Friday, July 9, 2010

Bon Appetit! Chickpea Salad and Homemade Pesto

I'm going to get right to the chase here. My dinner most likely kicked your dinner's butt tonight.

I had a craving for Italian food today - Italian food is not very gluten free friendly though. So, most of the Italian food I have is at home.

It started with a cold Chickpea Salad:

In the mix:

  • 1 can chickpeas (15 oz)
  • 1/2 pint grape tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup red onion, diced
  • 1/2 cucumber, sliced and quartered
  • 1-2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • salt, pepper, and garlic to taste

This was absolutely delicious. Quick, fresh, and different than your run of the mill green lettuce salad. It was nice for a change.

Up next... Easy as Pie Vegan Pesto

TJ's brown rice pasta with Easy as Pie Vegan Pesto
What you need:
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil (mine came from my basil plant - yum!)
  • 1/2 cup toasted walnuts
  • 2 large cloves garlic
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

How it's done:

Put all ingredients into your food processor. Grind until smooth.

This was amazing. I have never made my own pesto before, and I cannot honestly remember the last time I had pesto. To be perfectly honest with you, the measurements above are a rough estimate. I don't measure when I cook. I never have - I just "eyeball it". The pesto was too runny at first, so I added more walnuts. If it was too thick, I would have added more oil. That's just how I roll. My mom is on the verge of tears every night because she knows very very soon I will not be cooking for her anymore. :) I had that bowl x2.5 - no joke. My mom and I ate an entire box of brown rice pasta tonight. Ridiculous.

I went out for ice cream tonight with FH and Mandi/Kyle. Mandi is 3 days over her due date and she is itching to have that baby of hers! She goes to the doctor tomorrow - I hope she gets the Okay to go to the hospital!

I obviously couldn't eat ice cream, so when I got home, I whipped up a late night snack: protein muffin, raisins, and Sunflower Seed butter!


this guy is oozing all over the place

My momma taught me not to lie - so I won't. I did not wait until tonight to try the sunflower seed butter like I said I would. I snuck a taste this afternoon in between lunch and snack time (which was an apple by the way). It's... different. I like it, I really do - it's just something I have to get used to. Amy warned me it was more savory than sweet, and she was so right! It is very delicious though, and I love it! I'm not sure how I will feel about it in my oatmeal though. Question: What do you put sunflower seed butter in?

I came to the overhwelming realization today that I am getting married in 21 days - that is THREE WEEKS PEOPLE! I am not freaking out - it's just not my thang, but it's all becoming so real. We have been talking about it since December, but it was all just "in theory" - nope, it's really happening. I'm starting to envision it, and I know it will be perfect. Not because everything will go as planned, but because it will be our wedding day. I think that is the perfect way to plan a wedding - realizing not everything will be absolutely pristine. At the end of the day, I will be married to the most wonderful man and that is the most important part of the day.

My 23rd birthday is also on the 23rd!! Yay for Golden Birthdays! Question: What is the deal with Golden Birthdays anyways? What is so special about them?

Until tomorrow mes amies - bon noir.

ps: there were totally 2 different languages going on in this post.



14 comments:

  1. yeah girl- sunflower seed butter is good, but it takes some adjusting!!! SO EXCITING FOR YOUR WEDDING GIRL!! thats so awesome!

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  2. oh that chickpea salad looks great!

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  3. Wow, that salad and pasta dinner sounds excellent! I love pesto, it speaks to my heart :)

    Three weeks?! That's so soon!!!! Yay, congrats!!

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  4. That's super exciting about your wedding, girl! I can only imagine it'll keep getting more and more real the closer the day comes, do prepare yourself ;)

    Sunflower seed butter rocks, but it definitely takes some getting used to. I really love it on toast, and I'll add it to veggie stir fries to give them a bit of oompf. I know a lot of people put it in their oats and on fruit, but I've yet to try the sweet route with it.

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  5. I can't say I'm a sunbutter fan, but maybe I just need to get used to it! Not that I really need another nut butter addiction but hey. Your wedding and your birthday coming up?! You have such an exciting month!!

    p.s. I enjoyed your comment on my post, i'm glad at least someone missed me! =P

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  6. That peso looks baller!

    AHHHH your wedding! Cannot wait to hear all about it.

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  7. Your dinner last night totally kicked my dinner's butt. I was in a bind and uncreative. I had oatmeal.... not balanced, but I enjoyed it... ;)

    My golden birthday is this month, too! 25 on the 25th... holy cow...

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  8. YUM! your chickpea salad looks delicious. I've just recently discovered these little guys and they are so good. High in protein too :)

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  9. I read you comment about obesity in Simple Life blog and I couldn't agree more.

    I prepared a different chickpea recipe for today, but equally tasty :)

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  10. i've never tried sunflower butter...but i want too!! your italian food looks good! i get excited when someone else's wedding is 21 days away..I can't imagine how you feel!!! :)

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  11. @Amy B @ Second City Randomness I say Holy Cow to the fact that our birthdays are so close - not to the fact that your'e turning 25 :)

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  12. @teenagehealthfreak don't worry, I will do a full on posts about the wedding and honeymoon! I am getting ridiculously excited.

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  13. omg 21 days!!!??!! so exciting!!! you will be a gorgeous bride.

    i haven't tried sunflower seed butter before. only almond and peanut actually. but i LOVE almond butter

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  14. @Megan D I'm glad you liked it - I really did miss you!!! :)

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