Roasted Chickpeas

I just came back from the most indulgent weekend I have had in a long time – a weekend complete with Mexican food, gourmet pizzas, champagne and Starbucks cheese plates (all my favorites). I wouldn’t be telling the truth if I said that I didn’t want to come back because of school work or something like that. I actually didn’t want to come back because I didn’t want to recommence that spring break diet. With t minus 6 days to go before the beaches of Punta Cana were supposed to be aghast at my new bikini bod, I decided all carbs, sweets, beer, cheese (the best things) better go. But then I got hungry… and pretty bored.

So I came up with this healthy snack. Protein packed to keep you full, with no bad stuff. Hello sunshine. 

Roasted Chickpeas

1 can chickpeas

3 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper

Seasoning of your choice (I love Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning)

Preheat oven to 400. Drain chickpeas and dry thoroughly between two paper towels. Spread out on a cookie sheet and discard the loose shells. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper - salt them well because they do not come pre seasoned at all. Then roll the beans around with your hand to make sure they are all coated in oil and s&p. Put them in the oven and cook for 30 mins, turning occasionally. They should be crunchy crispy and golden brown on the outside when you take them out. When cooked, put them in a bowl and season with your favorite seasoning (I like Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning). Eat warm.

These are almost like fancy, healthy corn nuts. No 18-wheeler required. 

Turkey Masala Burgers with Roasted Tomato, Toasted Pine Nut and Arugula Salad

Upon starting this blog I could not wait to ask my good friend Malcolm to cook with me. He is far and away the best cook I know which was (and is) a little intimidating, to be honest. He has a real sense for flavor and through that has come up with some great avenues for experiment on a college budget. When I asked him last Thursday to cook with me he came up with a fantastic idea which fits perfectly with the mantra of this blog: Turkey masala burgers with roasted tomato, toasted pine nut and arugula salad. No, I’m not kidding.

I arrived at Malcolm’s apartment and was met with a glass of wine and the words “I love to use wine when I cook – and sometimes I even use it in the food!” I knew I was in for a great evening. From then on it was a veritable kitchen tango – leaning across to taste each others food – add some spices, stir something, squish something, and even clean something (queue Malcolm’s haunting phrase “dinner isn’t over until the dishes are done too”) I must say, together we came up with something pretty spectacular. A line of people followed their noses and traipsed into the living room as we ate – “I'm just looking for a taste” or "uhhh - do you mind if I try a bite?" Yeah, right.

Turkey Masala burgers

1 Package ground turkey

1 jar Tikka Masala sauce – Indian section at the grocery store

2 spring onions

2 cloves of garlic

Basmati Rice

1 box arugula (I am lazy so I buy prewashed)

1 box grape tomatoes

1 small package pine nuts (get the smallest they have because places really rip you off with nuts – giving you way more than you’ll ever use for a crazy price)

1 lemon

Parmesan (I buy a block – cheaper and less artificial tasting)

Olive oil

Balsamic vinegar

Dijon Mustard

Chop up onion and mince garlic and sauté them together in a pan with a little oil – save this pan when these are cooked. In the mean time put the raw turkey in a bowl. Add the onion and garlic to the raw turkey. Season with salt and pepper and whatever else you think looks good – we added some red pepper, curry powder and paprika – although if you just have s&p that’s fine. Pour in about ¾ the jar of Tikka Masala. Knead it into the meat with your hands. Cover and put it in the fridge.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut lemon in half and cut one of the halves into segments. Lay out the tomatoes on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper so each one is seasoned. Squeeze some of the lemon segments over the toms and then nestle the lemons in with them on the tray. Roast for about 12 minutes (keep checking – skins will get wrinkly and toms will soften).

Take the turkey out of the fridge. Roll it into balls a little smaller than your fist. Now you have a choice – if you are lucky enough to have a George Foreman grill (which Malcolm was) then cook them on that. If not (like me) then put a little oil in a pan and cook them on that. If you cook them on the stovetop remember to flatten out the balls a little with a fork. Remember that turkey is not like beef and it needs to be cooked all the way through – about 5-6 mins per side.

Then cook the rice according to the instructions on the package. Just a little per person. When the rice is cooked – push about 3 tablespoons of it down into the bottom of a ramekin or shallow glass. Let it sit there for a second and then turn the glass upside down and knock it onto the middle of a plate. This will make a little even stage or platform made of rice for your burger. Put your burger on top.

Pour about ½ cup of the pine nuts into the old pan you used for the garlic and green onion. Toast them in the pan. Pine nuts really need constant attention because they look like they aren’t even cooking and then burn very quickly. Keep stirring them

Make a ring around the burger and rice stand with your arugula. Add the tomatoes and the pine nuts. Mix some olive oil, Dijon mustard, a little squeeze of the lemon and a little balsamic vinegar in a bowl with salt and pepper and mix. Top the salad ring with the dressing. Cut some parmesan shavings off of your block and sprinkle the salad.

Our package of turkey made 2 burgers – but this is easily expandable.

Thai Green Curry with Chicken

The purpose of this blog is to encourage college students like myself to cook meals that seem daunting (and impressive to the unsuspecting dinner guest) - but are actually extremely easy. Nothing complicated - except for maybe the title. That way when your date or boss or even your downstairs room mates come over for dinner they are wowed - and also none the wiser. So where better to start than Thai food. Thai dishes traditionally seem to have about 800 ingredients in them - but this curry has just nine, and that includes the chicken and rice. 

Thai Green Curry

4 chicken breasts (I go with boneless and skinless)

1 (or 1 1/2) cans of coconut milk (NOT coconut water)

3 tsp fish sauce

2 1/2 heaped tbsp Thai green curry paste (if you like spicy add more)

1 heaped tsp brown sugar (but can leave out if you don't already have it)

2 lemons

2 cups basmati rice 

green beans (to your liking - or the limits of the bag)

1 bunch of fresh cilantro 

Swish a little bit of olive oil around in a pan and heat to medium. Cut up your chicken into nice sized chunks, about 5 or 6 per breast depending on the size and throw them in the pan. Remember when you're cutting that chicken shrinks up when you cook it. Season the chicken with some salt and pepper. 

When the chicken is cooked through take it off the heat and set aside. Wash out pan and return it to medium heat on the stove. Pour in your can and a bit of coconut milk. As that simmers add in the fish sauce, curry paste, and brown sugar. I am a huge fan of lemons so I add the juice of 1 and a half lemons to the curry as it cooks. Then plonk the squeezed out lemons down in the sauce - you would be surprised how much flavor is left in them. Add the chicken, stir that around and reduce the heat. Simmer while you cook your rice and beans. 

Follow the instructions on the basmati rice package -- about 2 cups of rice to 8 cups of water. I like Mahatma brand the best and it is only about $6 for a bag that will last you a good long while. 

If you like to cheat - like me - buy the green beans that are already cleaned and in the microwaveable bag. Microwave them for about 15 seconds less that it says to ensure they stay crunchy. 

Then assemble: a scoop of rice on the bottom, then the curry with some chicken, then add a handful of green beans, then a sliver of lemon from the remaining half, and finally top it all with some cilantro. I just wash the bunch and chop the leaves off over the bowls with scissors. 

You can make this in individual bowls, or in one big bowl -- just be sure to remember that the rice absorbs a lot of the flavor of the curry -- so don't add too much rice or you will lose a lot of the flavor. 

And มีคุณไป! 

(I hope that's Thai for voila!) 

Easy, quick and delicious on a college dime.