Recipe: Vegan Harvest Chickpea Salad

A salad to make weekday lunches sparkle & shine!

I just wish people would realize that anything’s possible if you try; dreams are made possible if you try.

~ Terry Fox

Good day everyone!

I’ve got a goodie to share today, and this one has been tucked away in the ‘fave salad’ category for many years now.

One of the best things for us folks who love to prepare food is enjoying something in an unfamiliar place prepared by someone else and enjoying it so much we promptly head home to re-create it.

Sound familiar?!

Well this salad came about after a work trip many many years ago, and it was in Calgary that I first enjoyed this combo as part of a quick healthy lunch.

It has pine nuts in it, which truthfully I don’t use very much and haven’t featured on IPOM before, as they are very expensive. They are, however, a nice treat and combined with the rest of the ingredients here taste rather unreal! Of course, you could also sub in lightly roasted cashew or almond pieces if pine nuts are not on hand.

So without further ado, let’s get to this beautiful salad featuring Farmer’s Market chard & yellow zucchini.

It’s totally vegan & gluten-free too! A rather nice perk, I would say 🙂

A single leaf alone provides no shade.

~ Chuck Page

It always seems I am reminded of this recipe at the end of summer when I stumble across fresh yellow zucchini squash.

This time of year they are abundant and cheap, not to mention firm, sweet, and delicious. Of course, you can sub in green for the recipe too, you’ll just miss that sunny hit of yellow in your bowl!

The chard used here adds a nice variety and provides a use for this green in its raw form that can be (for some) rather obscure in its applications.

Of course you can also sub other greens such a raw kale here too, but the case for color remains the same – just looking at the colors in this dish brings a smile to my face!

Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.

  ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

The beauty here is depending on what you’ve got, this can be made year round & keeps well for 4-5 days in the fridge.

It makes for a truly satisfying & light lunch on the go during the work or school week.

It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.

~ Eleanor Roosevelt

The Less:

Less prepared foods at lunchtime means more freshness in your tupperware. Less pre-bottled dressings means less waste, cost, and preservatives. Less reliance on traditional lunch foods means packing a brown bag becomes exciting & weekday lunches become something to relish.

The More:

More high fibre chickpeas means easy filling up on the good stuff. More colorful veggies means a feast for the eyes. More variety & raw greens means more fresh vital energy, so you’ll never miss the standard old heavy stuff.

Vegan Harvest Chickpea Salad:

• (3) cups cooked chickpeas or garbanzos
• (2) medium yellow zucchini, chopped into one inch pieces
• (4-6) cups chopped Red Chard
• (1/2) cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• (4) tbsp pine nuts
• (2) tsp dried basil
• (1/4) cup good olive oil
• (3) tbsp red wine vinegar
• (2) tsp salt, or to taste

Start by washing and preparing the vegetables.

On the stove, put up a shallow pan filled with an inch of water and turn on the heat to high. Chop the zucchini into one inch pieces and add t the pin with the lid propped just barely on.

Once the water reaches boil, turn it down to simmer and cook for no longer than 3 minutes (set the timer!), just until the zucchini is soft-‘ish’ – be careful to not to overcook! Drain the zucchini pieces and set aside to cool.

In a large mixing bowl combine the olive oil, salt, and wine vinegar & mix together with a fork or whisk. Add the cooked chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, and basil. Stir all gently to combine.

Add the zucchini and raw chopped chard to the mixture and stir gently to incorporate, taking care not to crush the chard leaves or the zucchini. Taste for seasonings, and transfer to a clean serving bowl and serve!

If you are making this for lunches, store covered with wrap or foil or in a to go container. Last week I packed up my containers in advance and just grabbed them in the morning when I left the house.

Feel free to add freshly ground pepper or crumbled feta to this if you like.

It is also totally wonderful just on its own and truthfully a wonderful break from heavier cheeses and nuts.

As much as I normally try to avoid using pine nuts due to their high cost, I was lucky to find a very reasonable source here in Vancouver recently, and this recipe benefits immensely from their taste and light texture. Of course the substitutes I mentioned above would add their own brand of delicious too 🙂

If you choose to cook your chickpeas from scratch, simply put up 2 cups of dry beans to soak in 6-8 cups of cold water for 8-12 hours. Before cooking drain & rinse the soaked beans in more cold water and put up to boil in plenty of salted cold water (about 1 teaspoon salt added to the water). Simply Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 – 1.5 hours or until soft.

If you’ve got the time, this is a wonderful cost saver, not to mention the added benefit of having no cans to open & recycle.

Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.

~ Mahatma Gandhi

Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for kindness.

~ Seneca

I hope you might enjoy this celebratory combo as we continue to ring in this beautiful fall season we are having here in this part of the world!

• Do you have a chard recipe to share with us?
• Do you ever cook beans from scratch?

I’ve certainly posed this question about beans before and am always interested to know who is cooking their own. It is so easy but can be tough to fit in (and to look that far ahead) at the same time.

I became re-inspired about cooking my beans from scratch as much as possible after reading (and trying) a few recipes I brought home with me from my holiday, and after getting to it have been reminded of the taste & texture of freshly cooked beans, especially chickpeas – it is heaven in comparison!

Wishing you all a fabulous sparkly week as always filled with good food, good friends & loved ones!

Yours in Less,

Recipes: Chickpea Flat Bread & Basil Pistou

The turn of the seasons means time for new foods.

Real generosity toward the future lies in giving all to the present.

~ Albert Camus

Holla bloggers! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Grateful as always to be here, I spent the weekend enjoying cooking at home and getting back into the groove in my kitchen. Yes, the dancing shoes were on and everything 🙂

Since utilizing fresh, accessible & affordable ingredients is fundamental to this blog, I am super excited to keep sharing more easy healthy recipes, and what fun it is to bounce off the energy and inspiration collected on my recent holiday.

This (new to me) gluten-free chickpea flat bread is as versatile as it is tasty, and when it comes to preparation, is almost criminally easy.

Paired with a topper like this Basil Pistou, it makes a perfect light lunch or side to a more substantial meal.

A man taking basil from a woman will love her always.

~ Sir Thomas Moore

Before we start, a few thoughts on food…

I’ve been teasing for quite a few posts about the foods we enjoyed while we were away. Of course I’d planned to write about this for weeks, and the truth when it comes right down to it is just this: the food we enjoyed there was dead simple.

We enjoyed amazing produce, and super fresh bread & cheese. My husband barbecued & I made (and ate) salads galore.

There were a few key ingredients that were thoroughly enjoyed to the last drop, like a balsamic vinegar that tasted as sweet as could be, gorgeous raw walnut oil for our salad dressings, delicious mustard that was added to everything, and wonderful staples like fresh bocconcini, tomatoes, sublime melons, and that amazingly fresh bread.

The crazy thing was that in France, and most notably in the countryside, the fresh healthy stuff came wonderfully affordable compared to home.

Upon our return to the Canadian west coast, fresh on the memories of the market in Provence, a visit to our local farmers market revealed that prices are in some cases 5 times what they were in France (and I was informed that the market we visited was the ‘expensive’ one for tourists by a good French friend).

There, baguettes were at the most 1 dollar (85 euro cents). A giant ball of gorgeous fresh bocconcini cost all of $1.15, and a triangle of brie just a paltry $1.96 (precisely). Sweet ripe melons were sold at every market at a mind boggling 3/$5, and two entire days worth of fresh picked fruit and vegetables cost me all of $9 at a roadside stand.

Enjoying regional foods is beautiful no matter where you are, and treating to aged balsamic vinegar (at $15 a bottle), local walnut oil ($5 a bottle), and fresh pressed local olive oil ($6) was a dream, made that much more amazing by the accessibility and prices.

Here at home, the same balsamic once imported would cost $50. Needless to say, I’m back to adding sugar to my dressings, and they taste delicious too 🙂

My return has prompted many new (and renewed) thoughts & ideas about our food here at home and the dream of making delicious, healthy foods available to all.

It was inspiring to say the least, and also eye opening to see such stark differences between the different worlds. So I am back to cooking, and back to work on this project that is so dear to my heart.

I’m so excited to bring you all along, starting with these recipes!

No one has ever become poor by giving.

~ Anne Frank, diary of Anne Frank

The Less:

Less store bought breads and dips means more taste & freshness without the added cost & waste. Fewer ingredients means easy work of making delicious. Less cost to make healthy goodness means your money can go farther, and who wouldn’t take a bite of that idea?

The More:

More fresh garlic means more taste and added amazing health benefits. More grain free recipes at hand means more options for those who may be sensitive. More easy ways to impress your guests means more smiles at the table, after all, nothing brings a smile like the smile of another.

Chickpea Flat Bread:

• (1) tbsp good olive oil for oiling the pan
• (3) tbsp good olive oil for the recipe
• (2.5) cups chickpea (garbanzo bean) flour
• (3.5) cups water
• (1) tsp salt
• (1-2) tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a square or round 8-9 inch cake pan with (1) tbsp of olive oil.

Next, measure the flour into a large bowl. Gradually add the water into the flour, whisking constantly to keep lumps from forming. Add the salt, chopped rosemary, and (3) tbsp olive oil and whisk until smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until golden, about 40 minutes. When done, remove the bread from the oven and let cool for a couple of minutes.

Remove from the pan and cut into slices, or, bring the entire pan to the table or serving area and serve straight from there!

This recipe made a generous amount that lasted in our house all week. If you like, this recipe can easily be halved, in which case you could use a regular loaf pan to bake it in.

We ate this with the pistou in this post but also enjoyed it days later fried in salt & olive oil as delicious croutons for our weeknight salads.

Keep any leftovers in the fridge and use within 5-6 days.

Happiness comes when your work and words are of benefit to yourself and others.

~ Buddha

I’d love to hear how this goes for those of you who are looking for easy & affordable gluten free recipes to try. It’s so easy and has a lovely digestibility, not to mention the unexpected gentle chickpea flavor. Yum.

Chickpea flour is very affordable and is available in Asian food stores (it is used in Indian recipes) as well as most health food stores.

The best way to cheer yourself is to try to cheer somebody else up.

~ Mark Twain

Basil Pistou:

– Adapted from Ina Garten in the Barefoot Contessa

• (2-4) large garlic cloves (depending on your fondness for garlic!)
• (1/4) cup tomato paste
• (24) fresh basil leaves (or about 1 packed cup of fresh basil)
• (1/2) cup grated Parmesan cheese
• (1) cup good olive oil
• (1) tbsp lemon juice
• (1/4) tsp salt

Place all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend on high until smooth and well incorporated.

Feel free to start and stop the blender to whirl the mixture with a spatula (always taking care to not do this while it is running, mindfulness with the blender can be a big challenge for me!).

Transfer to a sealed container or jar and keep in the fridge. By adding the lemon juice, this recipe should not discolor, but if you choose to you can cover the top of the pistou with a film of olive oil to keep it from drying out at the top while being stored. The original recipe called for all but the salt and lemon, but I couldn’t resist adding my favorite flavor boosters, and I do think it is more delicious for it.

Use this as a spread for bread, or for pasta, in a sandwich, or as a quick perk up for a bowl of hot soup.

This one might be tough for my vegan readers as the cheese really does carry it, but with all the genius for substitutions out there among all of you, nothing would surprise me at all 🙂

A quick bit of reading on the difference between pistou & pesto yielded some history on the origins of both (both have been around for centuries), and from what I read the basic difference between the two seems to be the absence of nuts in a pistou.

Great news for those sensitive to nuts, or anyone looking to add easy variety to their repertoire.

In my next post, I’ll share the pasta salad I made with this pistou. Garlicky and delicious, it was a perfect combo with these amazingly ripe local tomatoes 🙂

The simplest acts of kindness are by far more powerful than a thousand heads bowing in prayer.

~ Mahatma Gandhi

I hope all of you are basking in the glory of September, whether it is Spring or Fall where you are.

Stay tuned for more recipes and some Not So Fast news coming up! We are hard at work this fall and hope to have some fun to share with you all very soon!

• Have you ever tried working with chickpea flour?
• Got a favorite pesto or pistou?

I’ve seen a few great posts out there in the blog world using chickpea flour, feel free to share your faves in the comments – I’d love to know if you’ve got a goodie!

Wishing you all a super fabulous week!

Yours in Less,

Recipe: Chickpea Cauliflower Salad with Basil Dijon Dressing

A summer salad worthy of our attention.

To live is to love. There is no life without love.

~ Anonymous

On any given day our lives can change. They can change for the better, and they can also change in a way that forces growth (aka something not so wonderful happens).

Many of us are here in the blog world because we seek something extra in this life. When I started IPOM I can honestly tell you I didn’t realize the sheer depth of the people & passion I would find here (but I surely did suspect & believe it existed). Friends from all over the world who are sharing tidbits of their lives with others.

Whether it is food, art, adventure, or just a few thoughts here and there, I’ve been so pleased to find such endless inspiration as a result of sharing my own passions. With friends, life is always made easier. And with passion, life becomes rich. When there is love and passion in life, there is nothing that can’t be overcome (IMO, of course).

Where there is love there is life.

~ Mahatma Gandhi

This gorgeous salad is as simple as simple can be. Combine chickpeas with a few chopped fresh veggies and drown them in what is possibly the most delicious dressing on the planet.

This basil dressing is a variation on the dressing I shared at the Healthy Diva here, and features a little more basil this time to honor the bountiful basil plants that are gracing many a patio garden and planter at this time of year.

Basil makes everything it touches taste utterly sophisticated, and once you try this dressing, you’ll want to try it on everything from pasta salad to fresh greens to simple garden tomato salads. I highly encourage this, as we’ve been at it all week.

If you judge people, you have no time to love them.

~ Mother Teresa

The Less:

Less heavy grain-based foods in summer means meals are as light as the summer nights. Less canned prepared bean salad means less preservatives and calories. Less bottled and preserved salad dressings means more flavor and real nutrition, without the added bottles, empty calories, and added cost.

The More:

More tasty veggie salads means more tasty easy meals. More homemade dressings means more inspiring reasons to eat salads. More high fiber vegetables and beans more movement in general, so lightness and health are yours all summer long.

Chickpea Cauliflower Salad with Basil Dijon Dressing:

• (2) cups cooked chickpeas (one 398ml can)
• (1) red pepper, diced
• (1) head cauliflower
• (1) bunch green onions, chopped (greens only)
• (1) clove garlic, minced
• (1) 398ml can artichoke hearts, quartered

Basil Vinaigrette:

• (1) entire bunch basil
• (1) cup good olive oil
• (1/2) cup red wine vinegar
• (4) tbsp Dijon mustard
• (3) tbsp sugar (brown or white)
• (1) tbsp salt
• (1) clove garlic
• (1/2) cup water

Start by cleaning and chopping the cauliflower into medium florets. Put up to steam in a little water, and cook 3-4 minutes until just soft. Remove from heat and rinse with cold water or in an ice water bath to cool. Set aside to drain in a colander until ready to use.

Combine all ingredients for the dressing in a blender (or in a large bowl with a hand blender) and blend until very well combined. Transfer to a clean jar.

Combine chickpeas, chopped red pepper, green onions, and minced garlic in a bowl. Add the cauliflower by hand, breaking into small pieces as you go with your hands.*

*When using cauliflower in smaller one inch pieces I prefer to break them organically with my hands versus cutting them with a knife. The presentation is more beautiful and natural, and it gives me a chance to connect with it – corny, yes, but awesome? YES.

Pour (1/3) to (1/2) cup of the vinaigrette into the bowl and mix gently with a large spoon to combine. If you are too vigorous with the mixing you can break the cauliflower pieces. Add more dressing as desired and save the remainder for later – there are so many uses for it – and this recipe makes a generous amount.

Serve in a lovely clean bowl garnished with quartered artichoke hearts. Set aside as many or as few artichoke hearts as you like and add to each serving on top or to the bowl. This fiber and flavor filled salad will keep in the fridge for up to a week and will get better with age. We enjoyed it several days later with some hot whole wheat pasta added. Amazing!

I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.

~ Mother Teresa

We love the things we love for what they are.

~ Robert Frost

This salad made us very happy this week. The green onions were given to me by a good friend, picked just for me from his small patio garden which (I think) is making both him and his wife very happy this summer. Thanks Charlie and Becky for the gift of home-grown green onions!

• What salads are you loving right now?
• Got a favorite way with basil or chickpeas?

Feel free to let us know below!

Beautiful things bring happiness. I hope you find happiness in (just a little) beauty today, and with any luck, everyday.

Update: this recipe has been shared on Healthy Vegan Fridays hosted by Gabby at the Veggie Nook and 2 other fabulous bloggers 🙂

Yours in Less,

Recipe: Feisty Fried Cumin Hummus

There is nothing like a quiet weekend at home.

Lost time is never found again.

~ Benjamin Franklin

Howdy fine blogging readers and buds!

The weekend is soon upon us (yay!) and we are looking forward to spending a quiet weekend here at home. The teenager is gone on a camping trip, and the little one is done school for the year. Time to stop. And enjoy.

Sometimes nothing beats the promise of a few days around the house, enjoying the hard work it takes to make your house a true home.

I’ve shared with you all about my recent attempts to free up some space and remove a portion of mental clutter by clearing out closet space, or the basement, or just our minds. This weekend I am looking forward to seizing the opportunity to enjoy that extra space.

I can feel the relaxation already…can you? 😉

Today I am excited to share with you quite possibly the best hummus I have ever had – yup, it’s that good.

Now, if you like cumin, this recipe will seriously hit the spot. If you don’t (or just aren’t sure), this is almost guaranteed to turn you onto it (IMO). It’s that seriously serious about it’s flavor. And it’s just that feisty too.

Packed with the goodness and flavor punch of fresh lemon, garlic, and parsley, this intensely flavorful dip will have you wondering how you ever made it any other way!

I find the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.

~ Thomas Jefferson

The Less:

Less over salted processed dips means less bad sodium without sacrificing taste. Less high cost and high fat snack foods means less guilt and more enjoyment. Less repetition in your recipes means there is always something new, so you can re-work the classics to be fresh every time.

The More:

More intensity in flavorings means more satisfaction from fewer bites. More freshly made snack foods means more healthy ways to get cooking. More pure clean ingredients means more accessible nutrition, so your body can make quick work of every morsel.

Feisty Fried Cumin Hummus:

~ Recipe can easily be halved for a single serving

• (2.5) tsp cumin seeds
• (2) tbsp olive oil
• (4) cups cooked chickpeas (2 398ml can if using canned)
• (4) tbsp sesame tahini
• (6-8) tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• (2) medium cloves fresh garlic, peeled
• (2) tsp good sea salt
• (1/2) cup good olive oil
• (1/2) cup fresh parsley (not packed)
• up to (1/2) cup of cold water

Ready to make delicious?

Start with the cumin seeds and 2 tbsp. of olive oil. In a medium frying pan, heat the olive oil on medium heat until hot. Add the cumin seeds whole and cook, stirring pretty much constantly, for 1 minute. The seeds should turn a dark brown and become beautifully fragrant – just be careful not to burn them!

It is best to stay fully present (as in, in the moment, hard sometimes) while doing this step, or you could end up with a smoke-filled kitchen (unless you like that sort of thing).

Remove the seeds to a bowl and allow the hot oil from the pan to follow. Set aside.

In a blender or food processor, combine 2 teaspoons of the cumin seeds with all the remaining ingredients except the water – reserving the last half teaspoon or so of seeds for garnish. Blend on high until well mixed and smooth (and crazy good).

If using a blender, add the additional water as the blender runs and agitate the mixture with a spatula (careful of those blades!). Use only enough water to get the mixture churning nicely and to facilitate better blending.

For those using a food processor, feel free to add enough water to reach desired consistency.

Taste to adjust seasonings and remove into a container or serving dish. This hummus is best served a little colder or after sitting in the fridge for (just a little) while.

Before serving or storing, garnish the top with the remaining fried seeds and a nice splash or drizzle of additional oil.

Perfection!

I actually think this is my favorite hummus version ever.

It is full of protein, calcium, and loaded with healthy fats and fresh ingredients. Keep this stored in your fridge for up to a week and use it as you wish .

On fresh crusty bread, crackers, or with any fresh crisp vegetable.

Teachers open the door – you enter by yourself.

~ Chinese Proverb

There is nothing as wonderful as a fresh bowl of crunchy romaine hearts.

Ready to scoop up your favorite dip.

Summer time calls for easy living. With ovens off and back doors flung wide open.

Grab a few fixings and head outside. This weekend I’ll be enjoying this house I call a home.

I’ll be digging into this delicious dip right here. All alone. And I can’t wait.

I make like I like alone time, but guaranteed it won’t last long.

Whether filled with friends or family, this house always seems full. Full of energy, full of good folk, and (thankfully) full of good food. Not too much though……just enough. I am a lucky girl.

There is more to life than increasing its speed.

~ Ghandi

A crust eaten in peace is better than a banquet partaken in anxiety.

~ Aesop

The first hummus recipe I ever posted here at IPOM was (just a little) bad-ass, but add this super feisty version and I wonder kind of match we’ll have on our hands?

• What’s your favorite hummus version?
• How are you spending your upcoming weekend?

Let us know readers! It is always such a pleasure to hear from you all 🙂

I’ll be doing some major blogging catch up this weekend as I relax on my couch, and I can’t wait!

Yours in Less,

Recipe: Picnic Perfect Pasta Salad

Anyone up for a summer picnic?

All mothers are working mothers.

~ Author Unknown

Greetings bloggers and friends!

I hope everyone enjoyed the treat that was the weekend potluck – I know I discovered a few fine bloggers and enjoyed working my way through everyone’s delicious posts! In case you missed it, you can still catch the action here to see what it was all about!

Today I am grateful for sunshine and still reveling in what was a gorgeous weekend spent with loved ones.

Our Mother’s Day dinner yesterday consisted of a wonderful picnic dinner set against the backdrop of the beach and the mountains here in Vancouver.

It was superb!

Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs…since the payment is pure love.

~ Mildred B. Vermont

Our meal consisted of a simple array of foods: soft buns, cheese & cold cuts for the men (my hubby’s father is visiting us from Europe), chips and homemade dip, as well as potato salad, deviled eggs, watermelon, and today’s recipe for a yummy fresh pasta salad.

Of course, let’s not forget the chilled white wine, a couple of gin and tonics for us moms (the shared favorite summer cocktail between me and the mother-in-law), and we were all set.

Here is a simple, light recipe for what was a super tasty outdoor salad – perfect for any picnic or summer dinner!

The Less:

Less white pasta in your diet means more room for alternate grains. Less mayo-drenched pasta means less calories, fat, and oil. Less packaged store-bought picnic food means less cost for more goodness, and less high calorie pasta dishes means less worrying about eating them.

The More:

More ways to dress salads means more ways out of the mundane. More alternate grain pastas means more depth of flavour and nutrition. More ways to head outside means more time in the sunshine, so you can get picnicking more often 🙂

Picnic Perfect Pasta Salad:

• (4) cups dry pasta (spelt, kamut, or regular, I used a curly variety)
• (6) tbsp lemon juice
• (1/4) cup olive oil
• (1/4) cup capers
• (1) cup cubed feta cheese (optional)
• (1.5-2) cups cooked chickpeas (a 398 ml can will provide the right amount)
• (3-4) cups chopped broccoli florets, lightly steamed (save the stalks for steaming or grating)
• (2) tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
• (3) cloves fresh garlic, minced finely or pressed
• a pinch or two of salt & fresh black pepper if desired

Start by putting up your pasta to boil in lots of water. Follow package instructions for your pasta and cook to al dente. Do your very best to avoid overcooking it! It is especially important to not overcook alternative grain pastas as they tend to turn to mush rather quickly if cooked longer than recommended.

Sometimes this is just unavoidable, but hey, we try!

While the pasta cooks combine the olive oil, lemon juice, & capers and add to the bottom of a large mixing bowl.

Chop the broccoli florets into 1-2 inch pieces and put up to steam in a separate pot. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until just turning bright green. It is important not to overcook the broccoli here as if it gets too mushy the lemon juice will turn it yellow and it will be come even more mushy. Once the broccoli is steamed, transfer to a bowl and mix with water and ice to shock it for a couple of minutes (this stops the cooking process). Drain.

Chop and prepare the feta, thyme, and garlic. Drain and rinse the chickpeas (if using canned).

Once the pasta is cooked, drain, and do not rinse. Let the cooked pasta sit for a minute or two in the colander and then add it to the mixing bowl with the lemon and oil while still warm. Mix well to incorporate with a large spoon. The pasta will soak up all the yummy goodness.

Add the chickpeas, broccoli florets, cubed feta, garlic, & thyme to the bowl and mix all well.

Season to taste with a little dusting of salt (the capers and feta are quite salty but it is nice to dress the pasta with just an additional smidge) and lots of fresh black pepper if desired.

Serve right away or chill and eat later on your picnic!

The ladies in our house are pretty massive fans of capers – the husband not so much – we say it’s his loss!

The garlic in this recipe adds a wonderful flavor to the simple lemon dressing.

It’s light, bright, and delicious!

A mom’s hug lasts long after she lets go.

~ Author Unknown

This was a perfect cold lunch for my high school daughter today.

Anyone want to bet whether I’ll see that container again? 😉

Sing out loud in the car even, or especially, if it embarrasses your children.

~ Marilyn Penland

This dip has also become a bit of a hit.

I’ll share this with you all soon!

It’s rather a goodie 🙂

This is a warm up for the upcoming summer trip to France. I anticipate many afternoons lounging in the grass over a few bites of bread and cheese, with views of picturesque scenery, and of course, the family.

Love begins by taking care of the closest ones – the ones at home.

~ Mother Teresa

God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers.

~Jewish Proverb

Kick off the shoes, spread out the blanket, and remember these times don’t last forever.

Soak it in. Breathe. Be.

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend, whether you are a mother, or whether you know a mother or two that deserved a little love or recognition.

I so enjoyed your comments and feedback on the last post – turns out I am not the only one who loves bread!

I’ll be posting again this week and am pretty thrilled to be getting a new computer this week (it’s sooo time!) – we are getting away this upcoming weekend for a few days by the pool with great old friends.

I am looking forward to setting up beside the pool…maybe if it gets hots enough I’ll go in too!

• How did you spend Mother’s Day?
• Do you have a favorite picnic food?

We’d love to know!

Yours in Less,

Recipe: Bad Ass Black Olive Hummus

Anyone out there for a little hummus love?

If we did all the things we were capable of, we would astound ourselves.

~ Thomas Edison

Greetings IPOM readers! How IS everyone?!

It’s been a busy week so far here – filled with the right mix of family stuff, work stuff, and a whole bunch of other details – like saying goodbye to good friends (and a little crying) and getting out for some quality time with the fresh air!

I am never sad after a nice long run in the sunshine…especially with company (my daughter rides her bike beside me).

Not such a bad view for running, hey?

I am hoping to wax a little bit about my love (and the zen benefits) of running in a post soon…

But for now, let’s get chatting about a well-known dip, shall we?

When I was a teen, I swear hummus was the very first recipe I ever tried. I credit the Moosewood Cookbook (my mom had an original) for the original genius behind what quickly became the inspiration for a recipe ingrained in my DNA…I still use that book to this day (though my hubby bought me my own early in our marriage).

Let’s get started with the chickpeas shall we?

Time to dig in..

To my recent delight, I received a few extremely precious bags of dried chickpeas from a friend’s family farm.

“The first farmer was the first man. All historic nobility rests on the possession and use of land.”

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Yes – direct from a farm in Saskatchewan!

Of course, I was totally ecstatic as it is difficult to buy Canadian grown garbanzo beans in Canada….yes, strange as it seems, we actually export most of our garbanzos to the Middle East!

I try to soak and cook chickpeas from scratch whenever possible, as the economical benefit is staggering vs. canned, and in this case – the taste and texture difference is dreamy!

I’d love to write an entire post just about these beans because they are truly amazing: large, creamy in texture, sweet, and Canadian grown – it’s no wonder they are in demand from the rest of the world.

If you have never cooked beans from scratch – it is really super easy!

Here is how:

• Simply soak the beans for 8-16 hours in LOTS of cold water (they will expand like crazy, about 4 times) and rinse.
• In a large pot combine soaked beans and again LOTS of fresh cold water & bring to a boil with a few teaspoons of salt. Once it boils, skim off the white frothy stuff from the top (this is the gas producing stuff you don’t want to ingest) and then turn down and cook partially covered until soft on a medium boil/simmer (chickpeas take about an hour). Feel free to check the beans here and there for more of the frothy stuff and remove it by skimming the top with a large spoon.
• When the beans are soft, drain and rinse with cold water and store in an airtight container in the fridge covered with cold water.
• Alternatively, you can freeze in individual one or two cup portions for easy thawing for recipes like this!

I am sure we can all agree that chickpeas are the perfect base for a dip, or salad, or a curry (my next post). Of course you can also used canned and they are the handiest when you are short on time – a quick survey among cooks in the office today revealed they use canned about 50% of the time. I say that’s pretty good!

The cost to cook them at home vs. using canned is pennies in comparison – there is a less for more if I ever saw one – and have I mentioned the taste and texture? HUGE gratitude to Janna for the beans 🙂

Next, we have olive oil…

And by olive oil, I do of course mean strictly cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil.

It is delicious, healthy, and we use it by the liter in this house. Make sure it really comes from Italy or Spain or Greece instead of just ‘packed in’ those places. There is a lot of imported olive oil from countries like China on the market these days posing as European oil. Just read the labels, and be wise!

Try different kinds – what is your favorite?

Next up is salt…

Unrefined sea salt is full of minerals from the sea that get stripped out in the salt refining process. After harvest it looks like this: wet, grey, and chunky. I always have a mortar and pestle handy in the kitchen (by the stove) with salt in it, ground and ready for use .

A little goes a long way with this stuff, and it costs more, but it’s worth it.

Ready for the garlic?

Garlic is sooo amazing when used fresh and if you can find locally grown. Applying the ‘less is more’ principle is a lot easier when it is strong and potent. Generic white garlic from China is far inferior to the good local stuff (organic is even better) and if you are a garlic lover, you will notice the difference instantly!

I’ll let these giant black olives speak for themselves here…

Bad Ass Black Olive Hummus:

• (2) cups cooked chickpeas
• (1/4) cup sesame tahini (I use anything from organic to obscure Mediterranean brands)
• (3-4) tbsp lemon juice (start with 3 and add more to taste – I love a super lemony hummus)
• (1) tsp salt
• (1/4) cup olive oil
• (up to 1/4) cup water
• (1) clove fresh garlic
• (1/4) tsp cayenne powder
• (6-8) black olives – Kalamata or ‘Colossal’, pitted and coarsely chopped

Simply combine all ingredients, except the olives and water, in your blender or food processor and start blending – add the water as the blender is running until you get a nice smooth rhythm going. Use your spatula to help things along and don’t be shy to sing or dance (just a little) too!

Transfer to a serving bowl or container and keep in the fridge. Before serving, or storing, add the chopped olives to the top!

Enjoy with veggies, on bread, or with crackers – or heck – on its own! I am a BIG fan of a bowl of steamed broccoli and hummus to dip it in. Perfection!

Fear less, hope more, eat less, chew more, whine less, breathe more, talk less, say more, hate less, love more, and good things will be yours.

~ Swedish Proverb (after my heart!)

The beauty of this recipe is it’s versatility – I am posting this as black olive hummus (and a bad ass one no less), but it only needs to be as limited as your imagination.

The first part of this recipe can be made new and exciting with the addition of parsley (my fave) or ground cumin, roasted pepper, or even fresh basil. I am sure I’ll make a few of these versions to share with you in the coming months…

Success is sweet: the sweeter if long-delayed and attained through manifold struggles and defeats

~ A. Branson Alcott

However you choose to enjoy this – do it well! I hope you are all enjoying life post holiday!

• What is your favorite hummus version?
• Got a favorite olive oil, or garlic variety?
• Do you cook your beans at home, or have a favorite canned brand?

I don’t know about you guys – but I get a real kick from ingredient chatter 🙂

Wishing you all a fabulous next few days!

Yours in Less,