Food Lush

Roasted Chickpeas

by Jess M

Like many people (most? it seems), now that January is here, I am trying to eat better, healthier, and exercise more. And as I've mentioned in other posts, I have a bad habit of eating terrible, convenient things during the day. It's very filling and super easy.

Roasted Chickpeas

1 can of chickpeas
1 T olive oil
1 t soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Mix olive oil, soy sauce, chili powder, salt and pepper, then toss with the chickpeas. Spread onto a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for about 20-30 minutes, or until crispy on the outside, still tender on the inside. (You may have to taste test a couple)

I first used this recipe for roasted chickpeas and here on Tasty Kitchen there are several different variations. 

You should probably share these; they make a great happy hour snack with a beer. They are also a really great alternative to plain chickpeas on top of a salad. However, I sometimes just eat them all for lunch. And if you eat a whole can of chickpeas for lunch you likely won't be hungry the rest of the afternoon.

(Photos: me)

Edible Gifts: California Olive Ranch Olive Oil

by Elissa

So, there is obviously no shortage of food-related gift ideas on this site lately (see, e.g., the exceptional gift guide), but I can't resist throwing another idea out there. The idea of giving nice olive oil (perhaps with some fancy vinegar) is hardly new, but I love the bottle of California Olive Ranch Olive Oil that I picked up at the grocery store the other day.

{photo credit: californiaoliveranch.com}

It comes in a beautiful, substantial dark green bottle that features olive shapes, and I love the illustration on the label. The olive oil tastes fabulous too--it's been great in salad dressings and on roasted vegetables. And the price was not unreasonable given the quality of the product and the packaging.

Lately I've read some disturbing articles about olive oil fraud that suggest that much of the "extra virgin" olive oil coming from Europe is not extra virgin and may not even come from olives. But this olive oil bears the seal of the California Olive Oil Council, which gives me some confidence that this is the real thing. And the company seems to take sustainability seriously, which is nice.

If you're looking for a consumable gift for someone who likes to cook or eat, see if you can find California Olive Ranch Oil at your local store (I found mine at Safeway). Or you can always orde online. Happy shopping and gifting!

Pantry Staple: Canned (and Dried) Lentils

Editor's note: Welcome to the lovely Sarah Anne, who is joining Food Lush's ranks. You can learn more about her at Fear No Food and on Twitter, too. 

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by Sarah Anne

Hey folks! I'm Sarah, a new addition to Food Lush, and I'm pretty excited to be able to talk to yet MORE people about food. Consider yourself warned!

As someone really keyed into not only the enjoyment of food, but also true nourishment, I tend to be a bit obsessive about making sure that we eat a well-rounded diet with plenty of fiber, protein, and other nutrients. It helps that I am constantly looking up nutritional stats of most foods, but it also helps that I keep my pantry and freezer well-stocked. Out of the many foods I keep on hand, which hopefully I'll go through in time, one of my most favourite pantry staples is a can or bag of lentils.

They are a great source of cholesterol-reducing fiber, vegetarian protein along with a couple B vitamins, folate, iron, manganese and a host of other vitamins and minerals. Not to mention, lentils are low calorie and nearly free of fat. As a vegetarian, I'd say they're a pretty good staple to have on hand, and we eat them a few times a week. 

There are several different types of lentils – brown/green, french or puy lentils, split red lentils, each of which has their use; I use brown or green lentils most often, with split red lentils coming a close second in the wintertime.

Canned lentils can be a great quick fix, and are wonderful in the summertime when you don't want to heat up the kitchen, as I rarely do in my 500sq ft apartment. Toss the rinsed lentils with chopped veggies and prepared vinaigrette for a nutritious and filling salad. Add a whole grain for even more oomph. Do the same in the fall or winter, but saute the vegetables and add the rinsed lentils toward the end, toss with dressing or sauce and you have a hearty, belly-warming meal. Our favourite this past summer was to add quinoa and canned lentils to Greek salad for a complete and super easy meal.

A bag of dried lentils can be just as useful, and even less expensive, but requires a bit more planning and prep time just to rinse and cook. It's still worth the effort to me! Here are a few of my recent favourites that used dried lentils. I've made each of these and have LOVED them. As an aside – so has my husband who is usually the test of a good, people-pleasing recipe.

Dreena Burton's “No-Fu” Love Loaf

(Source: Hannah Kaminsky & Plant Powered Kitchen)

Veggie Balls from Huffington Post

(Source) 

 

French Lentils with Walnuts and Goat Cheese from Laura Calder, Food Network Canada

(Source)

Lentils are such a versatile ingredient and a great option for meat eaters and vegetarians alike and are cheap to boot! From lentil loaves to indian style curries, everyone can get on board with something about lentils. Do you cook with lentils often? What kind? Do you have a favourite recipe that uses them? I'd love to find some new ones!

Easy Pantry Meal: Crock Pot Beans and Rice

by Jess M

So many evenings I struggle to squeeze in some kind of dinner between school, homework, and kids’ activities. And sometimes those same evenings come at the end of a day filled with activities for the toddler, or errands or any number of things that can clog up my day and take over any of the time I may have had to prepare dinner ahead of time. On nights like these, it goes without saying that the children are eating a dinner out of the freezer: chicken nuggets or corn dogs, maybe with a side of canned fruit or applesauce if I remember. But my husband and I really want something delicious and preferably healthy, and I don’t want to attempt to make something that is going to take any amount of time to prepare. 

This recipe for Crock Pot Beans and Rice has become a staple for those nights when we hardly have time to sit down together and eat. And it’s also great for those nights when we can’t sit down together and I’m taking one kid one way and he’s taking the other another way. I can leave the crock pot on the counter and we can help ourselves. 

I'm really not sure how I came across this recipe in the first place: I think it was the result of my husband doing some random googling for meal inspiration. 

The recipe is super flexible, you could use any combination of beans you like and any kind of rice you may have on hand. It is also very quick for a crockpot recipe, I've had it be ready in as little as 3 hours on high, though 4 is better. I like to generously sprinkle some salt on top of my bowl and eat it standing up in the kitchen.

Spices: the Garden, the Bulk, and the Penzeys

By Julie

There are lots of ways to procure herbs and spices for your pantry collection. If you’re an avid, or even amateur, gardener, you can grow your own in season. In fact, I once heard that herbs are second only to succulents for their growing ease and forgiveness. That little morsel has not stopped me from killing every cilantro plant I’ve tried to grow, but I keep trying. There’s nothing like being able to clip a few sprigs of basil or rosemary right off the plant for the dinner you are in the process of making.  I’ve haven’t yet attempted drying my own for future use, but I will one day.

Then there is picking up those little bottles at the supermarket (or the dollar store – my little trick).  This is fine if you use a particular spice consistently (cinnamon is one such spice in our house), but sometimes you only have a recipe or two that use tarragon, for example, at it’s just not worth the expense of the entire jar.  Dried herbs and spices do last, but they do eventually go flat.  For these situations, I recommend buying just what you need from the bulk section of the store.  Now, not all stores have bulk sections, so you may have to do a little research, but it’s a growing trend in the grocery industry. I used to drive fifteen miles to the one store around with a bulk section, but now there are at least two within a mile, and both of these are regular, everyday markets, not high end, fancypants stores. You can save a ton of money (little scoops of dried spices weight hardly anything, so you can get what you need for pennies) and possibly try out something new that you couldn’t price justify.

And then, there’s Penzeys.  Penzeys is a purveyor extraordinaire of all things herby and spicy. They are a mail order/internet business, but also have store sprinkled around the country. You can get anything from them. You’re probably not going to save a bunch of money this way, but it’s a great way to get those hard to find items. Plus, their seasoning blends are so unique and fun. A favorite around our house is the Arizona Dreaming blend of southwestern flavors that we sprinkle of chicken, pork, and a whole host of veggies. Yum.

There is a world of flavor out there beyond McCormick and Spice Islands. And you don’t have to break the bank to try it.

{Photo Credit: thekitchn.com}

Kitchen Trick: An Easy Way To Store Rice, Quinoa, and Other Grains with Instructions

by Caitlin

You cut open the bag of rice and as you scramble with your other hand to grab the measuring cup you stupidly left just out of reach, you try to keep the bag level but it starts wobbling and some spills out. You finally get the cup and try to pour the rice into it without it sprinkling all over the counter and floor. Which is silly, really, as you know you'll inevitably be sweeping up rice later, after it's stabbed the bottom of your feet on the way to the stove. When it's all over you're left with an open, partially used bag that you stuff into a ziploc, or tie a rubber band around, only to repeat the whole process next time. 

Sound familiar?

Allow me to help. 

I would also like to state for the record that I did not even get this idea from Pinterest, the appeal of which I'm still uncertain about. I'm pretty sure I got it from my Mom. You can be certain I didn't get it from Pinterest because it doesn't involve any chalkboard paint or burlap, although it does involve a mason jar, though that's not strictly necessary.

It's right up there with my saute pan draining tip, which is another trick I didn't come up with on my own. And as with that previous tip, it's not rocket science, and I feel certain others must know about it, yet I feel I'd be doing a disservice not to share it with you.

So:

Photo by me. I hope you appreciate the time I took to Pinterest-up this picture, what with the clutter of a mixing bowl, Lowe's coupon, mesh bag of limes, and the hand lotion lurking in the distance. 

Tear, cut, or otherwise remove the instructions from your bag of rice/quinoa/whatever. Pour contents of the bag into a handy container (I always have extra mason jars lying around my house leftover from canning, but you can use whatever you've got. Tupperware works.), and throw in the instructions. Voila. Display on your counter for that extra Pinterest-y touch. 

Next time you go to cook your grains, you can dip your measuring cup right in the container, while performing nary a circus act. Victory!

How do you store your grains? Are you obsessed with Pinterest? If so, please help me understand why. 

Kitchen Tip: Fresh Ginger

by Maura

I often avoid recipes that include specialty ingredients, like fresh herbs and fresh ginger, because I cannot buy small amounts economically. Although this is not what you would call a first world problem, I am always looking for ways to extend the life of my ingredients and increase the number of recipes in my repetoire. 

{image credit: wikihow.com}

A few days ago I was watching the Food Network and Melissa D'Arabian's show, Ten Dollar Dinners. She was making a recipe that called for fresh ginger and gave a tip that I see myself using. Ms. D'Arabian suggested keeping peeled, fresh ginger in the freezer and taking it out when you need it for a recipe. She said that it is actually even easier to grate with a microplane grater when it is frozen. What a great idea! I don't usually watch this show, but I am glad I was tuned in when she shared this helpful tip.

Do you have any tips for storing infrequently used ingredients? Have you heard about a particularly good tip lately? 

Make Your Own Artisan Ketchup

By Dani

Is anybody else tired of the ketchup/mustard/relish trio for backyard bar-be-ques? Especially if I've taken the time to buy some higher-quality sausages or make my own perfectly seasoned hamburger patties, it just seems like a shame to slather them with the same boring condiments every time.

At a favorite local restaurant of ours, they make an "artisan ketchup" and it's incredible. I decided to try experimenting with some new flavors to make my own, and I've been surprised by how easy it is to make the perfect condiment for our outside dinners.

Start with a base of tomato paste. I buy this by the case at Costco and put it in everything as a thickener and flavor-enhancer, so I always have some on-hand. However, if you don't have a "Costco closet" like yours truly, it's still pretty cheap at the regular grocery store.

You'll notice that tomato paste is super thick and gummy -- not exactly what you want on your burger, so you'll have to add liquid. If you like a more traditional ketchup flavor, often I use water, but it's fun to experiment with Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, hot sauce or a combo of other liquid flavors.

Then add some dry spices. Dry orange peel is a great add, as is onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, chili powder or even some curry for some extra kick. Also, don't forget a healthy dose of sugar (brown adds a thick sweetness, white is a bit more of a shallow flavor, but brings out the tomato's sweetness) salt and pepper. (You can use fresh spices, but you'll have to use the ketchup much faster, lest they go bad in your mixture.)

If you prefer sweeter flavors, a bit of molasses and apple cider vinegar is also a good combo. I've been experimenting with some varieties, and one of my favorites is this:

• 1 can tomato paste (6 oz)
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of smoky paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• a healthy pinch each of brown sugar, salt and pepper

Keep your ketchup in a sealed container in the fridge and it will stay good for a least a month. I like having a few varieties on hand and breaking them out for casual outdoor meals -- adds a little gourmet sass to a simple dinner.

Just in case you're unconvinced, I decided to make the blogging version of a late-night infomercial, just to convince you. Behold:

Tastes Like Home: Cooking After You've Been Away

By Dani

My honey and I just got back from an extra-long weekend trip, and after several days of eating in restaurants and on the road, the first thing I want to do is cook.

However, with work piling up (how can I take two days off and wind up five days behind?) and the laundry, bills and other fun things that seem to make babies when you go on vacation, I don't really have an extra hour or two to slice, dice and braise to my heart's content.

So, this got me thinking.

Does anyone else have this desire to cook when you get back from a trip? Do you have an easy go-to recipe (one that doesn't require an extra trip to the store, on top of everything else) that feels like home? Or a favorite take-out place that will fool you into the homemade feeling?

My Newest Obsession: Hidden Valley Dry Ranch Mix

By Ariel

This might be one of those "well duh" posts, and I'm sure most people have seen those dry ranch packets at the grocery store. That said, I recently found it in the form of 16 ounces.

My Sam's Club had this bad boy sitting on a shelf the last time we went. I SWEAR this is new, or new to me. I checked for you Costco members and it looks like it's available in this size there, as well. I used to always keep a few of the packets on hand, but they lacked the convenience and the spontaneous appeal you get when there's a huge tub of it sitting in your cupboard. I use this ranch mix in EVERYTHING now. Chicken, potatoes, hamburgers, roasted veggies, cheese balls, not to mention a lower fat ranch dressing (skim milk and fat-free mayo) and, of course, the dips.  

I threw about a tablespoon full into my pepperoni ball recipe and kicked those up a notch. I religiously add ranch to my parmesan potatoes as well. I guess you could say I have a slight addiction, but this seasoning has officially replaced garlic powder as my most used dry good.  What's even better is that I was paying almost $5 for a 3-pac of one-ounce envelopes, and now I can buy the 16-ounce container for under $15.  If you are not a member or near a Sam's or Costco, you can also make the ranch yours on Amazon for about the same price here.

What's the best thing you've ever bought in mega-bulk?

[Photo from amazon.com]