Leftovers #23 ~ Oven Roasted Chickpeas

Having leftover chickpeas is great because they can be roasted and are fantastic to snack on and perfect to add to any salad. They offer protein and fibre and are simply delicious.  

To make these oven roasted chickpeas you will need the following:

1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed then gently pat dry or air dry

some oil, something with a high smoking point would be good

seasonings, which ever you prefer or have on hand

1 baking sheet, lined with parchment paper

Pre heat the oven to 400ºF.

In a medium large bowl toss the chickpeas in some oil. Then add which ever herbs or seasoning you have on hand or like. I did a chili and herb spice blend. You may add salt and pepper to taste however I did not. I would rather give way to the spicy herb flavour than taste it is either too salty or peppery. Again, toss to coat the chickpeas. Place the seasoned chickpeas on the prepared baking sheet and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until nicely browned. Checking them half way through the baking time and using oven mitts and holding the pan on either side carefully shake the baking sheet once to roll the chickpeas around; then place them back in the oven for the remainder of the baking time.  Once browned remove from the oven and allow to cool. Once cooled enjoy them as they are or on a salad. 

This was my lovely salad topped with the chickpeas and some warmed halloumi cheese.

Hope everyone is having a good week so far. The snow has arrived and the feeling of Christmas is in the air. - JD 

Broccoli Slaw

I made this as a side dish to go with the tofu wraps we were having for dinner however the broccoli slaw seemed to be placed more inside the wrap than outside. It was a great way to add more fibre and crunch and worked well with the marinated tofu and freshly cut veggies. With only a few ingredients; this broccoli slaw is quick to make and very simple. 

Broccoli Slaw
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1/2 cup low sodium light Mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon grainy mustard
1/4 teaspoon paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1 package (340g) of Broccoli Slaw


Empty the bag of broccoli slaw into a large bowl and set aside. 

In a medium sized bowl stir all the remaining ingredients together until well combine. 

Once the dressing is all mixed together pour over the broccoli slaw and gently toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Notes: You could add some crushed almonds, cranberries or flax seeds for added crunch and texture.    

Enjoy! - JD

Three Great Salads

Salads are something I crave regardless if the temperature is warm or not. It can be the dead of winter minus 25... 30 and I am happily munching on a salad. These three salads are easy and offer plenty of nutrients. 

Spinach, arugula, and crisp vegetables topped with roasted seasoned chickpeas, feta cheese, and unsalted sunflower seeds give plenty of substance. A lovely homemade dressing add a light herbal flavour to this main meal salad.   

Mixed greens... various romaine, spinach and arugula tossed in a homemade dressing with lima beans, green peppers, red onion, and sunflower seeds. Light, crisp and very green. A perfect side dish to any meal. 

Pasta perfect... a homemade vegetable pasta salad tossed with a simple homemade dressing served on top of a leafy green mixture, spinach and arugula, sprinkled with sunflower seeds and served with a side of grilled halloumi cheese, becoming a scrumptious main meal. 

 

Leftovers #13 ~ Pasta Salad

Seems like I always cook either too much pasta or too much rice. Regardless, I always make use of either. This time I had leftover pasta. And decided to make a pasta salad. 

Poking around the refrigerator to see what veggies I had on hand... I sliced cucumbers, diced yellow peppers, chopped green onions, used some remaining sliced olives, from the pizzas we made, and crumbled some feta cheese onto the leftover pasta in a large bowl. Gently gave it a toss and since I had some homemade salad dressing on hand, I drizzled that over everything, tossed again and transferred the pasta salad to a serving dish. I also chopped some lovely hothouse tomatoes that were placed on just before serving or according to individual taste. Very simple and easy! 

Hope everyone had a lovely weekend! - JW  

English Pub Favourites

I have only been home for a few days and I am already itching to get back into the kitchen. There is really no big surprise considering that I brought back six cookbooks. However jet lag is lingering. So I thought I would do this post and share some of the menu choices I made while eating out.  

Usually when I go to England the ploughman's is the menu item I order. A quick glance at any menu when eating out and spotting a ploughman's means the search to fill the void is no more. Second to that is fish and chips followed by the Waldorf salad. 

The Ploughman's - The first Ploughman's I had was at the Old Bell in Rye, pictured here. By far this was the best one! The bread was cut thick and so was the cheese. The salad, fresh. The ham, tender. The apple slices crisp and a few crisps for crunch. Even though the ingredients to make up a ploughman's remains the same, every pub does it's own take on this pub classic. 

Fish and Chips - That is the standby favourite and I always have to have my fill. I do find fish and chips here and fish and chips in England are two different things. However this time I was able to try a vegetarian version at the Victoria pub in London, pictured here. Pieces of fried halloumi cheese, chips and mushy peas served with a side of tartar sauce. It was equally delicious and just as satisfying as the real thing. 

The Waldorf Salad - When I see this on the menu I feel compelled to order this. Waldorf salads are few and far between in Canada. Also I always have a bit of a laugh due to the Fawlty Towers episode. Therefore I find it amusing and comforting. I view this salad the same way as the ploughman's, the ingredients remain the same however some may add a few extras. This Waldorf salad, pictured here, from the Riverside Inn in Ashford, Kent was great. It was served with a bed of lettuce and bunches of diced veggies placed around it and then the salad topped with pumpkin seeds crowned the top. Very filling! 

- JW 

My Week In Food

This may be a new series of posts I do called My Week In Food. It will be more of a snapshot... a summary... the highlights of what I cooked or baked in a week. Most often than not I do not post everything I create and that goes for my other blog as well, unfortunately. Some weeks are busier inside and outside of the kitchen. My kidlets complain that I take to many photos of the things I cook or bake. I must admit that is true. I take plenty of photos only to narrow it down to one then the rest get deleted. I am a slave to my creations.    

These pancakes started off the Canada Day long weekend. They came with all the trimmings... and by that I mean maple syrup!

Visiting the farmer's market and spending sometime at the Legislature grounds had me making this fast summertime snack, nachos. Or as I like to call them my Canada Day nachos due to the fact I used red and white corn chips. 

I luv salads! Trying new ingredients to make salads fresh and tasty are a must. Pea sprouts are my salads new best friend!

An egg salad sandwich on marble rye was not immune to pea sprouts. They spruced up this otherwise bland sandwich. A lunchtime favourite of mine that is best with watercress. 

A glass of milk is all you need... my late night baking took a break from banana bread. I made chocolate chip cookies instead. 

What to do with that last little bit of mozzarella cheese... make another salad. There are chopped tomatoes, red peppers, cucumbers, red onions, raspberries, pea sprouts and cubes of mozzarella cheese. All tossed in a homemade raspberry vinaigrette dressing. 

 

Veggie Salad

Summer is here... I hope! With the bright sun, flowers in bloom and plenty of homemade ice tea on hand, my appetite dwindles. I crave simple meals. Last night I made a vegetable salad minus the leafy greens. Who says you have to make a salad with greens only? My vegetables of choice were: tomatoes, red onions, yellow peppers, radishes and cubes of mozzarella cheese. Tossed in olive oil and balsamic vinegar with a dash of paprika! I served this salad with a modest sized pork chop in barbeque sauce.  - JW 

Tuna is Up!

As the red cabbage simmers on the stove I am munching away on this for lunch. Tuna salad over mixed veggies and lettuce. Drizzled with light olive oil and balsamic vinegar, sprinkled with chives. I did add a touch of smoked paprika to season the tuna. My kitchen smells wonderful... how about yours? Enjoy your Thursday afternoon. -jw

roses are red and so are radishes

Something I have reintroduced myself to is the radish. It wasn't until I was at a dinner party and noted the brightly coloured root in the salad. Until then, I did not realise how much I have missed this little wonder. Radishes are rich in ascorbic acid, folic acid and potassium. They are also a good source of vitamin B6, riboflavin, magnesium, copper and calcium. Normally radishes come with a bit of a spicy side however the radishes that I am currently buying seem less spicy and more sweet.

This is my salad: One bag of mixed field greens, some chopped cucumber and one bunch, approximately 11, radishes. mix olive oil, balsamic vinegar together with a pinch of salt and toss or individually drizzle dressing over served salad. If you don't want to make your own salad dressing then use which ever pre-made dressing you wish. I would avoid creamy dressing as I find that it takes away from the radishes. keep it light and fresh.

Here is my salad rounded out by a dinner of chicken meatloaf and oven roasted baby potatoes and carrots. A nice French red wine accompanied the meal. - jw