Thai-Inspired Cucumber Salad with Roasted Spiced Chickpeas

On Sunday I shared a picture of some roasted and toasted chickpeas via instagram.

roasted spiced chickpeas

These chickpeas were roasted and toasted for a Thai-Inspired Cucumber Salad.  Roasting chickpeas is super simple and super addicting.

This batch of chickpeas (one can, rinsed, and dried with paper towels) was spiced with a mixture of salt, garlic powder, chili powder, ginger, cumin and tumeric.  (See the original recipe post linked above for exact amounts.)  I roasted them at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, gave them a good shake and then roasted them for 20 more minutes (I checked on the little chickies after 15 minutes to make sure we didn’t have a burn going on).

The smell of these guys was amazing!!!  And I couldn’t help but pop a few into my mouth as soon as I pulled them from the oven.

The roasted chickpeas were served on top of a salad made of cukes, red bell pepper and red onion with some cilantro thrown in.  The dressing was made with a rice-vinegar base and was totally refreshing.

thai-inspired salad

I enjoyed the leftovers for lunch twice this week and there’s a trick to the leftover chickpeas.  Once the chickpeas have cooled (the ones you’re not eating at that moment), place them in a tupperware container and stick in the freezer.  When you’re ready to enjoy your leftovers, simply heat a small skillet over the stove top over medium high heat, add the chickpeas and allow them to warm up, shaking the pan every once in a while.  This doesn’t take more than 5 minutes so watch them!

I cannot wait to have an abundance of cukes so I can make this salad again.

Grilled Brie and Brussel Sprouts with Bacon, Avocado and Lime

Saturday was a good day of eats indeed.  From lunch to our appetizer to an amazing side dish (the best brussels ever), I “mmmm”-ed my way through the day.  Not too shabby of a Saturday, if you ask me.

While we were in the big city, we made our way to The Fresh Market to grab a few items I needed to make dinner happen.  Unfortunately, Fresh Market did not have brussels (apparently they’re out of season – something I knew – but refused to believe) and I almost had a nervous breakdown in the store.  Okay, not quite a nervous breakdown but it got me frazzled because brussels were on the list!  Being the great husband that Big Guy is, he took me the Whole Foods where I found myself some brussels.  Oh and ripe avocados (Fresh Market disappointed me Saturday – but that was the only disappointment of the day).

Having a Saturday at home is a reason to celebrate.  And so, we had “appy” hour with some grilled brie and an amazing jar of preserves from Fresh Market (okay, they weren’t a total disappointment).  The brie was found at Whole Foods and was a local wheel.  Sooooooo good.

my grill master

If you have never grilled brie, please try it!

appy hour

I served the brie with some (gluten-free) bagel bites (glutino brand – super delicious).  This wheel of brie had no chance with us.

And for dinner, steaks with avocado, bacon and lime brussels.  I tried a new steak marinade and it was good, but not my favorite – it didn’t let the steak get a crust and I love a good herb crust on the outside of my steak.

But the brussels.  Oh the brussels.  I’ve made a lot of brussels in the past few years and I can honestly say this is my new favorite recipe.  Avocado was made for brussels.  In a weird, “I-would-have-never-thought-of-that” kind of way.  I pinned the recipe a while back because I was intrigued and now I’m annoyed it took me so long to prepare the dish.

brussels

I’m seriously obsessed with the combination now.

Now go and find you some brussels (I stumbled across some at Walmart of all places Sunday) and add some avocado.  And lime.  And bacon.  Please add bacon.

 

Grilled Pork Chops with Nectarines

Summertime = grilling.  Simple as that.  When I ask Big Guy what he wants for dinner on the weekends, his response is usually something along the lines of “Anything I can grill.”

So if you or anyone else in your household enjoys grilling, this recipe is for you.  Not only is the pork grilled but so are the nectarines.  Oh and it doesn’t hurt that the salad dressing is made with bacon drippings.  Muahahaha.

The pork (bone-in, please) is simply marinated in olive oil, garlic, rosemary (recipe called for thyme), salt and pepper for about 10 minutes (or more if you have the time) and then grilled to perfection.  The nectarines (or peaches, like I used) are also grilled after being sprinkled with sugar, cumin and ground red pepper.  I love a sweet and salty combo.  The nectarines are served with a dollop of cream cheese sweetened with a drizzle of honey.  Such a lovely combo.  And the salad.  Oh, the salad.  It’s super simple and starts with cooking 2 slices of center cut bacon.  Once the bacon is crisped, remove from pan and pour the bacon goodness into a bowl.  Sherry vinegar, mustard, honey, pepper and salt are added to make a simple salad dressing.

grilled to perfection

A dinner that is worthy of eating any day of the week (and only takes about 40 minutes to prepare).

grilled pork chop, bacon-herb salad, grilled peach

Get your grill on.

Grilled Chicken with Tomato-Avocado Salad

If a recipe makes it to the front cover of Cooking Light it probably means it’s delicious.  And pretty.

June 2013 cover

I knew that I had two ears of corn that needed to be used and I also knew that I wanted chicken.  Big Guy demanded that he use the grill.  With those requirements, I went on a recipe search.  Final selection:  Grilled Chicken with Tomato-Avocado Salad.  

And a good selection it was.  I headed to the fancy Harris Teeter (I say this because HTs are my favorite and the one in my town is not “fancy” – aka it’s the size of a shoebox) to find some pretty tomatoes.  I found a gorgeous heirloom red tomato and some cute little yellow tomatoes.  Thankfully there was also a perfectly ripe avocado that I grabbed.

This recipe will also keep the kitchen cool – all the work (the hot work) is done outside on the grill (you could totally make this inside, but Big Guy loves to grill).

 

so fresh

The chicken paired with a bite of avocado and the homemade dressing was my favorite.  I followed the recipe precisely with the only change being I used chicken thighs over the chicken breast and in the dressing I left out the shallot and doubled the garlic.  Oh – and I used rosemary instead of thyme because that’s what is growing in my herb garden. (I guess I did make a few alterations.) You have no idea how much I love not having to pay for herbs!

dinner al fresco

The weather was so nice Sunday evening that we took dinner out doors.  Even the bugs were at a minimum!

delicious dinner

Such a satisfying dinner.  And we were close to having every color on the plate…yellow, red, purple, green…

A summer Sunday dinner at it’s finest.  And freshest.

BLT Chopped Salad with Corn and Feta

Y’all!  Summer corn is the BEST.  Canned corn has nothing on fresh corn.  I mean, I use the canned corn during the boring, gloomy months but please don’t use canned corn if you can buy fresh.  Got it?  I can’t wait for our corn to be ready for harvest.  I seriously tried to convince Big Guy to only plant corn this year.  That’s how good it is.

Chopped Salad

This salad is bursting with flavor.  A perfect Sunday night dinner on the porch.  And don’t skip the chopping part.  Chopped salads are so in these days.  Each piece of lettuce has a touch of dressing.  You won’t get to the bottom of the salad and wish for more toppings – like bacon and grilled corn.

In the mix:  chopped spring greens, fresh Farmers Market tomato, grilled corn, grilled bacon, feta cheese, fresh cracked pepper and your favorite dressing.

My favorite bite included a crispy piece of bacon, fresh grilled corn and salty feta.  I bet you could make a side dish with just those three ingredients…

BLT Salad

This is the kind of salad that you wish would never end.

Beer Queso and Margarita Chicken

The evening started with margaritas.  The creamsicle margaritas.  But the night only got more delicious from there.

Beer Queso

Warning:  This cheese dip is highly addictive.  It may cause people to eat all the chips that are in the house.  It also will cause everyone to request the recipe.

cheese dip +margaritas = perfection

The original recipe calls for chorizo (which I couldn’t find) but I used spicy breakfast sausage instead.  I think that the sausage makes it less “greasy” – not that chorizo grease is a bad thing.  I also left out the black beans since we had a full meal still headed our way.  The cheese is thin – but it thickens up as it cools (if people can wait that long).  I used Corona Light but I think that any Mexican beer would be fantastic – perhaps Modelo!  Happy dipping!

Margarita chicken

This chicken has been on my mind since I saw the recipe!  And the best part, the recipe is super easy.  We marinated the chicken all afternoon and I cannot tell you how tender and delicious it turned out.  I recommend using chicken thighs over chicken breasts to maximize flavor and juiciness.  Trust me.  A simply marinade of tequila (we used white tequila), lime and orange zest, lime and orange juice, agave, olive oil, salt and pepper results in super flavorful chicken dinner.  I served the chicken over cilantro-lime rice.  Simply white long-grain rice with a shot of lime juice and a handful of chopped cilantro.  So good!  I plopped a large dollop of guacamole on top of my chicken. I mean, guac makes everything better.

From the first sip to the last bite of chicken, this meal was a keeper!  I tripled the chicken recipe to feed 8 (including 4 men) and the cheese dip makes a TON!  No need to double or triple unless you want to eat that much dip (which is possible – but don’t blame me for a tummy ache).

Friday Favorites, Memorial Day Weekend edition.

Happy Friday to you!!!  I cannot tell you how excited I am about the weekend.  As cheesy as it is, I am so excited to hang out with my family as a married couple.  This week has seemed extra long so a long weekend is just what I need.  Here are my Friday Favorites that are inspired by the beginning of summer beginning this weekend (at least in my mind).

Favorite Dessert to Share:  I pinned this dessert and immediately after I pinned it not only did my Momma re-pin it, but my sister re-pinned it, too.  I’m pretty sure that’s a sign that the Bell women need to find a way to prepare this dessert for the group this weekend.

Strawberry Crunch Cake

Favorite Bag:  So summery, so beachy, so me.

Betsey Johnson flamingo tote

Favorite Cocktail:  I can’t pick just one.  But I can promise you that at least one of these will be tasted this weekend.  Mark my word.

First up, Coconut Creamsicle Margarita.  I can taste it now…

Coconut + Creamsicle

Second option, a Sparkling Grapefruit Sangria.  I’m almost 100% sure I’m mixing this up for the ladies of my family to sip on Sunday.  It sounds so refreshing, and who doesn’t love a sangria?

pour me a glass now

And my final option, a mojito!  But not a traditional one, add in some orange and basil to make this one special.

so many decisions!

Favorite Motto:  Oh, Big Guy is going to get so tired of me…

amen.

Favorite Outdoor Space:  I wonder if someone can make this happen before this evening…

I would never leave.

Favorite Bite:  How perfect are these for a pre-dinner taste?  Watermelon, strawberry, basil and goat cheese - ahhh-mazing.

try to eat just one

Favorite Dinner Idea:  This chicken dish looks not only figure-friendly, but is also looks delicious.  I’d use chicken thighs instead of breasts to bump up the flavor even more.

yum!

Favorite Cover-Up:  I only wish my hair looked this fantastic after sitting in the sand and sun (and wind) for the day…

bright and bold

I hope you have a wonderfully beautiful and safe Memorial Day weekend filled with loved ones, laughter and delicious food!

Charlotte, Baby Haines and Fruit Salsa

Like that for a title?  Well that’s pretty much what consumed my Saturday.  I woke up bright and early on Saturday morning, squeezed in a trip to the gym and then headed to Charlotte.  As much as I need a weekend at home, I can’t turn down a weekend with my parents and my sister plus brother-in-law and baby Haines.  Can I just say, Baby Haines isn’t much of a baby any more.  She’s growing and becoming so stinkin’ smart.

she’s a mess!

I love that little girl so much my heart could explode!  She’s so full of personality and really understands a lot.  She’s also rather vocal.  When she says “yes” or “no” – everyone in the room knows her answer.

Despite the rain on Saturday, we were able to grill.  We also had a cider tasting.  I had a pear cider a few months ago and it was one of the most delicious things ever.  I was determined to find “it” so that my Momma could try it since she’s obsessed with pear jelly belly’s.

three strikes, I’m out.

I bought every pear cider I could get my hands on and none of those are “the one.”  Boo hiss.  Oh well, we had fun tasting.

grill masters

Maggie and Brad were in charge of the grilling.  Momma had brought over some chicken thighs that had marinated in a mojito lime marinade from McCormick.  You could taste notes of mint and lime but it wasn’t overpowering at all!  And it paired perfectly with a fruit salsa that Momma had whipped up.  I don’t think she followed a recipe but I know that there were strawberries, red onion, lime juice, cilantro and a smidge of EVOO in the mix.

my plate

On the side, grilled asparagus and red onion.  Maggie also made some crock-pot mac ‘n cheese that I heard was awesome…it’s her new “go-to” dish as decided by Brad.

Such a great evening with the family!  I can’t wait to see my sweet family again this weekend.

sweet girl

Shrimp and Broccoli Stir-Fry

What’s not to love about a stir-fry?  First of all, a stir-fry cooks super fast which means dinner is on the table in no time.  Secondly, you can combine your protein, veggies, and carbs in one dish and it’s healthy.  Thirdly, clean-up is usually a breeze.  And finally, you get to use chop sticks.

chop stix

Let’s be honest, the chop sticks are my favorite reason.  Big Guy has been super jealous of my purple chop sticks for years and his new mother-in-law hooked him up with his own set.  Nothing says “Welcome to the family” like connected chop sticks with a giraffe on top.

This stir fry is my absolute favorite stir fry ever because we got to use our new dishes!  It’s the small things, folks.

But in all seriousness, the sauce in the Shrimp and Broccoli Stir-Fry is so delicious.  And the best part about this dish, I only had to grab three things at the store:  shrimp, broccoli and green onions.  You could use any protein you want, I would imagine and I’m sure you could use another veggie, perhaps some bell pepper or asparagus.  But don’t change the sauce.  Don’t change a thing.  Ginger, garlic, soy sauce (or tamari), rice vinegar, honey and a few red pepper flakes do amazing things when combined.

Make sure to serve the stir-fry over some rice (I used brown) so that you don’t lose a drop of the sauce.

all about the sauce

Did I mention I really loved the sauce?

Spicy Thai Basil Chicken

During the warm weather seasons I find myself craving light dinners.  But I don’t want to sacrifice taste in order for it to be light.  (Just to note – this is probably why I’m in love with Cooking Light magazine.)  I don’t want funky, expensive ingredients.  I want real food.  Delicious food.  Spicy Thai Basil Chicken is 100% real and 100% delicious.  \

I didn’t change up this recipe much or make many substitutions but I did forget to grab a serrano chili so I ended up using some spicy chile garlic sauce.  It worked like a charm – Big Guy was sweating (he’s a light weight, so don’t be scared of the recipe).  You could honestly leave the heat out if you like milder dishes and it would simply be Thai Basil Chicken.  But don’t leave out the basil, please!!!  The freshness of the herb gives so much flavor and brightness to this spicy, salty dish.  And the lettuce wraps provide some crunch while also taming the heat.

spicy thai basil chicken

Don’t add in the basil too soon or let it remain on the heated stove top – that will make it wilt a little too much and it actually may brown from the heat.  Also, when purchasing ground chicken, be sure to look 93% lean or less.  If you’re not careful, ground chicken can be more fattening than ground beef.

lettuce wraps

Light, fresh, delicious and 100% real.  That’s the name of the game around here.