Roasted Salt + Vinegar Chickpeas

It takes some real time to adjust to being on a diet for the rest of your life because your body has to the gall to not process gluten. I mean, once you start looking, it feels like gluten is in everything! No brainers like sandwich breads and cookies are one thing, but worrying about the malted barley in Rice Krispies and learning that the main ingredient in soy sauce is actually wheat feels absolutely overwhelming.

In the last couple of months, several of my friends have figured out that what has been making them feel so poorly is gluten. As they navigate their lives towards healthy, happy living and eating, they are constantly playing detective, sniffing out and finding gluten wherever it may be. Because food is not only essential to living but is the foundation upon which we build our social lives (What are you doing this weekend? Wanna go to dinner? Brunch? Out for drinks?), it becomes nearly as important for the friends and loved ones of those who have celiacs or a gluten-intolerance to be cognizant of these necessary dietary restrictions.

Now one of my gluten-intolerant friends would probably argue with this point. She wouldn't want to be considered "that girl" - a perceived pain in the ass who dictates where to go to eat on Friday night or what others serve as Game Night snacks. But I'd vehemently argue otherwise, for what kind of friend doesn't take into consideration another friend's health and happiness?

With all that being said, I've decided to add a "gluten-free" label to my recipe posts and whenever possible to add substitutions that will make a seemingly gluten-free dish actually gluten-free.

Here is a great recipe I found for Salt + Vinegar Chickpeas, a gluten-free snack for everyone to enjoy.

Salt + Vinegar Chickpeas

Oh She Glows

In a large pot, bring to a boil:
4 cups vinegar
2 cans chickpeas, drained
Turn off heat, cover with lid, and let sit for thirty minutes.

Preheat oven 425º

Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Use a slotted spoon to carefully place chickpeas on foil. Drizzle chickpeas with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.

Bake for 45 minutes, shaking pan gently to flip over the chickpeas about halfway through. Because the heat so high, it is more likely for the chickpeas at the edges to burn, so I set my timer in five (5) minute increments for the last twenty (20) minutes and shook the pan from side to side to switch up the inside and outside chickpeas.

Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Eat up!

Tomato Salsa

This salsa is ridiculous easy to make because 3 of the 7 main ingredients come from a can. Mid-summer when both corn and tomatoes are in season here in North Carolina, I make fresh salsa; however, I think that this is still pretty darn delicious with the added benefits of 1) taking far less time and 2) requiring much less clean up. Adding fresh peppers, cilantro, lime juice, and onion give this salsa the fresh taste that salsa from a can just can't do.

Tomato Salsa

Kelley Gondring

1 28 ounce can petite diced tomatoes
1 15 ounce can black beans
1 11 ounce can white corn
2 jalapeños, diced
1 cup loosely packed cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 small white onion, peeled and diced
salt + pepper to taste

Serve with corn tortillas.

Eat up!

Fresh Guacamole

When I went to the grocery store yesterday, I wasn't sure I'd be able to find ripe avocados. Like pears, they tend to be hard as rocks upon purchase and it isn't until a few days later that they're ready for consumption. The first place I went yielded such a result, but stop number two was the jackpot! I picked out six perfect feeling specimens and crossed my fingers that when I cut into them there wouldn't be brown streaks running through them. But as luck would have it, they were quite literally perfect.

Tips for great guacamole:

First, never try to make do with rocklike avocados. It just isn't worth your bother.

Second, the easiest way to remove the seed from an avocado is to cut the avocado is half lengthwise, but slightly off center. When you pull it apart, the seed should stay on the half that is slightly smaller. Use a butcher knife to chop down on the center of the seed. The knife will stick in the seed. Gently and at an angle, use the knife to pull out the seed.

Third, adding lime juice to guacamole prevents the avocados from immediately turning brown.

Fresh Guacamole

Kelley Gondring

In a medium bowl, mash with a fork:
4 medium avocados

Mix in:
1 medium red onion, peeled and diced
2 large jalapeños, deseeded and diced
2/3 cup loosely packed cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice
salt + pepper to taste [I used about 1 teaspoon of each]

Serve with corn tortillas.

Eat up!

Mint Paneer Tikka

Last night was another great Sunday night dinner with friends and neighbors! Here is the recipe for the appetizer I made; tomorrow I'll post Kenneth's amazing chicken marinade.

Mint Paneer Tikka with Homemade Pita Points

Mint Tikka recipe adapted from Anjum's New Indian by Anjum Anand

Combine in food processor:
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 cup mint leaves
1 green chili, deseeded
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon flour (make it with gram/chickpea flour for gluten-free version)
4 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Pulse 20-30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl. Repeat.

Pour into a medium nonmetallic container. Add 12 ounces paneer and 1/2 cup cubed white onion.

Place in the fridge for several hours (or in my case 30 minutes because of time constraints).

Preheat oven 350º

While the paneer and onions are marinating, prepare pita wedges.

Cut 3 pita pockets into 24 individual pita points [8/pita pocket]. Spread onto a cookie sheet so that there is no overlap. Drizzle liberally with olive oil. Sprinkle salt, coarsely ground black pepper, dried parsley, dried lemon basil, and minced garlic over the pita points (quantity is up to personal taste).

Place in oven and let bake 10-15 minutes, or until pita points are golden brown.

Increase oven temperature to 400º

Remove paneer from fridge. Place pieces of paneer on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, flipping paneer halfway through.

To assemble, place one or two pieces on onion and one piece of paneer on each pita point. Serve immediately.

Eat up!

Hummus

Hummus is one of the easiest and most delicious appetizers you can make, as you literally dump all your ingredients into the food processor and turn it on. Its also great because it is easy to make many different variations, such as black bean + cilantro or roasted red pepper. I've also added a half can of white kidney beans to give it a slightly different taste with a smooth as silk consistency.

Hummus

Kelley Gondring

Add to your food processor:
1 can of chickpeas, well-drained
4 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 t lemon juice
1 tablespoon tahini
1/4 olive oil
pinch of cayenne pepper

Process one minute. A little at a time, add water until it reaches the desired thickness. Process until smooth, about three minutes.

Variations
Roasted Red Pepper: Add one roasted red pepper, de-seeded and de-skinned
Black Bean + Cilantro: Add 1/2 can black beans + 1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro; leave out tahini

Serve with pita bread/chips or fresh veggies.

Eat up!

Spinach Artichoke Dip

I served this dish at Game Night and people raved about it. In fact, two or three people told me it was the best spinach-artichoke dip they'd ever had. There were no leftovers, either. Enough said.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Kelley Gondring

Preheat oven 400

In a medium bowl, cream together:
8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup parmesean cheese
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
salt + pepper to taste
2-3 cloves garlic, minced

Mix in:
1 can artichoke hearts, well drained
1 package frozen spinach, well-drained

Place in a shallow baking dish (I used a 9" cake pan) and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the edges are nicely browned.

Eat up!

Jalapeno Pimento Cheese

A couple of weeks ago, some of my co-workers were commenting on my non-southerness, noting that my culinary tastes tend to veer away from items like bacon-soaked green beans or collards. But jalapeno pimento cheese ain't on that list! I actually didn't even know that this was a particularly southern dish until I spent some time in Denver. I walked to the local Safeway, which was just a few blocks from both my house and the original Chipotle(!!), and hunted through the refrigerated section for my cheesy spread. Convinced I was just missing it, I went to ask the store clerk where I could find it. He gave me a funny look and headed down the canned goods section. I followed him down the aisle, knowing this wasn't a good sign. He had clearly misunderstood my request - maybe he thought I just wanted the pimentos. Then he turned to the left, pointed to the top shelf, and showed me this non-refrigerated jar of cheese-spread that made my stomach turn. I politely told him that it wasn't quite what I was looking for and sadly left the store, my shopping list woefully incomplete.

I've never made it before but I think this batch turned out really well. I used homemade mayo, which is lighter than Hellman's or Duke's, so I would add a little at a time until it's the right consistency for your taste.

Jalapeno Pimento Cheese

Kelley Gondring

In a medium mixing bowl, combine:
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
4 ounces cream cheese
4 ounces mayonnaise
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
dash white pepper

Mix in:
1 tablespoon jalapenos, finely diced
1 tablespoon pimentos, diced

Serve with crackers or pretzels.

Eat up!