Thursday, February 17, 2011

chickpea picatta from the post punk kitchen

thi is more for my own reference. but here you go anyway.
i have no clue what a piccatta is. i just know that this tasted really good. my husband even tooksoemf or lunch today :) for meat eaters it's easily adapted. make this and have them make whatever meat they like and they can stir it in their bowl.

this is copy and pasted directly from the post punk kitchen.com (www.theppk.com) copy and pasting commences below.


Picatta is like an instant fancy dinner. One second you’re just sitting there, all normal like, but the instant that first forkful of lemony wine bliss touches your tongue you’re transported to candlelight and tablecloths, even if you’re sitting in front of the TV watching Dancing With The Stars. This version is made with chickpeas which make it superfast, and it’s served over arugula for some green. I know lots of people are accustomed to picatta with pasta, and that is the Italian tradition, but my first picatta was as a vegan and we vegans loved our mashed potatoes, so that is what I suggest serving it with. If you’d like to bulk it up even further, try a grilled or roasted portobello. Nutritional info is listed down below.

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 scant cup thinly sliced shallots
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
2 cups vegetable broth
1/3 cup dry white wine
A few dashes fresh black pepper
Generous pinch of dried thyme
1 16 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup capers with a little brine
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 cups arugula

Cooking spray

Preheat a large heavy bottomed pan over medium. Saute the shallots and garlic for about 5 minutes, until golden. Add the breadcrumbs and toast them by stirring constantly for about 2 minutes. They should turn a few shades darker.

Add the vegetable broth and wine, salt, black pepper and thyme. Turn up heat and bring to a rolling boil and let the sauce reduce by 1/2, it should take about 7 minutes.

Add the chickpeas and capers to heat through, about 3 minutes. Add the lemon and turn off the heat.

If serving with mashed potatoes, place the arugula in a wide bowl. Place mashed potatoes on top, and ladle picatta over the potatoes. The arugula will wilt and it will be lovely. If you are serving solo, just pour right over the arugula.

Servings per recipe-4
Calories-190
Cal from fat-30
Total fat-3.5g
Saturated fat-0g
Trans fat-0g
Fiber-5g
Protein-9g
Cholesterol- 0mg
Niacin-730mg
Vitamin A-20%
Vitamin C-25%
Calcium-10%

Thursday, February 10, 2011

my days are slower that I am not teaching this semester. my best friend said there is a peace in my letters to her. i feel it too.

So full of discoveries are the days. Little ones, and big ones alike.

Music.

Some of you may or may not know that music is integral to my life. My Ipod is always going, or my computer's music library is reovlving and slowly burning out my speakers. I sang for years in choirs, choruses, and musicals. I was even recorded on a good friend's musical rough draft. (Somewhere if you dig deep enough in the versions and incarnations of his work, you'll find my voice in the background.) I actually began my college studies as a music major, intending to go onto being a conductor.
This didn't happen, and I switched to English (after having the professor who I swore took the elevator to work each day. When I graduated, I thanked him for being so hard on me, and setting me on my true path.)

Music is a balm like no other for me. Both times when I have gotten the news of a family member's death away from home, instead of running away and screaming, or drinking myself into oblivion (keeping in mind, I don't drink) I blared the music in my car, as loud as it would go. While others blare out hip hop or rap, my stereo is blaring out (until the windows rattle slightly) Copeland, Bach, Gershwin and Mozart.

When I think of key points in my life, it is book marked and cross referenced by Music. Perhaps I will go into that at a later time, more specifically in another entry.

So when I found out I was pregnant with our little one (who is now three yrs old) music was a major part of her time too. Still is.

But we don't do kids music. If I have to listen to it, it's not going to drive me crazy. So she has gotten to have a very ecelectic (at least I think so) taste in music.

She loves the Killers.



She loves Neon Trees


She loves Swing


James


yonder mountain string band


Kt Tunstall


ray lamontagne



STOMP


Drums



Whale Songs



her newest discovery is Elizabeth Mitchell

the song that we love is called winter's come and gone and i cant find it on youtube by her..

also loving renee and jeremy


Thursday, February 3, 2011

swift delicious bean salad recipe.

This title is accurate. Honestly, i wasn't hopeful when i looked atthe recipe, and even some of the the making process. but i tried and i LOVE IT. absolutely a keeper.
from pg 148 of The Essential Vegetarian Cookbook by Diana Shaw

i am posting this for my own memory and to share the joy.

1 1/2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove (i minced mine)
2 T minced fresh basil
1/4 c fresh parsley
1 large ripe tomato chopped but not peeled
1 tsp capers
2 tsp balasmic vingear
2 cups cooked chickpeas
salt and pepper tot aste

(my alterations - 1 can of chickpeas/garbanzo beans in place of the 2 cups. instead of the parsely and basil, i just put in a good couple pinches of dry italian seasoning. instead of the fresh tomato, i used 1 can of diced tomatoes no salt added. drained all canned ingredients before use.)

heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. when it's hot,a dd the garlic. turn the heat down to medium low,a nd swish the garlic through the oil. add parsely, basil, tomato and capers and stir untilt he tomatos begin to break apart. add the balasmic vinegar. stir well and thent urn off from heat.
place beans in another serving bowl. add tomato mixture over top of it, mix it in. season with salt and pepper. serve at room tempterature.

LOVELY.

i added feta cheese to it, because, well i add feta to everything if i have it on hand. just a good sprinkle.

this was absolutely delicious. super easy to make. and very healthy. 189 calories. 7.7 g of protein. 7.3 grams fat.