Let's Talk...I brought hummus.

Some things never change. It's been almost four (!) years, and I still can't relax before a good meal until I snap a blog-worthy photo first. These days it's more like insta-worthy, but then again who's not a professional photographer when you have X-Pro II at your disposal? But for real, I can't believe something I looked forward to doing each day has sat idle for so many years, just waiting for me to love it once again. The truth is, I never lost my love for blogging, and I had sincere intentions of picking it back up time and time again, but that same time I speak of got the best of me. Life still happens, days become months, then years, and a younger Buff Chickpea's break from college had come to an end. I was moving back on campus, and that meant no more fully stocked kitchen, but more importantly, no more countless hours during the day to photograph my gourmet meals before all the natural light disappeared into the dark. So while I packed all my clothes to take with me to school, I packed up Buff Chickpea, and tucked her under my bed for safe keeping. I've changed a lot over the past four years (I hope for the better), but one thing has not changed, I'm still eating, and I hope you are too! So I come with a peace offering, carrot hummus to be exact. What better way to dust off Buff Chickpea, than with chickpeas (and carrots)? Because I know it's hard to put on real pants when you could cancel your plans and flop all night. But you should really go catch up with your friends, it's good for you, and they'll probably have dip. Real friends chip and dip.

Carrot Hummus

Za'atar spice would also be great in this, but it's so hard to find. When I get my hands 

on some, this is the first thing I'm making with it. 

1 (15-oz) can of chickpeas, drained + rinsed

1 lb carrots, steamed until soft*

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

1 teaspoon maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1-2 tablespoons fresh oregano

1 clove garlic, minced

Sea salt, to taste

1/4-1/2 cup olive oil

*I use a 1 pound bag of baby carrots set over a double boiler for 5-10 minutes. 

I know it seems tedious, but when I'm making hummus, I always take the little skins off the outside of the chickpeas, before boiling the skinned chickpeas for about 10 minutes. This will soften things up, and make the hummus warm and creamy. You can use some of this boiling water to thin out your hummus for a lower fat alternative, or just stick with olive oil like I do here. 

Once your chickpeas are skinned and boiled, drain the water, and add the chickpeas to a food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients, then hit puree. I'd say start with 1/4 cup of olive oil, then drizzle in more until you reach your desired consistency. Grab your preferred method of dipping (pita chips, rice crackers, veggies, etc.) and get snacking. Or do like I do, and slather hummus on every single piece of food you eat. Toasted cinnamon raisin english muffin, carrot hummus, poached egg, melted cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes...all day, errday.   

Pecorino-Roasted Fennel & Carrots

Did You Know? A one cup serving of fennel provides one third of the Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) of vitamin A and one half of the RDI of vitamin C. Fennel also provides 15-20% of the RDI of calcium and iron.

Continuing with the Easter theme, this recipe was a delicious addition to our lunch last Sunday. Not being in control of the main dish gave me free reign with the side dishes, and lot more time to focus on that pie I made. It was a lot less stressful knowing that my Mom had the ham under control. And although I have a problem with needing to do everything on my own and just my way, I think I might have to take this 'group-effort' approach again.

I love what the roasting process does to vegetables, especially fennel. The subtleties it brings to the sometimes potent anise flavor is delicious. Playing off the sweetness of the carrots, these two are a match made in heaven. Crusted to a golden brown, the salty pecorino adds yet another layer of depth. Sprinkling the top with kelly green fronds give this dish quite the appeal for such an easy side. Enjoy!

Pecorino-Roasted Fennel & CarrotsAdapted from Bon Appetit via Epicurious

3-4 fennel bulbs, cored, and sliced horizontally, plus 2 teaspoons chopped fronds
3-4 large carrots, peeled, cut diagonally into 1/3-inch-thick slices
2 teaspoons Herbes de Provence
1/2 cup grated pecorino cheese
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly oil 13x9-inch baking dish. Layer sliced fennel and carrots in dish, sprinkling layers with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with Herbes, then cheese. Drizzle with oil. Bake until vegetables are tender and top is golden brown, about 1 1/4 hours. Sprinkle with fronds, and serve.

Curried Chickpea Burgers

Did You Know? In Britain the term "curry" has come to mean almost any Indian dish, whilst most people from the [Indian] sub-continent would say it is not a word they use. In India curry simply means "sauce." Therefore, Indian foods made with sauces are all "curries."

The last time I made veggie burgers, I promised to share my favorite variation on the original in the future. Having a soft spot for Thai and Indian flavors, I wanted to incorporate some of the ingredients those cultures tend to turn to. I had also just made a batch of Curried Cauliflower Soup, and the curry craving inside me was not completely satisfied.

I also needed to create a lunch alternative that could be made ahead of time, and was easy to throw together. Which is why I immediately thought to change up my favorite sandwich. Having classes scattered throughout the day, this burger freezes wonderfully, and is sauteed to a golden brown in no time, making it perfect for a busy school day.

Spiked with red curry powder, ginger, and cilantro, the hint of sweet apple really does a wonderful job of rounding out the flavors. And like the previously mentioned, the crisp outside breaks open to a creamy chickpea center, studded with colors and flavors. Feel free to experiment with the ingredients. I can imagine lots of things would work here. Perhaps an Asian patty, with edamame, soy sauce, and ginger? Switching up the chickpeas and tossing in black beans instead. I'll be sure to post more combinations in the future. And if you have any favorites, let me know in the comments.

Curried Chickpea BurgersOriginally adapted from 101 Cookbooks

2 (15-oz) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 large eggs
1 medium apple, diced (I used golden delicious)
10-12 baby carrots (about 1/2 cup, grated)
1/2 tablespoon red curry powder
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1 cup alfalfa sprouts
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
1/2 cup whole-grain bread crumbs
1/2 cup ground flax seed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or cooking spray

Pulse the carrots in a food processor until finely grated. Add in the chickpeas, eggs, salt, and curry powder. Puree until the mixture is the consistency of a slightly chunky hummus. You don't want a smooth batter. Add the alfalfa sprouts, apple, and cilantro, and pulse a few more times just to combine. Pour into a mixing bowl and stir in the onion and ginger. Stir in the breadcrumbs and flax, and let sit for a couple of minutes so the crumbs can absorb some of the moisture.

Form the burger mixture into patties, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. I use an ice cream scoop for this to get around 15-18 small burgers. You can either freeze the patties (which is what I do, so I can have them whenever the mood strikes), or heat up that last tablespoon of oil in a skillet, and cook for a few minutes on each side, until nicely browned and heated through.

Slather with your favorite hummus, and sandwich between you grain of choice. Or try what a lot of others have recommended, and use the burgers as the bun, filling the inside with salad bar ingredients.

Bloggers Blogging Bloggers

I wanted to ask all of you if you could hop on over to Dianasaur Dishes, and leave a comment on her latest post. Her brother Jason shares his love for ham and mustard sandwiches, and he is just too cute. I know leaving a comment would surely make his day, and pump him up for a future post!

Chickpea, Tomato, & Barley Soup

Did You Know? Grains found in pits and pyramids in Egypt indicate that barley was cultivated there more than 5000 years ago. The most ancient glyph or pictograph found for barley is dated about 3000 B.C. In fact, Historians report that up until the 16th century, barley was the most important grain on the European continent. It was also used as currency and as a measuring standard.

Trying to keep my promise of cooking more from the magazines I subscribe to, this next recipe is from a past issue of Body and Soul, a division of Martha Stewart. If you're not familiar with the magazine, I definitely recommend checking it out. It's full of useful health and wellness information, workouts, recipes, and sustainable living advice, but with that Martha Stewart flair we all love. The pictures are beautiful, and the companies and products featured somehow seem to make their way onto my grocery list each and every week.

This particular soup recipe has become a family staple ever since I first made it many months ago. I don't know why I never shared it here, but I'm guessing it's because I never got around to photographing it before the pot was empty. I'm always looking for thick and hearty soups to prepare. Something that will fill me up on its own, and not as a side to some other dish. With 19 grams of protein, and 12 grams of fiber, this soup is nutritious and satisfying.

The original recipe calls for spelt, but I substituted that with barley since its what I had on hand. We all like the flavor so much, I have yet to make the spelt version. That, and I've never seen spelt offered at any of my local grocery stores. I also top it off with cilantro instead of parsley. Mainly because of my recent obsession with this wonderful herb. Other than that, I followed the recipe pretty much to the T. Starting any soup with a mirepoix is almost a guarantee that you'll end up with a flavorful bowl. And the creamy chickpeas work wonderfully with the nutty barley and the spicy tomato broth. It also makes for great leftovers. Just make sure you have some extra broth on hand, because it thickens up substantially in the fridge. Served with a nice salad and fresh loaf of bread, lunch could not have been better.

Chickpea, Tomato, & Barley Soup
Adapted from Body and Soul Magazine

1 cup barley
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch lengths
2 celery stalks, diced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 cups vegetable broth
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup chopped cilantro, for garnish

Rinse barley clean under running water. Place in a medium bowl and cover with cold water. Let soak for 1 hour; drain.

In a 5-quart Dutch oven or large soup pot, heat oil over medium. Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Add bay leaves, paprika, cumin, barley, broth, and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 30 minutes or until barley is tender.

Add tomatoes and chickpeas and cook for 20 minutes or until flavors have blended. Discard bay leaves. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro before serving.

Roasted Winter Vegetables

Did You Know? According to a 2002 survey, Brussels sprouts are the most hated vegetable in Britain.

I started this post with the intention of making a roasted Brussels sprouts and carrot dish, but I has so much varying produce on hand, I just had to throw in the lot. I serve sprouts and carrots at almost every holiday meal, with the goal of converting family members into Brussels lovers. So far so good. I don't know what it is, the name perhaps? Maybe cartoons of our youth highlighted the fear of this unknown vegetable. Whatever it is, that awful perception needs to change.

Roasting makes everything so much better, so why would Brussels sprouts be any different? I highly recommend starting a skeptic with a roasted version before any other cooking method you may want to try. The caramelization process brings out their inner sweetness, and when paired with already sweet carrots, your fearful diners are sure to hop on board. The crisp, golden-brown crust, and the tender inside have become my new favorite texture combination, and I'm pretty sure I've made these every week since Thanksgiving.

Eggplant and cremini's are what I had in the fridge, so I tossed those into the mix as well (the asparagus was hidden in the back of my fridge, but I wish I had thrown that in too). Feel free to use whatever vegetables you tend to buy or just love the flavors of. I'm positive any combination would work perfectly. Just don't forget the Brussels sprouts, because wasn't that the idea of this whole post anyways? If not for the low calories, do it for the ample amounts of Vitamin A, C, and beta-carotene.

Roasted Winter Vegetables
30 Brussels Sprouts, outer leaves removed, stems trimmed, and halved
4 large carrots, peeled and chopped into 2-inch chunks
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, halved or quartered
2 medium eggplants, chopped into 1- or 2-inch chunks
Olive Oil
Herbes de Provence
Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Arrange vegetables on a couple of baking sheets and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with herbs, salt, and pepper, and toss to distribute the flavors.

Bake for about 30 minutes (depending on how tender you like your veggies - I don't like them too soft), tossing halfway through.

I made this dish the other afternoon right around lunch, so I added them to a nice salad. Baby spinach, the roasted veggies, steamed broccoli I had in the fridge, chickpeas, toasted pecans, and dried cranberries, all tossed with a sesame ginger dressing - so good. I'm going to add them to some pasta tonight for a light primavera, any other ideas?