Blogging Marathon #46: Week 1/Day 2
Theme: Kid Friendly Dishes with Nuts and Legumes
Dish: Chickpea Salad Wraps/Garbanzo Bean Salad Wraps

I first came across the recipe for a mashed chickpea salad here, when I was searching for a healthy alternative to a potato salad or an egg salad. I decided to give this a try, and the first time I tasted this salad, I was blown away. This salad mostly uses stuff that I have available in the fridge and I most often than not, I have soaked a big batch of cooked chickpeas stored in the freezer. Given all this, this has been my go to salad for when I want to eat healthy.

But, every time I make a healthy salad for myself, I have to cook something else for the kids cause they don’t want to eat my “healthy” food. I decided to wrap this salad in a whole grain tortilla and make it a wrap and try sneaking this in to the kids. Although, I wouldn’t lie by saying they fell head over heels in love with it, they did seem to like it. The secret – offering it in a ‘pick me up’ and eat form – in the form of a wrap.

It is also a very versatile recipe, in that you can add whatever veggies you have on hand, and also whatever your kids like. You can eat it as a salad, or wrap it in a tortilla. You can also serve it between bread slices as a sandwich.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#46

Ingredients:
2 large tortillas/wraps
1/2 cup dry chickpeas or 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas or 1 can of chickpeas, drained.
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
1/2 cup carrots, finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped scallions
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1/4 cup hummus
2 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp lemon juice
a pinch of garlic powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp cracked pepper
salt, to taste
extra hummus, for spreading on the wraps

Method:
Place your cooked chickpeas in a bowl. You can use canned or ones that you soaked and cooked yourself. I typically soak a large batch of chickpeas, pressure cook the chickpeas until done, and portion them into 1 1/2 cup servings into ziploc bags. This 1 1/2 cups usually is the equivalent of a can of chickpeas and I can easily use home made chickpeas in a cinch. Smash the chickpeas with a potato masher. This helps the salad hold together better and gel with the other ingredients that are added to the salad.

Add in the chopped veggies, hummus, mustard, lemon juice, garlic powder, cumin powder and cracked pepper. Mix to combine.
This salad will stay in the fridge for up to a week stored in an air tight container.

Warm the tortillas in the microwave for about 15 seconds, so that it becomes pliable. Place a square of parchment or aluminium foil and place the tortilla on it(for easy packing). Spread the tortilla with some hummus. Scoop the salad onto the tortilla. Fold the edges in and wrap, like you would for a burrito. Slice diagonally in half. Pack into lunch box.

Verdict: A very nutritious wrap, filled with nutrition from the veggies and protein from the chickpeas and the hummus. It is also has a great combination of textures and flavors which makes it a favorite for both kids and adults alike.

The post Chickpea Salad Wraps/Garbanzo bean Salad Wraps first appeared on Denny's Recipes.

It has been quite a while since I posted, and I am extremely thankful for the regular visitors to my space. I am buried in work and also am involved in moving to a new home, which has left me with barely enough time to cook and put a meal on the table, and so blogging has sort of taken a back seat. I do have a few drafts that have been sitting with me for a while, so I promise to post them, although not regularly.

This post is owed to my selection to take the Sargento Taste Test as part of the Foodbuzz TasteMaker program. I was offered to sample Sargento’s cheese varieties and compare the ‘real cheese’ that they offer to other brands. Now, the only cheese that I had ever tasted before I actually came to the United States, was an Indian brand called Amul cheese, a creamy super salty cheese , that I believe was similar to a Swiss cheese variety. I wasn’t aware that there were so many different kinds of cheeses too. Although I have grown to like it(who doesn’t like cheese), this taste test has been an incredible experience to learn about cheese, and sort of become an amateur fromagier.

When I had signed up to do this, I knew I had to make something that featured cheese. I didn’t pick a recipe at the time, but I had made up my mind on two conditions, it would be a recipe that would help savor melty gooey cheese and it would be with a variety of cheese I hadn’t cooked with before. As, I went shopping ‘Colby Jack’ cheese caught my eye. I came back and read about it and figured it was a milder taste compared to cheddar and I decided to use it to make ‘Grilled broccoli cheese sandwiches’. I love Broccoli cheddar soup and wanted to capture the same flavors in a sandwich, and it is quite an easy recipe to make too.

I compared the taste of the Colby Jack to a slice of ‘American’ cheese, and these are some of the differences I noted. Where the grilled cheese sandwich made with the colby melted and was stringy and gooey when seperated, the American cheese(btw, I learnt there is no such variety as American. ), was sortof goopy and formed a pool of yellow melted mass on top of the bread. I definitely liked the taste of the colby, and am planning to use it very soon on a breakfast sandwich.

Ingredients:
2 slices 7 grain bread
2 slices of Colby Jack cheese
1/4 cup of chopped broccoli
pinch of salt
1 tsp butter

Method:
Steam the chopped broccoli florets and set aside. Don’t boil them, or they will retain too much water.

Take a slice of bread and place a slice of cheese on it. Top with the broccoli florets and another slice of cheese. Close with another slice of bread. Apply about 1/2 tsp of butter on the top slice. Heat a pan over medium high heat and place the sandwich buttered side down. Weigh it with a heavy pan(I used my crockpot to weigh it down.). When the sandwich is golden brown, remove the weight, butter the top side. Flip an let brown. Remove, Cut down middle. Marvel at the gooey cheese that peaks at you, wait for it, or you would burn your tongue. Take a deep breath and devour the cheesy goodness!

Verdict: This is one of the best recipes I have come up with, the broccoli in the sandwich doesn’t make you guilty in making another one. The cheese is low fat anyway and the 7 grain bread was nutty and crunchy and was perfect to sandwich the gooey cheese. Very healthy too.

The post Grilled Broccoli Cheese Sandwich first appeared on Denny's Recipes.

I first had a ‘calzone’ when we went on a trip to Long Islad, NY and had it in one of the little pizza shops in Montauk. I fell in love with this very portable wrapped pizza – into a sandwich style. It has always been on my list of things to recreate at home, and finally I got to do it this week – twice. yes, the first time didnt get good enough pictures, so made it again.
For those who don’t know what a calzone is – think of it as a filled pizza – typically filled with anything you would find on a pizza and cheese(of course!), enveloped in pizza dough – it is a very portable way of eating a pizza.

I have made mine using a filling of caramelized onions and mushrooms along with ricotta and mozzarella cheese. But, you can use whatever filling that you like. I have also used a store bought pizza dough, to make things easy. I have it on my to-do list now, to make the dough from scratch and preferably make it a whole wheat – more healthier option. I made the filling ahead of time, and so making the calzones took me exactly 15 mins – 5 minutes for assembly and 10 minutes for baking. It is a very quick dinner that you can put on the table in literally minutes – if you plan ahead.

Ingredients:
1 tube refrigerated pizza dough
1 large onion
1 8 oz box mushrooms
1 clove of garlic
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1 tbsp choppped parsley
salt/pepper to taste
2/3 cup shredded mozzarella(I used part skim, low fat)
1/2 cup ricotta cheese(I used part skim, low fat)
1 tbsp parmesan cheese

Method:

To make the caramelized onion and mushroom filling:
Slice the onions and mushrooms thin. Finely chop the garlic. Heat the butter and the oil in a pan. Add the red pepper flakes, followed by the onion. Cook over medium heat, until the onions are caramelized and golden brown. Add the garlic, followed by the sliced mushrooms and cook them down. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and the italian seasoning. Do not salt the onions or the mushrooms in the beginning, as salt brings out water and will steam them, rather than caramelize them. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and set aside to cool.

To make the calzone:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with a pizza stone or an inverted cookie sheet in the oven. Gently pop open the pizza dough onto a work surface dusted with flour. Cut the rectangular pizza dough in half using a knife or pizza cutter. Place 1/3 mozzarella cheese on each of the halves in the center. Place 1/4 cup of ricotta on each of the halves. Top this with the cooked caramerlized onion and mushroom mixture.

Using a pastry brush, brush some water evenly onto the edges of the pizza dough. Gently fold the pizza dough over on to itself. Press to get all the air out and seal by using a fork to seam the edges of the dough together. Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese. Gently use a pizza peel or a large spatula to transfer the two calzones onto the hot cookie sheet that has been preheating. Bake for 10 minutes – and remove when the edges start to become golden brown. Remove, and let it rest for atleast 3-4 minutes – the filling will be extremely hot. Cut the calzone into two(they are huge by themselves) and serve with a side of marinara sauce for dipping.

Verdict: I absolutely loved the caramelized flavor of the onions in the filling – the caramelization made it sweet – almost like onion jam – it was countered very well by the mild spice from the chilli flakes and the garlic. The mushrooms gave a nice meaty texture to the sandwich. The calzone itself was exactly the way I remember it – cheesy, gooey, very filling and almost impossible to eat the whole thing.

Sending this to ‘Only Baked’, event series by Pari and to ‘Dish it out – Mushrooms and Onions’ event series by Vardhini.

The post Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Calzone first appeared on Denny's Recipes.

My husband and I first tried Greek food, on one our trips in Wisconsin, Madison. We were so surprised in the use of spices and cooking methods that were very similar to India cooking. I have always wanted to make home-made falafels, but the thought of frying these, always kind of held me back. When I saw the recipe for ‘baked falafels’ @ Aipis US Masala here, I bookmarked these immediately. The changes I made are to use green garbanzo beans as opposed to regular garbanzo beans, as I liked the buttery taste of these green pearls.

I searched for whole wheat pita bread, in my local grocery store and the two times I went to the store, they only had white flour ones, and no whole wheat pitas. I figured, since I am baking the falafels, I might bake the pitas as well. This is probably one of the most tastiest decisions I have made. This recipe is from Star chef Emeril. I have made these pita breads a couple of times now, and they are fool proof and absolutely delicious. I have used chapati atta to make these, and since the flour is ground super fine, it makes for super tender pitas.

Baked Falafels
Ingredients:
2 cups frozen green garbanzos
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp mint, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 green chilly, minced
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp garam masala
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
Non stick cooking spray

Method:
Start off by thawing the green garbanzo beans in the microwave for a couple of minutes. Add all the ingredients into a bowl of the food processor and pulse until it all comes together, but still has a coarse texture. Take a piece of the mixture and make a fist to see if it holds together. If it doesn’t pulse in the whole wheat flour to help hold it together.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray generously with non stick cooking spray.
Form the mixture into patties and place on the tray. Bake on one side for about 15-17 minutes. Flip, spray again with cooking spray and bake for anohter 10-15 minutes, until browned and crisp.

Let cool a bit before stuffing into the pitas.

Home Made Whole wheat pita pockets
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups warm water
1 pkg active dry yeast
1½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 tbsp, plus extra for brushing
1 tsp honey
3 cups whole wheat flour, plus more for dusting
1 1/2 tsp salt

Method:
Pour water into a bowl and microwave for about 30 seconds. Stir and check to see if it is lukewarm by dipping your finger in it. Add yeast, olive oil and honey. Allow yeast to bloom until it begins to foam, about 5 minutes. Add flour, then salt. Mix it in and knead until you have a round, smooth, elastic dough. Pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil into a medium sized bowl. Place dough into bowl and coat with the oil by turning over. Cover with a clean damp towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot in the kitchen, until the dough doubles in volume, usually about 2 hours.(I made these in the winter and had to set it out for up to 4 hours)

Position an up-side down 18 x 13 aluminum sheet pan or a baking stone on the middle rack in the oven.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

Knead the proofed dough again before dividing into 16 pieces and shape into balls. Cover with a clean towel and allow to proof until expanded slightly in size, about 20 minutes.

Dust a clean work surface with all-purpose flour. Roll dough into 6-inch circles. You may stack them between parchment paper or clean towels. Carefully and quickly place them in the oven directly on the baking sheet or stone. You may bake 2 or 3 at a time. Cook pitas for 2 minutes or until puffed. Remove with a metal spatula. Brush with olive oil. Repeat with remaining dough. Serve hot or at room temperature.

If making pita pockets, slit in the middle or at the 3/4th mark with a sharp knife and gently seperate the two layers to form a pocket. This process is easier when the pitas are fresh out of the oven.

Once cooled, pitas may be stored in a re-sealable plastic storage bag for up to 2 days.

Alternatively, the dough may me made a day ahead. After the dough has been kneaded and put into the bowl with the olive oil, place it into the refrigerator to proof overnight. The next day, pull dough from the refrigerator and allow it to sit at least 2 hours before proceeding with the recipe. I have also tried out this method, and it has worked equally good.

To assemble the sandwiches
1 cucumber, sliced
Tomatoes, sliced
Shredded lettuce
lemons, cut into quarters
hummus
sour cream

Split the pitas to form pita pockets, stuff with cucumber, tomatoes, lettuce – top with the hummus or sour cream, squeeze a bit of lemon and enjoy!

Verdict: Although this post is lengthy, making this was quite a breeze. I really enjoyed the baked falafels, and except for the ones in the picture, munched on them even before it got into the pitas. (the cook gets to taste, thats one of the best perks of it). The pitas were sooooo soft and tender, I am never buying store bought pita again. They tasted good until the next day. When stuffed with the falafels and the condiments, it made for a healthy and very filling meal.

My husband called it baked puri, and that is  exactly how it tasted. Awesome!Yet Healthy! – Now thats two words you love in a sentence

Sending these to the following events:

1. 19th Mediterranean cooking event – Greece

2. My Legume Love Affair #34, event series by Susan

3. Yeastspotting and

4. Souper Sundays @ Kahakai Kitchen

Sending the Baked falafels to ‘Healthy Appetizers’ event.

The post Baked Falafels in Home made Whole Wheat Pita pockets first appeared on Denny's Recipes.

One image that I couldn’t get out of my head, about all of the English reading, was an English high tea. English folks mostly take tea between 3-5 PM, and it served as a leisurely affair, of catching up and socializing and most often gossiping. Most tea menus included some type of mini sandwiches, scones with Devonshire clotted cream and shortbread cookies of some sort. I have attempted to create the famous cucumber sandwiches here…

Ingredients:
6 slices white bread
2 tbsp salted butter(I used I can’t believe its not butter spread)
2 tbsp cream cheese(I used neufchatel cheese)
1/4 cup loosely packed mint leaves
1/2 an English cucumber slices
pepper, a pinch

Method:

Wash and dry the mint leaves. Chop the mint leaves finely, but without bruising it. Stir the softened butter and cream cheese into a bowl until well mixed. Add the chopped mint leaves and stir to combine. Cut the crusts off of the bread and slater one side of each slice with this herbed butter. Line one buttered slice with the sliced cucumber. Top with a smidgen of pepper and close with another butter slice. Cut either into finger sized rectangles or across to form triangle shaped sandwiches. Serve!

Verdict: Have you experienced how tasty the very simple preparations are? This is one of them. We couldn’t stop eating them, and the mint gave it a very vibrant kick to it.

Sending this to ‘Celebrating Sandwiches’ event and to ‘A.W.E.D – British’ event series by DK.

Also to ‘Only Cooking with bread’ and to ‘Herbs and Flowers – Mint’ event.

The post English Tea Party – Cucumber sandwiches first appeared on Denny's Recipes.

This is another entry for the Blog Bites #5 Event, started by Nupur. I have some blogs that I used to frequent before I started blogging. And, these blogs are some websites that I know the url by heart. One such favorite blog was Tasty Palettes. Suganya has a unique collection of healthy recipes, and also beautiful photographs. I had remembered seeing a lot of healthy burgers in her blog at some point, and when I read about BB5 at Nupur’s blog, I turned to Suganya for inspiration. I actually had difficulty in picking out a sandwich recipe to try out from her blog, because of the versatile and tempting spread that she has. In the end, it was season that won…yep, this ‘Hot Tamale Burger’ is made with fresh corn and being summer I had an abundance of it in my crisper.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Brown rice
1 small Onion, finely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper finely chopped
1/2 green bell pepper finely chopped
1 fresh jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 ear fresh corn, husked
1 chipotle chilli pepper
2 tsp adobo sauce
1/2 cup coarse ground cornmeal
1 tbsp Garlic jam (subst: 2 fresh cloves garlic minced)
1 tsp cumin powder
1/2 cup cilantro finely chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp pepper
1 1/2 tbsp oil
salt to taste

Method:
In a pot or in a pressure cooker, cook brown rice with 3 cups water until tender. Spread on a plate and let cool. In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp oil and sauté onion, bell peppers and jalapeno until soft. Add the fresh corn, chipotle, adobo sauce, garlic jam, cumin and salt. Cover and cook until the corn is cooked through. Add the rice and mix thoroughly.

In a bowl, whisk cornmeal and 1/3 cup water without any lumps. Add this to the vegetables in the skillet and mix well. Cover and cook for 10 more minutes, until the whole mixture comes together. Stir in the cilantro and lemon juice. Let cool until warm enough to handle. Score the mixture to form 4 even burger patties.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Heat the remaining oil in a griddle, and cook the burger patties until they are brown and crusty.

If you have access to the grill, grill the patties for 7 minutes per side. Toast the burger buns on the pan or on the grill until warm. Serve on a bed of lettuce and top it with a fresh slice of tomato.

Verdict: The burgers were very filling and also very healthy. I loved how the burger patties formed a crunchy exterior when cooked in the pan. I have a complaint about the store bought vegetarian burgers that they are not spicy enough for me, I consider them bland. But, the addition of the chipotle pepper in combination with the fresh jalapeno made this a spicy and flavorful burger. Even my husband loved it. We enjoyed it for a nice sunny lunch with some oven baked garlic fries.

I am also sending this to the ‘Veggie/Fruit of the Month’ event started by Priya and featuring Corn this month.

The post Hot Tamale Burger first appeared on Denny's Recipes.