Less Is More | Chickpea Salad with Lemon, Parmesan, and Herbs

April 5, 2011 by 1 Comment

Dear Life,

You have been almost unbearably stressful lately. What did I ever do to you? I try to show you a good time as often as possible – I play fun sports like frisbee and soccer, I rock out at super awesome concerts, I bake delicious things to eat. And you just throw stressful experiences back in my face! Clearly I’ve done something to upset you, but I’m not sure what it is. Can we call a truce and be friends again? I’ll cook and bake you lots more wonderful things if you’re nice to me again.

Love,

Amanda

Sorry about that. I just had to have a little chat with life there for a moment. But I’m back to share a simple yet tongue-pleasing recipe with you. With Spring finally starting to show her face a little bit, I find myself craving lighter, fresh-tasting dishes. When I opened up this month’s Bon Appétit magazine and found this chickpea salad recipe, I immediately wanted to give it a try. You need just a handful of ingredients, most of which you might have sitting in your kitchen right now. The only thing I was missing was the fresh herbs, but I had the dried version of both, and considering the state of the fresh herbs around here at this time of year, dried was probably the best way to go. I can’t wait to make this again in a couple of months, when fresh basil is lush, fragrant, and easy to find. At least fresh parmesan is always in season.

Chickpea Salad with Lemon, Parmesan, and Herbs (from Bon Appétit magazine, April 2011)

1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

2 TBSP. chopped fresh basil (or 1 tsp. dried)

2 TBSP. chopped fresh Italian parsley (or 1 tsp. dried)

2 TBSP. fresh lemon juice

4 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, pressed

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients together in a bowl and toss gently. Season with salt and pepper. Enjoy immediately, or make ahead and refrigerate for several hours to allow the flavors to mingle and say hello to one another. This salad can be whipped up in no time. Happy eating!

Filed Under: Salads, Sides, Vegetables and Legumes, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , ,

An Easy Side | Orzo with Parmesan and Basil

February 5, 2011 by 6 Comments

I’m dreaming of summer. Cool refreshing mornings, warm breezy nights, deliciously hot days. Amazing garden vegetables, fresh herbs, fruit that is actually in season! *sigh* Sadly, I will have to keep dreaming for another few months or so. Although, apparently the groundhog didn’t see his shadow, which means spring is on its way…right? I get confused by the groundhog theory. Anyway…

The first time I had orzo was a few years ago, when my mom made this recipe. Orzo is such a fun pasta – about the size of rice, but with the bite of pasta. It makes a great pasta salad (which I have another great recipe for), a fantastic side dish, and also goes well in soups. Now, this orzo with parmesan and basil tastes best with fresh basil, but sadly, the “fresh” basil currently available at my local grocery store tends to be half brown and less than delightful. Not to fret if you have the same problem – dried basil does the trick when necessary. Whether you use fresh or dried, give this recipe a try. It really is a fantastic example of the amazing orzo! Happy eating!

Orzo with Parmesan and Basil (a la my mama)

3 TBSP. butter

1 1/2 cups orzo pasta

3 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)

6 TBSP. fresh basil (or 2 tsp. dried)

1/2 cup fresh parmesan

Salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the orzo and saute for several minutes, until the orzo starts to become golden brown. Add the broth, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the orzo has absorbed the broth. Remove from heat, add the basil and parmesan, and season with salt and pepper to your liking. Add more parmesan if you want it to be really gooey and cheesy.

This orzo is SO good. It will serve 4 very healthy portions (although honey and I can eat one batch to ourselves – piggish, right?), but if you’re having company, make sure you double the recipe. Enjoy!


Filed Under: Pasta, Sides, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , ,