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.

Gimme More ... Dal Makhani

Here's another one of our favorites. Tony's, Alex's, li'l Nik's and even mine. In our household, Dal Makhani is definitely a gimme more and is typically made by the crock-load and doesn't last long!! A hot summer day off in celebration of our freedoms definitely called for a slow-cooked meal. Yum!!  

Today's preparation, as always, was enjoyed with Jeera Rice - white Basmati (long-grain) rice boiled with Cumin seeds and drained (just like pasta). 

Red, White & Blue Smoothie

For the past few weeks, I've started my day with a Green Smoothie. I've given up my morning coffee (although I still drink a couple of cups of tea a day). Its a super-refreshing start to the day and I love knowing that I'm starting the day with a boost of antioxidants and vitamins and minerals. Here's my standard single-serve recipe. Today's patriotic version is full of Red, White and Blue goodness!! 

I typically make it in a tumbler that I can take in the car with me. For the first couple of weeks, I used a stick blender which works just great if the fruit is fresh. For the last week, I've used my new Ninja Pro Blender, which comes with 2 single-serve blender cups/tumblers. The Ninja works great with frozen fruits as well and is much quicker. 

Red, White & Blue (Green) Smoothie

Mix Red Strawberries (4-6 pieces), White Almond Milk (1/2 cup) and Blueberries (10-15 pieces) in a tumbler with one pitted date (optional) and fill the rest of the tumbler (between 1/2 to 3/4) with Baby Spinach. Add ice, if needed. Blend and Enjoy!! Happy Independence Day!!!

Recipe Update (December 12, 2012): For an especially nutty flavor, add 2 tbsps of Chia Seeds to the smoothie. Umm Umm good!