cookers because I cannot for the life of me cook a good dried bean. They never come out as creamy as the canned beans. UNTIL…(duh duh duh duh)…..I found a recipe calling for the crock pot. No need to do an overnight soak, no need to do a quick soak, just rinse cover with water and turn the crock pot on. With the dual settings, you get consistent creamy beans within 3-5 hours depending on if you cook on high or low. It was absolutely amazing. I couldn’t believe for the first time EVER, that I cooked a creamy bean.

Here is my first attempt at cooking dried chick peas in the crock pot! They came out heavenly.

1 lb dried chick peas (chana dal or kabuli bean), rinsed
6 cups of cold water
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda (helps to neutralize the water)

Cook on high for approximately 2-3 hours or on low for approximately 3-4 hours. I actually cooked my beans on high for 2.5 hours and then turned the setting down to low for an additional 1.5 hours (only because I was going out and didn’t want my beans to be a pile of mush).

Drain.

Makes 6 cups
At this point you can add them to a recipe or freeze them for future use.

I opted to make a recipe calling for 4 cups of beans, and put the additional 2 cups of beans in the freezer for hummus later in the week. The 4 cups I used for Indian Chana Masala.

Bye Bye Store Bought Hummus

Hummus, I must admit, is one of my all time favorite condiments.  Would you considered it a condiment or a side dish or a dip or might it be a spread?  Whatever you want to call it, it is absolutely delicious and one thing I cannot live without.  One would like to think that because of the short list of ingredients  it would be easy to whip up.  But the technique to acquire a smooth and creamy hummus has always  alluded me.

That was until last weekend when I happened to come across a great post from Food to Glow called My Quest for Perfect Hummus.  It was literally music to my ears.  “Remove the skins” she says!  Why didn’t I think of this before.  I have tried many a recipe trying to make the perfect consistency.  Smooth, creamy, flavorful!  I found it!  And it was as simple as removing the skins!  Who’da thunk ~ simple as that!  Remove the skins!  So I did just that!

It was worth the extra few minutes to pop those peas from their slippery skins!  The result was smooth, creamy, and no lumps or odd texture.  Hummus is such a versitile food.  You can spread it on crackers, pita bread, use it as a low-fat alternative to mayonnaise, you can use it to dip veggie crudités, you can make it sweet, savory, or spicy.  It’s the all new hot condiment in my book.

I don’t think I will be buying store-bought hummus again anytime soon.  The next adventure:  cooking my own beans.  As soon as I buy my new pressure cooker this will be one of the first things I prepare.  Posts on pressure cooker meals to follow soon.

Original Hummus

• 1 garlic clove
• 1 15 oz can chick peas preferably organic, drained, rinsed and SKINNED!
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 TBSP lemon juice
• 2 TBSP tahini
• 2 TBSP EVOO
• 2 TBSP water
• paprika

First take the can of chick peas and drain the liquid and give them a good rinse. Place chick peas in a separate bowl.

Pinch each chick pea between your thumb and index finger to slip the skins off the beans.  Place in a separate bowl.  Repeat until all skins are removed.

Place the chick peas and remaining ingredients into a food processor and run for approximately 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy.

Alternate Variations  (using the original recipe)

Cucumber Dill

• leave out the water
• add 1/2 cup peeled, seeded and chopped cucumber
• add 1/2 cup fresh dill (1 TBSP dried dill)

Fat Free Lemon

• leave out the tahini, olive oil and garlic
• increase the water to 3 TBSP
• increase the lemon to 3 TBSP
• increase the salt to 1/2 tsp
• add zest from one lemon

Guacamole Hummus

• leave out the tahini & lemon juice
• use 1 TBSP olive oil
• add 1 medium avocado, peeled and seed removed
• 3 TBSP lime juice
• 2 TBSP chopped red onion
• 3/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
• 1 TBSP minced jalapeño
• increase salt to 1/2 tsp

Horseradish Hummus

• add 2 TBSP prepared jarred hot horseradish

The flavor combinations are endless.  What is your favorite flavor variation on Hummus?