Black Bean, Jicama and Shrimp Tostadas with Avocado Creme and a Highlight on Jicama

Loving Mexican food is a no brainer. Especially if you grow up in Southern Arizona like I have and have lived and known what really authentic Mexican food truly is. I haven't found a Mexican restaurant yet that I can even tolerate. Growing up with friends who's mother's and grandmother's make home made tortillas, tamales and carnitas on a nightly routine led me to become some what of a snob regarding the complex flavors of the spices, salsas and condiments that accompany my favorite cuisine.

 So when I ask most people what their favorite thing about Mexican food is, most people will say 'Cheese of course!'.  I'm not arguing, but I have to say that IMHO most 'American' type cheeses smother the many flavors of good Mexican food and leave me with nothing but a heavy tummy and a greasy after taste. Not so appetizing.




Now, when I tell people that my favorite part of Mexican food, other than the spices of course, are the condiments such as cilantro, radish and jicama, I usually get a raised, questioning eyebrow at the least or a very distrusting smirk.

We've all had tacos in some varying form, right? The next time you make tacos, enchiladas or tostados try adding some chopped jicama or sliced radishes. I promise you that they add a whole new level to the dish. I recently stormed out  pouted like a toddler when we stopped at a small Mexican restaurant to grab some Posole' and they informed me that they were out of radish!  The nerve!

Spot Light on Jicama  [hee-kuh-muh, hik-uh-muh]

What is Jicama?

Actually part of the legume family, jicama contains a high amount of vitamin C, is low in sodium, and has no fat. It’s sweet to taste and has a crunchy, juicy texture. When purchasing jicama, make sure it’s firm, unblemished and not bruised. You can store jicama for up to 2-3 weeks in in a cool, dry place.

"Bigger is not always better"

Jicama has been cultivated in South America for centuries, and the vegetable is quite popular in Mexican cuisine. The roots can sometimes grow to be quite large, although when they exceed the size of two fists, they begin to convert the sugars that give jicama its sweet flavor into starches, making the root somewhat woody to the taste.




How to prepare Jicama:

Carefully peel off the tough outer skin with a paring knife. Use the soft, sweet, juicy flesh of jicama in salads, salsas, sandwiches or along with your other favorite veggies as a healthy snack.

My kids love it!

Jicama 'fries'






Recipe for Shrimp Tostadas

TIME    20 MIN        SERVES   6

Ingredients:

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups baby shrimp

1/2 of a red bell pepper, finely chopped

1/4 yellow onion, minced

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1 cup jicama, peeled and diced

1/2 jalapeno, minced

juice of 1 lime

salt, cumin and chili powder to taste

Tostado shells

2 California avocados

1 heaping spoonful light sour cream

dash of salt

squeeze of lime juice

To Prepare:

In a large bowl combine shrimp, beans, jicama, red bell pepper, jalapeno, onion and

cilantro. Squeeze in lime juice, add spices. Toss to combine. Make avocado creme 

by mashing avocado with sour cream, salt and a squeeze of lime juice.

Serve on crispy tostado shells.

This post is linked to Cookin Canuck ~ Wake up with California Avocado

Read more ...

Veggie Burrito Bowl with Yellow Rice and Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

Better than take out, this loaded burrito bowl is packed with flavor and good for you veggies in every color of the rainbow and fiber and protein from the cumin black beans. Did you know that eating beans and rice together makes it a complete protein?  Get choppin!

Very little cook time is needed for this healthy dinner making it my idea of a perfect summer meal. Leftovers mean I'm looking forward to lunch the next day in a big way. I love the crunch factor going on from the radishes, purple cabbage, carrots and yellow peppers which make this salad very filling and satisfying. The flavor is bursting in every bite from the cilantro lime vinaigrette, cumin black beans and the yellow rice. 

You could use saffron for the yellow rice if you have some on hand but it's pretty pricey and there's plenty of flavor going on in here already. I used much thriftier turmeric which happens to be super good for you and gives the rice a pretty yellow color.

Start with a big handful of chopped Romain lettuce. I like Romaine in my burrito bowls for the crunch factor in place of calorie loaded tortilla chips {my weakness!}

Then pack in your fav veggies and beans, be creative, try jicama, radish, purple cabbage, peppers, roasted poblanos, pickled jalapeños. If you don't care for cilantro try blending up some tomatillos with lime juice and evoo.

You Will Need

1 cup (or 1 can) black beans
1 tablespoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 radishes
1 small yellow bell pepper
4 roma tomatoes
1 cup purple cabbage, sliced thinly
4 cups Romaine lettuce, chopped
2 large carrots, shredded
1 cup long grain white rice
1 tablespoon turmeric
2 large handfuls of fresh cilantro
3-4 limes, juiced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1-2 teaspoons honey (eye it) optional


Putting it All Together

Cook rice according to package directions. As soon as it's done add turmeric and stir well to combine. Cover with lid till ready to use. 

If using dried beans soak over night in water, drain and add to a medium pot with 2 1/2 cups water. Bring to boil, cook covered for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, add cumin and salt and cook another 20 minutes. Remove from heat. If using canned beans, add turmeric (omit salt) cook on medium-low covered for 15 minutes. 

For the dressing, In a blender combine 2 large handfuls of fresh cilantro (don't worry about the stems), juice from 3-4 limes, evoo and honey. Blend until smooth.
Arrange salad, veggies, rice and beans in a bowl and drizzle with vinaigrette. 

You Might Also Like




Chinese Chicken Salad

One Pot Tex Mex Chicken and Rice with Bacon

Red Chile Shredded Chicken Tacos

Read more ...

Puerto Penasco Ceviche

This is the best ceviche I've ever had. My dad has a house in Las Conchas Mexico that our family loves spending time at. Of course my favorite part is sitting on the beach and eating fresh seafood. My husband and I like to go down to Puerto Penasco to the warf and pick up fresh shrimp and fish to grill while we're there. The little taco stands along the beach serve up some wonderful ceviche, my favorite! They serve theirs with saltine crackers and plenty of ice cold cerveza, Mmmmmmm! I like to use tortilla chips to scoop up my ceviche, probly because I can get more into my mouth at a time!

My friend Lia made some ceviche  for us a long time ago and it was amazing!  I have played around with the ingredients to come up with what I think is the best ceviche recipe ever. 

A couple of tips I've learned when making ceviche:

1. Blanch your seafood quickly in salted, boiling water.  The citric acid in the limes cooks the fish so you would never know you were eating raw fish in fact, it is not raw. The longer you let the fish marinate, it will start to break down and get mushy, this is why I blanch mine in boiling water, it helps cook it a bit without having to sit in the citrus for to long. Does that make sense? ;-/

2. Even though you don't want to let the fish sit in the lime juice by itself for more than a couple of hours, ceviche tasted great the next day when all the other ingredients have had some time to get to know each other!

You Will Need:

Serves  6-8    TIME  2 hours

2  pieces fresh Mahi Mahi (or other firm white fish)

1  pound seafood mix; scallops, calamari and shrimp  (I get mine at Trader Joe's  )

6 limes, juiced

1 bunch cilantro

3 cups tomato juice cocktail {look for one that does not contain High Fructose Corn Syrup!}

1 medium seedless cucumber

1 medium red onion, diced

1-2 fresh jalepenos, veins removed & diced

3 firm, ripe avacado

2 teaspoons red chili salt

1 tabelspoon sea salt for boiling water

Tortilla chips

Putting it all together:

Boil water in a large stock pot, add sea salt. Chop thawed Mahi Mahi into small bite sized pieces. Add fish and seafood mix to stock pot. You want to blanch the seafood for only 30 seconds, NO MORE.  Drain seafood in collander. Spread fish and seafood mix in a deep baking dish, Cover with lime juice and cover with foil.  Place in refridgerator for about 1-2 hours. The longer you let the fish "cook" in the citric acid, the mushier they will get.   Chop cucumber, avacado and onion into small pieces. Chop cilantro. Remove marinated seafood mix from fridge and combine all ingredients except tortillas. Chill at least 1 hour. Serve chilled with tortilla chips. 

This post is linked to Cookin Canuck ~ Wake up with California Avocado

Read more ...

PICOBLAT : What you need to bring to your next picnic! #PicnicGame

Somebody told me that today was the halfway marker of summer on the calendar. That someone has also has only lived in The Valley of the Sun for exactly 3.5 months. Ummm,  did the nickname "The Valley of the Sun" not clue you in? I was sorry to burst his shiny, happy yet clueless bubble but summer unofficially or not starts in mid April and ends at the very tail end of October here in Phoenix. Prepare yourself.






I did clue him into a little known secret that apparently is well kept by us Zonies. There is relief from the scorching heat only a stones throw away via the I-17. Prescott, Sedona, Flagstaff, Greer and other retreat from the heat towns are a minimum of a 2 hours drive North from Phoenix. And....... wait for it........... there are a handful of beautiful bodies of water known as creeks and lakes scattered amidst the desert mountains (puddles in comparison to the Midwestern lakes but we love them nonetheless).

"Puddles" of water that are perfect for a day trip, beat the heat picnic getaway. We are masters of this scenario. We pack mostly healthy snacks to last all day long, plenty of water and fish bait to keep the kids entertained.

I have to say that as a Native Arizonan, I haven't shared some of my most favorite places to picnic or camp with the newbies because let's face it, tourists can cramp your style and solitude is nothing short of a blessing when you live a hectic life in the city. I will however share with you a picture or two of our latest stumble upon spot somewhere along the Mogollon Rim, pronounced,  /mʌɡɨˈjoʊn/ or /moʊɡəˈjoʊn/) or /mɒɡɒdʒɔːn


Did that help?

So what do I bring on road trip picnics? Fruits, veggies, cheeses and PICOBLAT, of course. 

An acronym for 

P eppers
I talian dressing
C ilantro
O nion
B lack beans
L ime juice
A vocado
T omatoes


When put all together and let to marinade for a day equals the perfect picnic food.
No need for instructions on this, it's really super simple and you can add as much or as little as you prefer of each ingredient, although I do recommend going easy on the Italian dressing (house/creamy style) and heavy on the lime juice. Also, if you use canned black beans, you want to drain them first. I also add chopped jicama to this more often than not which adds the crunch factor.

Need more ideas and inspiration for you summer picnicking? Check out these fabulous recipes perfect for summer noshing.




Today we are celebrating International Picnic Day by bringing you a basket packed with goodies from A to Z, in the style of the picnic game! Drop by the Sunday Supper Movement to see the whole picnic spread out on our virtual blanket.

I'm going on a picnic and I'm bringing...
Asian Chicken Salad from Try Anything Once Culinary
Beautiful Beet Salad from Small Wallet, Big Appetite
Chicken Muffuletta from Marlene Baird
Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups from The Dinner-Mom
Elote from Peaceful Cooking
Fennel Slaw from FoodieTots
Greek Farro Salad from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Honey Porter Glazed Chicken and Vegetable Skewers from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
Italian Pasta Salad from Casa de Crews
Japanese Plum Sushi from NinjaBaking.com
Kudos Kitchen Kolaches from Kudos Kitchen by Renee
Lemon Yogurt Bundt Cake from In The Kitchen With KP
Molasses Lovers Baked Beans from Cindy's Recipes and Writings
Northern Bean Salad with Egg and Prosciutto from Family Foodie
Orzo Salad from The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
PICOBLAT from Simply Healthy Family

Read more ...

Red Chile Shredded Chicken Tacos. How to win over your man's stomachand steal his heart #SundaySupper

I had all intentions of writing a mushy gushy, what a great guy my husband is post for Father's Day. That is until I calmly excused myself from the dinner table and stated that I needed to make sure my Sunday Suppers Father's Day post was up to par and ready to post and said dear husband stated, "You still need to finish it? What have you been doing in there all afternoon?"  The nerve.


I suppose I'll forgive him (shhh, don't tell him that ;) seeing as that he's a pretty amazing guy and an even more amazing dad to our 4 rug rats (teenager included). I'll skip all the mushy gushy and just post 2 of my favorite pictures/moments of my love being the wonderful father that he is.

Daddy's little girl. Period. With 3 older brothers, this little girl is no short of spoiled. And while I may spoil her with an extra pair of shoes (or 3) and the all too necessary accessories every 4 year old needs, her daddy spoils her rotten with every last bit of his adoring affection and attention. 

I mentioned those 3 older brothers right? Well, here they are in all of their glory. Amen. (roll of the eyes as exaggerated as possible). This is how we do Christmas at our house. Classy huh? Nonetheless, boys have some crazy, deeply embedded and apparently unbreakable need to roll around on the floor and wrestle with each other that I will never, ever, ever understand. Which is why I'm glad they have a father who is every bit as goofy and immature ummmm, playful and physical as my boys are.


My poor couch.....

P.S. This all started because cocky teenager below (not so difficultly) provoked a contest to see who was more awesome...... in boy standards.  *sigh

So why did I choose these Red Chile Chicken Tacos for Father's Day? Well, this is the very first meal that I made for my sweetie when we were dating 13 years ago and I'm pretty sure it's why he asked me to marry him. All I know is he came over for dinner, devoured about a dozen (seriously) of these tacos, a few cold Corona's and the next day, from out of town with his buddies, I received a dozen of the most gorgeous long stem roses I've ever seen and a sweet love note (tacos mentioned).


Men. If you want to win them over, its their stomachs you must appease.

I'm telling you, this is my secret, signature recipe. Quite honestly, it should have been the very first recipe I posted here on Simply Healthy Family seeing as that I was asked often by friends and family for the recipe and got tired of jotting it down and even secretly making it for a girlfriend of mine for her fiancé and passing it off as her own (and she's Hispanic! :)

These are pretty fabulous not only because they are tasty but because they could not be easier to make. I've waited 13 years to share these with the world and I couldn't be more excited. 

A pressure cooker (or a big pot of boiling water)
4 big (boneless, skinless) chicken breasts
2 cans El Pato
3 cups Canola oil for frying tortillas + 3 tablespoons for frying onions and chicken
20 corn tortillas
1 small yellow onion, diced
handful of cilantro
Avocado, shredded cheese and sour cream for garnish
Ice Cold Cerveza

Throw chicken breasts into a hot pressure cooker, secure lid and bring to 2nd ring. Reduce heat to low and cook 10 minutes if frozen, 7 if thawed. Let pressure come down by removing from heat.   Boil chicken for 15-18 minutes if you don't have a pressure cooker. Remove chicken breasts and place in a Kitchen Aide Mixer (or similar) with the cookie dough attachment. (see my post here on this neat little trick on how to shred chicken in 30 seconds).  
Pour chicken broth from pressure cooker into a bowl and set aside. Wipe out the pot with a paper towel and return to medium-high heat. Add 3 tablespoons oil to pot, let heat for a few minutes then add chopped onion. Cook for 5 minutes until golden brown and translucent. Add shredded chicken to pot and toss to coat. Let sit for 5 minutes, toss and cook a few minutes more. Pour in El Pato chile sauce and toss to coat. Cook a few minutes till heated through.  Meanwhile, in a small sauce pot, heat 1/2 of the oil over medium high heat. Using tongs and a fork, carefully place tortillas, one at a time into the pot of oil. Using the tong and fork shape them into tacos. Remove from oil when golden brown and crispy. Place on a pile of paper towels to drain. Scoop chicken into taco shells, garnish as you please. 

Check out what other bloggers are making their men for Father's Day!





Manly Starters:

• BBQ Chicken Nacho by Country Girl in The Kitchen
• Beer Battered Fried Mushrooms by Kudos Kitchen by Renee
• Burrata Bresaola and Arugula Appetizer by Family Foodie
• Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce by Hip Foodie Mom
• Chipotle Pork Belly-Stuffed Jalapeño Poppers by The Redhead Baker
• Coconut Beer-Battered Prawns with Spicy Marmalade by The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Devils on Horseback by Nosh My Way
• Fried Pickles by Cookin’ Mimi
• Garlic and Herb Wine Jelly by What Smells So Good?
• Maple Sriracha Chicken Wings by Manu’s Menu
• Tomato Bacon Jam by Feed Me, Seymour

Manly Mains:

• Bacon Bourbon BBQ Burgers by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
• Bacon Cheeseburger Crustless Quiche by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Beef Barbacoa by Casa de Crews
• Beef Short Rib Sandwich by Life Tastes Good
• Beer Brats with Pepper Relish by Jelly Toast
• Beer Can Chicken by Curious Cuisiniere
• Chicago Style-Pizza by Small Wallet, Big Appetite
• Chili Dog Casserole by Simple Gourmet
• Chipotle Pork Chops by girlichef
• Coconut & Lime Grilled Shrimp Skewers by Take A Bite Out of Boca
• Colossal Burger by Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
• Gluten Free Lemon Pepper Wings by Gluten Free Crumbley
• Grilled Chipotle Chicken Pizza by Peaceful Cooking
• Grilled Lobster with Miso Butter by Kimchi MOM
• Grilled Sweet Guava Chicken by The Foodie Army Wife
• Ham and Pineapple Pizza Pockets by gotta get baked
• Huevos Rancheros Casserole by Pescetarian Journal
• Lacquered Short Ribs in the Slow Cooker by Shockingly Delicious
• Maple Chipotle Barbecue Pork Tenderloin by Flavor Mosaic
• Meatball Burger on Garlic Bread by Healthy.Delicious.
• Mom’s Slow Roasted Brisket by Food Lust People Love
• Perfectly Pan Seared Steak by Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch
• Pollo al Peperoncino by Run DMT
• Polish Coal Miner Piggies (Stuffed Cabbage Rolls- Golabki) by Rants from my Crazy Kitchen
• Red Chile Shredded Chicken Tacos. How to win over your man’s stomach and steal his heart. by Simply Healthy Family
• Ropa Vieja by Meal Diva
• Salt of the Earth Ribs by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Salisbury Steak w/ Loaded Mashed Potatoes and Mushroom Gravy by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Smoked Turkey Drumsticks by Cindy’s Recipes and Writing
• Stuffed Chipotle Bacon Cheese Burgers by Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Stuffed Pork Chops by The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
• Tex-Mex Gut Buster Chili by Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
• The Cleveland Hogg Burger by Seduction in the Kitchen

Manly Desserts:

• Beer Funnel Cake by Killer Bunnies, Inc.
• Black Forest Cake by Noshing with the Nolands
• Carob Chip Cookies by Pies and Plots
• Chunky Monkey Vegan Banana Bread by Ninjabaking.com
• Classic Cheesecake by Hot Momma’s Kitchen Chaos
• Fat Man’s Pie by Magnolia Days
• Mandarin orange cake aka southern pig pickin’ cake by Baking & Browning
• Pizookies by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Grilled Pound Cake Stacks with Roasted Strawberries by Melanie Makes
• Strawberry Rhubarb Pie With Mascarpone Cream by La Bella Vita Cucina

Wine Pairings for Man Food #SundaySupper byENOFYLZ Wine Blog

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our#SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.
Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

Read more ...

Tossed Summer Salad

Super simple, very fresh, totally healthy summer salad. Perfect for a light lunch, snack or side dish. Now is the time to get beautiful delicious tomatoes and velvety avacados! I throw a huge handful of parsley into this salad, don't skimp on the parsley! Cucumbers give this salad a bit of crunch. For the dressing, I simply squeezed a lemon over the tossed salad and drizzled a bit of grape seed oil, then finished it off with fresh ground black pepper.

Health Info

Avacados are chock full of monounsaturated fat (good fat), avocados deliver a double-barreled blast to LDL cholesterol (the bad kind). They are also rich in folate, a water-soluble B vitamin that helps lower the levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that can hinder the flow of blood through blood vessels.
Avocados are one of the super foods!






Parsley:


A sprig of parsley can provide much more than a decoration on your plate. Parsley contains two types of unusual components that provide unique health benefits. The first type is volatile oil components-including myristicin, limonene, eugenol, and alpha-thujene. The second type is flavonoids-including apiin, apigenin, crisoeriol, and luteolin.




Promote Optimal Health


Parsley's volatile oils-particularly myristicin-have been shown to inhibit tumor formation in animal studies, and particularly, tumor formation in the lungs. Myristicin has also been shown to activate the enzyme glutathione-S-transferase, which helps attach the molecule glutathione to oxidized molecules that would otherwise do damage in the body. The activity of parsley's volatile oils qualifies it as a "chemoprotective" food, and in particular, a food that can help neutralize particular types of carcinogens (like the benzopyrenes that are part of cigarette smoke and charcoal grill smoke).




A Rich Source of Anti-Oxidant Nutrients


The flavonoids in parsley-especially luteolin-have been shown to function as antioxidants that combine with highly reactive oxygen-containing molecules (called oxygen radicals) and help prevent oxygen-based damage to cells.
In addition to its volatile oils and flavonoids, parsley is an excellent source of two vital nutrients that are also important for the prevention of many diseases: vitamin C and vitamin A.




Vitamin C has many different functions. It is the body's primary water-soluble antioxidant, rendering harmless otherwise dangerous free radicals in all water-soluble areas of the body. High levels of free radicals contribute to the development and progression of a wide variety of diseases, including atherosclerosis, colon cancer, diabetes, and asthma. This may explain why people who consume healthy amounts of vitamin C-containing foods have reduced risks for all these conditions. Vitamin C is also a powerful anti-inflammatory agent, which explains its usefulness in conditions such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. And since vitamin C is needed for the healthy function of the immune system, it can also be helpful for preventing recurrent ear infections or colds.


Beta-carotene, another important antioxidant, works in the fat-soluble areas of the body. Diets with beta-carotene-rich foods are also associated with a reduced risk for the development and progression of conditions like atherosclerosis, diabetes, and colon cancer. Like vitamin C, beta-carotene may also be helpful in reducing the severity of asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. And beta-carotene is converted by the body to vitamin A, a nutrient so important to a strong immune system that its nickname is the "anti-infective vitamin."




Parsley for a Healthy Heart
Parsley is a good source of folic acid, one of the most important B vitamins.
Protection against Rheumatoid Arthritis
Vitamin C-rich foods, such as parsley, provide humans with protection against inflammatory polyarthritis, a form of rheumatoid arthritis involving two or more joints. You can't get this from supplements!

Read more ...

Roasted Chickpea, Heirloom tomato, Avocado, Lemon Tarragon and Basil Salad.

My mom is in the background reminiscing about how she always used to win the spelling bee. Every year she says, and there was a big stage and real prizes, that's how they did it in my day. All because I asked her how to spell extraordinaire. I should have known better. She's still going on and on (can't blame a gal for reminiscing) so of course I ask her how to spell reminiscing and she pauses with a bit of doubt..... HA! I totally know how to spell doubt! So I promptly turn to my handy dandy, new age spelling check thingy on my state of the art MAC computer and it shuts my poor mom down and tells me how to spell reminiscing before she can spout it out.   Pooooor  mommy.

I can't really feel all that proud about my somewhat limited technological (spell check told me how to spell that, I'm not ashamed) abilities because right after I was congratulating myself on my ability to spell a couple of 5th grade words and patting myself on the back for navigating through Photo shop to produce a half way reasonable food pic I found myself cursing my wireless mouse. You see, when I moved right, the arrow would go left. When I move up, the arrow would go down.  Gahhhh!  Why can't technology be simple?!!


Because idiots like me can't figure out when a mouse is turned upside down. In my defense it is wireless and is completely anatomical.

Yeah. I know.



It's a good thing I know how to cook without burning the house down. I love uncomplicated summer dinners. I'm declaring it summer here in Phoenix. It's in the 90's, good enough reason for me to turn off the stove and focus on quick and simple meals with fresh ingredients.






Simple, fresh ingredients. Heirloom tomatoes, chick peas drizzled with a good quality olive oil and sprinkled with some Himalayan Pink Sea Salt. Roasted to crispy perfection.  Don't feel like turning on your oven? No problem, neither do I come May. This salad tastes equally amazing with out roasting the chick peas. I happen to loooove the crispy texture and flavor that roasting brings to them but in a pinch, plain ol' cooked chick peas will do.



You can use canned chick peas or dry ones. If using canned, drain and rinse thoroughly. Put into a small bowl, drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with a salt. Spread onto a baking pan, I love my stone one which absorbs flavor and allows you to use less oil and is super easy to clean. During the hot summer months I can see myself skipping the oven all together but I do love the crispiness and flavor that roasting the beans adds.

Roast in the oven at 375F for 20-25 minutes to desired crispiness. I highly recommend investing in a baking stone. I use mine to roast veggies, bake cookies and pizza crust. You use a minimal amount of oil with a baking stone and it roasts more evenly that a metal one.  Check out this Rada Cutlery Stoneware

When I can find them, I love these pretty little Heirloom tomatoes. They are naturally sweet and so good for you, think no GMO's. Real tomatoes not genetically modified. Don't want to spend the money or can't find them in your hood. Use cherry or grape tomatoes instead.

Slice a semi-ripe avocado into bite size pieces. Sprinkle with a generous amount of dried tarragon. Tarragon goes amazing with avocado! Squeeze the juice of 1 whole lemon over the avocado and gently toss to coat. Lemon not only adds fresh flavor but helps the avocado not to brown quickly. Set aside.

Avocado tossed with tarragon and lemon.

This one was an instant keeper! Usually I make recipes several time before posting them on my blog. But I am sitting here writing this with a bowl full of this yummy salad sitting in front of me.

 It's  that  good.



Light, lemony, healthy and fresh. What more do you want in a summer salad?

Perfect to bring on a picnic! Enjoy with a cold glass of Pinot Grigio and an herbed salad mix.

TIME     20 MINUTES       SERVES     4-6 

Ingredients: 

2 cans (or 3 cups cooked) chick peas/garbanzo beans1 pint baby heirloom tomatoes, sliced in half ~ can sub cherry or grape tomatoes2 avocados, dicedsmall handful fresh basil leaves, sliced thinly1 teaspoon dried tarragon2 teaspoons divided extra virgin olive oiljuice from one lemonsalt ~ I love my pink Himalayan sea salt

Preheat oven to 375F.  

Drain and rinse chick peas if using canned. Put into a large bowl and drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Toss to coat. Spread evenly onto a baking pan, I love my stone baking sheet.  Bake on center rack for 20-30 minutes to desired crispiness. 

Meanwhile, slice tomatoes in half and dice up your semi-firm avocado. Put avocado into a large bowl first and sprinkle with tarragon. Drizzle lemon juice over avocado and toss gently to coat. Add tomatoes to the bowl and sprinkle with a bit of salt and sliced basil. Add chickpeas and gently toss to combine salad.  

Serve with a green salad to make it a meal. Don't forget the Pinot Grigio! 

Read more ...