Curry Chickpea Lettuce Wraps

When you are craving something healthy with a TON of flavor. This is what you are looking for. This is a super easy and light meal. I found it on pinterest and only slightly adapted. Original from Naturally Ella can be found here.  There are a couple of ideas for variations there. We used it for lettuce wraps for dinner, Then tossed the leftover chickpea mixture on some mixed greens for a salad the next day. She also has some interesting ideas for making your own curry powder. I just used the plain curry power I buy from Kroger!

 

 

 

 

 Curry Chickpea Lettuce Wraps

 

• 1 can chickpeas rinsed and drained
• 3 tablespoons non-fat greek yogurt
• 3 teaspoons curry powder
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 cup diced scallions
• 1/4 cup minced cilantro
• 1/4 cup toasted cashew pieces
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 cup chopped golden raisins
• 1/4 cup celery
• optional: 1/4 cup diced green apple
• 5 to 6 bibb lettuce leaves (look for ones that make good wraps)

 

 

1. Take 1/2 to 1 cup at a time of the chickpeas, place on a cutting board and roughly chop.
2. Measure in the remaining ingredients. Stir until well combined.
3. Divide chickpea mixture into lettuce cups and serve.

**This makes about 3 servings
**a 2 on Bryce's dish scale. No pots or pans! Just cutting board and bowl!

 

 

BBQ Chicken Burgers on Portobello Buns

This is one of the oldest recipes in my arsenal. One of my first Rachael Ray experiments and when I learned, I can't make any of her 30 minute meals in 30 minutes because I think too much. You can find the original here. I have made this both inside in a skillet and outside on the grill. It's way better on the grill, but still great inside. On the grill, we do use our cast iron insert on the Webber, because chicken burgers can fall apart pretty easily. This is the recipe that taught me the key to making poultry burgers delicious and juicy is mixing a bunch of stuff in it. We also ditch the bun and do marinated portobellos as a bottom. It just allows the burger flavor to sing a little more. The portobello, burger, slaw topper combo is a hearty meal, and we usually do a  simple salad on the side. When i take the leftovers to work for lunch, I don't even bring a side because it's plenty! 

BBQ Chicken Burgers on Portobello Buns 

For burgers:

• 1/2  tablespoon butter
• 1/2 small red onion finely chopped (you'll use other half in slaw)
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon  hot sauce (I use Louisiana hot sauce and add more when I am feeling spicy)
• 1 pound ground chicken (I have used turkey in a pinch too)
• 1 tablespoon McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning

For slaw:

• 1 tablespoon honey
• juice of one fresh lemon
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 rounded tablespoons dill pickle relish
• 2 cups shredded cabbage or Cole slaw mix
• 1/2 of a red onion thinly sliced 
• Salt and pepper

For Portobello Buns:

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dry Italian seasoning mix
• 4 Portobello mushrooms

1. Create marinade for mushrooms by combing oil, Worcestershire, soy, garlic salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning in a bowl. Pour over mushrooms in a shallow dish. Allow to marinate while you get everything else ready.
2. In a small skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add chopped onions, chopped garlic and tomato paste. Cook the onions until they soften and are cooked through. Sprinkle with sugar and remove from heat. Put them in a bowl big enough to combine the rest of the ingredients to make your burger patties. Allow them to cool 5 minutes before adding other ingredients.  
3. Add Worcestershire, and hot sauce to onions and combine.
4. Add chicken and steak seasoning and use your hands to thoroughly combine all ingredients. Then form 4 patties from the mixture.
5. If you are making inside:  heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook burgers about 10 minutes each side until they crisp on the outside but don't burn. If you are making outside: if using a grill pan, Add a smidge of oil to it. Again cook about 10 minutes on each side until cooked through.
6. Add Portobello's to grill when you flip the burgers to grill them. Again if making inside, and you don't have room in the pan, throw in the pan after the burgers are cooked. Flip once during cooking.
7. To make the slaw: combine honey, lemon juice, salt and pepper and olive oil in a bowl. Add cabbage, sliced onion and relish.
8. Layer a mushroom, a burger and top with slaw!

**Makes 4 servings

Kale Salad with Crispy Coconut Chickpeas

This is a hearty and healthy salad that fills me up and satisfies so many cravings. I adapted this spin based heavily on this recipe from Half Baked Harvest blog where it's called The Mean Green Detox salad. I merely changed a few things for my taste, and after burning the chickpeas a couple of times changed the portions a little bit. Also, this to me makes two BIG main meal salads. I also often change up the types of kale I use based on what looks good at the farmer's market or the grocery store. I have used red kale, dino (lacianto) kale, curly kale, tuscan kale and red russian.                                       

Kale Salad with Crispy Coconut Chickpeas And Creamy Tahini Dressing 

Salad:

• One can chickpeas drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (If I am in a spicy mood I use a little more) 
• 4 cups of kale, roughly chopped or torn into bite sized pieces
• 1 cup fresh broccoli, chopped 
• 1/2 cup shredded purple cabbage (I buy the bagged kind) 
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped
• 1/2 of one grapefruit (I like it sweeter so I use Ruby Red), segmented
• 1 avocado sliced

Dressing

• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 lemon, use both zest and juice
• 2 small cloves garlic (or one big one)
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated 
• 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

1. For the dressing either combine all in a blender (or magic bullet) until smooth or whisk together in a bowl. If you aren't using a blender make sure your ginger and garlic are finely grated. It will be thick, and there are times when we add a little more lemon juice and soy sauce to thin out. 
2. To make the chickpeas: Preheat oven to 425.  Dry well after rinsing. Toss chickpeas with soy sauce, sesame oil, and cayenne. Spread out on a baking sheet. Toss with coconut until its all coated. Roast in oven for 15-20 minutes. Tossing and turning over halfway through. Keep a close eye on these. The coconut sometimes still burns. I just use a slotted spoon when I serve to shake off the burnt stuff. 
3. In a big bowl, toss the kale with a teaspoon of oil and a big pinch of coarse salt. Use your hands to toss the kale until it's coated with oil. This helps soften the kale.
4. Add the cabbage, parsley, and broccoli to the kale. Add half the dressing and toss well. If this is enough dressing for you, good. I always add a little more later. 
5. Add the grapefruit and avocado and more dressing if you want. And toss gently. 
6. Top with chickpeas just before serving. 

**Makes 2 servings

**About a 3 on Bryce's dish scale. Big bowl, chickpea bowl, strainers, baking sheet, knife.