My parents are in India. Surprise, surprise. My parents are out there in the world traveling some where. They’re living it up though! About 12 years ago, my dad, who is a professor of engineering, started teaching at a university in Germany. He would go during spring term and for three months he and my mom lived in a little apartment in Konstanz (southern most city in Germany). I even got to visit them over there one year and I completely fell in love with that city. I could see why they kept going back! I actually picture them retiring overseas. Anyway, this year my dad is teaching at a university in India so they’re there until July. The downside is that once again they’re going to be gone for three months and they will be in India during the worst months to visit: summer. The upside is that my mom will be able to visit family in India while my dad is teaching, which is always a win.

My family is huge and they’re all awesome! The women in my family are amazing. They’ve all been through so much in their lives, are very well educated and best of all: they’re amazing cooks.

With my mom in India for three months, and all my aunts living there already, there is something I miss that they all make: Mango pickle, also known to me and my sister as avakaya (ah-vah-ky-yah). It’s this amazing, spicy pickled fruit condiment that is usually served on the side of any dish, but I love to mix it with my yogurt and rice. You can buy jars of it at the Indian grocery store and it will last for months in the fridge and years in your pantry when unopened!

But my aunts and mom make some really, really good mango pickle. My sister told me she has memories of my aunt and mom making pickle in India and then putting the sealed jar out in the sun to help it break down faster. She told me it was weeks before she could eat any pickle, but then realized maybe it was only days and as a kid it only seems like it’s slower ;) Too cute.

Photo provided by my cousin K

This is my aunt. She’s not only a genuinely nice person, but she’s beautiful, an incredibly talented singer and of course, a phenomenal cook. She makes the spiciest and tangiest (and yes those combos can be done!) mango pickle there is. I don’t know how she does it, but I remember my parents bringing it home one year from India and it was wrapped in so many plastic bags to ensure the oil wouldn’t leak all over everything. And it was spicy! I remember everyone saying the spicier the better!

Photo by yours truly. It's one of my favorites of mi madre <3

This is my mom. She’s one of the most incredible and beautiful women I know. I see so much of my sister and I in her. Her mannerisms, her kindness, her need to please people (we definitely get that from her!), her temper and maybe one day, we’ll even adapt her cooking style.

She’s taught us well, though, don’t get me wrong! Our husbands are pretty happy with the Indian food we can make them and we owe that all to my mom and the aunts and cousins in our family. There’s nothing like the kind of home cooked food my mom makes. She also makes yummy pickles. She makes good mango pickle and lime pickle (the latter my sister absolutely loves!)

Well because my mom is overseas and most of my family is overseas, I figured it was time to be a grown up and figure out how to make mango pickle on my own. And that’s just what I did! Then when I made it, my uncle sent me my aunt’s recipe and I was so happy to see that what I made is exactly what she makes! Guess it runs in the family ;)

It’s very simple to make too!

Don’t let the list of ingredients scare you. This makes about 1 1/2 cups of pickle and the serving size is about 1 teaspoon…if that. Mine didn’t turn out quite as spicy as I would like, but as a first pass, I think it turned out pretty well!

I only had the spices in whole format, so I just ground up the seeds to make them a powder! I do have a grinder just for spices ;) Brown and proud. What can I say?

It’s literally that simple! It might not be exactly like my aunt’s or moms, but it will definitely work in the mean time. I actually took it to work and some of the Indian ladies there told me it turned out really well; one of the best pickles they had.

So I guess the women of my family taught me well. And maybe one day in the far, far, far, far far future if and when REB and I have kids, I can pass some of those recipes onto them too.

Is there someone in your family who inspires you in the kitchen?

Hello you lovely readers :)

Did everyone enjoy their weekend? Did you do anything fun?

I certainly didn’t do a whole lot. REB is in Chicago for a few days for a conference and he left on Saturday and will be back on Wednesday night, late. I had a pretty low key weekend though, hanging out with the furballs, folding laundry, cleaning, and of course cooking!

I haven’t cooked in about a week. How horrible is that? With the travel to Chicago last weekend and eating salads at home or making them at Whole Foods during the week, I just never got around to making anything exciting. I need to make sure such a hiatus doesn’t happen again. But no matter! I remedied that on Sunday. I was in deep need of some comfort food. There was nothing wrong or any particular reason except that I wanted some comfort food.

What screams comfort more than pot pies? I had never made pot pies before and I couldn’t believe how easy it was to make. I made them vegetarian but I also threw in some tofu for added protein and meatiness. You could certainly use Boca-brand Meatless Crumbles, Morningstar Chick’n Strips or just leave out the meat substitute completely and keep it with just veggies! Of course you can make them with meat for any meat eaters in your family. The possibilities are absolutely endless.

Individual Tofu and Vegetable Pot Pies

•6 oz. firm tofu, cut into small cubes
•Non-stick spray
•2 teaspoons olive oil
•1 shallot, finely chopped
•2 teaspoons minced garlic (1-2 garlic cloves)
•1 carrot, diced (about 1 cup)
•2-3 stalks celery, diced (about 1 cup)
•1 medium-sized Yukon gold potato, diced (about 1 cup)
•1 cup (8-oz. carton) baby Bella mushrooms, diced
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•1/2 teaspoon black pepper
•2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
•1 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
•1 tablespoon cream (you can use less)
•1/2 cup frozen baby peas
•2 teaspoons dried thyme
•2 teaspoons dried parsley
•2 sheets puff pastry, thawed

Method

Preheating your oven to 375°F

Start by cooking the tofu in a pan with non-stick spray until browned on all sides, about 3-5 minutes. When it’s done, transfer to a bowl that has a little water in it, to help keep it moist, and set aside.

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the shallot, garlic, carrots and celery and cook until the shallots are translucent and softened, about 2-3 minutes. Add the potatoes and mushrooms, salt and pepper and stir. Cook until the mushrooms are softened and reduced in size, about 5-8 minutes.

Sprinkle the mixture with flour and stir well until all the vegetables are coated well. Let it cook a minute or two or until the flour is dissolved and you’ve cooked the flour taste out of the dish. Add the vegetable broth and cream and stir well. Leave uncovered and bring to a simmer. Near the end, add the cooked tofu cubes and stir. Once the tofu is heated through, turn off the heat and add the frozen peas and herbs (parsley and thyme). Stir and set aside.

It’s time to prepare your ramekins! I bought some ramekins recently and they worked perfectly. They were about 8 or 10 ounces and I loved the color and texture! Anyway, roll out the puff pastry (you may need to flour your board and some of the pastry sheet) and cut 1/2-inch strip and wrap it around the edge of each ramekin. Then cut a circle larger than the size of the ramekin. Wet the strip that’s already on the ramekin, and place the larger circle on top. Using a little more water, press down the sides so the bowls are covered. Take a fork to crimp the edges and cut some slits in the top to let out the steam while they bake.

Now they’re ready to bake!

Optional: You could do a simple egg wash (one cracked egg mixed with milk or water) on each pastry and then sprinkle with coarse salt so it bakes up suuuuper golden

Bake them for 20-25 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. The smell in the house was absolutely amazing!!

So I guess TECHNICALLY you should let them sit for 5-10 minutes to let them cool before you dig in. But what’s the fun in that?

The filling was so hot and gooey, the tofu and vegetables cooked perfectly and the pastry? Ohhh the pastry. So flaky, golden and delicious. It all turned out so great and it was so, so easy to make! I enjoyed one for myself and then put the rest in the rest in the freezer so REB can have some when he’s home later this week <3 :)

Storage tip: Once the pies are completely cool, take some parchment paper and place on top of the pastry. Then wrap the entire ramekin tightly in aluminum foil (be careful not to crush the pastry crust), and then place in a Ziploc bag. Let as much air out before you seal ‘em up! Label and freeze! They should be OK for 1-2 months! When you’re ready to re-heat, set it out to thaw for 20 minutes, preheat your oven to 375 and bake for 30-45 minutes.

Comfort food is a necessity – in moderation – and it totally hit the spot for me!
Each pot pie is just around 400 calories, so it’s not too terrible!

Enjoy!

What’s your favorite comfort food?

Hello my lovelies!!

So I hope you’re in a region of the country where the weather has been absolutely gorgeous. I can’t get enough of this amazing weather we’ve had all week. I am so ready for spring it’s ridiculous. I can’t wait to enjoy the outdoors in the sunshine, go to the farmers market to get fresh veggies like zucchini, heirloom tomatoes and herbs!

Maybe that’s what sparked my interest in making this black bean soup. I wanted to go Mexico…or some place warm? Or maybe I was just thinking warm…? Haha. OK but seriously, I wanted to make something on the lighter side but packed with tons of flavor and spice. This soup was perfect for the job.

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It also only has 10 ingredients. Now how could you not want to try to make it??

Adapted from Eating Well

Southwestern Spicy Black Bean Soup

•1 tablespoon olive oil
•1/4 cup red onion, chopped (1/2 medium onion)
•1 tablespoon chili powder
•1 teaspoon ground cumin
•1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper  **optional – (I added this. And added a lot apparently. WOO-EEY! spicy)
•2 cans (15-oz. or approx. 3 cups) black beans, drained and rinsed
•1/2 cup salsa (I used hot!)
•1/4 teaspoon salt
•3 cups water
•1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

Method

Heat a large pot with the olive oil. When it’s nice and hot, add the onions and cook 3-5 minutes, or until softened. Next add the spices (chili powder, cumin and cayenne pepper) and cook 1 minute. Add the beans, water, salt and salsa and stir. Cover and let it come to a boil. Once it’s boiling, reduce the heat and let it simmer 5-10 minutes. Take the soup off the heat and squeeze the lime juice in. Transfer half the soup into a blender or food processor and process until slightly smooth. Add back to the pot, stir and serve.

Optional garnishes: dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream, chopped cilantro, extra salsa or lime juice.

It’s that simple! This made about 5 cups and I’ve been eating 3/4 cup since the spice is just too much. Even for me. GASP. Never thought that would happen ;) It was just over-zealous me thinking I could handle more spice than trusting the recipe probably had more than enough, what with that chili powder. Oh well. It was still delicious. And hey! The spice only helps rev up that metabolism! Another good thing? Eating 1 cup is only around 200 calories per serving and 9 grams of protein. Not bad for a lunch! Pair it up with some Greek Yogurt for extra protein. Yummy!

Are your ready for spring?
What foods do you most like to eat during spring and summer?

Hello friends!

How is everyone’s week going so far? It’s hard to believe that we’re already getting into the second week of March! Where do the days go every year. Just seems like it goes by lightning fast.

In any case, I had a crazy-busy weekend of cooking and making yummy treats. Sunday was a fun recipe day too. Why? It was Soup Sunday of course!

So for this past Soup Sunday I made a spicy chickpea soup. My friend Allison showed me a recipe for a spiced Moroccan chickpea soup and I just had to try it. It kind of reminded me of channa masala, but it wasn’t thin like a curry. Instead it was hearty, full of protein and had a little kick to it!

I ended up making a lot of soup, too – about 8 servings of soup when all was said and done. I think where it gets its Moroccan flavors is the fact it had both smokey and sweet spices in it, which balanced well together. Because it was so thick, I see myself scooping it onto slimwiches to make open-face sandwiches!

Recipe adapted from Dave Lieberman

Spicy Chickpea Soup

•1 tablespoon olive oil
•1/2 cup onion, chopped (half a large onion)
•6 garlic cloves, finely minced
•1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•1 teaspoon ground cumin
•1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
•1 teaspoon paprika
•4 cups (1 quart) low-sodium vegetable broth
•1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes (liquid and all)
•3 cans chickpeas (drained and rinsed) – you can save a few for garnish
•1 teaspoon sugar
•1/4 teaspoon salt
•1/4 freshly ground black pepper
•5 oz. frozen chopped spinach

Method

Start by heating a large stock pot with olive oil until hot. Add the onion and garlic and cook until translucent, about 5-8 minutes. Next add the spices and stir. Then add the tomatoes, chickpeas, broth and sugar. You want the chickpeas to be submerged. If they aren’t, you can add a little water to completely submerge them. Season with salt and pepper and stir well. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat and let it cook uncovered for 45 minutes. After that time has passed, take a potato masher and mash the chickpeas in the pot until you get a thick consistency. Add the frozen spinach and continue cooking until the spinach is heated through and broken apart into the soup.

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As an optional garnish, take a few of the reserved chickpeas and dry roast in a pan until crispy. Ladle soup into bowls, top with a few roasted chickpeas and a drizzle of olive oil.

What you’re left with is a thick, spicy soup that is oh so delicious and 100% vegetarian! I completely agree with Andrea over at Onion in my Hair when she said she wished soups every where were always made with vegetable broth or stock instead of chicken. I hate when I go into a restaurant and the menu says there’s a great tomato basil soup or vegetable soup, but then you find out it’s made with chicken stock. What’s the point in that?! Well I can tell you right now that this soup is 100% vegetarian and tasty to the last bite! Enjoy!

Do you have any suggestions for me for upcoming Soup Sunday recipes?
I’d love to hear about them!

Hi everyone! I hope you all are doing well!

So the title isn’t a mistake. There is such a thing as healthy Italian food. Ever since I started my new low-calorie/low-carb diet, I’ve missed pasta a lot. I’m also really nervous to eat a lot of pasta because I’m afraid of portion control. While I think I’ve, for the most part, learned how to eat the right amount, and also not eat things like cream sauce and stuff, I’m afraid I’ll still eat too much. It’s a terrible, horrible feeling that I’m hoping one day passes, but still. It is a bit of a struggle and it’s more mental than anything, but I’ll get better about it. I’m sure of it.

In light of thinking healthy Italian, REB and I made tofu parmesan on Saturday night. I never was a big fan of chicken parmesan when I ate meat, but I wasn’t a fan of deep fried things. I’m still not big on eggplant parmesan either. However, I found this recipe on Eating Well for tofu parm and decided we should give it a shot! I’m glad we did!

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It was not only delicious, but it was under 300 calories per serving. Perfection. I wish there was more protein in it, but you can always add some extra sides to make that happen. We did change a few things for our tastes, but it worked great.

Recipe adapted from Eating Well

Tofu Parmesan

•1 14-oz. block firm tofu, cut lengthwise into four “steaks”
•1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
•1/4 teaspoon salt
•1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
•1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
•2 teaspoon olive oil
•1/2 pound (one 8oz.-carton) baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
•1/2 cup onion (half a large onion), chopped
•1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
•1/2 cup total low-sodium marinara sauce
•1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated (can also use vegan cheese if you prefer)
•5 basil leaves, chiffonade

Method

On a plate, combine the Panko and Italian seasoning. Cut the tofu lengthwise into four “steaks” or pieces. Lightly season each side with garlic powder and salt (we didn’t use the full 1/4 teaspoon for each) and then dredge each side in the breadcrumb/Italian seasoning mix.

In a large deep skillet heat the olive oil and then add the onions and let them get translucent and slightly brown, about 5 minutes. Next add the mushrooms and let them sweat their liquid out and turn slightly brown, about 5-10 minutes.

Transfer the onions and mushrooms to a bowl. In the same skillet, which you may need to add another teaspoon of olive oil, add the tofu steaks and cook until it’s golden brown (about 3 minutes per side).

Turn the tofu, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, spoon the mushroom/onion mixture on each steak, top with a tablespoon or so of marinara sauce, then the mozzarella cheese. Cover the skillet and let the tofu continue to cook until the cheese is melted, about 2-3 minutes.

The last bit is just sprinkling some basil on top of each and serving it up! I’m glad we decided to use Panko instead of breadcrumbs. It made the tofu a little crispier. Note to self: find more recipes to use Panko! Like I said, this recipe is under 300 calories per serving and all delicious! Enjoy!

Have you had struggles with weight?
What are things you miss eating and have you found alternatives?

Hello hello!!

Let me ask you all this: how far away do you live from your families? Are there days that you just miss something your mom, dad, aunt, uncle, grandparents or any relative makes and you crave it? I don’t live that far away from my parents. I live only an hour southeast from them, which is perfect since we can go visit them whenever we want, or they can come here.

My sister Shar lives in Chicago which isn’t even that far away, but I don’t see her nearly enough. I see her maybe two or three times a year and that stinks because I used to see her a lot more than that. She’s my best friend and she’s one of the craziest, silliest, kindest, most inspiring women in my life (other than mi madre of course). I’m excited because I’m flying out to Chicago in a few weeks to see her!! For whatever reason, I really wanted a mango lassi. And she makes the most amazing lassis!

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However, I couldn’t get a hold of her to get her recipe, so I tried making it from memory. What’s weird is I have a visual memory of a weekend morning when she made it for me in her kitchen and I can still picture what she put into the blender. Is that weird? Haha. I decided to try to make a healthy version with Greek yogurt, Silk Light and no sugar. You heard me right. No sugar. I didn’t need it though. The mango was way sweet enough!

Mango Lassi

•1 1/2 cups mango pulp (about 15 oz.)
•1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt (I used Fage Total 0%)
•1/2 cup Silk Light (low fat soy milk) or regular milk is fine
•1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
•1/4 teaspoon rose water (about half a cap full) – optional

I used half a 30 oz. can of Kesar brand mango pulp. Don’t let that price shock you. I did NOT spend that much at the Indian grocery store. I spent $1.99. However, you can also use the Looza brand mango nectar if you can find pulp. Also don’t be scared by the rose water ingredient. It is totally optional. It’s a pretty exotic ingredient in my opinion and I’ve only been able to find it in Indian grocery stores. You don’t need a lot to get the pretty perfume-y scent/taste in what ever you are making. My mom uses it in her gulab jaman syrup. I just adds a little something. But like I said, it’s totally optional. The lassi will taste just as delicious without it.

Method

Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend! Pour into glasses and enjoy. Not that hard is it ;)
Optional ingredients: Splenda or sugar if you need more sweetness, other fruits like bananas or pineapple and of course my new favorite thing: chia seeds!

This recipe should make about 2 cups of lassi. The best part? It was only 185 calories per serving. So perfect and the addition of using Greek yogurt vs. regular nonfat yogurt upped the protein and the Silk light kept it low fat. Yeah, this recipe is a keeper. It might not be like Shar’s, but it still reminded me of being a total nerd with her in her kitchen that Saturday morning :) Can’t wait to see her soon! Oh and I’ll also get to meet Diana from Veggie Next Door while I’m out there! I seriously, seriously can’t wait!

What are things your family member makes that you miss eating?
How often do you get to see your family?

Hi everyone!

I hope everyone is having a fabulous weekend! I had one of those weekends where I wanted drinks. And not just alcoholic! It started with chai. I’ve made chai before and I even have a recipe here on the blog about it, but I always try to find a way to make it differently.

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There are so many varieties of chai! But the one common ingredient with all of them is cardamom. It’s an incredibly smokey, warm spice that comes in a little pod. It’s a really great ingredient, but it also can be kind of expensive. The key is to buy it at your Indian grocery store because it will probably be cheaper to buy there (in a pretty good-sized bag too) than at your local grocery store Protip: get ALL Indian spices from an Indian store. Buying bags of turmeric, cumin, coriander, etc. is so much cheaper and runs about $2.99 a bag as opposed to $6.99 for a tiny jar in the world foods or spices aisle.

Anyway back to the chai! So this time I decided to try something different when making it.

I decided to roast the cardamom! It’s not anything new, I’m sure. it’s just something I haven’t done before. I figured, I dry roast all the spices for garam masala when I make it, so why not the cardamom for the chai?

It worked beautifully and added an extra warm taste…if that makes sense…? I’m glad I gave it a try. I have both cardamom in and out of the pod, but I find myself using the in-pod when I make the chai. Having the skin while you roast helps release the natural oils and it also intensifies the flavor of the cardamom. Roasting it only takes it up to that next level!

Chai for One

•1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
•1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom (dry roasted)
•3 cardamom pods (dry roasted)
•1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
•1/2 teaspoon whole black cloves
•1 1/2 cups water
•Milk and sugar to taste
•1-2 teabags of Darjeeling or English black tea (you could also use loose tea leaves)

Method

Start roasting the cardamom in a dry pan over low heat for 5-10 minutes. The cardamom is done when they’re lightly toasted and you can literally smell it. In the mean time heat up the water in a small pan and bring to bring to simmer. Add the tea bags and spice mixture and let it steep and mull for 10-15 minutes. When the water has turned to a beautiful dark color, take it off the heat and pour it through a strainer, into a cup. Add milk and sugar to taste and enjoy!

It’s so easy to make that you won’t need to spend the $4 at your local coffee shop. I find those to be too sweet for my tastes and it doesn’t taste like home, either! Give this a try – I know you’ll love it!

So tell me: do you like teas and coffee from other countries?
What’s your favorite?

]]> http://notaleaf.com/2012/03/04/tea-time/feed/ 6 http://notaleaf.com/2012/02/27/vegetarian-chili/ http://notaleaf.com/2012/02/27/vegetarian-chili/#comments Tue, 28 Feb 2012 01:46:35 +0000 Aparna B. http://notaleaf.com/?p=3761  

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a lovely weekend! I had a weekend of cooking, relaxing and all around happiness. I’m mostly happy about this thing I’ve decided to start.
I’m starting what I’m calling Soup Sunday. As many of you might already know, I eat soup almost every day for lunch. It’s quick and easy, low carb, healthy and filling! Last week I made the Spiced Vegetable Lentil Soup and the entire thing lasted a week for my lunch (one cup per day). I decided to try making another soup on Sunday and this time I made vegetarian chili.

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Chili is one of those quintessential winter-time foods for me. It’s so easy to make and you can basically let it simmer all day either on the stove or in your crock pot and you can throw whatever you want into it. I guess that’s true with most any soup really.

Here’s what I used to make it:
•1 tablespoon olive oil
•1/2 cup red onion, chopped
•2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 2 cloves. Add more if you want!)
•1 carrot, peeled and diced
•1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced (that’s about half the pepper)
•1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced (that’s about half the pepper)
•1 can (15 oz.) diced tomatoes w/ green chilies (liquid and all)
•1 can (15 oz.) dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
•1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
•1/2 can (15 oz.) corn kernels, drained and rinsed
•1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
•2 cups vegetable stock
•2 tablespoons tomato paste
•1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
•1 teaspoon chili powder
•1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
•1 teaspoon paprika
•1 teaspoon ground cumin
•1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper
•1/2 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes
•1 cup Boca Ground Meatless Crumbles (or you could use tempeh or even tofu I’m sure!)

Lots of ingredients for a lot of soup!

Start by heating 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Once it’s hot, add the onion and carrots and cook until soft (5-8 minutes). Add the garlic and cook for one minute so it doesn’t burn. Next add the bell peppers to start cooking those down. Once they’re a little soft, add the can of tomatoes and the two types of beans and corn. Then add the vegetable stock, tomato paste, spices and stir. Cover and bring to a boil. Then uncover and let it simmer for 25-30 minutes. Near the end of the cooking process, add the crushed tomatoes, stir, and then add the Boca crumbles. Cook another 15-20 minutes or until the Boca is warmed through and the soup is thick like a chili should be (well for me anyway -ha!). You can adjust the spices before serving.

You can garnish with the usual: cheese, tortilla chips, sour cream. But both REB and I wanted to keep it healthy so we just added a small dollop of Greek yogurt (a great substitute for sour cream in my opinion) and some cilantro. You could also cut out the yogurt to make this entire soup vegan! It was the perfect garnish to cool us down since parts of the chili had quite a bit of kick! Just how I like it!

This made quite a bit, but again, that was kind of the point. The best thing? I cup is under 200 calories!

I can’t wait to try another soup recipe next week for Soup Sunday! Enjoy!

Is there a soup recipe you have that you think I should try?
Send me a link and maybe I’ll give it a try!

Hello hello! I was reading Sarah’s blog the other day and she had mentioned something about how she starts her posts. She said she usually starts with a greeting as if she’s in a conversation with her readers, instead of just listing a random fact. I realized I do the latter most of the time. I’m going to try doing what she does – greeting all of you! I do love that I’ve gotten more response on my blog this year than I ever have since starting this thing back in 2007. No lie. I am so grateful for all of you and that some of you really do like coming by and reading! I hope you all continue to do that.

OK enough mushy stuff. Onto the chips!

In the last post about the guacamole dip, I mentioned you could serve it up with baked Parmesan pita chips.

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That’s exactly what I did. Why buy them when you can make them and make them without frying? Much healthier, less greasy and ridonk easy. Yes, ridonk.

Here’s what you need!
•Whole wheat pita (I used 4 and made two batches)
•2 tablespoons olive oil
•1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
•Pinch of salt and pepper
•1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated (more if you want more, less if you want less)

Start by preheating your oven to 350°F. Next cut each pita in half and then in thirds (to get triangles). Then pull them apart so you end up with 6 pieces per half. Lay the pieces on an ungreased cookie sheet.

In a small bowl combine the oil, garlic and S&P. Brush a little on each pita triangle and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Keep your eye on them because if you’re like me, you’ll burn a batch. I’m not saying I burned a batch, but it’s possible that my second batch was more crispy than the first.

Serve it up with hummus, salsa or make that guacamole dip I was talking about! The great thing about them is that you can season them how ever you want. Other options: curry powder, cumin, garam masala or cajun seasoning (for a spicy twist!). You could even go the sweet route and do cinnamon and sugar and serve with your favorite sweet dip!

Either way, they will go fast so either make enough or eat them all before they disappear. Now, I’m not saying we ate them all in one day, but I’m also not saying that we didn’t ;) Enjoy!

Have you ever made homemade chips before?

Hello my lovely readers! Is it just me, or do the weekends go by too fast? It seems like just yesterday it was Friday and now the week is starting up again.

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I had quite the weekend, though! I did a full day of cooking today. So much so, that I’ll have three different posts for the three things I made. So bear with me, please :) One of my favorite parts was not only the cooking, but Oscar Sunday! I’m such an awards show junkie. I made a dip to eat for the Oscars that was healthy and flavorful and was so so good!

If you haven’t already guessed, I made a guacamole dip! I saw a few recipes online and decided to give it a try and I’m so glad I did. The star ingredient? White cannellini beans instead of all avocado. I know avocados have healthy fats, but it’s all about moderation, right? Right.

Can I be honest? I’ve never bought, cut open, or used an avocado on my own. I was a big nerd and was pretty excited when I was able to cut it and then get the pit out without ruining any part of it. It’s about the little things :)

So here’s what you need to make this lovely dip:
Adapted from Good Housekeeping
•1 can (15 oz. weight) white cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
•1 tablespoon lime juice (about 1-2 limes)
•1 jalapeño, seeded, and diced
•1 tsp salt
•1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
•1/4 cup onion, chopped
•1 avocado, halved and pitted
•2 tomatoes (I used Campari, but you could use Roma. If you use smaller ones, you’ll need more of course)

In a food processor or blender, add the beans and lime juice and pulse until smooth and mixed. Transfer to a bowl. Next add the avocado to the bean mixture and mash with a fork to combine. Keep some chunks though (at least I like chunks for added texture!). In the food processor again, add the jalapeño, onion, cilantro and salt and pulse until thick and combined. Cut the tomatoes in half and squeeze to get rid of the juice and seeds. Coarsely chop and add to the bean-avocado mixture. Add the onion-cilantro to the mix, stir everything well. Squeeze a little more lime juice and serve! You can eat this right away, or you can store it in the fridge for up to an hour. Make sure it has enough lime juice so the avocado stays green!
Possible garnishes: cilantro leaves or finely minced onion.

Serve it up with some fresh cut veggies or with these homemade Parmesan baked pita chips!
The great thing? This makes about 3 cups and one serving (1/4 cup) is only 65 calories! Not so bad when you’re really having half that and sharing that 1/4 cup. Enjoy!

Are you an awards show junkie like me?
What are your favorite snacks while watching them?