This is not so much a recipe as an idea which I LOVE!  My kids make a lot of smoothies for both breakfast and after school snacks.  And even though they can all blend up a tasty and nutritious smoothie on their own, Mr. Picky is the master.  My older daughter has offered him cash on multiple occasions to make her an acai bowl or his famous Pina Colada smoothie.  Sometimes his eyes are bigger than his stomach, he makes a bit too much and we end up with some leftovers.  Usually the leftovers aren’t enough to make a whole portion for the next day, so one day I started pouring the leftover smoothies into popsicle molds and freezing them.  I think you know where this story is headed.
Really Crunchy Chickpea Trail Mix Recipe
Snacks are tough. My kids come home from school very hungry and they can eat a lot. I want to offer them something nutritious obviously, but I don’t have a ton of time to make homemade snacks every day.  Some of my default snacks are hummus with veggies or whole grain crackers, rice cakes with nut butter, quesadillas, yogurt with granola, almond flour muffins, apples and bananas with nut butter, and smoothies. Stovetop popcorn and granola bars are common, too. If I left my son to his own devices, I’m sure he would polish off a pint of ice cream or a bag of tortilla chips, but he has homework to focus on and soccer practice or religious school, so he needs better fuel than that.
I’ve been intrigued by the appearance of “chickpea croutons” on dozens of salads I have seen all over Pinterest. The cooked chickpeas are roasted until crunchy, sometimes seasoned with spices, and are a more nutritious alternative to croutons, which are basically small greasy bites of white toast. I must have a little crunch in my salad, but I prefer the idea of chickpeas over croutons. However, with all due respect to those who posted those crunchy chickpea recipes, most of them don’t work. Either the chickpeas do not ever become crunchy or they only stay crunchy for a few hours and then they become soft, like real chickpeas. My son actually likes chickpeas and he likes trailmix, so I had an idea to make crunchy chickpeas and mix them with nuts + dried fruit + dark chocolate = crunchy chickpea trailmix, a perfect snack. Except I tried at least a dozen recipes and the chickpeas always eventually became soggy, until one time I roasted them in the oven for a little while and then turned the oven off but left the chickpeas in there. In this way, they wouldn’t burn, but they would continue to dry out. Ta da! Winner! This is the whole key to truly crisp-like-a-cracker chickpeas.
We are not nut-free in our house, nor do my kids go to nut-free schools, but I know there are a lot of families out there who contend with this challenge. This trail mix is easy to make nut-free since the chickpeas make a great sub for nuts, and they are both high in protein which is something I always look for in a good snack. And believe me, I am not trying to replace nuts. Nuts are super good for you with exceptionally healthful fats, protein and fiber, BUT they are also high in calories and I have been known to overeat nuts without realizing it and it is possible to eat too much of a nutritious food if you are trying to maintain a healthy weight. Like I said in my last post, I would be really skinny if nut butter didn’t exist! The nice thing about trail mix is that you can make it with whatever you have and to your liking. I love a good balance of sweet and salty, soft and crunchy, with a touch of dark chocolate for fun. Trail mix is my go-to snack for traveling since it keeps really well, although in the summer I usually omit the chocolate so there’s no risk of melting.
Every time I teach any recipe, someone asks me, “Does Mr. Picky like this?” 90% of the recipes I teach, he does like/tolerate. He ate almost an entire pan of crunchy chickpeas in one sitting. We all loved these and I haven’t even begun to experiment with savory seasonings. As long as you have the method down pat, you should definitely play around with different spices, like garlic powder + smoked paprika, cumin + cinnamon + cayenne, just to name a couple. I think these would be amazing on salads, or on soups or on top of creamy dips like hummus, or as a “bar snack,” to serve with cocktails. These would even make a great hostess gift, especially if you’ve already given everyone you know homemade granola too many times. 😉 I can’t wait to hear if you try this recipe. Or just let me know about your experience roasting chickpeas until now!
- 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas, or 1 15-ounce can, drained and rinsed
- 1 Tablespoon unrefined, virgin coconut oil
- 1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup, Grade A or Grade B
- pinch of sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- ¼ cup goji berries or other dried fruit of choice, such as dried blueberries or cherries
- ¼ cup dark chocolate pieces
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds, raw or toasted
- ¼ cup toasted, unsweetened coconut flakes (I do this in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring until golden brown)
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper.
- Pat chickpeas dry as best you can. Remove whatever skins are loose. Place chickpeas on the baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and add coconut oil, maple syrup and salt and toss to coat. Put back in the oven and roast for another 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. If a few pop, that’s ok.
- Turn the oven off. Toss the chickpeas with spices. Return pan to the oven and with the oven door closed and the heat off, allow the chickpeas to sit in the warm oven for another hour or until perfectly crunchy. You’ll have to test one to be sure. It should be dry and airy. If they’re still not crunchy, leave in the oven with the door closed and the heat off until they are crunchy through and through. Set aside to cool at room temperature.
- Combine cooled chickpeas with dried fruit, dark chocolate, pumpkin seeds and toasted coconut. The crunchy chickpeas combine well with many different ingredients for a trail mix, so feel free to make swaps according to what you have on hand or what you like.
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Peanut Butter Granola Recipe
I am a nut butter addict. Â I would be so skinny if nut butter didn’t exist! Â I love them all — almond, cashew, hazelnut, pecan, mixed nuts and my childhood favorite, peanut. Â Yes, yes, yes, I know peanuts are not actually nuts, but legumes. Â And I know peanuts are less healthy than other nuts and that you must buy organic because they are heavily sprayed. Â But I love the roasted nutty flavor of peanut butter and a little goes a long way. Â Â I actually eat peanut butter pretty sparingly, but when I do, I convince myself that it has a lot of protein (which it does) and I try to eat it with other things, rather than off the spoon as I was apt to do in college and during my three pregnancies.
I also love my homemade granola recipe.  Granola + yogurt + fresh fruit is my go-to breakfast when I’m running late, or haven’t prepared anything else in advance.  I actually never get tired of it. If I don’t post my breakfast on Instagram on a particular day (like Monday,) it’s because I’m probably having a granola-yogurt parfait.
Last spring I decided I needed to spice up my life a little, so I went out on a limb and decided to make my granola recipe with peanut butter.  Oh yeah, I am a risk-taker if you don’t know that by now!  Well, let’s just say I became super obsessed with this peanut butter version and my kids went crazy for it, too.  Truth be told, I think they were starting to get bored with my standard granola which I have been making the same way for at least 15 years.  I need everyone in this house to be into granola — with yogurt or almond milk, it’s the easiest, balanced, instant breakfast I’ve got up my sleeve.  So this new version was just the thing to get everyone interested again.
The recipe is actually not much different from my original granola. Â All I did was replace the coconut oil with peanut butter and swap peanuts for almonds and pecans. Â So it’s still vegan and gluten-free (if you use GF oats, if that’s important to you.) Â I’ve done lots of different dried fruits with this granola, depending on what I have on hand, but diced dates are my favorite. Â I still keep this barely sweet so we don’t get any blood sugar spikes first thing in the morning. Â You’ll test it out and see for yourself if it’s the sweetness that you like. Â If not, the next go round you’ll add some more syrup.
We eat granola in the obvious parfait, but we also dip bananas in nut butter and sprinkle them with granola, use it to top oatmeal, I have even started making yogurt popsicles with layers of granola inside. Â I also eat it out of hand when I need a little pick me up in the afternoon the car waiting for Mr. Picky to get off the bus. Zzzzzzzz.
Mother’s Day is on Sunday! Â Buy those cards and flowers! Â Make a homemade gift! Â Bring her breakfast in bed, like peanut butter granola with strawberries and a side of almond milk! Â Above all, if you are a kid, no bickering with your siblings on Mother’s Day and do something that will pleasantly surprise your mama, like clean your room or the whole house, do the dishes or eat a green vegetable. Â Happy Mother’s Day to everyone!
- 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (look for gluten-free oats for a gluten-free granola)
- ½ cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- ½ cup raw hulled sunflower seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- ½ cup unsalted, unsweetened peanut butter*, creamy or crunchy, preferably organic
- ⅓ cup 100% pure maple syrup, Grade A or Grade B
- ¼ cup brown rice syrup (or honey)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup roasted and salted peanuts, preferably organic
- 1 cup pitted chopped dates (about 8 dates) or other dried, unsulphured fruit
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. (If your oven runs hot, preheat to 325 degrees.) Line a rimmed baking sheet or cookie sheet with unbleached parchment paper.
- In a large bowl stir together the oats, seeds, cinnamon and salt.
- In a small saucepan combine the peanut butter, maple syrup, brown rice syrup and vanilla and heat over low, whisking to combine well. It is really important to mix the peanut butter and syrups so that everything is well blended, otherwise the syrups may burn. Add the peanut butter and syrup mixture to the bowl with the oats and stir to coat well.
- Transfer the oat mixture to the prepared pan. Bake for 25-35 minutes (ovens vary), stirring occasionally until golden brown. The mixture will not be crunchy yet. Add the peanuts and dates to the pan and allow to cool. Transfer granola to an airtight container and store at room temperature or freeze.
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Chicken Enchiladas Rojas with Homemade Enchilada Sauce
This recipe is “the whole enchilada,” so to speak. Â I’m giving you a method for poaching the chicken, making the enchilada sauce from scratch, and assembling the actual enchiladas. Â The only thing we’re not covering today is how to make corn tortillas, and I am sure homemade corn tortillas are the only thing that would make these enchiladas better. Â If you buy cooked chicken and canned enchilada sauce, you don’t really need a recipe to make enchiladas. Â Not judging of course, because we’ve all been there and shortcuts have their time and place. Â But if you can plan ahead, these are amazing. Â My entire family loves these and let me tell you, they’re a tough crowd.
I grew up on Long Island and didn’t even taste Mexican food until I moved to Los Angeles after college. Â My kids have grown up in LA and they are Mexican food experts, sometimes having lengthy discussions about which local taco joint has the best this or that. Â So when I make something Mexican that gets the thumbs-up, I am relieved and proud at the same time. Â Ironically, these are not my personal favorite enchiladas. Â I am more of a green (tomatillo) sauce person, so I am obsessed with the enchiladas verdes here. Â But my family digs these. Â I’ve been making enchiladas rojas for years and my son (Mr. Picky) used to call these “chicken tacos with Mexican tomato sauce.”
Creamy Cabbage and Avocado Slaw Recipe (no mayo)
I had the most fantastic time in Dallas this past weekend!  I spent lovely quality time with my daughter, and I enjoyed getting to know her sorority sisters and their moms.  We had a very full weekend with lots of good food, karaoke (no comment!), yoga, and shopping for everything from mattresses to paleo snacks to new clothes for her to wear to her internship this summer.  Believe people when they tell you that kids grow up too fast!
Matzo Lasagne Recipe
If you don’t celebrate Passover and have no need to make lasagne out of matzo, I am so sorry this post likely doesn’t appeal to you. Â Although I must mention that our not-Jewish friend Matt had my matzo lasagne last year and keeps talking about it nonstop. Â In fact, just the other day he invited himself over the next time I make it. Â Why is it that the non Jews look more fondly upon Passover foods than Jews? Â When we were growing up, my mother and grandmother used to buy 5 pounds of matzo when it came into the stores because they absolutely loved it with some Breakstone’s whipped butter in the morning. Â I’ll admit, I liked it quite a bit, too. Â Now that I am married to someone who actually celebrates Passover, the sight of matzo makes me cringe a little. Â Is it because when you’re “forced” to eat something, it takes on a different feeling? Â Probably.
Passover Matzo Popovers Recipe
For the first time, I am not going to be with my family for Passover. Â It’s my older daughter’s sorority’s Mom’s Weekend during the first two nights of Passover (clearly she goes to a school with a very low Jewish population) and I am excited to be with her. Â My son has been stressing out that if I am out of town there won’t be any good desserts on Passover and “what about the popovers??!!” Â And he has reason to be concerned. Â After all, “what is Passover without popovers?” asked no one ever. Â But Mr. Picky is worried. Â Let me just come clean and share that I didn’t grow up Jewish and never had to abstain from any of the forbidden foods for 8 whole days, but I have observed a trend over the last 10 or so years with respect to Passover foods. Â People are getting a lot more creative coming up with foods that are kosher for Passover that really shouldn’t be kosher for Passover, if you know what I mean. Â Like cakes, muffins, breads, POPOVERS. Â Do you feel the pain of your ancestors if you eat a muffin made from almond flour instead of wheat flour? Â Thoughts?
Grilled Pineapple Salad with Avocado and Mojito Dressing Recipe
I am not much of a drinker, at least anymore. 😉  If you’ve known me for a long time, you know that way back in the day, I used to enjoy a cocktail more often than not.  Nowadays, I have very limited tolerance for it and therefore I pretty much abstain except for a glass of wine once a month or so.  The headaches the next day just aren’t worth it to me.  My husband says that’s the price I pay for being so clean.  Ha!  But one of my favorite cocktails used to be a mojito, a Cuban drink with rum, mint, sugar and lime juice.  It’s super refreshing and light.  I had my first mojito in Cuba about 14 years ago and I became an instant fan.
I came up with this salad for a Cuban-inspired menu I taught last month and although it is not anything I ever saw when I was in Cuba, it reminds me of the tropical vibe there and the dressing in particular makes me think of a mojito since it contains mint, honey and lime juice. This recipe was probably the biggest hit last month.  That said, 99% of the people that come to my classes are women, and women love salads.  I always make so much extra of all my salads for classes because I know everyone loves to load up on them.  No matter if I doubled, tripled or quadrupled this salad, there were never any leftovers!