Chickpeas: What’s Not to ♥ ♥ ??
I’m a big fan of chickpeas.
I use them in all kinds of recipes: soups, stews, curries, hummus…
I ♥ their nutty rich flavor and the unique texture they add to dishes too.
And they are sooooooo good for us! 😉
There are many health benefits derived from eating chickpeas, you can read more about that here and here.
Slow Cooker Veggie Curry
And to add to this week’s snacks with crudites, crackers…
Fresh Rosemary Hummus
Both recipes are featured in:
The Groovy Green Kitchen: Weeknight Veggie Slow Cooker
Do you like chickpeas?
What’s your favorite way of using them in recipes?
Spiced Pumpkin Seed and Cashew Crunch
***Doesn’t these look like a yummy snack option?***
Thanks to Chef Julianna for this spiced nut-mix recipe.
I’m planning to make some later this week. Looks like a keeper! 😉
Happy Snacking.
Pumpkin Seed and Cashew Crunch
Everyone loves a party, right? Especially in the bleak winter months of January and February when we all need a lift! Well, when I heard that Angie over at The Novice Gardener was hosting a Friday night blog party called Fiesta Friday, I thought it would be fun to hang out with a bunch of like-minded bloggers and mix and mingle a bit. So, like I normally do when I’m going to a pot-luck, I hit my back issues of Bon Appétit magazine to search for some inspiration for my contribution. When I saw this recipe I knew what I was bringing! It’s perfect for a party and I could make a double batch as afternoon snacks for my husband and I. This is an awesome recipe! Let me tell you, we have been nibbling away at the bowl since yesterday and you guys…
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How I LOVE Beets, Let Me Count the Ways! ;-)
I ♥ beets sooooo much! 😉
I think beets are one of the most underrated vegetables in terms of versatility and taste.
Not to mention their health benefits, which are significant too and in a number of ways. It’s not just vitamin C that you’re getting in a serving of beets! You can read about some of the many nutritional pluses of eating beets and beet greens here.
Tonight I’m making a beet pesto with pasta recipe for the first time. Sounds and looks so yummy. It’s a recipe that I found recently in Alive Magazine. I also make a variety of beet salads on a regular basis and of course, my fav soup of all time:
Veggie Beet Borscht (click for the recipe).
Do you like beets and what’s your fav recipe to make with them?
Happy Cooking! :)
I’m Baaack….and Some Pizza Too! ;-)
Homemade Zucchini, Onion and Artichoke Pizza
Well, I’m finally back online with a new computer and Windows 8 (fun, fun!!!) to learn. Why do they have to change these programs so much every time there’s an new edition? Makes no sense. 😦
Now I know first-hand why so many people are complaining about Windows 8.
Anyone else learning Windows 8 right now? If you have any quick tips to share, PLEASE DO!
Even simple things like minimizing a page etc…have changed. And I can’t figure out how to copy my photos from a USB drive, into the Photo app. on the start page.
I also have a gazillion emails and other things to catch up with.
But, I’ll get there, chipping away at the to-do pile, day by day.
I have missed blogging SO much!
I hope to get around to visit all my fav blogs by this weekend. I read a LOT of blogs so it might take a while. 😉
In the meantime, hope you enjoy this pizza crust recipe from my first cookbook: Not Just for Vegetarians. (see recipe below)
So easy to make and another thing I’m making ‘from scratch’ more and more these days.
What is your favorite pizza and do you make homemade too?
Happy Week and Happy Cooking! 🙂
***
Homemade pizza is so much better than commercial and for so many reasons.
Obviously, not as expensive. Ingredients not questionable (many commercial crusts contain lard) and of course the varieties you can have fun making are endless. Healthier choices made easy for a ‘fast food’ that has stood the test of time. Pizza will be around forever I think. I certainly hope so. Enjoy!!!!
This dough recipe makes enough for 2- (14″-15″) regular crusts OR 3- (12″-13″) thin crusts (my preference).
HOMEMADE PIZZA DOUGH
Pizza dough doesn’t have to be complicated to make. This way, you can be sure what you are eating; many commercial pizza crusts contain lard. This one is from my brother Wendell’s collection of recipes and it is one of the best I’ve ever made or tasted.
1 C. lukewarm (not hot) water
1 T. raw sugar or honey
2 T. dry Traditional yeast
¼ C. olive oil
½ teas. sea salt
2 ½-3 C. unbleached white flour
Optional: 1 T. mixed dried herbs of choice (oregano, thyme, savory etc…)
In a large bowl, combine lukewarm water and sugar. Sprinkle yeast on top and stir just once. Cover and let dissolve in a warm place, about 10-15 minutes, yeast should be frothy.
Add oil and salt and then stir in just enough flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured board and knead 100 times, adding more flour if required. Dough should be smooth and satiny but not dry. Note: Add dried herbs with the flour (opt.).
Grease mixing bowl and place kneaded ball of dough in it. Cover with a dampened tea towel and let rise in a warm place for 30-40 minutes or until doubled.
Preheat oven to 450 F. Grease pizza pans.
Divide dough in half (or 3 for thin crusts), spread out on prepared pans, forming a thin crust around edges. Hint: Wet your fingers slightly to help with this step.
Top crusts with a thin layer of tomato sauce ( go easy on this, too much means a soggy crust ) and toppings of choice.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, reduce heat to 400 F after first 10 minutes, if browning too fast.
Reprinted from: Not Just for Vegetarians, Delicious Homestyle Cooking, the Meatless Way by Geraldine Hartman. All rights reserved.
A Sneak Peek Recipe from My Upcoming Cookbook!
My new cookbook: The Groovy Green Kitchen II. Simply, Super, Supper Soups is coming along nicely! 😉
I’ve still got a lot of typing ahead of me, formatting and a few more recipes to develop. But well on the way.
In the meantime, I thought you might enjoy a ‘sneak peek’ recipe to enjoy now:
Southern Nights Slow Cooker Veggie-Sausage Gumbo.
If you didn’t think gumbo could be good without shrimp or meat added to it, think again.
This version is truly: YUMMY GOOD! 🙂
What a perfect time of year to enjoy a bowl of hearty, stick-to-your ribs gumbo.
And this one is oh so easy, from the slow cooker!
I featured some herbs and spices from The Spice House in this gumbo and they have now added this recipe to their website for readers to enjoy there too. Hope you will as well!
Stay tuned for the second volume of The Groovy Green Kitchen, which I hope to have available at Amazon by the end of February.
And if you haven’t checked it out already, here’s a link to the first volume of that cookbook series:
(Kindle and Print versions available)
Happy Cooking! 🙂
***
Southern Nights Slow Cooker Veggie-Sausage Gumbo.
Copyright 2014, Geraldine Helen Hartman. All rights reserved.
Hooray for Soup Time!
*** I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THE SECOND VOLUME IN THE GROOVY GREEN KITCHEN SERIES IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS AND IT’S GOING VERY WELL. ***
THIS BOOK/EBOOK WILL BE ALL ABOUT SOUPS: SIMPLY, SUPER, SUPPER SOUPS, TO BE EXACT! ;<)
THOUGHT I’D ALSO SHARE SOME OF MY FAV SOUPS FROM THE VEGGIE ARCHIVES IN THIS ENCORE POST.
HOPE YOU ENJOY ONE OR MORE OF THESE RECIPES SOON.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO CANADIAN READERS. AND HAPPY COOKING AND WEEKEND TO EVERYONE! :<)
I’ve been making a variety of favorite soup recipes lately. It’s great to get back to cooking after the long, hot summer.
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. I am NOT a hot weather person.
I thought I’d share a collection of some of my favorite soups today.
I’ve included photos and links back to the original posts that include the recipes and readers comments.
Do let me know if you’ve given any or all of these a try.
It’s soup time again….and the cooking is oh so easy! 🙂
Tangy and Terrific Black Bean Soup
Summer’s Bounty Herb and Veggie Soup
Happy Cooking!
Recipes for the Fall Harvest!
If you are inundated with garden produce right now (and isn’t that a wonderful thing!) or just enjoying the bounty from your local farmer’s markets; I hope you will enjoy this selection of harvest recipes from the archives. 🙂
Sam’s Famous Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing
Quick and Easy Zucchini Stir-Fry
(link includes recipe for Zucchini and Cheddar Fettuccini too.)
Naked Cake aka The Best Zucchini Chocolate Cake
(read the recipe, for more about the name!) 😉
Happy Cooking! 🙂
PS: My apologies for the very small print and a bit of wonky formatting in some of these previous recipe posts. For some reason, WP wouldn’t allow me to update to a larger font when I tried to do that tonight. 😦
The quirks of WordPress, eh? 😉
Hooray for Soup Time!
I’ve been making a variety of favorite soup recipes lately. It’s great to get back to cooking after the long, hot summer.
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. I am NOT a hot weather person.
I thought I’d share a collection of some of my favorite soups today.
I’ve included photos and links back to the original posts that include the recipes and readers comments.
Do let me know if you’ve given any or all of these a try.
It’s soup time again….and the cooking is oh so easy! 🙂
Tangy and Terrific Black Bean Soup
Summer’s Bounty Herb and Veggie Soup
Happy Cooking!
Just checking in….
Hope you are all enjoying a lovely weekend, wherever you are.
I’m “nursing” a sore foot (again, rats) appears to be a bit sprained.
On the plus side, did make the most of my “down time” yesterday, working on a pattern (my very own!!!) for some crochet booties. I managed to finish one bootie (not worthy of a photo yet). Not quite there, in terms of the final pattern being perfect, but pretty darn close.
It was lots of fun, I couldn’t believe how fast the hours flew by. Guess that’s why Ravelry is filled with designs from their members. Speaking of Ravelry, love the concept, I’m just wondering if I will ever find the time to participate as so many of you do. Seems to be a gazillion things to check out over there.
Right now, I’m still a bit Ravel-Dazzled !!!! 😉
I also have a couple of new recipes to share with you,coming up next week.
One for “Wheat-germ, Coconut Cran Muffins” (too yummy).
Also, a very satisfying supper-in-a-casserole, “Green Lentil, Tomato and Veggie Bake” (colorful and delish). Do stay tuned for those.
I’m going to be adding a couple of new categories to Veggies…very soon. One will be for New Recipes (ie: post NJFV) and also My Crochet Designs (including some that I’ve made in the past).
My interest in crochet is re-emerging BIG TIME so what the hey….I keep seeing other people in Blogland designing their own patterns. Time to ‘tidy up’ and compile the patterns I’ve designed myself and more to follow.
Hope you will enjoy the new creations from the kitchen and the hook!!!
In the meantime, hope you will stop by to share my latest poem at My Poetic Path: Thoughts at Twilight
I look forward to reading your thoughts too, very soon.
Now I’m off to visit some of my fav. blogs (as many as I can) !!!!
BFN, G 🙂
VEGGIES, YARNS & TAILS 