Desperately Seeking Gina

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Recipe Review: Spicy Chickpea Salad

What:  Spicy Chickpea Salad as seen on Joy the Baker
The Components:  Chickpeas, spinach, red onion, jalepenos, mustard vinaigrette, parsley, avocado, almonds
Substitutions/Eliminations:  Eliminated avocado {was way overripe :(} , substituted peanuts for almonds and cilantro for parsley.
The Verdict:  While the mustard vinaigrette was quite good, the salad as a whole, was quite bland.  I ended up adding more jalepeno and cayenne in an attempt to spice it up further.  I didn’t enjoy the texture of the chickpeas.  We didn’t have any almonds and this salad definitely needed some crunch so I threw in a handful of dry roasted, unsalted peanuts and that helped a bit.  It felt plain and left me wanting something {more} else to eat.
To Repeat or Not:  Definitely will try the mustard vinaigrette with another salad, but the chickpea part is a NoGo.

Sometimes it just blows over

There’s a stillness back here in the cove that is peaceful and serene.  Birds chirp a Springtime serenade, the cat lounges and stretches lazily in the sun, and soon Snitch & friends will return to sip sugary sweet cocktails out on the deck.
Living on the north-facing hill has it’s challenges {tree growth at the back of the house makes satellite reception impossible} but, it’s also interesting.
As storms roll over the area, the wind whips the leaves into a frenzy, trees sway and lean, their shallow root systems barely able to cling the earth below.  
This is my most favorite time to step outside, lean back on the deck railing, close my eyes,  and let the storm permeate my senses.  Thunder echoes around the cove and fills my ears.  The wind moves me along with the trees.  The air is electrified and you can smell the ozone.  Sometimes {like today} the temperature drops noticeably.
It’s as if I am not only experiencing it, but as if I am part of it; a part of the storm that can be swayed, absorbent,  buoyant. 
This morning the storm developed fully.  Rain pounded.  Trees fell.  It lasted a good hour.
Other times…like this afternoon…it just blows over and leaves in it’s wake brilliant sunshine peaking out from behind the trees.
And lovely blue skies with freshly quenched blossoms.
Reminding me that all is well, in the end.

Meal Planning Rut

I love making shopping lists and I love grocery shopping, but when it comes to meal planning- I’m terrible.  And I get in a rut.  When I’m in charge of deciding what’s for dinner I tend to stick to what I know {and with cooking, it’s very little}, so my shopping list looks the same each week:

  • diced tomatoes
  • black beans
  • white corn tortillas
  • whole milk mozzarella 
  • pasta
  • and…bananas.
Somehow, we make dinner out of that.  Luckily, Thom is creative in the kitchen and can throw things together quickly.
But this week, I wanted something different.  Something fresh and refreshing. And something suited for warm weather.  Thom chose tonight’s dinner {more on that in a bit} and I chose two dishes for during the week.  We tend to eat up leftovers the following evening and I take some for lunch so three dishes will hold us over the week.
So here’s what we’ll be eating this week.  Groceries are bought.  Recipes are printed or gathered.  And the first meal is already made!  And I’m enjoying it to the max!

Spicy Chickpea Salad from adorable Joy over at Joy the Baker.
Cilantro-Lime Rice and Black Bean with warmed flour tortillas and Thom’s guacamole.

{I plan on learning how Thom makes his guacamole and serving home-fried tortilla chips & guac with the above dishes}

Thom chose Spanish Rice and Gazpacho for dinner this weekend.  It was my first time making it…but certainly not my last.  It was tasty, refreshing, and not to mention, healthy!

For the Spanish Rice {didn’t get a pic :(}


2 {10oz} cans of Rotel
1 1/4 cups rice
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 tbs butter
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp cumin
Directions:
1. In a medium sauce pan, combine all ingredients.
2. Bring to a boil.  Cover, lower heat, and simmer 25 minutes or until rice is done.
3.  Remove lid and fluff rice!



For the Gazpacho:  Ina Garten’s Recipe

       



Serve with a dollop of sour cream, a sprig of cilantro, and croutons!

  • What are you eating this week?  What are your best meal planning tips??



    • Fluffy Bunnies…

    Sometimes I see crafts or projects for kids and I feel sad that I don’t have anyone to do them with…
    So sometimes, I do them myself.  I saw these Jet Puffed Bunny Mallows while grocery shopping and they hopped right into my shopping cart.  Who am I to deny cute, fluffy, little bunnies?
    Bunnies dipped in vanilla candy coating and Easter Sprinkles:
    Bunnies in some green coconut “grass”
    She’s ready for her close up!