I turned 22 on Saturday and had a great weekend! Yesterday I went to NYC and met up with some friends from school (I also graduated last month.. lots going on!). Today my parents & I went strawberry picking. Delicious stuff.
This is my standard cold salad. I always have a bowl of it in the fridge. The flavors develop over time, so it is even better the next day.
Chickpea Salad
Ingredients:
- 2 cans of chickpeas
- 3 cloves of garlic (I really like garlic, so use less if you’re weary)
- 1/3 of a large red onion
- 1 cucumber
- 1 cup of shredded carrots
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- half a lemon
Directions:
- Place rinsed chickpeas in a medium sized bowl.
- Mix the finely chopped garlic & red onion into the bowl.
- Peel the cucumber and cut in half longways. Score the seeds with your knife and then scoop them out with a small spoon. Rough chop the cucumbers and add to the mix.
- Shred a large carrot with the large side of a cheese grater, and mix in. I had pre-shredded carrots so I just used those :)
- Add salt, pepper, olive oil, vinegar, red pepper flakes, and lemon juice.
- Mix well and taste. Sometimes I need to add more salt or garlic. Up to you!
Granola is my favorite snack but as you know it is ridiculously expensive in stores, even for plain/simple combinations! Making your own is the way to go.
Toasted Fruit & Nut Granola Recipe
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups quick oats
- 1/2 cup dry fruit (I had a mixed bag)
- 1/2 cup nuts (I used walnuts and slivered almonds)
- 1/4 cup shredded coconut
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- pinch of ginger
Wet Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup applesauce
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- splash of maple syrup
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 325.
1. Mix all dry ingredients together in a bowl.
2. Combine all wet ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil while stirring.
3. Pour wet mixture over dry ingredients and mix with a rubber spatula.
4. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and distribute the mixture evenly.
5. Toast granola for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. The granola will finish hardening after it is taken out of the oven.
I like really crunchy granola, so 40 minutes may be too long for you depending on your texture preference. Also, I drizzled a little bit of caramel onto the finished product!
Dinner tonight :)
Quinoa veggie pan-fried cakes & tzatziki yogurt sauce. (+ sriracha!)
I basically followed this recipe, and substituted corn and carrots for spinach.
(Source: handmadebrigade)
Spicy Vegetarian Black Bean Burger Recipe
You’ll need:
- 1 can black bean
- 2/3 cup breadcrumb
- 1 egg
- 1 onion
- 1/3 red bell pepper
Salt, Pepper, Cumin, Chilli Powder, Sriracha or Chipotle Sauce, Garlic Powder
1. Finely chop onion and pepper, sautee until brown with salt. Turn off heat and set aside.
2. Rinse black beans and dry. Use a fork and mash the black beans into a bowl. Crack in the egg. Then, use an electric hand mixer to beat into a chunky consistency.
3. Add pepper to taste, and 1 tsp of cumin, chilli powder, chipotle sauce (see here) or sriracha.
4. Pour in your (cooled) onion & peppers, and knead breadcrumb into the mixture gradually with your hands. Add more breadcrumb if it seems too wet still.
5. Wash your sautee pan and put it back on the heat with some oil. Brown burgers on both sides.
Great with or without bun. I added a little bit of sharp cheddar, ketchup, and sour cream on the side. Enjoy :)
