Tag Archives: cucumber

Edible Bowls! Chickpea, Cucumber & Kale in Tomatoes

Posted on by
20

garbanzo bean and tomato salad

 

“The chickpea is neither a chick nor a pea. Discuss.”  Remember when Mike Myers chatted about this the “Coffee Talk” comedy sketch on Saturday Night Live?

The chickpea, also known as a garbanzo bean, is actually a legume that has been around for more than 7,500 years. A popular choice for man Mediterranean and Indian dishes, the little chickpea is packed with big nutrition – an excellent source of protein, dietary fiber, and vitamin B6 for vegetarians. Vitamin b6 helps to stabilize blood sugar, metabolize foods and make antibodies to ward off disease.

garbanzo beans tomatoes

I came up with this lovely dish for Litehouse Foods and just knew I had to share it here  – it’s perfect for a lunch or light dinner. The cool and crisp salad is dressed with flavors favored along parts of Greece and Italy and packed into a tomato serving as an edible bowl. Did you know the healthy, long-living people of the Mediterranean region eat, on average, nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day? This chickpea salad will get you well on your way to meeting this daily goal.

chickpea salad in tomatoes

Chickpea, Cucumber & Kale Tomato Cups with Feta Dill Dressing

  •  1 ½ cups packed kale or baby kale leaves
  • 1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • ½ red onion cut in chunks
  • 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1 Tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 medium cucumber chopped coarsely
  • 1 (15-oz) can rinsed and drained chickpeas
  • 2 large tomatoes (like Beefsteak variety)
  • ½ cup Litehouse Food’s OPA Feta Dill Greek Yogurt Dressing (plus additional for garnish)
  • 2 grape tomatoes cut in half
  • 2 ounces baby spring lettuce mix

Directions

  1. In work bowl of food processor, add kale, cilantro, onion chunks, lime juice and garlic. Pulse for approximately 1 minute or until ingredients are finely chopped like pesto. Set aside.
  2. In medium bowl, add chopped cucumber, rinsed chick peas and mixture from food processor. Add ½ cup dressing  and mix everything together until thoroughly coated.
  3. Cut large tomatoes in half crosswise and scoop out seeds and pulp with spoon (reserve for another purpose, if desired). Fill tomato cups with chickpea mixture and top with a dollop of dressing and grape tomato half. Serve on top of baby spring lettuce mix. Serves 4.

popsugar nature box hand heart

I have another yummy mention – POPSUGAR Must Have Snacks by Nature Box. I received a box full of these nutritious nom-noms in the mail and have been enjoying mixing up my normal afternoon snacking. Being stuck inside working on the computer (and nursing my sprained ribs) is much more tolerable with five bags of healthy snacks like Blueberry Almond Bliss and Lemon Pucker Pistachios.

Check it out for yourself. For a limited time, the POPSUGAR Must Have Snacks by NatureBox will be 50% off!

MHNatureBox_550x550 popsugar

Disclosure: POPSUGAR and NatureBox provided me with a complimentary POPSUGAR Must Have Snacks by NatureBox box. The opinions I have shared about the box are my own, and POPSUGAR and NatureBox did not tell me what to say or how to say it.

Strawberry Cucumber & Spinach Salad – There’s an App for That!

Posted on by
7

Everything seems to finally be coming up spring! Gardens are growing and offering up the first bounties of the season. I plan to be down at the local farmer’s market every weekend decked out in my sandals and sun hat – yes, you guessed it, I’m a warm weather-loving girl. Oh my goodness, the fruits and vegetables of this time of year take my breath away – the amazingly sweet berries, the mild spring onions, crunchy cucumbers and delicate baby greens. Ahhhh!

Jennifer Fisher at Sprouts

Foodie Recipes App to the rescue while shopping at Sprouts!

 

Usually, I’m pretty creative about pulling together a meal out of what I already have on hand in the fridge and pantry. But somehow, when I see the abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables at the market, I sometimes get overwhelmed by the unlimited possibilities for my dinner table. That’s why I love Foodie Recipes; it’s a virtual cookbook full of recipes that I can take on the go. When my head starts spinning and I don’t know where to start, I can open up this app on my iPhone or iPad to find the perfect healthy recipe complete with gorgeous photos, clear instructions, and preparation and cook times. Yes, I’m the fly-by-the-seat of her pants home chef who plans her menu while pushing a cart or finishing a workout at the gym – thank goodness I now have “an app for that!”

foodie gluten-free meals

It’s really neat how the format of the Foodie Recipes app reads just like a traditional cookbook, but with much more convenience. Every month, a new batch of food-editor curated recipes are uploaded in “editions” that fit the season or a theme – for example, past editions have included “Easy as Pie,” “Dinners for Two,” and “Holiday Sweets.”  One of my favorite editions is “Gluten-Free Meals;” it features a seven day meal plan for folks who have allergies, are intolerant or just want to avoid foods with gluten. All 30 recipes in this “Gluten-Free Meals” edition were created by Café Johnsonia and organized so your every sense will be delighted from Meatless Monday through Sunday Supper (with Traditional Tuesday, Western Wednesday, Thai Thursday, Friday Favorites and Sunrise Saturday in between).

strawberry cucumber spinach salad

So, yesterday, as I toggled my way through the Foodie Recipes app, I found this lovely Strawberry Cucumber & Spinach Salad and it just reminded me of all the things I love about spring. I knew my mom and friends would love the gluten-free recipe too, so I shared through email and my social media outlets to spread this tasteful message of the season.  You could serve this healthy recipe as a side dish or top with your favorite lean protein for an amazing entrée salad.

Enjoy! And, don’t forget to check out the FREE Foodie Recipes app for the iOS platform (iPhone, iPad, iTouch) – available for free download in the iTunes Store.

 

Spring Salad with strawberries and spinach

 Strawberry Cucumber & Spinach Salad Recipe

For salad:

  • 8 oz. strawberries, sliced
  • 1 small or ½ large cucumber, peeled if desired, cut in half lengthwise, thinly sliced
  • 5 oz. fresh baby spinach
  • 2-3 green onions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
  • ½ cup raw almonds, roughly chopped

For dressing:

  • 2 Tbsp. Greek yogurt
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh basil, finely chopped
  • 1-2 tsp. honey, to taste
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. For salad: Place all ingredients into a large serving bowl. Add some of the dressing and toss gently to coat. Add more if needed. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.
  2. For dressing: Whisk the yogurt, lemon juice and olive oil together. Add the honey, salt and pepper. Adjust seasonings as necessary, to taste. Chill until ready to use. Yield: ⅓ cup dressing

Serves: 2

thefitfork.com strawberries spinach cucumber

This post sponsored by Foodie.com and the Glam Network. However, all opinions are my own.