Tag Archives: quick dinner

Garlic, Chickpeas, Broccoli and Politics

Posted on March 22, 2012 | Leave a comment

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Previously, the only thing that George HW Bush and I had in common was our dislike of broccoli.  I’m proud to say that after eating this dish from Appetite for Reduction, I can distance myself a little  more from HW, with only a slight dislike of broccoli and have narrowed it down to  when it is 1) overdone or 2) raw.  I love broccoli in this dish.

Warning, this is one ugly dish.  I mean, there isn’t a food blog around that would claim this dish a beauty.  So maybe not on the top 5 of dishes to serve when say the Queen is coming to dinner, but certainly a fail-safe dish for a busy week day dinner.  After you roast this off the possibilities are endless, it would make a great soup with some veg broth added, perhaps toss it on a piece of naan for a sandwich, over rice, lentils, quinoa, etc.  Or do as I do and just eat it off the baking sheet as you don’t want to dirty another dish.  I won’t judge you.

  • 1 lb broccoli, cut into large spears and stems chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (around 9-10 cups) – I really hate the spears, so I used just florettes out of a bag, 2 bags worth.
  • 10+ cloves garlic, peeled and smashed-use what you want.  I’ve done up to 20 and an no worse for the wear.
  • 2 cups cooked chickpeas (or a 19-oz can, rinsed and drained)
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 tsp lemon zest (zest from 1 lemon) reserve the juice
  • 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano or 3 tsp fresh
  • 1 cup vegetable broth

Preheat the oven to 400F. Place the broccoli, garlic and chickpeas in a 9×13 inch baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, chili flakes, lemon zest, oregano and black pepper to taste. Toss to coat and bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes, flipping once.

After 30 minutes, mix broccoli and chickpeas again and add broth, deglazing any browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Continue to bake another 15 minutes until the garlic is tender and the broccoli is browned in some places.

I finished this dish with the lemon juice from the zested lemon, and baked for another 5-10 minutes until it was absorbed.

Adapted from Appetite for Reduction

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Posted in Dinner, Gluten Free, Quick Cooking, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

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Quinoa Veggie Bowl with Two Sauces

Posted on March 1, 2012 | 3 comments

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Once you become comfortable with having flexible items in your pantry, having no real plan for cooking isn’t very stressful.  You get to bring this kinda stuff together in a pinch.  This is a perfect no-plan panic meal.

Parm + Citrus Sauce/Dressing:

  • 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (make this Vegan and omit the cheese)
  • Zest and juice of 2 oranges
  • 2 tablespoons chopped shallots
  • 2T white wine vinegar
  • 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil (or half reg. + half lemon oil)
  • 2 pinches of both salt + pepper

In a medium bowl (or Mason jar) combine the grated Parmesan, orange zest and juice, and the shallots. Whisk in the white wine vinegar. Whisk in the olive oil and finish by seasoning with salt and pepper.

Tahini Dressing:

  • 1 garlic clove, smashed and chopped
  • 1/4 cup tahini
  • Zest of one lemon
  • scant 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons hot water
  • scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

In a medium bowl or Mason jar combine the garlic, tahini, lemon zest and juice, and olive oil.  Add the hot water to thin a bit and then the salt.

For the veggie bowl:

Cook up quinoa according to package directions.  Pictured here, I made a mix of common white and less common Inca red quinoa.  They cook up the same, I didn’t have a cup of either, but combining them I just made it.  Before I add the water and put it into a pan to cook, I like to rinse it through a fine mesh strainer until the water runs clear and then toast it in a saute’ pan until just barely browned.  I think it makes it taste nutty and earthy.  The end texture is also a little fluffier, less mushy like rice sometimes gets with the excess starch still attached.

In the bowl pictured, there is cooked room temperature chickpeas (mine were from frozen, but you could use canned in a pinch), raw red onion, steamed kale and steamed fingerling potatoes.  That’s what I had in my fridge that day but you can use any cooked or raw veggie you like.  The type of bowl you make is only limited by what’s in your fridge really.  Tofu would make an excellent addition to this dish.  I served my bowl room temperature for a simple dinner.

Dressings adapted from 101cookbooks.com

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Posted in Dinner, Fridge Finds, Quick Cooking, Recipes, Salad, Vegan, Vegetarian

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