Easy Peasy Curry Chickpeas

Some nights I like to plan for something easy on the menu that takes very little time and doesn't require a trip to the grocery store. These chickpeas are quick, easy, and healthy. Diced chicken is pictured but I've made them without also. If you want to use chicken, just dice up a chicken breast and saute it to brown before adding the chickpeas and tomatoes. Leave it out for a wonderful vegan dish! This dish is very easy children can chop vegetables, saute them. They can rinse the chickpeas, or pick them over if you are using dry ones . Very easy family friendly dish! I hope you'll try it.

If you are looking for the Instant Pot version of this dish, please follow the link here.

Give Peas A Chance- Taco Soup

 Taco Soup, this one pictured above is regular taco soup with corn and black beans which is pretty standard. I have a Paleo Taco Soup that I keep saying I'm going to blog, no grains, nothing processed, I just am so backlogged. BLAH. I'll post a picture of it below (if I can find it), I even won first prize for it. It was a small gathering of peeps, but don't rain on my parade alright?

Simply Stinking Good Hummus

Sometimes things can be simplified and it's just better. This hummus is one of those dishes- for me. It used to be that when I wanted to make hummus I had two problems

1. I had to go out and buy tahini because I didn't have any.

2. I had tahini but it was expired. 

After I made hummus, I had tahini sitting in the fridge and there's TWO things I use tahini for. Hummus and Sukiyaki Sauce- which is awesome, but that's another post. I just don't use tahini enough. So I decided to make hummus without it. I add a little something to give it that tahini flavor, it's an ingredient I always have  on hand, AND it has a longer shelf life. Perfection. Simple. Easy. Still stinking good.
If you'd like some Pita bread with your hummus, I've got you covered HERE.

Let us go forth and maketh hummus.
Greek Chicken Kabobs
Perfect Pita Bread

Simply Stinking Good Hummus

Simple Roasted Garlic Hummus

Give Peas A Chance Simply Stinking Good Hummus

1- 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained, or one can of chickpeas rinsed and drained

1-2 cloves of garlic, grated (or mashed into a paste with a little salt)

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

1-2 teaspoons sesame seed oil

1 Lemon, reserve zest

Water

Kosher salt

Cayenne pepper (to taste, optional)

Top with-

Olive oil

Paprika

Flat leaf parsley, chopped

1. Place chickpeas in the food processor or blender.
2. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, garlic, and 1 teaspoon sesame oil to the food processor, processes until smooth. 
3. Add lemon zest (optional) and juice from half the lemon and process.
4. Add remaining oil to the chickpeas, if needed to get the consistency smooth. 
5. If the hummus is not as smooth a consistency you like, add a tablespoon of water at a time and process.
6. TASTE.
7. Add salt, lemon juice, and sesame oil to adjust seasonings as needed.
8. Transfer hummus to a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and top with paprika and or flat leaf parsley.

-Roasted Garlic can be used

-I usually double this recipe.

-It's not traditional but curry powder, or cumin are good in hummus also.

Manic Monday- Roasted Chickpeas

Today's Manic Monday recipe is Roasted Chickpeas. If you've never made these, they are so good. They are easy to make, and get so crunchy. You can used canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans) or soak and cook your own first.
Season them sweet or savory. I prefer savory.
Curry powder.

Hot and spicy with cayenne, salt, black pepper.

Lemon juice and a little salt.

Taco seasoning.

Five Spice powder

Za'tar

South African Five Spice Powder

Split Pea Soup

We had ham for Christmas. Yummy ham that I glazed with orange juice, cloves, honey and a little brown sugar. NOM NOM. For leftovers Diva made us green eggs and ham and I made split pea soup.
I realize that to some people split pea soup brings flashbacks of a certain movie. So sad, because split pea soups is easy to make, smooth, creamy and pretty good for you. I have made split pea with a splash of cream, in this recipe I omitted the cream and substituted navy beans to make it creamy. I blend the beans to make the soup creamy, if you don't want to puree the beans just put them in the pot with the peas at the start of cooking and follow the recipe from there.