Mushroom, Chickpea Noodle Soup

This soup came about with a vague recollection of Happy Herbivore Chickpea Noodle Soup when I didn't have access to her recipe (or the internet at that moment). Turns out my recipe is nothing like Lindsay's with the exception that we both used Chickpeas, Noodles and Mushrooms. Here's my adaptation. Since the idea was inspired by the original recipe, I'm still crediting Lindsay Nixon here. I also accidentally managed to delete all my pictures :( so there are no pictures today. 

Adapted from: Happy Herbivore Chickpea Noodle Soup

Prep Time: 15 min

Ingredients (Serves 4):

1. 1 x 15oz Can of Chickpeas, drained and rinsed 
2. 3 oz dry Spaghetti
3. 1 cup Grape tomatoes, halved
4. 8 oz Cremini mushroom crowns, sliced
5. 1 small white onion, diced (or 2 tbsp dried Onion flakes)
6. 1 tbsp Better than Boullion - Vegetable Base
7. 6-8 cups Water or Home-made Vegetable Broth 
8. 1 tsp Garlic Powder
9. 2 tsp dried Parsley
10. 1 tsp Rubbed Sage
11. Salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Directions:

Put everything in a pot and simmer until spaghetti is soft. Taste test for salt, enjoy!!! For as simple as this recipe is, even my omnivore step-kids loved it!! Sorry I don't have pictures today :(

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)*: Calories 175 (Fat Calories 17)
Total Fat 1.9 g; Carbohydrates 31.0 g; Fiber 4.7 g; Sugars 5.2 g; Protein 9.1 g

* Nutrition facts are provided for the water option as vegetable broth calorie content can vary.

If you liked this recipe, be sure to check out my Recipe Index for more Whole-Food, Plant-Based, No-Added-Oil recipes. You can also like Rugrat Chow! on Facebook. Thanks!

Chickpea Hash

As part of a whole-foods lifestyle, it is my attempt to reduce our overall consumption of processed grains and grain products, especially white rice and white pastas. My husband is not a big fan of brown rice. He loves barley and bulgur but the mention of brown rice usually elicits a long face ;-) !!! So I'm always looking for different ways of substituting white rice in my recipes. Today, as I was getting ready to prepare dinner, I decided to switch white rice with potatoes. My initial thought was to just serve my chickpea recipe over steamed potatoes, but then I decided to try something different. And the result was actually phenomenal. Tony has 2 bowls full :) despite his initial reservations.  

Prep Time: 20-25 min

Ingredients (Serves 4):

1. 2 x 15oz cans Chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
2. 1 Small Red Onion
3. 4 Medium Roma Tomatoes
4. 4-5 Small Russet Potatoes
5. 2 tsp Garlic Powder
6. 2 tsp Onion Powder
7. 2 tsp Italian Seasoning
8. 1 tsp fresh diced or freeze-dried Basil
9. 1 tsp Paprika, to taste
10. 2 cups Water or Home-made Vegetable Broth 
11. Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Dice onion and 2 tomatoes and set aside. Puree the remaining 2 tomatoes in a blender until smooth and set aside. Peel potatoes and shred to match stick fries or hash brown thickness using a food processor or julienne using a mandolin slicer (about 2 cups). I used a mandolin today as I already had it out for the baked chips I made earlier. Set aside until ready to use. Line a heavy pot with water and add onions. Saute on medium-high heat until onions are translucent and add tomatoes and garlic and onion powders and saute until almost all the water has evaporated and the tomatoes take on a deep red color from the caramelizing sugars. Add a splash of water and add hash potatoes. Toss well making sure that the potatoes don't stick to the bottom or burn. Once well mixed, add 2 cups of water or broth, and add chickpeas. Add remaining seasonings, mix well, cover and simmer on low for 10 min, or until potatoes are fork tender. As the potatoes cook, they'll release some of their starches and make the broth rich and creamy and starchy. Garnish with fresh basil and freshly cracked black pepper. Enjoy! 

My Assessment: This was a great way to sub out rice or even pasta in this dish. Loved the starchy feel of the potato and the shredded/julienned potato almost had a pasta like consistency in this dish. Tony loved it and so did I. :)

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)*: Calories 271 (Fat Calories 17)
Total Fat 1.9 g; Carbohydrates 55.3 g; Fiber 16.2 g; Sugars 5.7 g; Protein 13.4 g

* Nutrition facts are provided for the water option as vegetable broth calorie content can vary.

If you liked this recipe, be sure to check out my Recipe Index for more Whole-Food, Plant-Based, No-Added-Oil recipes. You can also like Rugrat Chow! on Facebook. Thanks!

Roasted Cauliflower & Spinach Salad

This evening while driving home from work I knew I wanted to use that head of cauliflower in the fridge for dinner. After not cooking cauliflower because of some mistaken notion that it would stink up my house for many many years, I've come to really love the flavor, aroma and taste of simple Roasted Cauliflower. Cut up the florets, toss the cauliflower in a gallon bag with a splash of water and whatever spices you like, toss everything together and then spread it all out on a cookie sheet and broil on high for 10-12 minutes. Umm mmm good!! Here's my standard Roasted Cauliflower recipe. 

As I was dreaming of my roasted cauliflower .. I was also dreaming of my box of baby spinach and the awesome batch of homemade hummus I made the other night! I guess I was hungry :)!!! Soon after getting home, I found a recipe I knew I could adapt to my tastes and preferences (umm no oil!), use the ingredients I'd been dreaming about and have it turn out great!! 

Adapted from: Modern Family Cooking

Prep Time: 30 min

Ingredients (Serves 4):

1. 1 head of Cauliflower (any color, about 2 cups of florets)
2. 1 x 15oz Canned Chickpeas, rinsed and 
3. 4 Mini Cucumbers, sliced (about 1 cup)
4. 1 Bell Pepper (any color, preferably Red or Orange), diced
5. 1/2 cup Quinoa, pre-cooked in water and chilled. 
6. 3 cups Baby Spinach
7. 4 tbsp Homemade Hummus* (plain or roasted red pepper) (or more, to taste)
8. 1/2 cup Cold Water
9. 2 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
10. 3 drops of Liquid Smoke
11. Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375° F.  Whisk hummus, liquid smoke and 1/2 cup of iced water in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside. Transfer drained and rinsed chickpeas and cauliflower (cut into small bite-sized florets) into a gallon zip lock bag with nutritional yeast, freshly cracked black pepper and about a third of the thinned out hummus. Close bag and toss everything together until the cauliflower and chickpeas are well coated with the hummus. Transfer to a rimmed cookie sheet and broil on high for 10-12 minutes until the tips of the cauliflower start to caramelize and char. Meanwhile in a large bowl, mix diced pepper, baby spinach. sliced cucumbers and quinoa and toss well with hands. Sprinkle liberally with freshly cracked black pepper. Once the cauliflower and chickpeas are ready, remove from oven and set aside for just a minute. Add remaining thinned out hummus to the bowl with greens and quinoa and toss well, top off with roasted veggies, toss and serve immediately. This salad makes 4 side-salad sized servings, or 2 large dinner-sized salad servings! Enjoy!

My Assessment: Tony wants me to make this for our Friendsgiving dinner which we celebrate a weekend after Thanksgiving every year. I guess in my head, hearing that from a self-proclaimed hummus-hater, this recipe is a hit!!! :)

Home-made Hummus*: Blend one can of chickpeas (rinsed & drained) with 1/2 to 2/3 cup water, 2 cloves of garlic, 1-2 tbsp Tahini (sesame seed butter, optional) and 2-3 tbsp lemon juice until smooth. Add more water, as needed to make a smooth paste. Store refrigerated for up to a week. 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 205 (Fat Calories 26)

Total Fat 2.9 g; Carbohydrates 37.0 g; Fiber 8.8 g; Sugars 4.0 g; Protein 12.4 g


If you liked this recipe, be sure to check out my Recipe Index for more Whole-Food, Plant-Based, No-Added-Oil recipes. You can also like Rugrat Chow! on Facebook. Thanks!

Mediterranean Chickpea Pilaf

Most of the regular visitors to my blog know that I love rice. I grew up eating it. Its a staple in my diet. While I am okay with almost any kind of rice and have actually come to prefer Brown Basmati rice, my dear husband is not a big fan of anything other than white rice. So often, when I'm making a rice-based entrée, I'll use White Basmati rice. My way-around, adding more fiber and lowering the starch content is to add lots of beans and lentils and vegetables to most dishes. 

Prep Time: 20-30 min

Ingredients (Serves 4):

1. 2 x 15 oz Cans of Chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
2. 1 cup White Basmati Rice
3. 1 x 10 oz Fresh Baby Spinach
4. 2 cups water.
5. 4-5 tbsp Tomato Paste
6. 1 tsp Onion Powder
7. 1 tsp Garlic powder
8. 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
9. Salt & Pepper, to taste
10. 1/3 cup Raisins (optional)

Directions:

Line a heavy lidded stock pot (preferably cast iron) with a half a cup of water and add tomato paste, spices and chickpeas and bring to a boil. Add baby spinach to the pot, reduce heat to medium low and cover for 5 minutes to allow the spinach to wilt. Mix well. The spinach will release its water and the mix at this point will look like a thick gravy. Add rice and raisins (optional), mix well and add 1.5 cups of tap water.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and cover with lid, with just a slight gap (couple of millimeters) to allow some steam to escape. Cook for about 8-10 min until rice is bite-tender. At this point, cover the pot completely with its lid, turn off the stove and let the pot sit on the stove for about 10 more minutes. This will allow any residual bite in the rice to cook and will also allow any excess water to be absorbed by the rice. This step is a good one to follow for any rice based dishes. This last 10 minutes makes for a fluffy pilaf. Serve garnished with freshly cracked black pepper. 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 348 (Fat Calories 38)
Total Fat 4.2 g; Carbohydrates 69.7 g; Fiber 9.3 g; Sugars 3.5 g; Protein 13.9 g


If you liked this recipe, be sure to check out my Recipe Index for more Whole-Food, Plant-Based, No-Added-Oil recipes. You can also like Rugrat Chow! on Facebook. Thanks!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Someone posted a recipe on one of the Herbie pages on Facebook this past week that had a picture of the most amazing gooey chocolate chip cookies with it. I wanted to try it .. because of the picture it came with. I'm not sure who to give credit for the recipe, so I'm going to acknowledge the lady who posted in on Facebook - Lori Conner (Thank you!!!).

Can you resist this cookie? I couldn't!!! 

I made slight modifications to the recipe like using a whole 15 oz can of chickpeas instead of just 1 and 1/4 cup as the original asked for and used an extra 1/8 cup of agave to make the dough smoother when it seemed too dry and I baked these cookies for twice as long as the original recipe. 20 min at 350°F.

Mine don't look half as good but tasted great!

Prep Time: 30-40 min

Ingredients (15 Servings):

1. 1 x 15 oz Canned Chick Peas (Rinsed & Patted Dry)
2. 2 tsp vanilla extract
3. 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp Natural Peanut Butter (I used Smucker's)
4. 1/4 cup + 1/8 cup Honey/Agave/Maple Syrup (I used Agave)
5. 1 tsp baking powder
6. A pinch of salt (optional, I didn't use any)
7. 1/2 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine all the ingredients, with the exception of chocolate chips in a food processor until smooth. Make sure that the sides of the processor bowl and scraped down and under all the sides to leave no chunks of chickpeas sitting around. Add chocolate chips, and pulse a couple of times. Using slightly wet hands (an excellent tip!), form small balls with the dough and place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. I then used a wet fork to press down each one into a cookie shape, but you could also use your hand to do the same. Bake for about 20 minutes until the outsides begin to brown. The original recipe called for 10 min of baking and I thought they looked too doughy after only 10 minutes so baked them for another 10. I got 15 cookies out of this. Enjoy and keep out of the reach of little children, or they won't last long!! :)

My Assessment: My father-in-law, who WILL NOT eat anything plant-based loved these cookies and I sent almost all of my batch home with him. These were a hit in our household for sure. A big thank you to the creator of this recipe.

Nutrition Facts (Per Cookie): Calories 131 (Fat Calories 57)
Total Fat 6.4 g; Carbohydrates 15.5 g; Fiber 2.4 g; Sugars 2.0 g; Protein 3.9 g


If you liked this recipe, be sure to check out my Recipe Index for more Whole-Food, Plant-Based, No-Added-Oil recipes. You can also like Rugrat Chow! on Facebook. Thanks!

Dijon Roasted Chickpeas

This recipe is inspired by a few different recipes by the Happy Herbivore. I finally had the opportunity to meet her this past weekend and it was great. She's as warm and genuine in person, as she is via the internet. It was a great experience!!

She talked about her favorite recipes, her favorite ingredients and most of all she talked about living plant-based in an imperfect world. Aim for progress, not perfection. That's my mantra too!! 

Two ingredients she raved about in her cooking demo and also in her 3rd book Happy Herbivore Abroad are Dijon Mustard and Balsamic Vinegar. This recipe I tried today is inspired by her favorite ingredients and, on a whim, I decided to combine the two together. Also, on a whim, I decided to part of the directions from this recipe for "Honey Roasted Chickpeas". Basically, its a 'on a whim' recipe bastardized from various HH ideas ;)

Prep Time: 30 min

Ingredients (Serves 4-6):

1. 2 x 15 oz cans of Chickpeas
2. 2-3 tsbp Dijon Mustard
3. 2-3 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
4. Salt, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Drain and rinse chickpeas and transfer to a bowl. Add remaining ingredients and give it a good toss. Lightly grease a cookie sheet with cooking spray (spray all over and then use a paper towel to wipe everything off, leaving just a very thin film on). Spread chickpeas in a single layer and roast, uncovered for 15 min. Once the chickpeas are dry, turn oven off and turn broiler on high. Roast chickpeas until dry and crunchy. Make sure to NOT WALK AWAY during this time. The chickpeas will need constant attention, and a few tosses every few minutes to ensure all sides are roasted equally. Once done, remove from oven and allow to cool on cookie sheet. Serve over salads, or eat as a crunchy snack! Yum!!! Although I was a bit skeptical about my choice of ingredients, as usual, HH didn't disappoint me. The flavor was awesome!!! Enjoy!! 

Baked Potato, topped with wilted kale, topped with crunchy chickpeas!

If you liked this recipe, be sure to check out my Recipe Index for more Whole-Food, Plant-Based, No-Added-Oil recipes. You can also like Rugrat Chow! on Facebook. Thanks!

Mediterranean Chili

When I got home work today .. I just wasn't feeling it. I wasn't in the mood for eating leftovers .. and I wasn't really in the mood to cook ... that is until I came across a packet of Falafel Mix in my pantry. Even then ... I wasn't in the mood to sit around waiting for it to bake etc. As I was standing in my pantry holding the box wondering whether or not I should take the plunge, I saw the recipe on the back of the box. Yahoo!!! Vegetarian Chili!!! 

Mediterranean Chili

Prep Time: 40-60 min

Adapted from: A box of Ziyad Falafel Mix

Ingredients (Serves 6):

1. 1 x 12 oz box Falafel mix
2. 1 cup cold water
3. 3 x 14.5 oz cans of Chopped/Diced tomatoes
4. 2 x 15.5 oz cans of Chickpeas 
5. 2-3 tbsp Texas Chili Seasoning
6. 8-10 leaves fresh Basil
7. 8-10 leaves fresh Sage
8. Salt, to taste
9. Hot Sauce, to taste

Directions:

I followed the directions on the box, with a few variations. Combine contents of the box of falafel mix (about 1.5 cups of dry mix) with 1 cup cold water. Mix well and allow the mix to rest at room temperature for 20 min. The ingredients include ground chick peas, ground fava beans, spice blend, minced onion, garlic, baking soda, salt and sesame seeds. It has no added fat. Preheat a non-stick stock pot to medium heat and add the water-falafel mix to the pan. Using a wooden spoon, dry saute the mix over medium heat, breaking up the mixture into crumbles. This part worked really well for me. I was able to get a nice crumbly mix in about 20 min of dry sauteing. Once the mix is dry and crumbly, add canned tomatoes (with liquid), salt, chili seasoning and chickpeas. Mix well. At this point the box said to reduce heat and to cook the chili until everything was thoroughly heated. To me the whole dish at this point looked really dry. Since I wasn't planning on using any of the traditional toppings (sour cream, cheese etc.) which would add moisture, I decided to add some water to make it a little more moist. Consequently, my crumbles became a thick gravy. Lesson learnt (that's why they didn't ask for water to be added to this dish!). Once I added water, I lowered the heat and allowed the chili to simmer on medium-low for about 10 min. Once the dish was bubbling nicely, I turned off the heat, added some fresh herbs (Basil and Sage) and allowed it to sit (covered) for 5 minutes. I served my not-so-crumbly chili with Couscous (also prepared with minced herbs, no added fat), and my favorite hot sauce. 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 269 (Fat Calories 74)
Total Fat 8.3 g; Carbohydrates 40.5 g; Fiber 7.6 g; Sugars 2.7 g; Protein 12.2 g 

Mustard Greens w Balsamic-Glazed Chick Peas

In my efforts to consume more green leafy vegetables, I picked up a big bunch of Kale and a big bunch of Curly Mustard Greens at the store this past weekend. Back home in India we only eat mustard greens in one preparation - Sarson ka Saag which I've posted before and I wanted something different this time. A quick Google search revealed a gem of a recipe by FatFeee Vegan Kitchen. I used it almost to a tee, with one slight modification and one substitution. 

FFVKs Mustard Greens w Balsamic-Glazed Chick peas

Adapted from: FatFree Vegan Kitchen - Balsamic-Glazed Chickpeas and Mustard Greens

Prep Time: 30 min

Ingredients (2 Big Servings): 

1. 4 cups Mustard Greens
2. 1 medium Red onion, julienned
3. 2 x 15 oz cans of Chickpeas 
4. 2 tsp Garlic powder
5. 1 tsp Deggi Chilli Powder
6. 1/2 teaspoon salt (Optional, I didn't use any)
7. 4 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
8. 4 tbsp Low-Sodium Soy sauce (this is a lot more than the original recipe)
9. 1 tbsp Honey (my substitute for Agave Syrup)
10. 1 tbsp Vegetarian Oyster Sauce (my addition)

Directions:

I pretty much followed the original recipe. Remove stems form mustard greens, tear leaves into bite-sized pieces and wash the leaves well to remove any traces of dirt. Allow to sit in a colander while you prepare the onions. Line a deep pot with water and add garlic powder and deggi chili powder along with julienned onions. Sauté the onion until translucent and then cover with drained mustard greens and cover for 2-5 minutes to allow the greens to wilt to a bright green (do not overcook). Remove greens and onions from the pan with a slotted spoon, allowing them time to drain, and place in a bowl. To the remaining liquid in the pan, add balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, honey and oyster sauce. If there isn't enough liquid (~1/8 cup) in the pan, add more water. Mix ingredients into the broth and add chickpeas. Cook, with occasional stirring, over medium-high heat until the liquid is almost gone and the chickpeas have a nice glaze over them. Once done, remove from heat, spoon the greens into serving plates and top with glazed chickpeas. Garnish with freshly cracked black pepper and serve warm. The original recipe suggested offering additional balsamic vinegar at the table. 

My Assessment: Loved it!! The chickpeas were great with the balsamic glaze. I think this recipe would go well with any robust greens (kale, collards) but with a more tender green, like baby spinach I think you wouldn't even need to wilt the greens. These could be served over a bed of raw baby spinach. 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 474 (Fat Calories 57)
Total Fat 6.3 g; Carbohydrates 84.3 g; Fiber 22.5 g; Sugars 26.1 g; Protein 25.4 g

Indian Spiced Chickpeas w Chunky Tomatoes & Kale

This is my version of the Happy Herbivore recipe - Indian Spiced Chickpeas with Kale - from Everyday Happy Herbivore. I find that I like Kale better with a slightly tart ingredients such as lemon juice, tomatoes or even orange juice. I like the original HH recipe, but I like my modification better. Also, such acidic foods help in absorption of iron from food sources (see here) so adding tomatoes is a win-win. 

Rugratized Indian Spiced Chickpeas w Chunky Tomatoes & Kale

Prep Time: 20-30 min

Ingredients (Serves 4):

1. 2 x 15 oz cans of Chickpeas (rinsed in running water, and drained)
2. 1 x 15 oz can of Hunt's Diced Tomatoes (No Added Salt)
3. 3 cups Kale, coarsely chopped (or use baby kale). 
4. 1 Large Red Onion, julienned (thickly).
5. 2 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
6. 1-2 tbsp MDH Chana Masala Spice Mix**
7. 4 cups Home-made Vegetable Broth, or water
8. Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Line a deep stock pot with water or vegetable broth and add ginger-garlic paste and red onion. Once the onion becomes translucent, add kale and diced tomatoes, cover and cook for a few minutes to allow Kale to wilt. Now, add chickpeas, and the chana masala mix and the rest of the vegetable broth. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes on medium-low. Serve garnished with freshly cracked pepper, over steamed rice. 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)*: Calories 247 (Fat Calories 17)
Total Fat 1.9 g; Carbohydrates 46.8 g; Fiber 3.3 g; Sugars 12.5 g; Protein 12 g

* Nutrition facts are provided for the water option as vegetable broth calorie content can vary tremendously.

** Chana Masala is a spice mix prepared and sold in India which is used specifically for chickpea dishes. It is a spicy smoky ground blend of cilantro seeds, dry young mango, pomegranate seeds, chilli peppers, cumin, dried musk melon, black pepper, black salt, fenugreek leaves, cloves, mint, nutmeg, dry ginger, cinnamon, Indian bay leaf, cardamom, ammomum (black cardamom) seeds, caraway and mace. Since I don't have a few of these ingredients, I always keep a pack of MDH Chana Masala on hand. Works like a charm every time!! 

Mud Puddle Chickpeas

Growing up, my grandma used to make what she called 'Chikad Chhole' ... and the best translation I can come up with is Mud Puddle Chickpeas. I know, that is kinda pathetic. However, the name is quite catchy in my opinion and is indeed a literal translation of my grandma's name for this dish. She made it with Chickpeas as well as with Green Split Peas. The recipe is about the same for both kinds of beans.

Chikad Chhole

Prep Time: 25-30 min (with canned chickpeas)

Ingredients (Serves 4):

1. 2 x 15 oz Canned Chickpeas (drained and rinsed) (~3 cups cooked)
2. 1 x 15 oz Canned Diced Tomatoes (I used Hunt's No Added Salt, Fire Roasted)(~1.5 cups fresh)
3. 1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
4. 1 tbsp Goya Recaito Cilantro Cooking Base
5. 2-3 cups Water or Home-made Vegetable Broth
6. 1 tbsp Cumin Seeds
7. 1 tbsp Cilantro Seed powder
8. 1/4 tsp Turmeric
9. 2 tsp Deggi Chilli Powder
10. Salt and Pepper, to taste
11. Lemon/Lime juice, to taste
12. Hot Sauce, to taste

Directions:

I used canned chickpeas and canned tomatoes in the interest of time and because I forgot to soak chickpeas last night. If you remember to soak them overnight, make sure you precook the chickpeas for this recipe. In a stockpot, bring about a cup of water to a rolling boil. Add ginger-garlic paste, cilantro cooking base and spices and the tomato. Bring to a boil again, reduce heat to a simmer and cook tomatoes until they begin to disintegrate (5-7 min). Add chickpeas, and another cup or water or vegetable broth and mix well and continue to simmer for another 5-10 minutes adding more water, as needed, to keep the dish runny, but not soupy. Do a quick taste test and add more salt, pepper, and spices as needed. The tomato should add a certain sweet tang to the dish. Once you're satisfied with the taste, use a potato masher and press down on the chickpeas about 10-12 times so that some of the chickpeas get smooshed and form a thick mud (now you get why this dish is called a mud puddle?) making sure to leave about 2/3rd of the chickpeas still intact i.e. just enough that the intact chickpeas are floating in the mud :)!!! My grandma used to serve these over sliced bread, or rice, sprinkled with fresh lime juice and garnished with fresh cilantro leaves, fresh thinly sliced onions, sliced serrano/jalapeno peppers and even fresh sliced ginger. Instead of using bread or rice as the bed, I served these lovely muddy chickpeas over a freshly baked potato. Top off with hot sauce, as desired. 

Mud Puddle Chickpeas over a Baked Potato

My Assessment: Even without a lot of the fresh stuff that my grandma served these with, this dish was awesome and a hit with my dear American husband as well.

Quick Tip: If you want it extra spicy, or flavorful, add an additional tbsp of taco seasoning. Adds some extra zing. 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)*: Calories 226 (Fat Calories 34)
Total Fat 3.8 g; Carbohydrates 37.9 g; Fiber 11.7 g; Sugars 8.2 g; Protein 10.4 g

* Nutrition facts are provided for the water option as vegetable broth calorie content can vary tremendously.

Spinach Hummus

Hummus is such a versatile spread that can be used as a dip for veggies, as a salad dressing (4 vegan Ways), as a sandwich spread. Although I'd like to use it different ways, I'm boring and tend to simply use it as a dip for my daily snack of cukes and carrots and celery. Here's a link to 12 Great Ways to Use Hummus. They're not all plant-based ways .. so use wisely :) 

Spinach Hummus

Today I decided to modify my usual recipe to include more greens. Although the blog post about my  usual recipe calls for cilantro leaves, I don't always add it if I don't have any on hand. 

Prep Time: 10 min

Ingredients:

1. 2 x 15 oz cans of Chickpeas, well rinsed and drained
2. 1/2 cup Flame-Roasted Red Peppers*
3. 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
4. 6 Sun-Dried Tomatoes (Plain dried, Whole Foods 365 brand) 
5. 1/4 cup Lemon/Lime Juice
6. 2 cups Baby Spinach
7. Salt to taste
8. Water, as needed. 

Directions:

Pulse everything together in a food processor until smooth, adding more water as needed to make a smooth blend. Add salt after everything is blended well, taste testing with each addition. Add more lime juice if needed. Enjoy!!

My Assessment: I liked the smoky sweetness of sun-dried tomatoes, mixed in with the extra greens. Yum!

* I use a brand called Bella Famiglia Flame Roasted Red Peppers, which has no added oil. Make sure you're getting a product where the peppers are not preserved in Olive oil. This brand has whole red peppers, water, sea salt, sugar, wine vinegar and grape must. If you want to roast your own red peppers, here's how.

Nutrition Facts (Batch): Calories 818 (Fat Calories 136)
Total Fat 15.1 g; Carbohydrates 145.8 g; Dietary Fiber 31.3 g; Sugars 10.4 g; Protein 52.4 g

Soup of Baby Kales w Potatoes & Chickpeas

Little did I know, when I started this journey 13 months ago that I would grow to love the heartiness of kale. I was never a fan of tough greens and to be perfectly honest, I am still not a fan of raw kale. There are recipes for massaged kale which apparently allow it to lose some of its toughness, but I've never tried making those ... mostly because I'm lazy and also because I'm perfectly happy eating baby spinach in my salad - seven days a week. This soup, comes together in 20-30 minutes, in one-pot, and is loaded with more than 2 pound of greens. I added Seitan and Chick Peas for protein and a potato for starch. 

Soup of Baby Kales w Potatoes and Chickpeas

Prep Time: 20-30 min

Ingredients (Serves 4): 

1. 1 lb Baby Kale (whole)
2. 4 Heads of Baby Bok Choy (~1.1 to 1.2 lbs), sliced
3. 1 x 15oz can of Hunts Fire-Roasted Garlic Diced Tomatoes
4. 1 Russet Potato, diced into small pieces
5. 8 Dry Sun-dried Tomatoes (I buy the Whole foods 365 brand), sliced/diced.
6. 8 oz Cubed Seitan
7. 1 tbsp minced garlic
8. 1 tsp Lawry's Seasoned Salt
9. 1 tsp Cumin
10. 3 tsp Bragg's Liquid Aminos (or Low-Sodium Soy Sauce) 
11. 3 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
12. 6-8 cups of Water, or home-made (no-added-salt) Vegetable Broth
13. Pepper, to taste. 

Directions: 

Line a deep pot with water or vegetable broth and add garlic and seasonings. Once the garlic releases its aroma, add remaining ingredients (except nutritional yeast), bring to a boil and simmer until greens are wilted and potatoes are tender. Mine took about 27 minutes because I added the potatoes last. I only used liquid aminos because I'm trying to finish up my trial bottle. In my opinion, it is very salty. I prefer low-sodium soy sauce. Neither adds any substantial calories so nutritional content remains the same. Sodium content does vary. Once the potatoes are tender, add nutritional yeast and boil for a minute or two. Serve with freshly cracked black pepper. 

My Assessment: I love this soup because it is a very nutrient dense meal, for being only 300 calories. Each serving provides a whopping amount of food, 11 g of fiber and almost 28 g of proteins. The addition of the tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes together gave the broth a slight 'sweet & sour' flavor which worked perfectly with the kale. Great for leftovers too. 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)*: Calories 291

Total Fat 3.3 g; Cholesterol 0 g; Carbohydrates 44.3 g; Fiber 11.1 g; Sugars 13.1 g; Protein 27.7 g

* Nutrition facts are provided for the water option as vegetable broth calorie content can vary tremendously.

Baby Kale & Chickpeas

It is amazing to me that at this time last year, I sincerely believed, with all my heart, that God intended Kale to be bunny food. And now, I eat it several times a week, in various different dishes. Today, I decided to make a quick dinner with Kale and Red Lentils. I thought I was reaching for a can of diced tomatoes and it wasn't until the can was already moving on the electric can opener that I realized that in my absentmindedness - I had opened a can of chickpeas instead. Oh well, slight change of plans. Kale and Chickpeas are now on the  dinner menu! 

Baby Kale & Chickpeas

Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients:

1. 2 x 15 oz cans of Chickpeas (about 2.5 cups of boiled chickpeas) 
2. 6 oz of fresh Baby Kale (1 small box of pre-washed greens from the store)
3. 1 can of Hunt's Flame Roasted, Garlic Diced Tomatoes, or 2 large fresh tomatoes
4. 2 tbsp Garlic
5. 3 tbsp 100% Pure Pumpkin Puree (I had leftovers, optional)
6. 1 tsp Roasted Cumin powder
7. 2 tsp Garam Masala
8. 2 cups of water, or vegetable broth
9. Salt and Pepper, to taste
10. Fresh Cilantro/Coriander leaves for garnish

Directions:

Mix all ingredients (except for garam masala and Cilantro) together in a pan and bring to a boil, simmer for 10 minutes until kale is wilted and ingredients combine together. Or, pressure cook under high pressure for 3-5 minutes. If starting with raw chickpeas, pressure cook for as long as you normally cook chickpeas. Open immediately, mix well. Add garam masala, and garnish with cilantro and serve over brown rice. 

My Assessment: The extra pumpkin puree that I had sitting around gave the dish a faint sweetness which was countered really well by the roasted cumin. I liked it.

Julie Southwell's Tip: Top it off with some Marie Sharp's Habañero sauce. Thank you Julie!! :)

Pumpkin Hummus

So in the past several weeks, I've seen quite a few references on Facebook and other social media about Pumpkin Hummus. Being a hummus fiend that I am, I knew I had to try it. I decided to take it along as one -of my contributions to my mother-in-law's Thanksgiving Dinner. According to her, all she knows how to cook is Southern, Fattening and Unhealthy. Honestly, she must use about 2 lbs of butter on that day alone. But, she's a doll. Ever since she found out about my eating habits, she's been really really attentive and always makes sure she has something made for me. Either a baked potato, or a sweet potato and she's always added a veggie tray and a salad to help provide me with a better choice for dinner. The past few times, I've carried a bowl of hummus with me to dip my veggies in. Since it was Thanksgiving, I decided to add a fall twist and try out one of the recipes for Pumpkin Hummus available online. The one that intrigued me the most was from Dreena Burton's Plant Powered Kitchen. I followed the recipe to a tee and then simply added some salt and lemon juice, to taste.

Dreena Burton's Pumpkin Hummus

Recipe (as published by Dreena Burton)

Prep Time: 10 min

Ingredients:

1. 1 can Chick peas, drained and rinsed
2. 1 can Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
3. 1 cup pure pumpkin puree
4. 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (Dreena's comment - try not to substitute lemon juice, the lime flavor really works here). I only had bottled Lime juice so I used that. 
5. 1 medium-large clove garlic (Dreena's comment - adjust to taste, use smaller clove for kid-friendly). I used a teaspoon of minced garlic.
6. 1 tsp sea salt
7. 1 – 2 tbsp Tahini (to taste)
8. 3/4 tsp ground cumin
9. 1/4 tsp (rounded) ground allspice
10. 1/4 – 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
11. 1/2 tsp pure maple syrup
12. 1/3 cup toasted pumpkin seeds (see note for toasting; reserve about 2-3 tbsp for garnish)

Directions:

Pulse all ingredients in a food processor (except pumpkin seeds), and starting with 1 tbsp tahini, until smooth.  After taste testing, I added an additional tbsp of tahini, maybe another 1/8 cup of Lime juice and 2 tbsp Maple syrup. Garnish with pumpkin seeds (Dreena's recipe called for pulsing the pumpkin seeds into the hummus but I don't like large chunks in my hummus so I only used the toasted seeds as a garnish. I served with whole-grain Wasa crackers and fresh veggies (red and green peppers, celery, cucumbers and carrots). 

My Assessment: I liked it. I liked the smokiness of the paprika but I think that the cumin overpowers a lot of the flavors. While I am a big fan of cumin and use it a lot I think it is a strong spice and should not be used for delicately flavored dishes like this one. The pumpkin flavor was somewhat hidden by the cumin. Overall, a pretty good hit with the Omni family!!

Coriander Red Pepper Hummus

I use hummus almost on a daily basis. As I became more and more conscious about reading labels, it dawned on me that my store bought hummus derived 70% of its calories from fat. In addition, ingredients included Citric Acid, Natural Flavors and Potassium Sorbate to maintain freshness. Suddenly, this didn't seem like the best idea at all. Since then I've experimented with a couple of different recipes and this is the one that hits the spot. 

Prep Time: 5 min

Ingredients:

1. 1 x 15oz can of Chick peas, drained and rinsed well
2. 1 tbsp Tahini (optional)
3. 1 tbsp Minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
4. 2 Flame-Roasted Red Peppers* 
5. 1/2 cup water, as needed. 
6. 1/4 cup Fresh Cilantro leaves, stemmed removed. 
7. Lemon/Lime juice, to taste
8. Salt, to taste

Directions: 

Add chickpeas, tahini (if using), garlic and peppers to a food processor and pulse until smooth, adding water as needed. Add Coriander leaves and lemon/lime juice and pulse again, add salt and do a quick taste test. Adding more lime juice and salt as needed. Serve with fresh celery, cucumber, carrot and pepper sticks and broccoli and cauliflower florets. Enjoy!!

   

* I use a brand called Bella Famiglia Flame Roasted Red Peppers, which has no added oil. Make sure you're getting a product where the peppers are not preserved in Olive oil. This brand has whole red peppers,   water, sea Salt, sugar, wine vinegar and grape must.  If you want to roast your own red peppers, here's how.  

Gimme More ... Chickpea Salad!

This recipe is definitely a Coder favorite. Our favorite Indian restaurant in Columbus used to have something along these lines as part of their Sunday Buffet. This is a recipe my mom and I devised - it is simple, nutritious, has no added fat and is perfect for a summer afternoon.  Tony asks for this salad on a fairly routine basis and we always keep a few cans of chickpeas on hand for this super-healthy super-quick snack - definitely a gimme more recipe!! 

Gimme more ... Chickpea Salad

Prep Time: 15 min

Ingredients:

1. 2 14-oz cans of Chickpeas, drained, rinsed
2. 1 large Cucumber
3. 1 medium Red Onion
4. 1 large Tomato
5. 12-16 fresh mint leaves
6. 2 tbsp MDH Chunky Chaat Masala, to taste (optional)*
7. 1-2 tsp Amchoor powder (dried young mango powder) or Lemon/Lime juice
8. Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Thinly slice onion, cucumber and tomato and set aside. I use a 'mandolin'-type slicer and it works great. In a deep pot, bring 3-4 cups of tap water to a boil. As the water is heating up, prepare another bowl with ice water (more ice, less water). Once the water is at a rolling boil, add rinsed canned chickpeas, boil for 2 min and then blanch immediately by draining and transferring to the ice water. Let the chickpeas cool and meanwhile mince the mint leaves as well. Add spices and mint to the sliced veggies and toss everything together. Drain and add chickpeas and give another good toss. Do a quick taste test, add more condiments, as needed and enjoy!! 

This is a great summer salad for picnics, barbeques and even July 4th outings!! It never lasts in our house, no matter how much I make. Scale recipe up as needed. :)

* if you don't have Chaat masala, use a sprinkling of roasted cumin powder, salt, pepper, paprika and lime juice for a similar flavor. If you have dried pomegranate seed powder .. that makes an excellent addition too.

Indian Hummus

I recently saw a clip from HLN TV where Julienna Hever demonstrated an Indian Hummus Dip. I thought that was a cool idea and finally decided to make it today. It turned out great!! The recipe is freely available on the internet, so I've posted it here. The credit of course, goes to Julieanna.

Indian Hummus

Prep Time: 10 min

Ingredients:

1. 1 can of Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas), drained & Rinsed
2. Juice of 1 lemon (~3-4 tbsps)
3. 2 tbsp Tahini (Sesame butter), drain the oil on top.
4. 1 tbsp Maple syrup
5. 1/2 tsp Turmeric
6. 1 tsp Curry Powder (or Garam Masala)
7. 1 clove of Garlic (1 tsp minced)
8. Sea Salt and Pepper, to taste
9. 1/2 cup Water
10. 1 cup Raisins (optional)

Directions:

Mix everything together and blend until smooth. Julieanna's original recipe called for 1 cup raisins to be mixed in the hummus after it was smooth. I didn't use any today. Also, I used Penzey's Sweet Curry powder since I have a small jar at home, but once that runs out, I'll be using Garam Masala to replace it. I had it tonight with some sliced cucumbers and will be enjoying the rest of it through the week with a bunch of other stuff. Love the fact that its homemade and hasn't been sitting on the refrigerated shelf @ Kroger's!! :)

HH Chickpea Tacos

One of the most inspiring websites/blogs I found in the early days of becoming plant-based was Happy Herbivore. Since then I follow the blog daily and I also have both of Lindsay's cookbooks. One of the recipes that I've been thinking of trying for a long time and I haven't gotten around to, until now, is Chickpea Tacos. I made it today and boy - do I regret not having made It before. I usually have all the ingredients on hand - which happens to be the best part about the HH recipes and both cookbooks - simple recipes with simple ingredients. 

Prep Time:  15 min. 

Ingredients: See Chickpea Tacos. 

Directions: I followed the recipe as written, with the exception that I made the chickpeas in a skillet. I lined the skillet with water, added all the ingredients and kept it going until the water was almost dry. The blog recipe uses taco seasoning, but the recipe in the HHC book asks for individual components of taco seasoning - one of which is granulated onions. That's what you see in the picture below. Also, I used whole wheat tortillas and made soft tacos, instead of using shells.

My Assessment: A++

Kala Channa (Bengal Gram) Curry

I've been on a slow cooker frenzy these past couple of days. I made Dal Makhani over the weekend and then decided that I was going to make my old favorite from my younger days in a slow cooker as well ... Kala Channa Curry.

Kala Channa, or Bengal Gram, is a cousin of the Chick pea, or Garbanzo bean. It is a legume, and super high in protein content, and it is one of the oldest cultivated vegetables.  According to Wikipedia,  7,500 year-old remains have been found in the Middle East. I also found out today (thanks to Wiki) that India is the largest producer of Chick peas in the world - close to 6 million tonnes annually. Pakistan and Turkey, follow as not-so-close second and third, with less than a million tonnes each. As compared to the more commonly found light colored chick peas, the darker Bengal Gram are a great source of zinc, phosphorous, folic acid and protein. They are also very high in dietary fiber and hence a healthy source of carbohydrates for persons with insulin resistance or diabetes. They are low in fat, and what is present in the seed is mostly polyunsaturated. In the US, I've never found a can of Bengal gram .. while the lighter colored Garbanzo bean is everywhere. The dry bean is easily found in Indian grocery stores.  

Prep Time: 8-10 hours in a slow cooker

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup Bengal Gram (kala channa)
2. 1 Medium Red onion onion, diced
3. 1 large tomatoes, diced. 
4. 4-5 stalks of celery, diced
5. 2 tbsp Ginger-Garlic paste
6. 1 tbsp Cumin powder 
7. 1 tbsp Coriander powder
8. 1-2 tsp Red Chilli powder
9. 1 tsp Turmeric powder
10. 1 cup Vegetable broth
11. Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions: 

Wash and soak the beans overnight in ample amounts of water (3-4 times the amount of beans). Put all ingredients in the crock pot and about an additional cup of cold water and cook on high for pretty much the whole day. I set it in the morning before I left for work and it was ready when I got home. As with the dal recipe, the tomatoes, onions and celery will cook down so don't worry about how they're diced. A coarse chop is all that's needed. For the celery, I even chopped up some of the tender leaves and added them to the crock pot. In the evening, I tested the beans to make sure they're done, and tasted for salt. Garnish with pepper, a sprinkle of Garam masala and fresh diced coriander leaves, and enjoy over rice, or sop up with bread. The final dish should be quite soupy. I had it tonight with leftover Turmeric Spice Rice from the weekend. Yumm!

Celery Root w Chickpeas & Saffron

Vegetable #12 for New Year Resolution #2 - Celeriac (aka Celery Root). I picked up one of these at the store this past weekend and quite honestly, everyone at home thought I'd gone nuts. It looked like a dead, shriveled up brain. Yikes!!

Braised Celeriac with Chickpeas

The recipe I used today, Braised Celeriac with Chickpeas & Saffron was out of the recipe archives of Vegetarian Times.  Of course, me being me, I adapted it some. I used vegetable broth instead of olive oil, I used only a fourth of a gram of saffron (as opposed to a whole gram which I though was quite excessive). I didn't use capers or red pepper flakes, and used a half of a teaspoon of cayenne pepper powder. The other modification I should have made, but didn't this time, was to add salt to the broth before adding the veggies.  Adding it at the end left the insides a tad bland. 

Prep Time: 20-25 minutes

Sure cleans up well!

Cleaning & Prepping Celeriac: We've all heard "beauty is only skin deep" ... well in this case, Ugliness is only skin deep!! There are several videos on youtube.com showing how to clean Celeriac. I used a combination of several. I first rinsed the outside really well under running water to get rid of as much dirt as possible. Cut both ends to make flat bases so that you can hold it flat while shaving off the thin skin. I used a chef's knife to do the coarse shaving and then used a small paring knife to get the little bits/eyes that were left behind. Then, I washed it again, under running water, and then cut it into large chunks for this recipe. It is slightly tougher than an apple, but not as tough as some of the squashes out there. 

My Assessment: I think Celeriac tasted a lot like this vegetable we ate occasionally in India (kadam ka saag) which was also a tuberous vegetable with celery like stalks. Although I'm quite sure they're not quite the same thing, the taste was quite similar. The recipe itself was phenomenal. The sweet smell of Saffron is still on my hands and it blended really well with the Celeriac as well as with the chickpeas. 

I do want to try making Celeriac in the "saag" way (wilted greens), for which I'll have to mix the finely diced tuber with chopped up greens. It'll take a few tried to come up with the winning choice of greens.