Category Archives: Sidekicks

Roasted Chick Peas

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The other day I was cleaning out my cabinets and I found a can of chick peas in the back. (Calm down, it was still well within the expiration date when I used it.) Anyway, I figured I should prob use it before I forgot about it again.

I used half of the can to make our chic pea salad. And the other half I decided to roast as a yummy “pop-in-your-mouth” treat.

1 can of chick peas
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp dried rosemary

Preheat the oven to 350. Drain and pat dry the chic peas, then toss in the olive oil. (Don’t try to use the liquid that’s in the chic pea can in lieu of the oil. They’ll dry out in the oven if you do.) Spread the chic peas on a baking sheet and sprinkle with the salt and rosemary. Bake for 30 minutes or until they look crispy and brown.

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Happy Eating, XO.

Crispy Kale Chips

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Over the weekend I had kale chips for the first time. I fully expected not to like them (bitter greens as chips? Palease).  But, I loved them! (Surprisingly my husband did too. This is so far from normal for him, but they were THAT good.) Seeing that we both liked them so much, I of course wanted to make them myself and share the wealth with you lovely readers. So here they are!

  • 1 bunch of fresh kale (remove leaves from the stalk and cut in to bit sized pieces)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil (you could also use a teeny tiny bit of truffle oil if you’re feeling adventurous)
  • 1 tsp course sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss kale in olive oil until fully covered, and spread out on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sea salt and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until edges of the leaves are brown.

Kale chips

Happy Eating, XO.

Rice Like You’ve Never Had Before

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Although Cinco de Mayo is behind us now, it doesn’t mean we can’t still break out the Latin food! I’m sure we all have some left over cilantro and lime juice, and this recipe will take care of just that. It’s a super refreshing dish that goes great with fish or served under grilled chicken.

  • 1 cup white rice (cook according to box instructions)
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro
  • 4 tbsp lime juice (add more or less depending on your tastes)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic

While the rice is cooking, blend the remaining ingredients in a blender (or use my favorite little gadget, this multi chopper). Once the rice is done, combine both rice and herb mixture.

Cilantro Lime RiceHappy Eating, XO.

Aloo tiki

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Aloo tiki or potato cutlet is a North Indian snack made of boiled potatoes and various spices. “Aloo” means potato, and the word “tikki” means a small cutlet or croquette. It is found in almost every chaat shop or stall in Delhi, as well as, in other parts of India. It is served hot along with, tamarind and coriander-mint chutney (sauce), known as Hari (green) chutney. I decided I need to learn how to make these after my best friend had a craving for them over the weekend and asked my mom to make us some. They are fairly simple to make and very filling. They are excellent to serve as an afternoon snack with tea or with drinks as an appetizer. Next time we have a craving, we won’t need to run home for them…yum!

  • 3 medium size potatoes
  • 1 small onion- finely chopped or a half of a medium
  • 1 green chili- finely chopped (remove seeds when chopping to minimize heat if you are worried about spice level)
  • 1 tsp. cumin powder
  • 1 tsp. coriander powder
  • 1 tsp. fennel powder (I didn’t have any so I left out, you won’t die if it isn’t in there)
  • ½ tsp. red chili powder
  • ¼ tsp. dry ginger powder (I also added garlic powder in place of the fennel, mainly because I can’t eat most food without some sort of garlicky goodness)
  • ½ tsp. chaat masala powder (MDG is my fav brand, but there are tons of kinds out there & easy to find)
  • 2 tbsp. flour or corn starch (you cant skip this, it helps bind them and give them a crust, they will fall apart without it)
  • handful of fresh coriander leaves chopped (AKA cilantro. If you don’t like the flavor of cilantro, fresh parsley works as well)
  • oil for pan or shallow frying (vegetable is best since olive oil has a stronger flavor)
  • salt (I also added a pinch of black pepper)

Boil the peeled potatoes and after they are cooled a bit, using a grater to grate them. You can even use a potato masher instead of grating to save time. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Divide the mixture into equal portions and shape each portion into a round, flat tikki. (Pack them tightly so they don’t fall apart in the pan) Heat a non-stick pan on a medium to high flame and cook each tikki, using oil generously: think shallow fry, till both sides are golden brown. (you will be tempted to mess with them but let each side firm up & get browned, flip gently). Drain on an absorbent paper towel to catch any excess oil and serve hot. This is the Indian version of our latkes. It tastes like nostalgia/home.

Happy Eating, XO.

Tea Party with the Easter Bunny

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So if you are actually more of a grown up than me and maybe wanna swap out these recipes for a bridal or baby shower vs. a make-believe Easter bunny tea party, feel free to. I mean that is OBVIOUSLY not what they are intended for and are strictly meant for large hat, gloves, and pearl wearing occasions such as Easter Sunday. However, I will not judge you for using them for adult events in which Mimosas and Bloody Mary’s are served in place of tea & crumpets. Not that I have any clue what a crumpet is nor will I be showing any of you how to make one. Luckily, a lot of the essentials for this tea party you already have in your arsenal of recipes. Look back at the truffled crostini and the deviled eggs as a good place to start.Then build upon the fine tea party foods by adding the two finger sandwich recipes below:
  • 2 tbsp. butter (unsalted)
  • 1 tbsp. chopped chives
  • 1 cucumber thinly sliced in rounds (word on the street is radishes are a great replacement ,but kids find it spicy so I left it as cucumbers, but a thought if you want to do half & half).
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 6 slices of bread cut into the same sized rounds as the cucumber (I used a brioche)
Mash together the salt, pepper, chives, & butter. Spread a thin later on the bread and place the cucumber slice on top. Smear the other bread before finishing the sandwiches. Serves enough for you, the Easter Bunny, a doll, and Mr. Teddy Bear. (or 4 adults if again, that’s something you are into, hanging with adults or real people for that matter).
  • 2 tbsp. whipped cream cheese (or crème fraise)
  • 1 tbsp. chopped dill
  • smoked salmon
  • 6 slices of bread cut into squares (I used a pumpernickel since it was darker than the brioche)
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 6 slices of bread cut into the same sized rounds as the cucumber

*same methodology to “construct” as above.

Finally, offer an assortment of teas. Not just hot, think iced tea as well! Fruit infused or even good old Arnold Palmers. Lastly, some store bought cookies would be a good way to finish off with something sweet. Enjoy a relaxing Sunday afternoon with your dolls & the Easter bunny or bridesmaids, whatever you see fit.
Happy Easter & Happy Eating, XO.