Spinach & Chick Pea Soup

Welcome to the last day of Soup Week where I've saved the best for last. Well, at least this one was our favorite (3 out of 4 approved!). Not only does this soup contain a mere 6 ingredients (all of which I have on hand at all times), it can be whipped up in 30 minutes or less.

Pasta e Ceci (Ditalini with Chick Peas)

Pasta e Ceci or pasta with beans, was considered a "poor man's meal" in Italy as it combined simple, bountiful ingredients. To me, this dish was exquisite, filling and packed with aromatic flavors. I REALLY wish I had made a double batch of this recipe, it was THAT good!

Unfortunately, I only got to taste a few spoonfuls since the entire batch was made to be split between my hubby and daughter for their dinner since they would be working late this particular evening. I literally picked up my daughter from cheering practice, made this recipe and photographed it in the time it took her to shower and get ready for work.

Pasta e Ceci is such a simple, quick recipe to prepare and you can substitute vegetable broth if you follow a vegetarian diet. My daughter wound up eating this in the car on her way to the office instead of waiting to eat it for dinner because it smelled so good and she couldn't resist. Now they can't wait for me to make this recipe again!




Pasta e Ceci (Ditalini with Chick Peas)
Prep Time: 10 minutes                   Yield: 3
Cook Time: 20 minutes                  Servings: 1 cup
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/4 c. Red Onion, chopped
• 1/4 c. Celery, chopped
• 2 Cloves Garlic, chopped
• 1 15-ounce Can Chick Peas, rinsed
• 1/4 c. Crushed Tomatoes (I used San Marzano)
• 2 tsp. Fresh Parsley, chopped
• 2 tsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped
• 2 c. Low Sodium/Fat Free Chicken Broth
• 1 c. Ditalini Pasta, dry (I used Barilla)
• 1/4 c. Asiago Cheese, shredded
• Kosher Salt, to taste
• Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat and add in the onion, celery, and garlic. Saute for 3-5 minutes allowing the vegetables to soften. 
2. Pulse 1 cup of the chick peas in a mini food processor or blender; then add them to the saucepan along with the remaining whole chick peas, tomatoes, parsley, rosemary, chicken broth and pasta. 
3. Allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes, then add in the cheese and season with salt and pepper.

Enjoy! 

Nutrition Facts
Calories 399 , Carbs 64.1g, Fat 9.4g, Protein 15.6g, Fiber 7.5g, Sugar 4.2g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate.

Pasta e Ceci Shopping List

Pesto Chick Pea & Kaniwa Salad

I'm back, did you miss me? I missed you! What a fun, jam packed week I had while I was gone. This is  our last getaway for the summer as next month already starts cheering season, so only day or weekend trips from here on out!  

My family and I headed south from NJ to FL and stopped to visit potential colleges along the way for my oldest to attend next fall. We also visited my Mom, barbecued on the Fourth of July with our Jersey friends, Jenn from My Daily Jenn-ism (who also happened to be there at the same time) and threw in some theme park fun. As you can see below, you're never too old for Mickey Ears! 

We actually like and look forward to the long car ride as we don't get to spend much uninterrupted time together during our hectic schedules. It gives us a time to reconnect as a family and watch some good movies. I have to say that we've been doing this drive at least once a year for the last 20 years to visit family and we have it down to a science. Though we did learn about a fairly new driving law called the Move Over Law. We got pulled over in VA for not moving over into the left lane when someone was already pulled over on the shoulder. It's a fairly new law to help stop tragedies from happening when law enforcement, broken down vehicles or workers are pulled over on the shoulder. It is a great law, but took us by surprise. The law states that if you can't move into the left lane (which we couldn't because of other traffic) you are supposed to slow down to 25 miles per hour. I just thought I'd pass this along since when I posted this as a status on Facebook the other day, there were quite a few people who hadn't heard of this law either. After the long drive, we finally made it home, a little longer than expected with holiday traffic, but I hope you all had a great holiday weekend as well!

And now for today's recipe...

Kaniwa (pronounced "ka-nyi-wa") is a small, nutty, grain-like food from the Andes Mountains in Peru and is a fairly new product to the United States. It was a staple grain of the ancient Aztec and Incan cultures, is gluten free and is a good source of both protein and fiber. It is much smaller than it's cousin, quinoa; however it does not contain saponins so you do not need to rinse it prior to cooking. 

  

I first found this product in my local grocery store a few weeks ago and couldn't wait to try it since I have this new found love for quinoa and I really liked it. As you can see, not only is it smaller than quinoa, it's also a reddish-brown color. My daughter and I really liked this Pesto Chick Pea & Kaniwa Salad as it was very flavorful and filling. You can serve it as a side dish or as a main meal. 

Pesto Chick Pea & Kaniwa Salad

Prep Time:      100 minutes              Yield: 10

Cook Time:     20 minutes                 Serving: 1/2 cup

Total Time:     30 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 c. Water
• 1 c. Kaniwa, rinsed
• 1-16oz. Can Chick Peas, rinsed and drained
• 1 c. Grape Tomatoes, halved
• 1 Scallion, chopped
• 1/2 c. Prepared Pesto
• 2 tbsp. Aged Balsamic Vinegar

Directions

1.  Place the water in a pot and bring to a boil; then add the Kaniwa. Reduce heat to low, cover and allow to simmer until all of the water is absorbed; approximately 15-20 minutes. 
2. Place the Kaniwa in a bowl and allow to cool; then add the chick peas, tomatoes, scallion, pesto and vinegar. Mix well and refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Nutrition Facts

Calories 153, Carbs 23.3g, Fat 4.4g, Protein 5.5g, Fiber 3.4g, Sugar .5g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. 

Enjoy! 

Shopping List

Vegetarian Roasted Tomato, Spinach and Chick Pea Soup

Whether it's Winter or Summer, there is nothing like a nice bowl of hot soup on a rainy day! I started off making this Vegetarian Roasted Tomato, Spinach and Chick Pea Soup for lunch one afternoon. It looked fantastic with the chunks of roasted tomatoes, fresh wilted spinach and whole chick peas, but it tasted a little on the bland side. I didn't want to add salt or cheese, so I pureed all of the ingredients instead.

It's amazing how just pureeing something can give it an entirely new flavor. Everything blended nicely together and this recipe turned into a heart healthy, creamy soup I could put in a cup and drink instead; which is a HUGE time saver when I'm trying to do other things at the same time!

Vegetarian Roasted Tomato, Spinach
and Chick Pea Soup

Prep Time:   15 minutes                        Yield: 5

Cook Time:  20 minutes                        Serving: 1 c. 

Total Time:  35 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 Beefsteak or Heirloom Tomato, chopped
• 2 tsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/4 c. Red Onion, chopped
• 1 Garlic Clove, chopped
• 1 tbsp. Fresh Basil, chopped
• 1-150z. Can Chick Peas, rinsed and drained
• 2 c. Fresh Baby Spinach, rinsed, stems removed
• 2 c. Fat Free Vegetable Broth
• 1 c. Water
• Kosher Salt, to taste
• Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 
2. Season tomatoes with salt and pepper and place on a baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes until they start to soften. 
3. Heat the oil  in a nonstick saute pan over medium heat; then add the onion and garlic. Saute 2-3 minutes until the onion starts to turn translucent. 
4. Add in the basil, spinach, chick peas and cooked tomatoes and saute for another 2-3 minutes. 
5. Stir in the broth and water, bring to a boil; then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. 
6. If you like a "brothy" soup, leave whole. If you prefer it blended (like I did), use your immersion blender to blend all of the ingredients together until smooth; approximately 1-2 minutes. 

Nutrition Facts

Calories 94, Carbs 14.3g, Fat 2.4g, Protein 4g, Fiber 2.9g, Sugar 1.8g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. 

Enjoy!

Greek Style Sausage & Chick Peas

I recently received the latest Williams-Sonoma catalog in the mail and I love to peruse it each month to see what new kitchen gadgets they have; as well as look to find some new recipe inspiration. This time I found a recipe for Chick Peas with Lemon, Oregano and Olives that looked wonderful. So I decided to give it a little twist. 

The day before we had grilled some sausage and had two links left over. I sliced them up, added in some chick peas, Kalamata olives, lemon and seasonings and turned it into a satisfying stand-alone meal. To me, leftovers always taste better when you can repurpose them into something else! 

Greek Style Sausage & Chick Peas

Inspired by Williams-Sonoma Chick Peas with Lemon, Oregano and Olives

Prep Time: 10 minutes                                   Yield: 3

Cook Time: 30 minutes                                  Serving: 3/4 cup

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 Italian Sausage Links, grilled and sliced diagonally into 1/4" thick slices
• 1 tsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1-15oz. Can Chick Peas, rinsed and drained
• 1 Lemon, zest and juice
• 1 Garlic Clove, minced
• 1/4 c. Kalamata Olives, chopped
• 2 tbsp. Fresh Parsley, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. Dried Oregano, chopped (you can use 1 tsp. fresh chopped oregano)
• Kosher Salt, to taste
• Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Directions

1.  Heat oil in a large nonstick saute pan; then add in the sausage. Allow to brown on both sides approximately 3-5 minutes. 
2. Add in the chick peas, lemon zest and juice, garlic, olives, parsley and oregano. Saute for approximately 5 minutes until heated through; then season with salt and pepper. 

Nutrition Facts

Calories 277 , Carbs 24.7g, Fat 12.2g, Protein 15.2g, Fiber 7.5g, Sugar 0.5g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. 

Enjoy! 

Ceci Bean Salad

Both of my kids are not overly fond of mayonnaise; however, Gab will eat it on occasion in certain salads and lightly smeared on bread when eating a turkey sandwich. Which is why I find it very odd that one of her favorite salads to eat is this Ceci Bean Salad. 

There is a Japanese Hibachi restaurant not far from our home where we like to go out to eat once in a while that serves this type of salad on their salad bar. She always makes me get some on my plate for her to eat and has been begging me for years to make it at home. I finally got around to making it for her recently and she loved it. As you can see, it's a very simple recipe with little ingredients. In fact, at first I didn't even use vinegar until she said it was missing something and she was right. It definitely added that little extra "zing" it was missing. 

Ceci Bean Salad
19oz. Ceci Beans (garbanzo beans or chick peas)
2 Stalks Celery, washed and sliced
2 tbsp. Hellmann's® Mayonnaise
1 tsp. White Vinegar
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt

Directions: 
1. Rinse ceci beans under cold water; drain.
2. Place the beans in a bowl, then add in the celery, mayonnaise, vinegar and salt; mix well.
3. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Makes 5-1/2 cup servings. 

*Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories 159, Carbs 19.4g, Fat 5.3g, Protein 6.4g, Fiber 4.8g, Sugar .5g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate.

Enjoy! 

Whole Grain Spaghetti with Bruschetta and Chick Peas

Remember when I did a photo retake of one of my favorite recipes for Bruschetta last month? In that post, I also mentioned how bruschetta can be used for other dishes other than to top toasted bread as an appetizer. One of those suggestions was to mix it with pasta; which is what I did with the leftovers from my last batch. This Mediterranean inspired meal has so many wonderful flavors and the chick peas just add another dimension of texture to the dish; not to mention added protein! It is also a quick meal to throw together during a busy weeknight. 

Whole Grain Spaghetti with Bruschetta and Chick Peas

1 lb. Spaghetti (I used Barilla Plus)
2 c. Prepared Bruschetta
15oz. Can Chick Peas, rinsed and drained
1/2 c. Pecorino Romano Cheese, shredded
Kosher Salt, to taste
Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Prepare pasta according to package instructions. Drain water reserving 1 cup to use in the pasta. 
2. Add the bruschetta and chick peas to the pot and allow to heat through for about 5 minutes. 
3. Add the pasta, pasta water and cheese; mix well and season with salt and pepper. Serves 6. 

*Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories 441, Carbs 58.9g, Fat 14.2g, Protein 20.4g, Fiber 8.1g, Sugar 5.7g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate.

This will be my last new recipe post this week as the kids are off from school on their Spring Break. I'll be back with a new post on Monday, April 8th. In the meantime, take a look around the site and catch up on some posts you might have missed. There are also two giveaways happening so if you didn't enter yet, now's your chance!

• Spring Celebration KitchenAid Giveaway-Enter for your chance to win a shiny, new, red KitchenAid Stand Mixer. Contest ends 4/23/13. 
• Catching Fireflies Giveaway-Enter for your chance to win a $43 Gift Certificate. Contest ends 4/7/13. 

Enjoy the rest of your week! 

Mediterranean Garbanzo and Green Bean Salad

I generally don't like to eat a large lunch as I tend to eat my main meal late afternoon. Well at least I did for the last several months because we were so busy running around during dinnertime and it was hard to eat and drive! 

So instead, I like to make salads like this Mediterranean Garbanzo and Green Bean Salad for those occasions when I do like to eat a little something as it's very filling, tasty and healthy too. Not to mention colorful! 

I try to make a few different things to blog about on one day and the kids can't wait to come home to see what the new choices are. This particular salad I made last week and when Rachael came home from school she went right to the refrigerator. This salad automatically popped out at her and she couldn't wait to try it, the little one couldn't be bothered as it didn't have some sort of chocolate in it!  

I didn't eat many recipes with chick peas growing up, but over the last ten years or so, I've been incorporating them more and more into my diet.  According to Canadian Living, garbanzo beans, a.k.a. chick peas:

• Controls Hunger: Chickpeas are high in fiber and protein, and have a low glycemic index; which can also help control your weight. Eating a 1/2 cup of chickpeas per day can keep you feeling full and help you to consume fewer calories.

• Reduces Cholesterol: Eating 3/4 cup of chickpeas in your diet each day can help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, which reduces the risk of heart disease.

• Versatile: Chickpeas can be used in salads, soups, curries, chilis and stews. Or consider roasting them with your favourite savoury spices. (See more recipe ideas below).

Rachael and the Hubby loved it as much as I did and I can't wait to add this salad to our summer salad repertoire! 

Mediterranean Garbanzo and Green Bean Salad
1-15oz. Can Garbanzo Beans (chick peas), rinsed and drained
2 c. Fresh Green Beans, trimmed
1/2 c. Sun Dried Tomatoes, chopped
3 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Lemon, juice only
1/2 tsp. Dried Oregano
1/4 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Pepper

Directions:
1. Steam the green beans over a double boiler until they are bright green and al dente. Cool; then cut in half. 
2. Add all of the ingredients to a bowl and mix well. Makes 4 cups. 

*Nutritional Information per Cup: Calories 165, Carbs 31.8g, Fat 1.3g, Protein 7.3g, Fiber 8.1g, Sugar 2.8g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate.

Looking for more chick pea recipes? 

Here are a few more I've made:

Whole Grain Spaghetti with Sauteed Chick Peas and Fresh Spinach

Mediterranean Chick Pea Salad

Chick Pea Salad with Artichokes and Sun Dried Tomatoes

Roasted Chick Pea and Leek Hummus

Chick Pea, Pumpkin and Cilantro Fritters

Roasted Chick Peas in a Pomegranate Balsamic Vinaigrette

Three Bean Salad with Feta

Roasted Fennel and Three Bean Chili

Enjoy! 

Whole Grain Spaghetti with Sauteed Chick Peas and Spinach (Copycat)

Last March, over 40 bloggers got together and created a wonderful cookbook, Blogging for Fishes, to help raise money for two girls, Natalie and Alice Fish, who were diagnosed with Leaky SCID (Severe Combined Immune Deficiency). There are so many fantastic recipes in this book and as I was thumbing through it last week looking for something quick and easy to make for dinner one night, I came across this recipe from Aggie's Kitchen called Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Sauteed Chick Peas and Spinach. PERFECT! I happened to have everything in the house, but opted to use the Barilla Plus Whole Grain pasta instead (I have the "I don't eat brown pasta" thing going on at my house so I try to make it a little healthier any way I can) and used some Asiago cheese instead of the Parmesan. 

Not only did this meal come together in about 20 minutes, it was FANTASTIC! Thanks for a great recipe Aggie and if you haven't heard of this cookbook, click on the link above. You can get your own copy for $14.99 or eBook for $5.99. 

Whole Grain Spaghetti with Sauteed Chick Peas and Spinach (Copycat)
Adapted from Aggie's Kitchen
1 lb. Whole Grain Spaghetti (I used Barilla Plus)
2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 Cloves Garlic, chopped
1/2 Red Onion, chopped
1-15oz. Can Garbanzo Beans (chick peas), rinsed
10oz. Fresh Spinach
1 tsp. Fresh Ground Red Pepper
Asiago Cheese, shredded
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to package instructions and drain; reserving 2 cups of the pasta water. 
2. Heat oil in a large saute pan and add the garlic and onions. Cook over medium heat until they start to soften; then add in the chick peas and spinach. 
3. Allow the leaves to wilt, then turn off the heat and add in the pasta. 
4. Gradually add in some of the pasta water (depends on how moist you like it) and toss together. Season with salt and pepper; then place in a serving dish and sprinkle some of the Asiago cheese on top. 

*Nutritional Information per Serving (with 1/4 cup cheese): Calories 373, Carbs 57.2g, Fat 9g, Protein 16.7g, Fiber 8.2g

*Nutritional Information per Serving (without cheese): Calories 359, Carbs 57g, Fat 8g, Protein 16g, Fiber 8.2g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate.

Enjoy!