Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables and Chickpeas

Looking for a way to enjoy the beautiful weather we were having today, my family and I hit a local festival, where we wound up having way more fun than we anticipated.  There were all the typical things you'd find at those types of events- live music, craft vendors, bounce houses, kiddie rides and rock climbing walls . And of course, lots of very bad for your food. I am always able to resist the all the fried foods, but I will confess to indulging in some ice cream, a lemonade and a snow cone. (Don't judge me. It ended up being a pretty hot day and I'm very pregnant.) Oh yeah, and some kettle corn. (That had nothing to do with the heat- it just happens to be Sage's weakness and it's hard not to eat when it's there.)

After all those empty calories, I was craving something healthy when I got home. This was one of those make-it-up-as-you-go types of meals. One I knew we'd enjoy, simply because it contained stuff we like, but not necessarily a dish I expected anyone to get too excited about.  But we loved it. Full of flavor, but also full of good for you stuff like quinoa and chickpeas, it completely negates all the junk I consumed today. Or at least that's what I'm telling myself.

Quinoa Salad with Roasted Vegetables and Chickpeas
serves 3-4, as a meal

for the vinaigrette:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp dried oregano
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

2 medium zucchini, in large dice
1 cup mini sweet peppers, sliced into rings (or a medium sweet bell pepper, chopped)
1/2 large red onion, chopped
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups vegetable stock (or water)
1 (15.5 oz) can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2/3 cup crumbled feta

Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl, whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients, seasoning with a pinch or two of salt and several grinds of pepper. Add zucchini, pepper rings and onion to the bowl and toss to coat. Using a large slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables to a baking sheet, reserving leftover vinaigrette. Roast vegetables for about 15 minutes, or until tender, stirring halfway through cooking time.

Meanwhile, bring quinoa and stock/water to boil in a medium saucepan. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 12 minutes or until stock is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff.

Add the chickpeas to bowl with vinaigrette. Add quinoa and roasted vegetables (with any liquids from baking sheet) and gently toss. Add feta and adjust seasonings if needed. Serve warm/room temperature.

Mediterranean Quinoa and Chickpea Salad

I had no intentions of making this salad until just beforehand. Maybe it was the beautiful weather in the 70s we've been having, but I was suddenly wanting to make something light. Something almost summery feeling. I browsed a few recipes first, not sure what I was looking for, but once I began looking through my fridge and pantry was when I really became inspired. The ingredients I had on hand begged to be made into a salad with Mediterranean flair- full of vegetables, herbs and chickpeas. The quinoa was one of the last elements I decided on, and a very smart addition, if I do say so.

I had plans for a lemony dressing for this, but when I cut open the big, beautiful lemon I had, I found it was...a lemon of a lemon. It had about a half inch thickness of pith and a not even a tablespoon of juice. In it's place, I used a good bit of red wine vinegar. If you'd rather not have the dressing too tangy, you could change the ratio for the dressing, using more oil and less vinegar, but Sage and I thought it was perfect as it was.

In fact, everything about this salad was perfect to us. We couldn't leave it alone and just absolutely loved it. It's as delightful hours later as it is freshly made, making it ideal for entertaining...such as those summer cookouts that aren't too far off in the future.

Mediterranean Quinoa and Chickpea Salad

serves 4-6

Getting the quinoa started first, and then prepping your other ingredients while it cools will help speed along the preparation of this salad.

1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 cup vegetable stock (or water)
3 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 (14 oz) can of quartered artichoke hearts in water, drained
1 (19 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 medium cucumber, seeded and diced (I partially peeled mine)
1/2 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Bring quinoa and stock to boil in a small saucepan. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 12 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed and grain has opened up. While quinoa is cooking, whisk together oil, vinegar, a few pinches of salt and a generous amount of pepper in a medium bowl. When quinoa is finished cooking, immediately toss with dressing and set aside to cool.

Sprinkle grape tomatoes with a little salt and drain in a collander for about 15 minutes.

Trim artichokes of their tougher ends, leaving only the most tender part of the heart. Discard tough parts, then coarsly chop hearts. (You can chop the entire thing if you wish, but for cold salads, I think it is so much better without the rubbery part.)

Add tomatoes and chopped artichokes to serving bowl, along with the chickpeas, cucumber, bell pepper, feta and herbs. Once quinoa is cool, add to serving bowl and toss gently. Adjust salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Bulgur and Chickpeas with Roasted Broccoli and Sun Dried Tomatoes

Like most people, I indulged a little over the holidays. I never beat myself up over it and just get myself right back on track once Christmas is over (save New Year's Eve, of course). However, despite my best intentions, the week after Christmas I think I actually ate worse than the rest of the month of December put together. In that week alone, I ate out four times- where I did not always make meal choices I'm necessarily proud of- as well as a birthday cookout where I consumed way more Buffalo Chicken Dip than I should've.

My body was practically begging me for wholesome food, and that's where this simple, healthy meal came in. A warm grain-based salad of sorts, it makes up for it's slightly drab color by having plenty of flavor thanks to the sun-dried tomatoes, feta, garlic and lemon. It also contains chickpeas and roasted broccoli, which are big in our house. I really like the bulgur, but you could substitute quinoa or couscous easily by adjusting the cook time and amount of broth, as needed. It might not be company food, for it's an easy, very tasty and good-for-you weeknight meal.

Bulgur and Chickpeas with Roasted Broccoli and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

serves 4

3 1/2 cups broccoli florets (from 2-3 broccoli crowns)

2 tbsp olive oil, divided

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

1/2 large red onion, chopped

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1 cup red bulgur

2 cups vegetable stock

1 (19 oz.) can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or 2 cups cooked chickpeas)

10 sun-dried tomatoes, reconstituted* using boiling water and coarsely chopped

2 tsp dried parsely flakes (2 tbsp chopped fresh)

half of lemon, juiced, plus extra wedges for serving

fat free/reduced fat feta, crumbled, for serving

Preheat oven to 375. Toss broccoli florets with 1 tbsp of the oil, a few pinches of salt and a generous amount of pepper. Spread onto a baking sheet and roast for about 20 minutes or until tender-crisp, shaking pan occasionally. Remove from oven and keep warm by tenting with foil.

Meanwhile, heat remaining tbsp of oil in a large straight sided skillet over medium. Add onion and cook until becoming soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add bulgur to pan and toast for a few minutes, stirring often.

Add stock, chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, parsley and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer until liquid is absorbed and bulgur is tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in broccoli and adjust seasoning if needed (keeping in mind some fetas are quite salty).

Serve warm, each serving topped with a couple tablespoons of crumbled feta and a lemon wedge.

*Since the tomatoes go in along with the broth, I'm sure you could probably just skip the step of reconstituting them first. I was making this up as I went along, and reconstituted them before I knew for sure what I was doing with them, but I'm still writing it as I made it.

Sicilian Chickpea Spread

Now that my refrigerator is free of any Thanksgiving leftovers, (which I'm certain would not yet be the case if we had hosted, as we have done for the past 5 years), I am ready to move on to some simple, fresh foods. Like this Sicilian Chickpea Spread I made from a recipe that I recently found in the monthly flyer from my natural foods store. A creamy hummus-like dip, it uses toasted pine nuts in the place of tahini and gets a boost of flavor from roasted red pepper and fresh basil. While I originally whipped it up for snack to go with with cut veggies and pita, I discovered it makes a pretty awesome addition to a sandwich.

When putting this together, I used slightly less pine nuts and olive oil than it called for, just to reduce the fat by a teeny bit, and found it completely not lacking with these adjustments. Because this was too easy of recipe and I needed to complicate it somehow, I roasted my own red pepper, but you could use a jarred one and have this made in about five minutes. This spread can be eaten immediately, but I think it's even better once it's had a chance to chill a while.

Sicilian Chickpea Spread

adapted slightly from Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers (as found in NGR's November 2010 Store Flyer)

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts, toasted

1 (15.5 oz) can of chickpeas, drained

1 large red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded

1 large garlic clove, peeled and smashed

3 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp lemon juice

1/3 cup packed basil leaves

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Place all ingredients in food processor, seasoning with a few pinches of salt and several grinds of pepper, and process for 2-3 minutes or until light and creamy. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, if needed. For best flavor, chill before serving.

Bulgur with Chickpeas, Tomato and Goat Cheese

This was one of those spur of the moment meals that wound up being quite lovely. There were limited fresh vegetables in the house but a well stocked pantry of a variety grains and beans. We've been enjoying bulgur lately, so I wanted to make something with that and our ever favorite chickpeas.

I tried quickly to find a recipe using both, but most seemed to be a summery warm/room temperature salad where the bulgur was cooked separately and then tossed with the other ingredients, or the heartier ones were flavored with spices I wasn't in the mood for that day. I just wanted something simple and comforting, and I wanted to cook the bulgur with the other ingredients so it would really absorb those flavors. I decided to wing it, and it came out exactly like I was imagining.

I didn't buy parsley this week at the market, because I've hardly been using it the past few weeks and I feel guilty tossing out a basically untouched bunch. (Naturally though, I could've used it often this week.) I used some dried, but I can only imagine fresh would make this even better. Goat cheese finished this off wonderfully (and I think feta would be nice too) but it would also be good just by itself. This is an easy, healthy weeknight meal, that reheated nicely for lunch the next day.

Bulgur with Chickpeas, Tomato and Goat Cheese

serves 3-4 as a meal

1 T olive oil

1/2 large chopped yellow onion (about 1 cup)

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup red bulgur

1 1/4 cup vegetable stock

1 (14.5 oz) can of diced petite tomatoes

1 (15.5 oz) can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 tsp dried parsley (or 2 tbsp fresh)

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

goat cheese, for serving

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Add onion and cook until becoming soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in bulgur and toast for several minutes, stirring frequently.

Add stock, tomatoes, dried parsley, chickpeas and season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until bulgur is soft and liquid is absorbed.

Stir in lemon juice and top each serving with desired amount of crumbled goat cheese.

Quinoa and Chickpea Stuffed Acorn Squash

I always think it's funny how you can look so forward to trying a new recipe, specifically buying the ingredients and anticipating it's wonderfulness, only to have it turn out so-so, or you can last minute throw something together and it wind up being a huge hit. I'm sure you can guess this was the latter.

Sage plays softball once a week. His game times vary and on the nights he has an early game, there isn't time for a family dinner. He just grabs something light and runs out the door. On those nights, I make something very simple for Beckett and I, usually pasta with peas and parmesan (our favorite quick and easy dinner) or salad and leftovers. When it's a later game, I have to put a little thought into what to make. A few too many times, Sage has found himself on the pitcher's mound with an upset stomach. We've discovered racing around the bases and say, a heavy marinara just doesn't go well together.

When he waited until just before getting off work to inform me he had a later game this week, I pondered out loud what I would make for dinner. When he requested something with chickpeas, my mind immediately went to the Moroccan-Style Stuffed Acorn Squash I've made in the past, as I had a pretty Carnival acorn squash just waiting for a purpose.

The only problem was in that recipe, the stuffing used couscous, which we'd just recently had, and a couple other ingredients I didn't have such as bell peppers and raisins. I decided instead to make a similar version, which included quinoa, apples and dried cranberries. We loved it as much (maybe even more) than the original. In fact, this might've been the first time ever that our ridiculously slow-eating child finished his dinner before I did!

Quinoa and Chickpea Stuffed Acorn Squash

yields 2 stuffed squash halves, with extra filling

1 medium acorn squash (about 1.5 lbs), halved and seeds removed
1/2 cup quinoa, well rinsed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large carrot, diced
1 celery rib, diced
1/2 large apple, suitable for cooking, peeled and chopped
3 green onions, thinly sliced
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
1 (15 oz) can reduced sodium chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cinnamon, or more to taste
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup apple juice (or vegetable stock)

Preheat oven to 350. Arrange squash halves, cut side down in a baking dish and roast for 30 minutes, or until tender. Keep warm.

In a medium saucepan, bring quinoa and 1 cup water to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for about 12 minutes or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and vent lid.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large straight sided skillet over medium. Add carrots, celery, apple and onions. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in chickpeas, garlic, spices, cranberries and apple juice, and continue to cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until carrots are tender.

Mix in quinoa, taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary (I added another pinch or two of cinnamon and some additional salt and pepper). Spoon into squash halves to serve.

Curry Honey Roasted Vegetables with Chickpeas

You know when you take a perfectly good (and probably wonderful, as is) recipe and change it up so much it bares little resemblance to the original, and thankfully that gamble pays off because it winds up being absolutely delicious? Well, this was one of those meals. The other day, I was flipping through the most recent issue of Everyday Food, and spotted a recipe for a side dish of Honey-Roasted Vegetables, which contained carrots, sweet potatoes and parsnips, as well as with walnuts and thyme.

I didn't have parsnips or sweet potatoes, but I did have a golden acorn squash, a butternut and a few carrots, which I figured would work well. I was also out of the walnuts, but I thought I'd just sub in chickpeas, making it more substantial and suitable for a main dish. Now here is where I really took the recipe in a different direction: I decided not to use the thyme. Which if you know my love of the the herb, you realize this is strange. But I decided to go out of my comfort zone, and use curry powder instead. Since we don't always love a lot of curry seasoned dishes, I began to fret as this went in the oven, trying to think up a Plan B, just in case.

I need not have worried- this was awesome! Since I had some cooked brown rice in the freezer, I made a last minute decision to serve it with rice, which went perfectly. A sprinkle of cilantro, and I had a wonderful meal I felt quite proud of.

Curry Honey Roasted Vegetables and Chickpeas
as an entree, serves 3
adapted from Everyday Food's Honey Roasted Vegetables, October 2010

1 medium butternut squash (about 2 lbs), peeled, seeded and cut into 3/4 inch chunks
1 golden acorn squash (around 1 lb), peeled, seeded and cut into 3/4 inch chunks
3 carrots, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1/4 cup honey
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 tbsp curry powder
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 (16 oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
cooked brown rice and chopped cilantro, for serving

Preheat oven to 375. Arrange squash and carrots in a 3 quart baking dish.

In a glass measuring cup, measure the honey. To this, add olive oil, garlic, curry powder and ginger. Using a fork, whisk until blended, and pour over vegetables. Season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine.

Roast until carrots and butternut squash are tender (acorn squash will have broken down a little bit, helping to "thicken" the sauce), about 40 minutes. Add chickpeas, stir, and return to oven for 5 minutes.

Serve with rice and cilantro.

Garbanzo Bean Salad with Feta and Dill

I've shared my fondness (obsession?) of chickpeas before. They are one of my very favorite sources of protein, and I love how versatile they are. Since we eat them several times a week, in one form or another, it's a good thing my family enjoys them as much as I do. Some of my favorite ways to have them are in hummus, soups, and both warm and chilled salads.

This was a salad I put together, using what I had on hand, and it came out lovely. Perfect for a night when I needed something light and refreshing. Yet it was filling enough that when served with a side of couscous, no one (meaning Sage) was left wondering where the rest of dinner was. But for those of you who couldn't imagine having just salad for dinner, this would be great side dish to share for a cookout or potluck, or I can imagine it would be perfect nestled into whole wheat pita bread for a tasty lunch. But it really does hit the spot for a simple summer meal.

Garbanzo Bean Salad with Feta and Dill

1 (16 oz.) can of reduced sodium chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 cup halved grape tomatoes

1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion, soaked for 10 minutes in ice water and drained

1 medium cucumber, diced (I peeled mine, but didn't bother seeding it)

1/2 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta

juice from half a lemon (about 1 1/2 tbsp)

1 tsp red wine vinegar

2 tsp olive oil

1 tsp fresh dill, or more to taste

sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

In a medium bowl, add chickpeas, tomatoes, onion, cucumber and feta. Next add lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil and dill. Season with a pinch of two of salt (depending on how salty your feta is) and a generous amount of pepper. Toss gently and taste to test seasonings. Cover and chill for a couple hours before serving.

Grilled Vegetable and Chickpea Salad with Feta

I spent my Sunday afternoon sitting on one of the most beautiful beaches in the entire country. From my beach chair, I watched as my son and husband built a sand castle at the water's edge, while I dug my toes into the powdery white sand, appreciating the gorgeous place where I'm lucky to live, relaxing, and day dreaming- mostly about food. I began to think about slightly warm grilled vegetables, served on a salad, with the addition of chickpeas and feta, and decided that it would be our dinner. After the three of us enjoyed a post-beach nap, Sage and I put together this simple but wonderful salad.

I used zucchini and red peppers for the grilled vegetables (yellow squash and asparagus would be fantastic too) which were allowed to cool slightly, during the time that the chickpeas spent a few minutes on the grill, before being added to the salad. For the dressing, I went with the vinaigrette that I use whenever making a greek inspired pasta salad. I made far more than I needed, so I am going to half the recipe, but still, you probably won't need it all. This salad was great and made a complete meal for me, while Sage enjoyed it as a side along with some grilled chicken. We will definitely be repeating this recipe over the warm months ahead.

For the dressing:

2 tbsp. red wine vinegar

2 tbsp plus 2 tsp olive oil

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp dijon mustard

3/4 tsp honey

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp dried oregano

fresh ground pepper

For the salad:

1 red bell pepper, in 1/3 inch slices

2 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/4 rounds

1 tbsp olive oil

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

16 oz. can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 oz. baby romaine

1 oz. reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled

3/4 cup grape tomatoes

Preheat grill. Combine all dressing ingredients in a plastic drizzle bottle or container with a tight fitting lid, and shake to blend. Set aside.

Toss bell pepper and zucchini with olive oil, salt and pepper. Transfer to grill basket. Heat over high direct heat, occasionally turning vegetables for even cooking, for 6-8 minutes or until tender. Spread onto a plate and allow to cool slightly. Meanwhile, place chickpeas into grill basket and grill for several minutes until warmed through.

To assemble salad, arrange greens in bottom of bowl, top with warm vegetables and chickpeas, feta and tomatoes. Serve with dressing.

Quick Chickpea Curry

If I posted all of the chickpea recipes I made, you probably think I was some kind of garbanzo bean loving freak. I guess I actually am, because I just can't get enough of them. So much that I tore a recipe out Everyday Food that was clearly Indian inspired, even though I don't typically enjoy Indian food. The problem was I couldn't seem to get myself to make it for fear I wasn't going to like it. Every week, I'd wind up making something in its place and pushing it to the next week.

After three or four weeks of this, I decided it was time to finally just make it. Only to discover once I started it, I was almost out of curry powder and didn't have enough. I could have just went with an alternative dinner plan, but after talking myself into it, I suddenly have to have it. That night. I didn't want anything else. So I improvised with additional spices, and then I figured since I was changing it up already, I might as well make a few others.

I'm not sure how different it would've been as originally written, but I loved the outcome and so did Sage. He did say it would be great with a little heat to it, which is surprising because he is usually a wuss about spicy food. Regardless, it was a winner in our house. I served it with white rice just because I had some already cooked in the freezer, but I think it would be great with brown rice too. The recipe claims to serve 4, but you would definitely have to bulk it up with rice and a big salad or a side of vegetables in order to get it to stretch that far.

Quick Chickpea Curry
adapted from Everyday Food (I believe it is from the February 2010 issue)

1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced small
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp coriander
1 (3 inch) cinnamon stick
pinch of ground cloves
3 1/3 cup cooked chickpeas, or 2 (15 oz.) cans, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp ketchup (I thought this was strange, but it worked.)
1 (14.5 can) petite diced tomatoes
2/3 cup water
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
chopped cilantro, for serving
lemon wedges, for serving
brown or basmati rice for serving, if desired

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to brown, about 8 minutes.

Add garlic, ginger, curry powder, turmeric, coriander, cinnamon stick and cloves. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir in chickpeas, ketchup, tomatoes and water. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce to simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Uncover, reduce heat to medium and continue cooking until sauce is slightly reduced, about 5-10 minutes.

Serve topped with cilantro and lemon wedges, and rice if desired.

Warm Butternut and Chickpea Salad with Tahini

You know the kind of recipe that you see and can't wait to try- but then it winds up being a while, and you hope it lives up to the hype you've built up in your head. That was this dish for me. I first saw it on A Year in the Kitchen almost 6 months ago. Since then I've seen it on many other blogs, including the one where it was originally adapted from, Orangette.

I finally had all the ingredients at one time for this and was dying to make it. I saved it for a family dinner and hoped everyone would enjoy it. But merely enjoying it is an understatement. I actually feel like I've missed out by not making this all winter squash season long. It is seriously so good that I could eat it day after day- not that there were any leftovers, which is just sad. I wish I had some right now.

I already knew that I loved all of the components of this, but together it's just an amazing combination. My brother in law described it as "exotic." My own thoughts was that while that was true, I loved how you could could also taste the familar flavors, seperately, in this. I would later re-read the post on Orangette and see that Molly states, "It's a little bit exotic but also pleasingly familar, and totally, totally delicious."

I made this following the recipe on Orangette, but have since discovered my adaptation has similarities to Ashlee's take on A Year in the Kitchen. My way actually wound up being quite a mixture of the two. One noteable change I made was omitting the red raw onion. I can't eat raw onion, and Sage doesn't care for cooked red onion, so I roasted some yellow onion with the squash. I also reduced the dressing, which was plenty. This salad is to be eaten room temperature, but I made it a good bit earlier than everything else we were having for dinner,and it had gotten rather cold. I warmed it ever so slightly before serving.

Warm Butternut and Chickpea Salad with Tahini
adapted from Orangette, seen on A Year in the Kitchen

for the salad:
1 medium butternut squash about 2 1/2 lbs (I actually used 2 small ones,) peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 small yellow onion, chopped
1 medium garlic clove, pressed
1/8 tsp nutmeg
kosher salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1 (16 oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup coarsley chopped cilantro leaves

for the dressing:
1 small clove garlic, minced or pressed
juice of one small lemon (2 tbsps)
2 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Combine squash, onion, garlic, nutmeg and salt in a large bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil and toss to coat. Spread onto a baking sheet, and roast for about 20 minutes or until squash is tender. Remove from oven and let cool.

Meanwhile make the dressing. In a small bowl wisk together the garlic and the lemon juice. Add tahini and wisk to blend. Add the water and olive oil, wish to blend.

To assemble, combine the cooled squash mixture, chickpeas and cilantro in a mixing bowl. Add the dressing and carefully toss. Serve room temperature (or slightly warm.)

Trio of Bean Dips: Black Bean and Corn Salsa, Classic Hummus and Roasted Garlic Balsamic White Bean Dip

For my mother-in-law's 60th birthday party, everyone was asked to bring something. I seriously waited till the morning off to decided what to make. I figured there would be lots of pasta salad type dishes and hot casseroles, so I wanted to go more the appetizer type route.

I'm pretty much a bean fanatic these days. A trio of dips made with 3 different kinds of beans, sounded fun, not to mention easy. No cooking was required, as all three dips let the food processor do the work. My toddler was having a very high maintenance day, so I was grateful for this.

For the Hummus, I used the recipe I always use, from Good Things Catered. I follow her instructions exactly, so I'm not going to re-post it, just direct you there. Katie knows what she's doing when it comes to authentic hummus and does a great job explaining how to make it.

I found the Roasted Garlic Balsamic White Bean Dip, on The Way the Cookie Crumbles. I used Great Northern Beans, but any white (cannellini, navy, etc.) will do. I did have to leave out the sundried tomatoes and their oil in this, as I didn't have them when I was putting it together (but I later still drizzled some of the of the oil on top, prior to serving.) Even the tomatoes, it was bursting with flavor, due to the balsamic vinegar and roasted garlic. Again, I am just going to direct you to Bridget's blog.

These two dips, we served them with baby cut carrots and red pepper strips, as well as a basket of 2 different types of pita chips. Other cut veggies, naan, pita wedges or crackers would also be good.

For the Black Bean and Corn Salsa, I just made this up as I was going along. A few of my my measurements are a little approximate, so I'd suggest starting with less and adding to taste. I was worried that perhaps it was too thin, until at the party someone was asking around who made this dip. She said it was awesome and then told me to get out of the way so she could get more :) I do think in order to have it thicker, I would drain the tomatoes next time. We served this with multigrain tortilla chips and lime flavor ones.

1 can (14.5 oz.) Black Beans, drained and rinsed

juice from 1/2 of a lime

1 jalapeno, seeded if desired

1 clove garlic

1 can diced tomatoes, drain for a less thin salsa

1/2 cup hot or medium salsa, or to taste

1 tsp cumin, or to taste

1/4 tsp onion powder, or to taste

1/2-3/4 cup frozen corn kernels (I just eyeballed this)

Add beans, lime juice, jalapeno and garlic. to food processor. Process until smooth. Add tomatoes and pulse until they are are broken down and combined well.

Add salsa, cumin and onion powder, starting with a little less. Process until combined, taste and adjust if neccessary. Stir in desired amount of frozen corn (If planning on serving soon after, then thaw first.) Refrigerate a few hours until ready to serve.

Moroccan Chickpea Stew & Moroccan-Style Couscous and Chickpeas

I love chickpeas. So much, in fact, that I typically eat them a couple times a week. My favorite way to enjoy them is with couscous, veggies and a Moroccan-inspired flavor. These two dishes, while containing many of the same ingredients, manage to taste quite different from one another. Its hard to say which one I prefer more. I have no idea if they are anything close to authentic (and most likely not) but I don't care, as they are both so good! This absolutely delicious recipe is from Cooking Light (found on myrecipes.) Its super easy and one of those kind of meals where you find yourself excited about the leftovers. (Or at least I did!) The recipe originally called for serving with brown rice, but suggested trying it with couscous, which I definitely think is the better choice. Due to a sensitive little mouth, I seed my jalapeno, and it isn't hot at all.

Moroccan Chickpea Stew
adapted from Cooking Light (they say 6 servings, I say much more like 4)
2 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large carrot, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, minced (seeded, if desired)
1 1/2 cups cubed peeled Yukon Golds (Several small or 1 large)
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground tumeric
2 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained (you can also just use one)
1 (15 oz.) can reduced sodium chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup vegetable broth
2 tbsp tomato paste
3 cups hot cooked couscous (or brown rice)
plain yogurt (or sour cream,) for serving
cilantro, for serving

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, garlic, and jalapeño to pan; sauté 6 minutes or until tender.

Stir in potato, spices, tomatoes, chickpeas, broth and tomato paste. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until potato is tender. Serve over couscous. Top with yogurt and sprinkle with cilantro.

This equally wonderful dish has already been shared on my blog once before, as the stuffing for acorn squash. It was great that way, but I loved the "stuffing" so much, I've made some changes and now make it without the squash. It would make a great side dish to chicken, but in our house, we're just as happy to eat it as an entree along with a baked sweet potato, for a filling meatless dinner. If you have leftovers the next day, its just as good hot or cold.

Moroccan-inspired Chickpeas and Rice
adapted from allrecipes (about 5 servings as a side, 2-3 as a meal)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 celery rib, finely chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2/3 cup chopped red bell pepper (about 3/4 of a large pepper)
1 large carrot, chopped
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
1/2 an apple, peeled, cored and chopped (I used fuji)
1/3 cup rasins
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground corriander
1/4 tsp tumeric
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2/3 cup uncooked couscous
1 cup vegetable broth

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, celery, onion, pepper and carrots. Season with salt and pepper, and cook 5 minutes.

Mix in the garbanzo beans, apples and raisins. Season with cumin, coriander, tumeric and cinnamon, and continue to cook and stir until vegetables are tender.

Add couscous and broth, mix well. Cover and turn off heat. Allow couscous to absord liquid for 5 minutes. Fluff couscous. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed.

Lentil Chickpea Soup

Yep, another soup. I just really like soups. I could eat a bowl of soup every day pretty much. Another thing I absolutely love is legumes. I truly could (and often do) eat legumes of one kind or another every day. Two of my favorites are chickpeas and lentils, but prior to this I'd never before prepared anything with those two together.

I made this soup one day when I was in the mood to spend the entire afternoon in the kitchen (the same day that I made the quiche and also baked cookies.) It was a great way to use up some veggies I had on hand. It was quite good, although I do think its going to be hard to find a lentil soup I like more than the Sweet Potato Lentil Stew- but we still really enjoyed it. And it was even better as leftovers. Sage added some chopped grilled chicken breast to his, but B and I just had ours topped with some parmesan cheese. (In the picture you'll see some parsley as well, but I found I preferred it more without. My attempt to take new pictures without parsley didn't work out for me though so pretend its not there.)

1 tbsp olive oil
2 celery ribs, diced
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
1 zucchini, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 (15 oz.) can of low sodium chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup tomato sauce (or a spoonful of tomato paste- I just had tomato sauce already open)
1 bay leaf
several sprigs of fresh thyme
1 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup regular green (or brown) lentils, rinsed and picked over
shredded parmesan, for serving

In a stock pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add celery, carrots, zucchini, onion and garlic to pot and season with salt and pepper. Saute until onion begans to become translucent, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, stock, tomato sauce, bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 40 minutes or until carrots are tender.

Meanwhile, combine lentils and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until lentils are tender but not mushy. Stir into stock pot.

Remove bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Season with extra salt and pepper if needed. Top with parmesan before serving.

Warm Couscous and Chickpea Salad

Whew! What a crazy busy month December has been. I had no other choice but to basically abandon my blog, between multiple sets of houseguests, my working quite a bit at the flower shop, holiday get togethers and parties, not to mention the whole shoppping, wrapping, preparing for and baking part of the holidays. (All while in the company of an extremely active and perhaps too-smart-for-his own-good almost 2 year old.) Not that I'm complaining. The past two weeks especially have been a whirlwind of spending time with best friends and family, delicious dinners out, countless bottles of wine consumed, and just all around amazing times. However, I am looking forward to a quieter January of just spending time at home with my son and husband, and returning to eating healthy (or least healthish) homecooked meals.

Last night my sister in law and her boyfriend were heading back to the other coast after spending Christmas with us. For our last dinner with them, I was certainally not in the mood for anything rich, heavy or decadent, nor was I in the mood to go out again (finer dining establishments and a toddler are not my favorite combination.) I really just wanted something simple and vegetarian, that I could eat as a main course and everyone else could eat as a side, so I prepared this delicous coucous, served with grilled chicken breasts and a large garden salad. I came up with it a few months ago, when I needed a quick and easy dinner and also had certain perishable ingredients I wanted to use up, but never got around to posting it.

This yummy dish makes about six side servings or several meal sized servings. Having a made it a couple of times, I can give you this advice: Use any color combination of peppers (other than green, which are too bitter in this. ) I prefer using yellow and orange for visual interest, since the tomatoes bring a lot of red to this already. (I sent Sage to the store this time and he returned with 2 red peppers, reminding me I need to either a little more clear with my expectations or more accepting that he is not a mind reader.) I've have used dried parsley when fresh wasn't looking so great at the store, which when added along with the other seasonings, worked just fine. And lastly, what ever you do, don't skip the feta. It is crutial to this dish. It really brings it alive. I like to top the couscous just before serving, and have extra at the table.

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 bell peppers, chopped (any color combo, excluding green)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 (15.5 oz. can) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 pint of grape tomatoes, halved or quartered depending on size
1 cup vegetable stock
juice of half a lemon
1 tbsp dried oregano
sea salt and pepper
2/3 cup uncooked couscous
1 1/2 tbsp chopped parsley (or 1 1/2 tsp dried)
4-6 oz. crumbled feta (either regular or fat free)

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add pepper and onion, and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and chickpeas, saute another 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, stock, lemon juice, oregano, and salt and pepper (if using dried parsley, add it as well.) Bring to a boil.

Add couscous, stir to combine, cover and turn off heat. After 5 minutes, fluff with a fork. Stir in parsley. Serve topped with crumbled feta.

Quick and Easy Chickpeas and Rice

I often see bloggers say they somewhat enjoy when their husbands are not joining for them to dinner. They can experiment in the kitchen, without worrying if it doesn't work out, or that they can make something their husbands don't like. I love sitting down as a family eating dinner, so of course I'd much prefer that, but when I am going to cooking for 1 (and a half) I try to take advantage of it, too.

Last night though, I was looking more forward to sitting down, once the little guy went to bed, with a glass of wine, and watching this week's episode of America's Next Top Model on DVR (my guilty pleasure, a show Sage despises) than what I was going to make for dinner. So I just threw something together and wound up absolutely loving it. It really isn't much of recipe, but it was so yummy and comforting, I decided to post it anyways. The only thing that took any time at all was the rice, and if you prefer an instant rice, you could have this meal in about 20 minutes.

I could've sworn I'd bought zucchini, which I wanted to put in this- but they aren't in my refrigerator, so I guess I didn't. Onions, celery and mushrooms, in one combination or another, wind up in so much of what I make that I almost consider them a non-vegetable. So with my only other vegetable being carrots, I worried it would be lacking in the veggie department; it wasn't. The great thing about a dish like this, you could really make it with almost any veggies. Another wonderful thing about this, a small portion is very filling. I was going to have salad afterwards, but I was too full. I'm not on my own for dinner too often, luckily, but I'm pretty sure I have a new go-to for a quick and easy meal for myself that I can change up without whatever I have.

makes two small servings

1/2 cup uncooked long grain brown rice
1 1/4 cup water
1 tbsp olive oil
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped very small
1/2 small onion, choppped
3 oz. mushrooms, coarsely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1 (16 oz.) can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2-3 tbsp tamari
juice of 1/2 large lemon
fresh ground pepper
chopped parsley

Bring rice and water to boil in saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes or until done.

With about 15 minutes left of the rice's cooking time, heat oil in a skillet. Add celery, carrots and onion and cook for 10 minutes, or until vegetables are softening. Add mushrooms and cook for 2 more minutes. Add chickpeas and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until vegetables are done.

Add tamari and lemon juice and season with pepper. Fluff rice and stir into chickpea mixture. Serve topped with parsley.

Moroccan-Style Stuffed Acorn Squash

Sage had to work late yesterday for a tournament with an awards dinner afterwards, so I decided to make a meatless meal that I wasn't sure if he'd like. After a few bites, I knew he would, so it was fortunate he didn't eat much at work. I wouldn't have thought of this combo on my own, but it was one of my favorite dinners I've had lately!

I used less couscous and way more veggies and chickpeas, and I thought it was perfect. I wasn't so sure about raisins in my dinner, but they really make the meal. I added yellow bell pepper, but its beautiful color faded right in, so next time I'll use red instead for more contrast. Originally, the only spice it called for was cumin. While I like cumin, I like it in smaller amounts, so I reduced it and added some other spices used in Moroccan cooking.

The recipe called for brushing the roasted squash halves with butter and brown sugar (or honey or maple syrup) before stuffing, but I forgot. I'm glad I did, because it wasn't neccesary and would've been a waste of calories. The squash tasted very nice with paired with the couscous stuffing and made a pretty presentation, but the couscous would be a terrific side dish on its own. My version makes more than you can stuff in two squash halves, which I wanted, but there weren't any leftovers as I'd hoped for. If you're not a fan of vegetarian meals, cooked chicken could easily be added to this meal.

adapted from allrecipes.com

1 large acorn squash, halved and seeded
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped

1/2 small onion, chopped

1/2 yellow or red bell pepper, chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped (I used about 9 small baby carrots)
1 (16 oz) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup raisins
1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp tumeric

1/4 tsp cinnamon
salt and pepper, to taste
2/3 cup vegetable or chicken broth
1/3 cup uncooked couscous

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Arrange squash halves cut side down on a baking sheet. Bake 30 minutes, or until tender. Keep squash warm while preparing the stuffing.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, celery, onion, pepper and carrots, and cook 5 minutes. Mix in the garbanzo beans and raisins. Season with cumin, coriander, tumeric, cinnamon, salt, and pepper, and continue to cook and stir until vegetables are tender.

Pour the broth into the skillet, and mix in the couscous. Cover skillet, and turn off heat. Allow couscous to absorb liquid for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Stuff squash with couscous mixture to serve.

Roasted Red Pepper and Garbanzo Bean Burger

While I love most restaurant veggie burgers, I've never been as big of a fan of the frozen grocery store types. Now that I know how easy- and better- it is to make your own, I don't see myself ever buying them again.

My father-in-law gave us a bunch of delicious roasted red peppers, so I decided to make a burger using them and chickpeas for something different. I was feeling lazy so I didn't pre-cook anything and just made the the whole thing in my food processor. Sage said they were difficult to grill because they were hard to keep from falling apart. I suppose I could've added something like oats to help hold them together, but I was worried about the burgers being too dry. They were very good, although I will admit I like the black bean burgers I made recently more. But it was a nice change, and I think the red peppers really added to them. We had ours topped with swiss, tomato, and sprouts on toasted rolls with oven baked sweet potato fries.

2 slices of multi grain bread, torn into pieces

2 cans of reduced sodium chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 clove garlic, quartered

2 whole roasted red peppers, blotted (if jarred) and sliced

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 egg

1/2 tbsp. dried parsley

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1. Put bread pieces in food processor, process until fine crumbs. Add chickpeas, garlic, and red peppers. Process until still slightly chunky. Add remaining ingredients, and pulse just enough to mix.

2. Form into 4 or 5 patties. Grill over medium direct heat for 3-5 minutes per side.

Southwest Veggie Bean Soup

Yep, I'm the kind of person who makes hot soups in the summer. But if I waited for cold weather, I'd only get to make them like twice a year.

I had a delicious looking multi-grain baguette just waiting to be eaten and needing something saucy or soupy to be dipped into. I decided to throw together a bean soup, full of veggies. I used my slow cooker, but it could easily be prepared on the stovetop. The soup was a little spicy for Sage, but to me it wasn't at all. I intentionally didn't add a lot of spices to it, so I guess it was the jalapeno- next time I'll leave it out. He still liked it, but I liked it a lot more. The cilantro spinkled on before serving added so much to this dish, so I definitely wouldn't skip it!

1 can of reduced sodium garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1 can of organic black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup diced tomatoes with mild green chilis

1 celery rib, chopped (about 1/4 cup)

1/2 cup chopped carrots

1/2 cup chopped onions

1/2 large red bell peppper (about 3/4 cup)

1/2 cup frozen corn

1 cup chicken or vegetable broth

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp minced garlic

1/2 tbsp cumin

1/2 tbsp chili powder

salt and pepper, to taste

1/4 of a fresh japaleno, minced (optional)

lite sour cream or plain yogurt

minced cilantro

1. Place 1/2 cup of garbanzos in food processor or blender with two tbsp. water. Puree into smooth. (I used my mini processor. This step can be skipped for a thinner soup.)

2. In the slow cooker, add both pureed and unpureed garbanzos, and the rest of soup ingredients. Stir and cook on high for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, or until carrots are tender.

3. Ladel soup into serving bowls, and top with a dallop of sour cream or yogurt and sprinkle with cilantro.

Curry Pasta Salad

For the 4th of July, I wanted to make some kind of pasta salad, but something different than the typical Italian or Greek styles I normally make. I remembered a curry pasta salad I'd once had. The flavor of the dressing had been really good but it was basically just pasta, raisins or currants and celery. It just hadn't had enough to it for my liking.

I browsed a half dozen recipes that I found online and got ideas for what I'd put in mine. I really enjoyed this! With each bite you got a wide range of flavors and texture. I enjoyed a bowl the next day with the addition of a little honey drizzled on top, so I may experiment with adding a little honey to the dressing next time. And while I liked it with the mini bow-ties, I will most likely make it with orzo next time just to be different. I will also add extra apple. As a time saver, I bought my carrots precut into matchsticks and chopped them, instead of shredding them.

.

8 oz. (1/2 of a box) mini farfalle pasta
1 fuji apple, chopped ( I drizzled with lemon juice to keep from browning)
¼ cup chopped celery
½ cup golden raisins
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup carrots, shredded or julienned and chopped
Toasted almond silvers

Dressing:
3 tbsp light mayo (I used the kind with olive oil)
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp curry powder
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and cool under cold running water.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, blend dressing ingredients.
3. Add pasta, chickpeas, carrots, celery, raisins and apple to bowl, and mix gently.
4. Chill until ready to serve. Top with toasted almonds just before serving.