yumyumyummers

recipe roundup: give chickpeas a chance

In appetizers, culinary experiments, desserts, easy weeknight meals, recipe roundup, side dishes, snacks, tapas, vegetarian on 05.12.12 at 4:34 pm

chickpeas are pretty rad. here’s a yumyumyummers roundup of my fave chickpea-infused recipes. c’mon, give chickpeas a chance. ;)

blueberry & red bean quinoa salad
chipotle chickpea & tofu flatbread


chipotle tofu & chickpea salad
four-bean & avocado quinoa salad

halo halo
spicy roasted chickpeas

quick poll: what is your fave chickpea dish?

baja fish tacos

In culinary experiments, dinner, easy weeknight meals, ethnic food, lunch, snacks, tapas on 05.07.12 at 8:26 pm

cinco de mayo was just a few days ago… but who says you can’t keep the celebration going with some mexican-inspired menu faves? :)

fish tacos are one of my fave things to order on a sunny patio with a frozen lime margarita on the side. while i haven’t quite mastered the art of mixing a good frozen marg, i’m happy to say that fish tacos are easypeasy to make at home.

prep veggies:
– 2-3 sprigs of green onion (chopped)
– 2 roma tomatoes (rough chop)
– 1.5 cups organic mixed herb salad or greens
– 1/2 large haas avocado (halved, pitted, peeled, sliced)

prep fish:
– heat up large saucepan w/ 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (evoo) on high heat
– add green onion & tomatoes to pan
– reduce heat to medium, add 1 large fillet of fresh salmon to pan (already thawed, if previously frozen)
– season salmon fillet & tomatoes w/ 1/2 tsp ancho chile spice
– cook until salmon lightens slightly in colour on outside & opaque in center (but do not overcook)
– turn sides to cook evenly, about 3min per side
– remove from heat & set aside. allow salmon to cool for a few min.

assemble tacos:
– place 3 medium whole-grain tortillas on a plate
– divvy mixed greens on each tortilla
– add tomatoes, cooked salmon (flaked) & avocado to each tortilla
– season w/ ground black peppercorns
– top w/ queso fresco (grated) over taco fillings

food styling:
– fold tortillas into halves & place on a serving dish
– warm-up tacos in microwave for 15-20sec to melt the cheese
– pairs nicely w/ your fave chilled lime beer or frozen margarita

(tip: if fish tacos aren’t your cup of tea, swap out the salmon for stir-fry chicken. i also tried this taco recipe w/ chicken instead, and it works well w/ the chipotle seasoning & veggies.)

bacon & fig dip

In appetizers, culinary experiments, gluten-free, snacks, tapas on 04.24.12 at 10:37 pm

mmmm… bacon… 

here’s another recipe in ode to bacon. this gluten-free, creamy dip is surprisingly easy to prepare and makes for a great appetizer for your next dinner party, gameday or — you guessed it — baconpalooza!

the bacon:
– heat up 1-2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil in large saucepan on medium heat
– add 5-6 strips of country-style bacon to pan
– fry bacon in pan for a few min until slightly crispy on both sides
– remove from heat & set aside bacon on plate to cool
– pat bacon w/ papertowels to remove excess fat & oil
– reserve bacon fat in pan to add to dip mixture

the dip:
in a small mixing bowl, mix & fold together the following ingredients together until well-combined:
– 1/4 cup low-fat, plain greek yogurt
– 100g chevre frais
– crispy-fried bacon (rough chop into bacon bits)
– 5-6 small dried figs (rough chop into small pieces)
– season w/ ground black peppercorns
– drizzle bacon fat leftover from pan

food styling:
– serve immediately, best served warm
– pairs well w/ gluten-free chips or your fave crackers
– store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge