Roasted Spicy Chickpeas

Chickpeas or garbanzo beans…however you like to call this particular bean, they are delicious.  This bean is used in many different ways.  Have you eaten humus?  That is made using this bean.  They are great in salads, soups, cold pasta, bean salad, the possibilities are endless.

Cooking the chickpeas this way makes it a fun snack by itself or fantastic tossed on salad! This can be considered an appetizer to serve along with other party finger foods.

My daughter is on holiday break from college.  We’ve been having fun experimenting with food.  She wanted to make this.  So we did!  She threw together the ingredients and I baked and stirred it.  Team effort.

Making this is almost as easy as eating them!  Here goes:

2 cans of chickpeas, rinsed and drained.  Pat dry!

1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

2 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Himalayan salt.  Or sea salt.  (can omit all together)

1/4 cup grape seed oil  (can use olive oil or coconut oil)

Preheat oven at 425 degrees.

In a large bowl, toss all ingredients coating the chickpeas evenly.

Spread out on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.  Stir one time and bake again for another 10 minutes.  Done.  Serve warm or cold.  (I couldn’t wait and ate them hot right out of the oven!)

All ovens cook differently so peak in on them.  (I have an oven light which makes it convenient.) I’ve baked them at 450 degrees and stirred them two times during cooking.

Also, you can cook this on the stove.  The texture you are going for is slightly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.  You may like it dryer so cook/bake longer and less cook/bake for softer.  Either way you like it, it will be delicious!

This can be made hundreds of ways.  Keep in mind the oil helps to crispy it up and to help the seasonings stick to it.  Use your imagination and toss the chickpeas with your favorite seasonings.  Chili power,  powdered onion, powdered garlic, Worcestershire sauce!  When done baking try sprinkling Parmesan cheese over it! YUM! Give it a try and please let me know the amazing ways you’ve made this!

Drink To Your Health…drink green

Green drink…just made. Consume right away to reap all the benefits. 😉

If you don’t like to eat your veggies, maybe this would be an easier way for you to get them down.  I’ve never had a vegetable aversion.  I was teased for being a “rabbit” as a kid, always eating something in the vegetable family.  I don’t juice as in squish my veggies and get only the juice.  I drink the juice and pulp together. I believe the fiber is highly essential to good health.

(Collard, oak leaf lettuce, tomatoes, cilantro, green basil, purple basil, from garden.  Organic baby carrots and ginger from store.)

This green drink today was: two good handfuls of oak leaf lettuce, 6 cherry tomatoes, 10 baby carrots, 8 basil leaves-purple and green, 10 mint leaves, a good handful of cilantro, 4 medium size collard leaves, ginger about an inch and a half piece and add enough water to your liking.  For this amount I added about 1-2 cups of water as well as 4-5 ice cubes.  If you like it with more liquid; add more water.  I usually drink mine down about half way and add more water. I will do this one or two more times (adding water). I try and drink around 96 ounces of water a day.

The mint really makes this refreshing.  Have fun blending your veggies. My blended drinks are different a lot of the times.  I use what I gather out of my garden and what is in season.

What kinds of drinks do you drink just for the health of it?

Drink green every day.  Drink to health.  Peace, Koko

Pumpkin Pie – Sans The Crust, With Coconut Whipped Cream….oooh la la!

Pumpkin Pie – Sans The Crust, With Coconut Whipped Cream….oooh la la!

I couldn’t help sprinkle homemade granola on top! Delicious!

pumpkin pie-before it went in oven.

This is my ultimate favorite way to have pie. I really enjoy pumpkin pie without the crust. (Though I do admit I love the bottom crust of a pie) Just make your favorite pumpkin pie recipe, instead of pouring it into a crust, you pour equal amounts into ramekins. I’ve looked for ramekins for a long time and finally found these. They are the perfect size for any “pie”, custard, cheesecake. Yes, I’ve made all those in these ramekins. I will post on them in the future; keep an eye out! The lemon ricotta cheesecake is super delicious and easy to make. As for the coconut whipped cream…story behind that is my daughter never feels good after eating whipped cream, so to have her not go without…we make whipped cream from coconut cream. Where I come from, coconut is used a lot. So it wasn’t unusual for us to make whipped cream from it. I have come across many who have no idea what coconut whipped cream is. I assure you it is delicious and easy to make and great for those who suffer from dairy allergies or just are vegans.

Putting the can in the refrigerator will solidify the cream and it will be nicely separated cream on top milky water on the bottom.

Coconut cream! (before fluffing)

Coconut whipped cream
1 can of coconut cream
1/4 of powdered sugar
1 tsp of vanilla extract

refrigerate can of coconut cream for 2 hours. Scoop out the cream. (there will be thin milky liquid in can. I drink this plain or make a smoothie with it.)
Start whipping cream (I use a kitchenaid). Add vanilla extract. Add powdered sugar. whip until peaks form.

Tips: make sure you buy full fat coconut cream. I really like the Trader joes brand. Also Thai coconut is great too. Just make sure it isn’t “light”, got to have the fat-fat kind!
Must refriderate. Depending on how cold your refriderator is 1-2 hours.
Putting mixing bowl in freezer can help.
It’s the fat that helps the coconut whip up, so make sure you are not using “light” or low fat or anything other than; heavy, full fat, extra thick, etc. (Did I stress that enough?)
Can switch out sugars for different kinds; honey, truvia, etc, you will just need to adjust for sweetness.
Add cocoa for a chocolaty flavor. This one is sooooo good.
Can try different extracts. Almond is great!
Can add more powdered sugar. Depends on the consistantcy you like.
Don’t over whip or it may turn to liquid from basically heating it through the whipping action.

In my pumpkin recipe, I only put 1/3 cup of sugar in the entire recipe.  Eating it for breakfast, snack, lunch; doesn’t seem so bad!  😉