Category Archives: Lunch

Hummus…and a Giveaway!

Hummus
Hummus

If you’re at all familiar with the movie, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, you must remember the “Mooscaca” scene! You can watch it here (@ 3:00 is the scene I’m talking about). That was my childhood! Being Armenian with a family from Egypt, my Mother didn’t know anything about Wonderbread. Or any sliced bread, for that matter. All of our sandwiches were on pita bread. And many times, there was hummus in that pita. This was over forty thirty years ago (hey, stop trying to do the math!). No one in suburban New Jersey was eating pita bread or hummus for lunch. Except for me. I would beg my Mom to just buy Wonderbread. “Pleeeeeeaaaase can I just take a peanut butter and jelly on Wonderbread!” She’d reply “Hokees (sweetheart in Armenian), why would you want to eat that when this is so good?” Sigh. I’d cringe as I looked into my lunchbox. I can remember trying to find a way to eat the sandwich without taking it completely out in plain sight. I will say, no one teased me about it. They did ask me what the heck I was eating and that alone was all I needed to develop a full blown complex. One day, my friend Sandy must have felt sorry for me. She offered to trade sandwiches. That meant the world to me. Sandy’s family owned an Italian deli and she always had the most beautiful sandwiches. I don’t remember anything beyond that moment, just that she made me feel like less of a freak!

So, it’s not like I think I have any claim to hummus, but do I feel like it’s mine. I’m kidddddding! A little. It’s just that this is the type of food that was a staple in our home and back then, I felt like an oddball eating it! Now, it’s everywhere. Hummus is so popular that some tobacco farmers are switching to farming chickpeas instead of tobacco! So, I kind of feel like, well, my hummus is pretty darn good. Who knew that some of my most major hangups over food would pay off someday?

One of the wonderful things that has come to me because of my crazy relationship with food is this blog. Over the past few months, I’ve seen it grow and I’ve been hearing really sweet things from my awesome readers. You’ve all been so kind and supportive, I’d like to give a little something to you! Enter to win a $25 gift card to Bed Bath and Beyond courtesy of Taste Love & Nourish. I know I can always find a little something every time I go there! I love that store! Enter below! Good luck and thank you!

Hummus

Hummus

1 29 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed well
1/3 C. tahini
juice of one lemon
zest of 1/2 lemon
up to 1/3 C. water (start with less and add a bit more if you need to thin it out)
2 T. extra virgin olive oil + more for drizzling on top
3/4 t. salt
a bit of black pepper
1/4 t. cumin
1 clove garlic, minced
sprinkling of crushed red pepper flakes
toasted or grilled pita bread or assorted veggies for serving

Combine the ingredients up to the garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Spoon into a serving bowl and drizzle with more olive oil and sprinkle with some crushed red pepper flakes.

Notes:

  • I don’t add a lot of olive oil while processing. I feel like the flavor of the oil gets lost. I like to use the best quality extra virgin olive oil I can and use it more as a garnish. That way you really taste the fruity flavor on your tongue.
  • I don’t use a ton of fresh garlic in this for a reason. I think raw garlic can be overwhelming. If I roast garlic beforehand, I add a lot more than the one clove. Roasted garlic is mellow, sweet and delicious. To roast a head of garlic, cut a bit of the top off to expose the cloves, place the garlic in a bit of aluminum foil, drizzle with a tiny, tiny bit of olive oil and roast in an oven preheated to 350 degrees for about 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the size of the garlic. To test, just give it a light squeeze. If it’s softened, it’s done!
Hummus

 

 

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Lunchtime: Tuscan Toast with Goat Cheese, Pea Shoots and Blackberries

Tuscan Toast with Goat Cheese, Pea Shoots and Blackberries
Tuscan Toast with Goat Cheese, Pea Shoots and Blackberries

I love lunchtime. It’s kind of my time. It sounds so selfish, but I don’t have to think about what anyone else likes or doesn’t like…it’s all about me! :) So, that’s the time I put together ingredients that may be odd, but sound pretty good to me. So, every now and then, I’d love to start sharing those lunches with you. Because, who knows? There may be an oddball or two out there just like me!

This came together after a fun trip to one of my favorite stores, Trader Joe’s, with a good friend. It’s so hard to go there and not put everything into my cart, but these are the things that made their way onto my plate and made me so, so happy!

Tuscan Toast with Goat Cheese, Pea Shoots and Blackberries

1 slice good quality bread, toasted (I use Trader Joe’s Tuscan Pane)
about 1 – 2 T. goat cheese
handful of pea shoots
handful of blackberries

Simply spread some goat cheese, then….who am I kidding…I know you don’t need me to tell you how to do this. Enjoy! :)

 

Notes:

  • Pea shoots are high in vitamins A and C. Read more about them here!
  • These toasts would make a great appetizer too!

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    Tuscan Toast with Goat Cheese, Pea Shoots and Blackberries

     

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Red Quinoa and Mango Salad

Red Quinoa and Mango Salad
Red Quinoa and Mango Salad

With so much going on last week, I felt like I was walking around in a haze half the time. Both global and personal events had me preoccupied. So, in that haze, I made a pot of quinoa last night to accompany dinner, only to realize I’d made so many different things, no one even wanted it. I stuck it in the fridge and figured I’d make a salad with it. Well, here it is! I just started pulling things together and this became the best lunch I’d had in a long time! I could hardly stop eating long enough to take some photos and get this written up.

This salad is a combination of textures. The crunch of the pepitas and the quinoa, and creaminess of the black beans and mangoes are wonderful. And the bit of sweetness from those mangoes and the currants against the savory citrus dressing is so good! I could eat this all day. This salad will be great to pack up for my daughter’s lunches this week or as a side dish for a light and healthy dinner!

Enjoy…and in light of so much heartbreaking news recently…peace.

Red Quinoa and Mango Salad

3 C. cooked red quinoa, cooled
2 ripe mangoes, cubed
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 C. frozen sweet corn kernels
1/4 C. currants
2 green onions, sliced
2 T. fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/2 C. roasted pepitas

Citrusy Vinaigrette
juice of one lemon
juice of one lime
1/4 C. extra virgin olive oil
1 t. Dijon mustard
1/4 t. cumin
1 t. sea salt
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper

Combine all of the salad ingredients, up to the parsley, in a large bowl. Combine the dressing in a small bowl and whisk until combined. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine and get it all covered. Refrigerate for an hour before serving. Toss in the pepitas just before serving to keep their crunch.

 

Notes:

  • I like to rinse my quinoa before cooking. If you don’t have a really fine sieve, line whatever sieve you do have with some paper towel. You’ll have to really shake those little buggers off afterward, but it is worth it. Rinsing removes the saponins (a substance that makes quinoa bitter) and really makes a huge difference. This is the quinoa I use.
  • Pepitas are pumpkin seeds. Find them in the nut section of your store.
  • I used Champagne mangoes in this salad. You can use any mango. They just happened to be on sale this past week. This was my first time trying them. Their texture is a bit creamier than most mangoes, they have a really pretty golden color, inside and out and they get really sweet when left out on the counter.
  • This year, 2013, has been declared, “The International Year of Quinoa” by the United Nations! Read about the global importance of this super nutritious grain.
  • If you’d like more nutritional information about quinoa, check out this great source: World’s Healthiest Foods!

 

Red Quinoa and Mango Salad

 

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Shaved Broccoli Salad

Shaved Broccoli Salad

Let’s start off with the name of this salad. Shaved? Ugh…I’ll admit, I hesitated over using that word. *Insert funny joke I had here…but, apparently my family thought was inappropriate* Seriously though, it was the word that just kept repeating in my head as I wondered how this would all work if I “shaved” the broccoli. I imagined, instead of hunks of stalky, unyielding crowns, this salad would have crisp, crunchy slivers of broccoli, surrounded by a light and creamy dressing and flecked with sweet cranberries, tart apple slices and nutty almonds. I used my best chef’s knife to slice through each crown, as you would julienne any other vegetable. You could used your mandoline or slicer blade on your food processor, but I enjoy the process of chopping. It’s therapeutic. I will warn you…it is a bit messy. The broccoli heads break up and get all over your hands, but you’ll want to tough it out. This salad is so worth it!

Shaved Broccoli Salad

3 – 4 small broccoli heads, stems cut to about 2″ and julienned
1 small red apple, cut into slices about the same size as the broccoli
1/2 C. dried cranberries
1/2 small red onion, sliced
1/2 C. sliced almonds

Dressing
1/4 C. mayonnaise or vegenaise
1/4 C. non-fat plain Greek yogurt (I use Chobani)
2 T. apple cider vinegar (I use Bragg’s)
1 packet stevia
3/4 t. salt
1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper

Combine all of the salad ingredients, up to the onion, in a large bowl. Combine the dressing in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Pour the dressing over the broccoli and toss to combine and get it all covered. Add the almond slices and toss a bit more. If you can stand it, refrigerate for an hour before serving…but I bet you eat half of it before it makes it to the fridge!

 

Notes:

  • When cutting the broccoli crowns, put the tip of your knife on the board and rocking back and forth, run it across, keeping the knife tip on the board to cut easily and evenly through the crown.
  • I used only the crown and about two inches or so of the stalk. You could most certainly cut the stalk up into two inch lengths and julienne or coarsely grate them.
  • When purchasing broccoli, look for the florets that are the most compact. The ones that are more open are not as fresh.
  • When I bring the broccoli home, I like to trim the end of the stalk and store them with the stalk in a bit of water in a bowl or dish until I’m ready to use them.
  • This salad packs up easily for school or work lunches or even for a picnic!
  • Broccoli can help with weight loss! Read this recent article from Shape Magazine.
  • If you like this salad, you may also like Curried Chicken Waldorf Salad.

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    Broccoli is not everyone’s favorite vegetable in my house…but this salad may have changed some minds! What is your favorite way to eat broccoli? Leave a comment below and let me know!

     

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    Mediterranean Chopped Salad with Seared Scallops…and a Giveaway!

    Mediterranean Chopped Salad with Seared Scallops

    This salad is full of the flavors I grew up with. I’ve mentioned before, I’m an Armenian girl who grew up eating a lot of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food. One bite of this salad and I feel like I’m back in my Mom’s kitchen. The flavors of the Feta cheese, Kalamata olives and red onion are bold, tangy and salty. They are balanced by some of the other ingredients, like the creamy nuttiness of the chickpeas, the crunch of the pita chips and the brightness of the lemon zest. Speaking of lemon…this dressing is based on the dressing my Mom always made. It’s full of fresh lemon juice and just a hint of cumin and oregano.

    The scallops are my addition to this familiar salad. I love scallops. They are tender, buttery and have such a mild flavor, they go so well with this bold salad. This is my favorite way to eat them…seared. And I think I’ve got the technique down. It’s really easy. There are just a few things to keep in mind when searing scallops. I’ll take you through the steps in the recipe below.

     

    Mediterranean Chopped Salad with Seared Scallops

    1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
    about 2 handfuls of mixed greens
    1/2 C. grape tomatoes
    1/2 C. large seedless cucumber, chopped
    1/4 C. red onion, chopped
    1 15 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed well
    about 4 oz. Feta cheese, crumbled
    1/4 C. pitted Kalamata olives, sliced in half
    1 1/2 C. broken pita chips

    Dressing
    juice of one lemon (about 1/3 C.)
    zest of half of a lemon
    1/3 C. extra virgin olive oil
    1/2 t. Dijon mustard
    1/8 t. cumin
    1/8 t. dried oregano (crumbled between your fingers)
    1/4 t. salt
    1/8 t. pepper

    Scallops
    1 lb. sea scallops
    1 T. butter
    2 t. olive oil
    kosher salt and pepper

    Assemble and divide the salad ingredients on four dinner plates. Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside while you prepare the scallops.

    Preheat a cast iron pan over medium high heat. Most store bought scallops are stored in a liquid that keeps them fresh. Ask if you are unsure. If they are, you should give them a bit of a rinse under cold water. Pat dry your scallops with paper towels whether you’ve rinsed them or not. You want them to be dry. Next, you want to pull of the little tab of muscle that most of them have. It can get tough once cooked. Lay the scallops out and very lightly sprinkle them with kosher salt and some black pepper on both sides. Add the olive oil and the butter to the pan. Once the butter has melted add the scallops. You will probably have to do this in two batches. A crowded pan won’t give you a nice sear. Once you’ve placed them in the pan…do not move them at all for at least 2 minutes, but not much more than that. Flip and cook for 2 more minutes. They should be golden.

    Pour about 2 tablespoons of dressing on each salad. Top each salad off with some scallops. I like to zest some additional lemon zest from the remaining lemon half over the top of each salad.

     

    Notes:

    • If you are concerned about buying scallops stored in liquid, buy them from a fish monger and ask for “dry packed” scallops.
    • One easy way to chop the romaine into small pieces is to cut the whole head in half lengthwise, then cut each half once more. Rinse the sections, then cut across each section into small pieces.
    • I use less salt in the dressing than I normally would because so many elements in the salad are pretty salty.  Adjust to your own taste.

     

    Those of you who follow my blog know I use my Microplane Zester-Grater often. I use it for the lemon zest in this recipe. And guess what? You can enter to win your very own! My Zester-Grater is one of those “Things I Love!” Read about it here and enter to win!

     

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