Chickpea Spaghetti

one day back around the time of the new york city marathon, deb from smitten kitchen made this wonderful pasta filled with chickpeas, veggies and all around deliciousness. luckily for me, I had most of these items in my fridge and with some spinach on the brink of going bad, I decided to put my own little touch on this gem.

as an "athlete", i am always looking for ways to eat deliciously while being healthy all at the same time. this bad boy definitely falls into that category, so I highly recommend this quick and easy recipe to any person...whether an athlete or not. ;-)

Adapted From: Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients
15 ounces canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained or about 2 cups, freshly cooked chickpeas
1/2 cup vegetable stock (or chicken stock) stock
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Pinch chile flakes ( I use red pepper)
1 Cup of Grape Tomatoes (Halved)
2 Cups of Uncooked Spinach
Salt to taste
1 pound spaghetti (or angel hair pasta)
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese to taste

Directions

1) Cook Pasta and drain accordingly

2) Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan

3) Saute garlic and onions, until onions are translucent (4-5 minutes)

4) Add spinach to garlic and onions and cook until spinach begins to wilt. Then add tomatoes, veggie stock and chile pepper flakes and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

5) Remove mixture in saucepan from heat and add it to the spaghetti and mix well. Season with salt and pepper accordingly.

6) Top with fresh basil and parmesan cheese.

7) Share and ENJOY!

Notes: When you add the veggie(chicken) stock, you can simmer it up to 20 minutes, depending on how much you want the flavor to seep it. I thought it was delicious without all the additional time. Additionally, the original recipe also had pancetta in it, so if you are a meat-eater, there is your special protein! I would also consider using maybe arugula or swiss chard instead of spinach, just to mix up the flavor profile of the dish. Nevertheless, it was super delicious and very quick to make. I am sure that I will be making this again!

Made: 11/09/10
Posted: 01/30/11

Cauliflower Bean Salad

Sometimes thing just come together and they were better then you expected. This is precisely what happened with this dish. I was inspired by a dish that I saw on Deb's Smitten Kitchen and it just morphed it into my own tasty meal. This is a dish I really recommend trying and although it doesn't seem that it would be that filling, it most definitely is.

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoon of honey

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 medium head of cauliflower, trimmed, cut into small florets

1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained

A Bundle of Asparagus (Anywhere between 1/2-1 pound)

2 teaspoons chopped parsley (or herb of your choice)

1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

1) Preheat oven to 400°F.

2) Toss cauliflower florets and asparagus with 1/4 cup of olive oil and season well with salt and pepper.

3) Spread on a baking sheet and roast until edges are dark and caramelized, about 15-20 minutes, stirring once or twice.

4) While cauliflower and asparagus is browning beautifully, combine remaining olive oil, vinegar, and honey. Stir over medium heat just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Cool.

5) Whisk lemon juice, salt, and pepper in small bowl. Add to olive oil, vinegar and honey mixture.

6) Combine roasted, still warm cauliflower and asparagus. Add the cheese.

7) Season salad with salt and pepper to taste.

8) Share and Enjoy!

So yeahhhh, go make this. you wont regret it. I promise.

MADE: 11/06/10
Posted: 01/18/11

Apple Spice Cake

i love apples (peeled). i love apple (pie). i don't love apple (juice). i love hot apple (cider). i love apple (sauce). i love (baking) with apple (sauce).

Yes, it is true. I have a deep love for many things apple (except apple juice...i actually hate that stuff...it is weird but I won't get into it). When I first started really getting into my baking and I found out that BOOF buddy Mits did not eat eggs, I was unsure of what to use as a substitute. I found many numerous recipes that used all of these crazy supplements, but I wanted something more natural...and something that I could eat and use on a regular basis. Enter: Apple Sauce.

It has been a love-love relationship ever since and I have been able to create some pretty tasty things that are eggless which also makes them better for ya! Unfortunately this recipe has eggs in it, but I am on my way to finding a way to make it eggless but not too moist...that is the problem my friends.

I had never made an apple spice cake before but I have definitely eaten my fair share, but when I saw this recipe from Deb at Smitten Kitchen, I knew that I had to make this. Probably more than once. This recipe is super easy and super delicious and I chose to put the icing on it, but it works wonderfully as a breakfast cake minus the icing. So yummy. So Autumn. So Perfect.

Ingredients
For the Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce

For the Icing:
5 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup confectioners sugar
1/2- 1 teaspoon teaspoon cinnamon ( I use the full whopping 1 teaspoon...cinnamon just adds so much delicious flavor!)

Directions
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2) Butter baking dish ( I recommend 8 or 9 inch square)
3) MAKE the CAKE: Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.
4) Beat butter, brown sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
5) Add eggs one at a time, beating well.
6) Add in apple sauce and beat well.
7) Spread batter in pan and bake for about 35-40 minutes until golden-brown. Do the toothpick Test!
8) Cool for about 15-20 minutes and then loosen the cake before turning it upside down, so it comes out of the pan to cool some more. DO not forget this step...I may have...
9) MAKE the ICING: Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla with an electric mixer at high speed until fluffy.
10) Sift confectioners sugar and cinnamon over cream cheese mixture, then beat at medium speed until incorporated.
11) Spread frosting over top of cooled cake.
12) SHARE and ENJOY

I really enjoyed this cake and I was surprised at how easy this was. I find this cake hard to judge because it is so moist, so just try and use your best judgment when removing it from the oven. Remember, a little too moist never hurt anyone. ;-)

Made: 11/04/10
Posted: 01/13/11

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are just almost the same exact recipe except with choco chips...and powdered sugar. I think those two ingredients might just make them even more delicious than the butterscotch ones. Who knew that was even possible.

Well, Joy the baker knew. That's who gave me the idea. She's such a smarty pants.

Adapted from Joy the Baker

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup canola or corn oil

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chocolate chips

Directions

1) Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

2) Line two baking sheets with aluminum foil

3) Stir the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices together in a medium bowl and set aside.

4) In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs and sugar until smooth and fluffy.

5) Once done mixing well, scrape the sides of the bowl.

6) On low speed, mix the oil, pumpkin, and vanilla until blended.

7) Mix in the flour mixture to incorporate it. Mix in the chips.

8) Use a 1/4 cup or your hands to drop dough balls about 2 1/2 inches apart on the cookie sheets.

9) Bake for 15-17 minutes and do the toothpick trick. Make sure the top feels firm before you remove them from the oven.

10) Cool for about 5-7 minutes and then top with powdered sugar (don't be sparing)

11) Share and Enjoy!

I am so happy that all my buds at school actually like pumpkin with the exception of a few. Anything of the pumpkin variety is quickly eaten up and these were no exception. Super tasty. Super fluffy. Super amazing. Go make these, please.

Made: 11/04/10
Posted: 01/18/11

Lemon Bars

I had never made homemade lemon bars but after making these, I thought to myself, "Why Would anyone not make these homemade?". This is by far one of the simplest things I have ever made and it was so delicious too. I oddly made these for halloween...i'm not quite sure why but I did and everyone seemed to enjoy them.

Adapted from: Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa

For the Crust
1/2 pound unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
2 Cups of Flour
1/8 teaspoon of kosher salt

For the filling:
6 extra-large eggs
3 Cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons of fresh grated lemon zest (about 4-6 lemons)
1 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice (from those zested lemons)
1 cup of flour
Confectioners' sugar for dusting on top
Directions

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2) For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer

3) Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed.

4) Dump the dough onto a well-floured cutting board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill for 30 minutes.

5) Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let it cool but leave the oven on.

6) For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.

7) Dust with confectioner's sugar.

8) Share and ENJOY!

I really loved these lemon bars and they are so simple. If bringing them to a friend's, I recommend cutting them into little "bars". Makes it easier to serve and eat.

Made: 10/30/10

Posted: 01/12/10

Sweet Potato Pie andddd CRUST!

As you will be able to tell soon, if you already were not able to, I really enjoy Joy the Baker's Blog. She is super legit, funny and her recipes are very easy to follow.

Sweet Potato Pie is a family thanggg where I come from, but I knew that if I had any intention of making Sweet Potato Pie for the upcoming holidays, I needed to start working on perfecting it now. I took to the Joy the Baker to find a basic recipe for Sweet Potato Pie, and then I proceeded to call my aunts to find out if this is essentially what they do...it was.

However, to be super ambitious, I decided to make the crust too. I had never made the bottom to a pie, so I thought that I would give it a go and although it is much more of a time consuming process, at least you know the ingredients are real and not all of that processed mumbo jumbo.

Ingredients for the Crust

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons sugar

1/8 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 cup (4 Tablespoons) frozen butter that has been grated on a cheese grater

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 Tablespoon cream cheese, at room temperature

2 Tablespoons cold milk

Directions for CRUST

1) Whisk together (in a medium sized bowl) flour, salt, baking powder and sugar.

2) Add frozen butter that has been grated on a cheese grater and tablespoon of cream cheese.

3) Time to get "dirty"- work the cream cheese and butter into the flour mixture, breaking the butter and cream cheese up until they’re in well incorporated into the flour. A little crumbly...

4) Combine the milk and oil.]and add to the flour/butter mixture. With a fork, begin to combine the ingredients, making sure that all of the flour mixture is introduced to the liquid.

5) Once mixed (doesn't have to be perfect) and place it into a clean 9-inch pie plate. With your fingers, press the dough evenly into the bottom of the pie plate and up the sides. Molt to the pie plate as evenly as possible but don't worry about your finger indentations.

6) Place the prepared crust in the freezer while you preheat the oven and prepare your filling.

Ingredients for Sweet Potato Pie Filling

2 cups mashed cooked sweet potatoes

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 granulated sugar

1/8 teaspoon of cloves ( I switched this up from the coriander in the original recipe)

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted

2- 5oz cans evaporated milk (1 1/4 cups evaporated milk)

3 large eggs

1 Tablespoon vanilla

Directions for Sweet Potato Pie Filling

1) Boil two medium sweet potatoes in their jackets in a covered pot over moderate flame, until sweet potatoes are very soft and tender. Make sure a knife can go through a potato very quick and smooth.

2) Drain your potatoes and let them cool.

4) When cool enough to handle, peel potatoes, cut into chunks and place in a large bowl. Mash potatoes thoroughly with a potato masher. NO lumpssss.

5) Measure 2 cups and put in a medium sized pot with the packed brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves , salt, the 1/2 stick butter, and one 5 oz can of evaporated milk.

6) Cook on low flame for about 5 minutes, whipping with a wire whisk until butter and brown sugar are melted down and mixture is well blended, smooth and starts to bubble. Remove from fire and let cool in pot.

7) In a medium sized bowl, beat the three eggs with a fork. Add the second 5oz can of evaporated milk, granulated sugar and vanilla to the eggs and continue beating until creamy.

8) Pour the cooled sweet potato mixture from pot into a large bowl. Stir in the egg mixture. Blend thoroughly with a whisk and pour into your crust.

9) Preheat oven to 450 degrees with a cookie sheet inside.

10) After the crust is heated, pour the filling into the pie shell and place it onto the cookie sheet.

11) Bake at 450 for ten minutes and then turn your oven down to 325 and bake for 50minutes-1hr. The edges and the center will be slightly raised but shake to make sure the center is set.

12) Remove from oven. Let cool on a wire rack for 1 hour before serving.

13) SHARE and ENJOYYY

Things I have learned: the first time takes the greatest amount of time. As I continued to make this recipe for Thanksgiving and Christmas, my speed of preparation increased greatly (I guess that is true for every recipe). Additionally, this is super delicious and completely worth the time. I will admit that I started using the pre-made crusts for the holiday season which obviously cut down on the time and was just as delicious. Sorry, the pre-made crusts win out this battle for me. I heavily recommend the "Oronoque Orchards" brand of pie crust. Gah, I want some pie like now...OH and this can be gluten-free using a gluten free pie crust!

MADE: 10/28/10, 11/24/10, 12/24/10
Posted: 01/12/11

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

Oh Hey Joy. I made another one of your delicious treats. I love that browned butter thing you told me to do because it has done magical things for the baked goodies coming out of my kitchen. Thanks. you're the best.

Needless to say, I baked something delicious from Joy the Baker. This standard White Chocolate Macadamia Cookie was definitely taken to new heights with the addition of browned butter. I've been told that it adds a "nuttiness" flavor and frankly, i just thought the people telling me this were a little nutty. However, I tried it and I have to agree...Browned Butter is the way to go.

Adapted from: Joy the Baker

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) BUTTER (and only BUTTER)

1 cup packed light brown sugar (or dark...if you prefer)

2 Tablespoons milk

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 coarsely chopped macadamia nuts

1 cup white chocolate chips (Ghiradelli just tastes better)

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2) In a medium saucepan melt the butter, swirling and stirring the butter until nicely browned bits appear in the bottom of the pan (about 5-7 minutes).

3) Once the butter is browned, remove pan from heat and set aside to cool.

4) Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer add the brown sugar and slightly cooled butter. Beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes.

5) Add egg and beat for one more minuteeeee.

6) Add milk and vanilla extract and beat to incorporate.

7) Turn the mixer off, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the dry ingredients all at once.

8) Incorporate the dry ingredients until just mixed in and fold in the chopped nuts and white chocolate chips.

9) Scoop two teaspoon sized balls onto a lined baking sheet.

10) Bake for 9-11 minutes or until cookies are deliciously golden.
Cool.

11) Share and Enjoy!

Well, I love this recipe. I love that it is very easy and that simple of step of browning the butter adds so much more flavor. I also love the size of the cookies...I hate a flat cookie (unless it is a "snap" and I hate a hard cookie but this cookie is perfectly bite size and filling. However, I can not promise that you won't go for more than one...

Made: 10/26/10

Posted: 01/11/11