Month: August 2021

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The versatility of chickpeas are great and the benefits of this little legume is astounding. Chickpeas provide fiber, protein, iron, magnesium, just to name a few. Since I don’t eat meat I turn to chickpeas a lot, especially for the basic older recipes like tuna fish sandwiches. Today’s recipe is inspired by tuna fish but instead of fish I use the chickpea and in place of bread a nice lettuce bowel.

This is great for those who don’t eat bread or if you are looking for a different thing for a light lunch. I also like this because if you don’t eat fish you still get to enjoy something like it and full of protein. You can also add or take away the ingredients to meet your taste.

Ingredients:

1 15.5 ounce can of chickpea (garbanzo) beans

1/4 cup of mayonnaise (vegan works great too)

1 small tomato

3 small sweet peppers

1/4 cup or less white onion

Salt, black pepper, garlic powder per your taste and spiced paprika for on top of each bowl

Lettuce of your choice

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In a medium bowl pour drained chickpeas and diced onions mash for a few minutes until the chickpeas are no longer whole. You are wanting some shape in them still so you have various textures. Next add the diced tomato, sweet peppers, mayonnaise and seasoning mixing well.

On a plate or in a bowl spoon chickpea mixture onto washed lettuce leaves then top with paprika.

This is such a quick and easy recipe but full of goodness, I hope you enjoy.

I bring back this recipe because I have been missing my mom’s cooking, she always made sure we had a healthy meal and would go out of her way to try new things. I looked back at this blog with a little bit of tear in my eyes and thought that sharing this again would be a good thing for those that just found my blog, you get to try this and maybe in sharing, my mom’s cooking lives on.

Skillet Phyllo Pie with Butternut Squash, Kale and Goat Cheese:

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing
2 medium red onions, finely chopped
1/2 small butternut squash (about 1 pound), peeled, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped thyme
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 bunch Tuscan kale, ribs and stems removed, thinly sliced crosswise
2 large eggs, beaten to blend
3 ounces Parmesan, grated
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
8 ounces frozen phyllo pastry, thawed (half a 1-pound package)
4 ounces fresh goat cheese or feta, crumbled

Preparation
Place a rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 400°F. Heat 3 Tbsp. oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, 6–8 minutes. Add squash and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost tender, 8–10 minutes. Mix in thyme and red pepper flakes and transfer to a medium bowl; let cool. Wipe out and reserve skillet.
Add kale, eggs, Parmesan, and lemon zest to squash mixture and gently mix to combine; season with salt and pepper. Layer phyllo sheets inside reserved skillet. Spoon kale-and-squash mixture into phyllo and dot top with goat cheese. Brush edges of phyllo lightly with oil and fold over filling, overlapping slightly, leaving center exposed.
Cook pie over medium heat until bottom of pastry is just golden (carefully lift up on one side with a heatproof rubber spatula so that you can take a peek), about 3 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven and bake pie until kale is wilted and tender and phyllo is golden brown and crisp, 20–25 minutes. Let pie cool in skillet at least 15 minutes before slicing into wedges.
Do Ahead
Pie can be baked 6 hours ahead. Let cool; store uncovered at room temperature.

Todays recipe came from my mom who got it from Anna Jones Bon Appétit November 2016

My mom made this the other night for dinner. It was so good I thought I would share her hard work. Thank you Mom!

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Whether you have a garden or not I think we all know what time of year this is. It is that time of year when zucchini is everywhere and those who have a garden start making list of friends, family or even enemies they can give this Italian squash to. It’s almost like when a you start a work at home business but this time people don’t run as fast from you.

So if you have been blessed with zucchini and looking for a way that is a little different than the normal wonderful breads and muffins todays recipe is for you.

I came up with this recipe because I was blessed with a lot of zucchini but wanting lasagna and loving polenta I thought that I would mix fresh ingredients with store bought so I could have a quick but tasty dinner and I even used a microwave so I wouldn’t heat up my house because a massive heat wave is still with me.

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I like to grate my zucchini and put in freezer bags so I can have it ready for cooking or baking at a latter date.

Polenta Zucchini Lasagna:

1 18 ounce tubed polenta sliced

1 jar of marinara of your choice

1 bag of Italian blend shredded cheese

Hand full of small fresh tomatoes cubed

2 cups of mushrooms sliced

4 green onions sliced

1 to 1 1/2 cups of shredded zucchini

1-2 Tablespoon of garlic paste

Salt and pepper per taste

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Do not cover bake 350 for about 30-40 minutes until bubbly and cheese is lightly brown or if you would like microwave for 10-12 minutes covered with microwave cover so you don’t have the splatter of the marinara all over your microwave but check your settings for best times, they will vary. When using a microwave it works out great but you don’t get the browning of the cheese like the oven.

You may like to top with shredded parmesan cheese when serving. Enjoy!

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