Roasted Chickpeas

Monday lunches tend to be leftovers. We had pasta and salad last night, so I decided to eat the salad. I added chickpeas for a quick protein.

The salad was delicious, but I had a lot of uneaten chickpeas—perfect for experimenting with roasted chickpeas!


Roasted Chickpeas (makes 2 cups)
Recipe based on this Roasted Chickpea recipe from Jessica of how sweet it is.

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked chickpeas
1-2 teaspoons olive oil spray
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Place rinsed chickpeas on a paper towel. Pat dry and remove any loose skins.
3. Cover baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place chickpeas on baking sheet.
4. Lightly mist chickpeas with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic, and paprika. Roll chickpeas to coat.
5. With chickpeas in a single layer, bake for 15 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and roll chickpeas. Bake for another 15 minute.
7. Let cool and eat!

The chickpeas smelled delicious as they cooked. Some of the chickpeas were still chewy when I removed them from the oven, so I cooked them for an additional 7 minutes. This will probably vary from oven to oven. 

Roasted chickpeas high in protein and a great alternative to chips. They have a similar taste and texture as corn nuts and taste best after they have cooled.

It was my first time using one of Jessica's recipes, and I found her conversational directions easy to follow.

I recommend trying this recipe. Next time I will use honey to make a sweet and salty version.
 

Baked French Toast (With Blueberry Syrup)

When my family stayed over last Christmas, I made Baked French Toast for breakfast. The recipe is the perfect for feeding guests; just make it the night before and put it in the oven in the morning!

Since it was for only Matt and me, I halved the original recipe; my instructions reflect my changes.

Baked French Toast (With Blueberry Syrup) (Feeds 4-6)

Original Recipe: Cinnamon Baked French Toast via Lovin the Oven

1/2 Loaf Sour Dough Bread*

4 Eggs
1 cup Vanilla Soy Milk*

1/4 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

2/3 cup Sugar

1/4 cup All Purpose Flour

1/4 cup Firmly Packed Brown Sugar

1/4 tsp. Cinnamon

1/4 tsp. Nutmeg+
1/8 tsp. Sea salt*

1/2 Stick Cold Butter, Cubed

*Substitution

+Addition 

Directions

1. Grease a 8 X 8 pan.
2. Tear bread into chunks and arrange in pan.
3. Mix eggs, milk, cream sugar, and vanilla. Pour mixture over bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
4. In separate bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add butter and mix until crumbly. Store in a plastic bag in fridge.

 To Bake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Sprinkle cinnamon crumbs on bread.
3. Bake 1 hour.
4. Serve with blueberry syrup (see below) and maple syrup.

 

 

Blueberry Syrup

Original Recipe: Blueberry Syrup via Kleinworth & Co. 

2 cups thawed blueberries (I used the blueberries from Ludington)*
1/2 cup sugar*
3/4 cup water
Splash of orange juice+

*Substitution

+Addition 

Directions

1. Add ingrediants to saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat.
2. Reduce heat and simmer for 12 minutes.
3. Remove from heat. Allow to cool to room temperature.
4. Use blender to pulse until liquid is smooth.
5. Serve. Store in airtight container.

 

We both loved the taste of this dish. Matt is excited that we have leftovers for tomorrow. He also approved of the blueberry syrup which added the perfect flavor.

I'm definitely adding Bake French Toast to our weekend breakfast rotation!

The recipe was found on Pinterest and it is pinned into my eat breakfast board.

Healthier No Bake Cookies

No bake cookies are one of my favorite desserts. The combination of chocolate, peanut butter, and oats is amazing. When I saw this pin on Pinterest for a healthier no bake cookie I had to try it.

Healthier No Bake Cookies (Makes 24-36 cookies)

Ingredients

• 1 ripe banana, mashed
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup vanilla soymilk*
• 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter*
• a pinch of salt
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 3 cups old fashioned oats*

*Substituted from original recipe.

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients excluding oats and vanilla extract in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir often with a wooden ladle.
2. Boil for one minute. Remove from heat.
3. Add oats and vanilla extract. Stir well.
4. Cook on medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Stir often.
5. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper. Let cool to room temperature.

You may not like the healthier version if you're expecting the same taste and texture as regular no bake cookies. The hint of banana distracts from the chocolate and peanut butter. Maybe they should be renamed Banana No Bake Cookies.

You can see my substitutions are asterisked. I did not have instant oats so I used old fashioned oats. Old fashioned oats take longer to cook so I heated the mixture for about two minutes after I mixed them in. I also replaced creamy peanut butter with crunchy peanut butter (which is always a treat).

The healthier no bake cookies are certainly interesting. I will continue to tweak the recipe. Let me know if you have any suggestions!

Puerto Rican Coffee

When I wake up I have a certain routine: put in my contacts, make a pot of coffee, and then feed Misty. Misty likes to think her breakfast is first on my agenda, but she usually contents herself by meowing methodically as I make the coffee.

After I fed Misty this morning I noticed I could not hear or smell the coffee brewing. I was puzzled since I had just cleaned the coffeemaker with water and vinegar. It had been working quite well for several days, but the coffee burner was not warm. My research told me it would be cheaper to buy a new coffee maker.

As they say, necessity is the mother of all invention. I did not want to go out for coffee, so I decided to try Puerto Rican Coffee.

I brought 8 oz. of water (per cup of coffee) close to boiling. I added 2-3 tablespoons of ground coffee and stirred for 6 minutes. Then I filtered the grounds from the water.

 I used a coffee filter, bread ties, and a mason jar to filter my coffee.

I put the water back in the pot and added creamer until it was the color I usually drink my coffee. I let the water simmer for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Although it does take longer than automatic drip, Puerto Rican coffee is worth the wait. My morning coffee was delicious and full of flavor. It would pair perfectly with dessert. Now I just have to plan my housewarming party.

Banana Nut Bread

I had every intention to take a nap yesterday. Misty and I were laying on the couch when I was hit by the mood to make banana nut bread.

I chose this banana bread recipe from Simply Recipes because I had most of the ingredients. The recipe called for three or four ripe bananas. I only had two bananas, so I decided to improvise.

I knew that without the extra bananas the bread would be on the dry side. I would have used applesauce to add moisture but I did not have any so I used the reduced sugar option and added approximately 1/4 cup of honey. The result was lightly sweet that paired well with the bananas.

The recipe did not call for walnuts, but you cannot have banana nut bread without them. I was afraid they would dry out the bread, so I put the chopped walnuts on the top. This gave the nuts a slightly toasted taste.

Ever the dutiful husband, Matt loved the bread so much he ate three pieces! Overall I found this to be a good base recipe because it gives you room for alterations.

Banana Nut Bread + Coffee = A Lovely Breakfast!

Frozen Smoothies

Variations of make ahead frozen smoothies such as Freezer Smoothies, Green Smoothie Cups, and Make Ahead Smoothies are mainstays of food boards on Pinterest. Smoothies are a light yet filling fruit and/or vegetable blend high in antioxidants and vitamins. They are energizing and perfect for breakfast or as a snack.

When I made Freezer Jam I had extra strawberries so I cut up and froze them with bananas and grapes. I also froze yogurt in a silicone muffin pan. After they were frozen I put one cup frozen fruit and one yogurt cube into a freezer bags; I ended up with six bags of pre-made smoothies.

To make the smoothie simply add juice or milk and blend until smooth. I did not have juice so I juiced three oranges for approximately 3/4 cup of fresh orange juice. You could also add flax seed, honey, soy protein, or wheat grass for additional benefits.

My smoothie was delicious! I look forward to enjoying this frozen treat on a hot summer's day!

Breakfast: Eggs in the Basket

I've been meaning to try this one for a while. When I was a child, my aunt made eggs in the basket. I don't remember if I liked it or not (I was a picky eater), but after seeing V for Vendetta (several years ago, in the theater), I've wanted to try it again.

I like to eat vegetables with my eggs, so I sautéed red peppers with garlic salt and dried onions. I buttered both sides of a piece of bread then tore a hole out of the center. This process was a bit messy. I placed the bread in the pan. I broke an egg over the hole then seasoned it with salt and pepper. After the bottom was done, I flipped the bread over to cook the top. When the egg in the basket was done I sprinkled red peppers on it.

Verdict: The eggs and toast were good, although the yolk did not cook all of the way through. I am not sure if that is because I didn't account for the bread and flipped it too soon or because my boyfriend's stove has issues. Adding the red peppers was genius. Next time, I will try using 12 grain bread because I think it'll make a better "basket".