Chickpeas: What’s Not to ♥ ♥ ♥ !!!
I am a big fan of chickpeas!
What about you?
I have a lot of cooking and baking planned for the next couple of weeks, with chickpeas to use in a couple of the recipes.
Below is a Veggies…post from a few years ago, featuring a couple of my favorite chickpea recipes.
Hope you enjoy them soon and DO let me know if you give them a try.
HAPPY WEEK TO ALL! 🙂
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.
On the menu for supper tonight:
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?
Happy Cooking! 🙂
Healthy November: Wheat Free Recipes
Don’t these look delish? 😉
I’m not gluten-intolerant but I know a LOT of people are.
Happy (Gluten-Free) Cooking! G
Root Veggies! Don’t Ya Just ♥ Them? ;-)
I SURE DO!!! 😉
And here are some of my fav ways to prepare and serve these oh,so yummy “gems” from the fall harvest!
Sam’s Famous Carrot Cake with My (NOT Too Sweet) Cream Cheese Icing
My favorite cake, no contest!
Just add dark rye bread and you’re good to go! 😉
One of my fav slow cooker recipes from the Groovy Green Kitchen I.
I make this one a lot. Quick to prepare, hearty and delicious.
And, it includes: onions, garlic and potatoes: all fav rooties! 🙂
Kasha and Beet Salad with Celery and Feta
A delish and elegant salad; brimming with flavor!
A twist on traditional lasagna, again from the slow cooker. Hearty and delish!
HAPPY COOKING and AUTUMN!
Harvest vegetable photo, courtesy of FLICKR
Simply, Super, Summer Salads!
“Salad Season” is definitely here again! 😉
Thought this would be a good time to share this recipe post again from the Veggies…archives, featuring 4 of my all-time fav salads.
What is your favorite salad?
Happy Cooking and Weekend! G
For me when it comes to food, nothing says SUMMER like a beautiful, fresh SALAD! 🙂
Here are some of my fav salads from the Veggie archives.
Hope you enjoy one or all of them soon.
Spinach and Mushroom Salad with Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing
(this post includes some handy tips for salad do’s and don’ts)
(a winner in one of my recipe contests! so delish)
(if you like fresh dill, try this one for sure)
Kasha and Beet Salad with Celery and Feta
(from a recent post, in case you missed it. I ♥ this salad!)
—
What is your favorite summer salad/food/recipe?
If you can, do share a link.
Happy Summer, it’s almost here! 🙂
On the Menu: Tangy Barley Buttermilk Soup
It was a perfect “soup day” yesterday, here in BC. 🙂
There was a bit of chill in the air, intermittent drizzle….so I got busy and made a big pot of: Tangy Barley Buttermilk Soup along with some: Sausage, Cheese and Thyme Muffins. What a yummy and oh so satisfying dinner it was! 🙂
I’ve shared the complete soup recipe below, this one is from the Groovy Green Kitchen II: Simply, Super, Supper Soups.
The muffins are from volume I of: The Groovy Green Kitchen: Weeknight Veggie Slow Cooker. They were perfect with this luscious, cream soup. 😉
I hope you’ll enjoy a bowl (or two) soon!
Happy Cooking and Week!
PS: Yes, the cover of the GGK I has been updated.I also did some work on the interior photos to improve the overall presentation. If you have a copy already, an update would be available from Amazon. If you need any further info. about this, just send me an email (see contact page).
***
Tangy Barley Buttermilk Soup
This soup was inspired by a recipe from the first edition of the ground-breaking book: Diet for a Small Planet. My updated version adds garlic and herbs but leaves out the butter.
I also recently “tweaked” the seaonings a bit, adding some from Splendor Garden (certified organic, gotta ♥ that, and they added a wonderful flavor and color boost to the soup). Serves 6.
-¾ C. pearl or pot barley
-3 T. vegetable or olive oil
-1 large (preferably sweet) onion, diced
-2-4 cloves garlic, minced (to taste)
-2 teas. bouquet garni seasoning or GGK Herbal Blend Seasoning (GGK seasoning recipe is in the book)
-1-2 teas. dried chives (to taste)
-¼ – ½ teas. freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
-1-2 teas. Splendor Garden Organic All-Purpose Seasoning SF OR Splendor Garden Organic Lemon Pepper Seasoning
-5 C. vegetable soup stock
-2 C. regular or low-fat buttermilk
-Optional garnishes: finely chopped fresh parsley or chives and/or additional sprinkle of Splendor Garden seasoning blend
Thoroughly rinse and drain barley, set aside.
In a large soup pot, heat vegetable oil over MEDIUM-HIGH heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté for 3 minutes.
Add herbs, black pepper, Splendor Garden seasoning and the barley and stir to combine all ingredients thoroughly.
Cover and steam over MEDIUM-LOW heat for 5 minutes to release flavors and slightly toast barley. (Hint: be careful not to burn the barley, stir at least a couple of times)
Add vegetable soup stock, cover and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to LOW and simmer for 30-40 minutes, until barley is cooked but not mushy.
Add buttermilk to soup and simmer for 2-3 additional minutes, just to heat through.
Adjust seasonings if required. Garnish and serve.
Book Review: Never Too Late to Go Vegan
Never Too Late to Go Vegan by Carol J. Adams, Patti Breitman and Virginia Messina
My review from Amazon.com:
I have been a vegetarian, avid vegetarian cook and cookbook author for over 20 years. But to date, I have not taken “the plunge” to become a total vegan, YET! But it IS a topic of interest to me, and often on my mind.
Vegans come in all shapes, sizes and age groups, but it’s still often thought of as something only the “under 30” crowd would embrace willingly and gain from.
In: Never Too Late to Go Vegan, authors Adams, Breitman and Messina prove without a doubt that this definitely is not just a good choice, only for the younger crowd.
This truly is (as the cover states) “the over 50 guide to adopting and thriving on a plant-based diet”.
And how I loved to see the word “thrive” included in that description. 🙂
For those of us who want to enjoy a long, healthy life, “to thrive” is something we should all be aiming for; no matter what stage we are currently at in life’s journey.
The book contains a wealth of information for the new or wannabe vegan. And although the book is focused mainly on those over 40, 50…and beyond, this certainly is worthwhile reading for anyone, at any age, who is considering making the switch in their own lives to a vegan diet and lifestyle.
Some of the chapters included:
-Why Now? Positive Aging the Vegan Way
-Relationship Dynamics: Family and Friends and Veganism
-Veganism and Caregiving
-and yes, there are a good variety of recipes included too!
Cashew Herb Pate, Southwestern Corn Salad, Sweet and Spicy Baked Tofu, Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake and lots of other easy to make choices; and certainly not just the vegans or vegetarians at your table.
I found the overall tone of this book to be upbeat, interesting and encouraging too. And unlike many vegan guides, it doesn’t contain a lot of graphic information (and no photos) about the horrors of meat-production. I think that most people over 40, who are at the point of considering veganism, are already all too aware of these troubling and disturbing facts. That for me was a bonus.
There are many real life stories shared in this book too, again something that I really enjoyed; from older vegans, sharing their own personal challenges in adopting and maintaining a vegan lifestyle. It’s never an easy choice, even in today’s supposedly more enlightened times; especially if you happen to be sharing a home with staunch meat-eaters.
The book wraps up with the recipe section (over 100 pages!) and also a number of recommendations for further books and cookbooks to check out and other suggested vegan products.
I’m still not a total vegan, but after reading “Never Too Late to Go Vegan” a couple of weeks ago, I am contemplating taking this step even more.If you’ve also considered a vegan lifestyle and just happen to be over 40…you’ll want to check out this excellent resource book.
Highly recommended!
You can also visit the author’s website here.
On the Menu: Kasha and Beet Salad with Celery and Feta (with a twist) ;-)
I made this oh, so yummy beet salad again yesterday (one of my all-time favs) 😉 this time with a slight variation.
I didn’t have any kasha, so I used black rice instead (ancient, organic variety). I’m a big fan of this type of rice, so good! 😉
I also used lots of finely chopped fresh dill instead of parsley. It turned out great!
If you love beets, this is a recipe you won’t want to miss.
Perfect for adding to lunches, or as a side or vegetarian main dish. Would also be great for a potluck or buffet dinner.
Check out the recipe and review of the cookbook by Judith Finlayson, that this wonderful recipe is from.
What’s on the menu at your place?
Happy Cooking!
It’s Hug a Vegetarian Day! ;-)
According to my office wall calendar, today is:
Hug a Vegetarian Day. 🙂
I also noted online that tomorrow, October 1st is World Vegetarian Day.
So make sure to hug all the vegetarians you know today and tomorrow. 😉
On a personal note, I’ve been a vegetarian for many years and have never regretted my decision to give up eating meat.
More and more people continue to embrace a vegetarian diet, for a number of reasons and there are millions of vegetarians around the world.
For me, it’s always been mainly an ethical choice to not eat meat, due in large part to reading: Diet for a New America by John Robbins, several years ago. I was shocked and saddened by what I read in that book and I never forgot it. 😦 I had been eating less and less meat for years, before reading that book. And after finishing the book (and it’s a very tough book to read, if you love animals) I gave it up completely.
On the plus side, I’ve been healthier and happier since I became a vegetarian and delighted by all the good things that can be created in the kitchen without any meat.
If you are in need of some vegetarian recipe inspiration, do check out the extensive recipe archives here at Veggies….
You can also check out my two cookbooks at Amazon.com:
Not Just for Vegetarians (print version only) and The Groovy Green Kitchen: Weeknight Veggie Slow Cooker (print and Kindle versions)
Have a Wonderful Week and Sending Lots of Hugs to YOU (to the meat-eaters too)!
***
PS: On a completely different topic, if you know anything about making CDs, please stop by over at My Poetic Path to read my post from today.
***
Photo above from Not Just for Vegetarians by Geraldine Hartman.
Photograph by Patricia Holdsworth Photography.
VEGGIES, YARNS & TAILS 