Quinoa Salad w/ Curry-Ginger-Cardamom Vinaigrette

A few weeks ago, AK and I visited his sister (a fellow gluten-freenik) and brother-in-law; Saturday we had a pretty lazy morning (read: slept in very late :)) and decided lunch should be light fare, mostly salads. I whipped up this quinoa salad with chickpeas, chopped pecans, and raisins for lots of texture, and a simple vinaigrette of apple cider vinegar, curry, ginger & cardamom.

Quinoa Salad w/ Curry-Ginger-Cardamom Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

1 cup of quinoa, cooked according to package & cooled
1 can chickpeas, drained & rinsed
1 scallion, chopped
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped pecans

3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp honey or agave
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp ground ginger
pinch of garlic powder
pinch of pepper

Directions:

1. In a salad bowl mix together quinoa, chickpeas, scallions, raisins & pecans.
2. Blend together remaining ingredients and pour over quinoa mixture, stirring to combine.

The cost:
quinoa: .99
chickpeas: .69
scallion: .10
raisins: .40
pecans: .40

Grand total: $2.58; serves 4-6 as a side dish (recipe is easily doubled for a larger group)

Pantry Raid: Tomato & Chickpea Stew

I went to a tweetup last night sponsored by a cool foodie group engaging in community service; I had to leave pretty early to metro there, but wanted to make sure I had a good dinner first so I threw together this tomato & chickpea stew from what I had in my pantry/fridge. It was easy, filling and super cheap. I haven't cooked much with smoked paprika, but the package said it's good with tomato based sauces--and it was!

Tomato & Chickpea Stew

Ingredients:

1 tsp light olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 can chickpeas
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup water
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste
chopped parsley or cilantro (optional garnish)

Directions:

1. Heat oil in saucepan and saute onions until soft, 4-5 minutes.
2. Add remaining ingredients, stirring to combine and bring to a boil. Simmer 20-25 minutes, adding salt and pepper to taste.

Serve over rice or quinoa with freshly steamed spinach.

The cost:
onion: .45
chickpeas: .69
tomatoes: 1.00

Grand total: $2.14; serves 2-3

Dinner Party (Part 3 of 5): Balsamic Glazed Chickpeas w/ Red Swiss Chard

I had originally planned to do roasted brussel sprouts for my dinner party veggie side dish, but the red swiss chard looked so amazing I just couldn't resist (it hasn't looked good in MONTHS). I decided to pair the chard with chickpeas for texture, and caramelized onions and balsamic vinegar for flavor. It was the hit of the night! (Note: So I didn't realize I had already posted a similar recipe, but this one uses a different kind of chard, and has a super awesome picture!)

P.S. Check out parts one and two of the dinner menu, and stay tuned for coconut curry chicken and banana cake with candied walnuts later this week!

Balsamic Glazed Chickpeas w/ Red Swiss Chard

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, cut into quarters and sliced thinly
1 large bunch red swiss chard, cleaned
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tsp honey or agave
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp sea salt
pinch of black pepper

Directions:

1. Heat oil in large skillet and saute onion until soft, 4-5 minutes.
2. Remove stems from swiss chard and cut into bite-sized pieces; add pieces to onions and cook 6-8 minutes more until onions are caramelized.
3. Add chickpeas and honey/agave and stir to combine. Deglaze the pan with the balsamic vinegar, then add salt and pepper. Cook 5-6 minutes until liquid has reduced.
4. Tear or cut swiss chard leaves into bite-sized pieces and add to skillet, turning to coat in balsamic reduction. Cover with a lid for 1 minute, just until leaves are wilted. Remove from heat immediately.

The cost:
onion: .45
chard: 2.29
chickpeas: .79
other ingredients: <.50

Grand total: $4.03; serves 8

Pantry Raid: Easy Vegan Chili

Lots of items have been on sale at Shoppers recently (more than .50 off, mostly canned goods), so my pantry is becoming quite overfull with canned corn, beans and and tomatoes. In order to remedy this situation, I decided to do a pantry raid that utilized the aforementioned items, and came up with a quick and simple vegan chili.

Note 1: You can put almost any vegetable you want in chili, so don't be afraid to experiment with whatever you have lying around!

Note 2: When it comes to the tomato base, I really like to use fire-roasted tomatoes because it gives you a deep, rich flavor without having to do much work :). Just remember, canned tomatoes, especially if they are flavored, frequently already have a lot of sodium and other spices in them so season accordingly.

Easy Vegan Chili

Ingredients:

1 tsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves
2 cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes
1 can corn, drained and rinsed
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 can other bean (kidney, black, etc.), drained and rinsed
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder (or I used curry)
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
chopped cilantro (optional garnish)

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a small stock pot and saute onions until soft, 2-3 minutes; add garlic and cook until onions are browned and garlic is soft, 5-6 minutes.
2. Add rest of ingredients (except cilantro) and stir to combine; bring to a boil then turn down to medium-low flame and simmer at least 20 minutes until everything is heated through.

The cost:
onion: .45
garlic: .30
tomatoes: 2.00
corn: .88
chickpeas: .69
other beans: .69
[cilantro: 1.99]

Grand total: $5.01 [$7 with cilantro]; serves 4-6

Swiss Chard with Balsamic Glazed Chickpeas

From swiss chard to kale to broccoli rabe, I love cooking with greens. They are low in calorie, high in fiber and an excellent source of vitamins & nutrients (iron, vitamins A, C & K, potassium, calcium). Many greens are also pretty cheap--kale and turnip greens are usually less than a dollar a pound, and frequently on sale. Do be aware that greens have a very high water content so they cook down a lot; don't be fooled by the size of the leaves.

My favorite green is probably swiss chard. It's more expensive than most greens, but it cooks up beautifully, and maintains its color and texture better than others.

A note about cooking greens: Stems can be woody and fibrous; I usually discard them unless I am using swiss chard, in which case I chop them up and cook them for a few minutes before adding the leaves.

Swiss Chard with Balsamic Glazed Chickpeas

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, sliced thinly
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp vegetable stock
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 large bunch swiss chard, cleaned

Directions:

1. Clean swiss chard and remove leaves from stalks. Tear leaves into pieces and chop stalks into 1/2 inch pieces.
   
2. Heat oil in a large saucepan and saute onions over medium heat 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and stalk pieces, and cook 6-8 minutes until everything is browned.
3. Add chickpeas, vinegar, honey, stock, salt & pepper, turn up flame to medium-high and bring to a boil. Stirring constantly to avoid burning, cook down until liquid turns to a thick syrup.
4. Turn flame down low and add swiss chard leaves. Stir to coat, then cover saucepan and remove from flame. Allow to sit 4-5 minutes or until leaves are tender but still green

Fun additions:

• Chop up some portobello caps and add in step 2.
• Substitute chickpeas for canellini beans or pigeon peas.
• Cube some firm tofu and brown with the onions and garlic.

The cost:
onion: .23
garlic: .15
chickpeas: .79
swiss chard: 2.39

Grand total: $3.56; serves 6-8 as a side dish

Burglar Supper: Tofu & Chickpea Stew

Last night's fare was what my mom liked to call a "Burglar Supper." After being away for the weekend, I got home from work too exhausted to think about grocery shopping but I still wanted to eat a good dinner. (Also, when I moved out I promised my mom I would never eat cereal and milk for dinner.) Hence, a Burglar Supper. The game: Stalk ingredient options in the fridge, freezer and pantry; pilfer; and throw something together. The results are usually pretty miraculous.

Last night was no exception. A survey of the pantry yielded a can each of fire roasted tomatoes and chickpeas (creamed corn too but couldn't make that one fit). A block of tofu, three slightly wilted scallions and 4 garlic cloves later, I was good to go.

The results: A richly flavored tofu & chickpea stew which I enjoyed over basmati rice with wilted arugula.

Tofu & Chickpea Stew

Ingredients:

1 cup white basmati rice
2 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp. olive oil
4 garlic cloves, peeled
3 scallions, chopped
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 can fire roasted tomatoes
1 block of firm or extra firm tofu, drained and cubed
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 bag pre-washed arugula

Directions:

1. In a small pot, combine water, rice and 1/2 tsp of salt. Bring to a boil, then turn down and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until done.
2. Heat olive oil over medium flame in mid-size saucepan. Add garlic cloves and scallions and cook until soft, about 3 minutes.
   
3. Add tofu and cook until just browned. Add tomatoes and chickpeas, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine and heat through.
4. Remove about a cup of cooked rice and place in bowl. Stir in arugula and allow to wilt. Spoon stew over rice, eat and enjoy!
   

The cost:
chickpeas: .89
tomatoes: 1.49
tofu: 1.99
scallions: .30
garlic: .15
basmati: .40
arugula: .50

Grand total: $5.72, and it last me for three meals.