BBQ Roasted Chickpeas

My coffee cup completely missed my mouth this morning and I got coffee down my shirt.  So, that’s how today is shaping up.  On to these chickpeas.  Because they are wonderful, and if it was possible to marry an inanimate object I would marry these chickpeas.  If you’re looking at your screen with that Liz-be-tripping-again look on  your face, I have only one word to say to you.  Okay, I have several.  Spicy.  Smoky.  Crunchy.  Or, as I just improperly spelled that last one, CHRUNCHY.

These chickpeas are perfect in every single way.  They’re good as a snack.  They’re good tossed in a salad.  They’d probably be good in some fusion taco, but I didn’t try that and therefore cannot speak to its actual merits.  But, THERE ARE SO MANY OPTIONS.  I finished the batch and immediately wanted to make a new one.  Try these, guys.  You will not regret it!

BBQ Roasted Chickpeas

Ingredients

1 tbsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp onion powder

1 1/2 tsp light brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 can chickpeas, washed and drained

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Preheat an oven to 425 degrees.

Pat your chickpeas dry.  Mix the spices together and set aside.  Mix together the chickpeas, oil, and 3/4 of the spice mix.  Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, toss with a spatula or wooden spoon, and bake for another 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and add more of the spice mixture until you have your desired potency of spiciness.

And, enjoy!

Source:  Seriously Delish

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Overnight Oats

I’ve taken up the very bad habit of the snooze button. I’ve always done it, but typically I’d snooze for ten maybe twenty minutes at the max, and I’d be good. I actually built snooze time into when I woke up to allow what always felt like a luxurious extra few minutes of sleep. Well, lately it’s been a lot more than ten minutes. It’s never made me late for school or work, but I know it’s just a matter of time. So, starting tomorrow morning I am going to try not to hit the snooze at all. According to a very trustworthy source (cough…Google…cough) it takes twenty one days to set a habit.

You might have noticed that I am only posting once a week over here. I was reluctant to drop down to once a week, but with school and my new job doing more than that is just too difficult. Also, I feel like it gives readers more time to actually view the post. It’s up all week, so you guys have seven whole days to catch it!

 

Sorry for this being a day late, by the way. I was wrapped up in cleaning and cooking for my Valentine’s Day party and then Sunday I had the worst junk food hangover, which led to heartburn/stomachaches so bad that I almost went to our health center yesterday. I learned the very important lesson that buffalo wild wings, champagne, candy, and potato chips are not a good combination for me. No, they are not.

Despite it being Fat Tuesday, I’m trying to eat healthy. Call it absolving for my weekend sins. Call it not wanting to writhe in pain all day. I DO have a fun recipe for you, though! I’m sure you are all familiar with Chocolate Covered Katie, and while I don’t make her recipes particularly often, I do like her breakfast offerings. When I saw these overnights oats, I knew I had to make them. I think a scaled down batch of these would be perfect for dessert!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Overnight Oats

Ingredients

1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup milk (any type will do!)
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp mini chocolate chips

Directions

Combine the first four ingredients in a bowl and let chill in a refrigerator for several hours. If you’re making this for breakfast, I’d recommend chilling overnight. When you are ready to eat, add the chocolate chips, stir, and enjoy!

Source: Chocolate Covered Katie

Mexican Cauliflower Soup

I’m a little embarrassed to admit that this is the first time I have ever used cauliflower in soup.  Besides roasting it, cauliflower has never been something I used really often in cooking.  Last week, though, I was eating leftover chicken tortilla soup and came to the illuminating conclusion that I don’t really like chicken.

I know, you’re thinking of all those chicken chili recipes that I posted this winter.  I didn’t hate it in all those, but I was actively picking around the chicken in the chicken tortilla soup to get to the all the vegetables.  Naturally, I thought to myself: why don’t you make chicken tortilla soup without the chicken?  For some reason, the first vegetable I thought to add was cauliflower!  I love the texture cauliflower adds to the soup.  The smaller pieces are almost like rice.  It also adds body to what could be an otherwise light vegetable soup.

I liked to serve this alongside a quick quesadilla, or just a flour tortilla.  You could do a salad, but I personally think the soup is filled with enough veggies, so you can splurge a bit on the side!  Like most soups, it gets better while it sits.  One thing to note is that the vegetables absorb a lot of the broth when it’s in the refrigerator.  If you like a really soup-y soup, I would add a bit more broth.

Mexican Cauliflower Soup

1 tbsp olive oil

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 celery ribs, diced

1 green pepper, seeded and chopped

1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into small florets

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

pinch red pepper flakes

4 cups broth

14 oz can Rotel diced tomatoes with green chiles

4 oz can green chiles

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

Directions

Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat.  Add all of the vegetables and cook until tender, 8-10 minutes.  Add the spices and mix to combine.  Pour in the broth, diced tomatoes, green chiles, and black beans.  Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.  Cook for 15-20 minutes.

No Packet Turkey Tacos

I took a week off from here and now feel all fresh and renewed!  Okay, that’s a lie.  I actually took a week off because I’m adjusting to my new schedule which includes a part-time job (yay money!) and a class load that is way too heavy considering I only need eleven credits to graduate.  But, let’s be real, I’m physically incapable of not taking on too many things, so…YOLO?

My new schedule means I have to do most of my early week work over the weekend.  I make these really anal retentive lists on Friday and write down every little thing I have to do.  These past two weekends I’ve been successful in getting about 80% of the list completed.  I’d get to 100% if it weren’t for Netflix.  Oh, Netflix.  Lately I’ve been working my way through Parenthood and crying all over the place.  I cry at the happy stuff.  I cry at the sad stuff.  I cry at the really corny stuff because even though it’s ridiculous I’ve become too invested in these characters and basically have no control over my tear ducts.

Speaking of Parenthood, I came across the lead actress Monica Potter’s website (mrspotter.com) and am sort of obsessed with it.  The website is filled with recipes, cleaning tips, and DIY projects.  There also is a skincare/kitchen line for sale there!  It is an absolute playground for anyone who has the nesting bug like me and I bet if you visit the website you will find yourself losing an hour or two.  I’ve already made a few of her recipes, as well as her DIY winter skin balm which I promptly spilled all over my counter.  These tacos are from there, and oh my word, do I love them.  The best thing about them is that they literally take 10 minutes.  As long as you have your taco fixing all ready, you just cook up the meat and have a quick and healthy dinner ready to go!

No Packet Turkey Tacos

Ingredients

1 lb ground turkey

2 tbsp chili powder

2 tbsp cumin

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp garlic powder

pinch red pepper flakes

3 tbsp water

Directions

Heat a skillet over medium heat.  Add the turkey, breaking up as it browns.  When it is fully cooked, remove the turkey and drain any drippings.  Return the turkey to the skillet and add the water and spices.  Stir until fully incorporated.  Spoon into taco shells and top with taco fixings of your choice!

Source:  Mrs. Potter