Chickpea Salad

Bean salads are the ultimate portable vegetarian lunch. They are high in protein and fiber from the beans, vitamins and minerals from the vegetables and herbs, and don't need to be kept refrigerated — although an ice pack in the lunch bag is a good idea.

This week, we're taking this chickpea salad with cilantro and celery to work. It doesn't have a lot of dressing on it, so we're less likely to drip oil on our shirts, and it's full of fresh flavors and crunchy textures that make it a pleasure to eat.

You can take this recipe as a guide and switch out ingredients depending on what is in your fridge: parsley and mint for the cilantro, green peppers and radishes for the celery, scallions for the red onion. With bean salads, the possibilities are endless.

I particularly like the munchiness of chickpeas, but I've yet to find a dried bean that doesn't make a good salad. The key is to cook them until they are tender, not mushy. You can use canned beans, of course, but they don't taste quite as good.

Dried beans are worth getting to know. If you have a pressure cooker, you can cook up a batch of chickpeas in under half an hour. Or you can cook them in the slow cooker overnight. Or simmer them for a few hours on the back burner of the stove. Extra beans can be frozen, although when they're defrosted they're better in stews and soups than in salads — the freezing makes them a little mushy.

Once the beans are cooked, it's a snap to toss them with dressing and vegetables for a mouthwatering dish that will fill the lunch box for a few days.

Chickpea Salad
1 cup dried chick peas (or 2 cans)

1 1/2 cups chopped celery

1/3 cup chopped cilantro leaves

2 tbsp chopped red onion

salt and pepper

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

3 tbsp olive oil

Cook and drain the chickpeas. Put them in a bowl and add the two vinegars and plenty of salt and pepper. Let come to room temperature.

Stir in the celery, cilantro and red onion. Toss well. Pour the olive oil over top and toss again.

Serves 4-6.

Sprouted Chickpeas

When I make hummus, I like to sprout the chickpeas before cooking them. Sprouting is supposed to suppress the enzymes that prevent us from fully digesting the chickpeas and getting all their nutrients.

I knew someone who turned raw sprouted chickpeas into hummus, but I found it hard to digest. Dried beans are meant to be well cooked, so after soaking and sprouting, I throw them in the pressure cooker.

I just sprout the chickpeas long enough to soften a little. The bulge where they would sprout gets a little bigger. No roots or leaves appear.

It takes a little advance planning to soak and sprout, but I find it makes a tastier hummus which requires less oil to make it soft and yummy.

First I soak a half pound of chickpeas in cold water on the counter overnight. In the morning, I drain them (saving the water for my houseplants) and spread them on a towel on a cookie sheet. There they sit (covered with another towel if I fear there are flies in the house) until I get home from work ready to cook them and turn them into hummus.

I cook them for about 15 minutes in my pressure cooker until they're very soft. Then I drain them and put them in the food processor with a clove of garlic, 3 tbsp of olive oil and 2 tbsp of lemon juice. I process until smooth and then add a large tablespoon of tahini, a sprinkle of salt and a half teaspoon of cumin. I then add water or olive oil to thin it to the desired consistency. Sometimes some extra lemon juice is required.

It lasts well in the fridge and is great with carrots and celery, making it a simple high-protein snack.

Red Pepper Hummus

It's too hot to eat a lot at dinner time, but we do need protein to go with the salads and corn on the cob that are the mainstay of summer eating.

Hummus is a versatile protein source that keeps fresh in the fridge for a week or so. It can be scooped up with pita or crudités. When thinned with water, olive oil and lemon juice it can be used to dress sturdy salads of romaine or cabbage.

I have a go-to hummus recipe you can find here. Add more garlic, lemon juice or salt to taste, and be aware that it makes a large amount.

The other day I decided to try something different.

I pulled a roasted red pepper from the freezer, cooked 1/3 cup of chickpeas until very tender, and whirled them together in the food processor. I added a little lemon juice, salt and pepper, scooped it into a bowl and sprinkled small basil leaves on top.

It made a light colorful hummus that we spread on whole wheat sourdough flatbreads. I think calling it hummus is a misnomer because it has no tahini or garlic. But Larry recoils when I call something bean dip. Maybe chickpea-red pepper spread would be a better name.

Yummy Potatoes

Sometimes, when I feel Larry has eaten enough weird healthy vegetable dishes for a while, I serve him some yummy potatoes. Potatoes are happy food, pretty much any way they're served.

Of course, he helps by going to the library and getting books  like Smashed, Mashed, Boiled and Baked: A Celebration of Potatoes in 75 Irresistible Recipes by Raghavan Iyer.

Iyer's previous book was 660 Curries, so you know he likes flavorful food.

The other night I made his recipe for Moroccan Potato Stew with Saffron Biscuits. I think it would have been delicious without the biscuits, but heck, why not go all out on potato night.

Needless to say, the dish was a hit. In fact, it was even a hit on the 3rd night of leftovers. The seasonings were robust and the vegetables blended beautifully with them. The simple biscuits were delicious, even without the saffron. (I remember using the last of my saffron and deciding it was time to start growing my own saffron crocus. While I still want to do that, in the meantime I think I'd better just buy some more to last until the fall harvest. I'm sure the biscuits would have been even better with a little included.)

This is really a healthy recipe. Chickpeas and spinach, sweet potatoes as well as white — it's not that different to the food we usually eat. Maybe that's why I made the biscuits — it's important to be a little decadent on yummy potato night.

I did alter Iyer's recipe a little to suit what I had in the house. I hope you do the same thing when you cook the recipes on this blog. After all, half the fun of cooking is experimenting.

Here's what I did:

Moroccan Potato Stew with Biscuits
2/3 cup chickpeas
1 lb potatoes
1/2 lb sweet potatoes
1 tbsp oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
3 inch cinnamon stick
1 tsp paprika
1 tbsp smoked chili flakes
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
14oz can diced tomatoes
1 bunch spinach

Cook the chickpeas in simmering water until tender, 2-3 hours depending on the age of the beans. Or cook them in a pressure cooker for 22 minutes and let the pressure come down on its own. (Or use 2 15-oz cans chickpeas.) Drain and set aside.

Peel the white and sweet potatoes; cut into 1-inch cubes. Put in a bowl and cover with water so they don't turn grey before you need them.

Grind the coriander, cumin and cinnamon in a spice grinder (or coffee maker reserved for spices) until they are a fine powder. Pour into a small bowl and stir in the paprika, chili flakes, salt and turmeric.

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large saucepan. When it begins to shimmer, add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring regularly, until they start to brown around the edges. Stir in the spice blend and stir for about 15 seconds until wonderfully fragrant. Pour in the can of diced tomatoes (including the liquid),  2 cups water, cooked chickpeas and drained potatoes. Stir it all together well so the vegetables are coated with the spices. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low, and cook, covered, until the potatoes are tender.

Wash the spinach and remove any tough stems. Stir into the pot. Cover and let steam until cooked, about 3-5 minutes.

You can eat this excellent stew now, or you can go wild and put biscuits on top.

Biscuits
2 cups white flour (plus extra for dusting)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
4 tbsp butter, cut in slices and chilled
1 cup keffir or buttermilk
1/2 cup whipping cream

Preheat the oven to 475°F. Pour the cooked stew into an ovenproof casserole.

Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Add chilled butter and break it up into pea-size pieces with your fingers as you mix it in.

Stir in the keffir and whipping cream to make a wet batter.

Mound a half cup of flour on a large board or surface. Cover your hands with flour too. Scoop up 1/3 cup batter with your well-floured hands and drop it into the mound of flour. Gently roll it around to coat it completely with flour, then shape it into a biscuit and put it on the stew. Repeat with all the dough — you'll have 6-7 biscuits.

Place the casserole, uncovered, into the oven and bake until the biscuits are browned on top, about 25 minutes.

Serves 6

Bean and Barley Salad

It was hot on Sunday but I was determined that we would eat lunch outside.

So as the main course I served a chilled bean and barley salad. Fresh herbs added zest to the complete protein of beans and grains. I had planned to scatter feta over the top, but I forgot. It was still yummy. (I would have used about 2oz diced feta.)

Barley is best known as a soup grain, but it makes a lovely salad — more interesting and less dry than rice.

This salad is also good with black beans. And the herbs and vegetables can be swapped out for whatever is in your fridge.

The salad lasts well for a few days - I'll be eating the leftovers for lunch this week.

Bean and Barley Salad
2/3 cup chickpeas or other beans (or 2 14-oz cans)
1 cup barley
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cucumber, peeled and diced
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup chopped mint
1/2 cup diced celery
1/3 cup chopped red onion
1 tsp grated lemon rind
3 tbsp lemon juice

Cook the chickpeas until tender. (In a pressure cooker it will take 22 minutes. In a pot of boiling water, 2-3 hours.) Drain and set aside to cool. (Or drain and rinse the canned beans.)

Cook barley in simmering water until tender, about 45 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, combine cherry tomatoes, cucumber, garlic, parsley, mint, celery and red onion. Stir in the chickpeas and barley. Toss with the lemon rind and juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper (more salt than you might think — the barley can take a lot).

Chill until ready to serve.

Garnish with watercress, nasturtium flowers and feta if desired.

Whole Wheat Linguine with Broccoli and Chickpeas

We don't eat pasta very often, so I tend to buy organic Italian durum wheat (white flour) noodles. After all, if it's a splurge, we might as well go all out and eat white flour.

However, the other day I felt organic whole wheat linguine would be a better fit with the robust flavors of broccoli, chick peas, smoked chili peppers and lots of garlic. I was right — the whole wheat added a nuttiness that contributed beautifully to the overall dish.

Canned chickpeas are a time-saver, but I so prefer home cooked beans. The flavor and texture are nuttier, and there's no need to rinse off the tinniness. Fortunately, they cook in 22 minutes in the pressure cooker — no pre-soaking needed. I cooked the chickpeas a couple of hours ahead, drained them, and left them on the counter until it was time to throw dinner together. They were great.

The smoked chili flakes add another dimension of flavor. (Probably carnivores would add bacon instead.) I buy mine from Mountain Rose Herbs. You can substitute un-smoked chili flakes if that's what you have. It will still be an awesome dish.

Whole Wheat Linguine with Broccoli and Chickpeas

1/3 cup chickpeas (or 1 can, drained)

1 1/4 lbs broccoli

4 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup chopped garlic (8-10 cloves)

1/2 tsp smoked chili flakes

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 lb whole wheat linguine

Pick over the chickpeas to remove any stones or debris. Rinse. Either cook in plenty of water until tender, 2-3 hours, or cook in a pressure cooker covered by at least 2 inches of water and time for 22 minutes once pressure is reached. Let the pressure cooker cool by opening the vent — keep away from the steam! — then carefully open and check the texture of the chickpeas. If they're tender, drain them and set aside. If they're not quite cooked, replace the lid and simmer another 5 minutes before testing again. Drain the chickpeas and set aside.

Cut the broccoli florets into large bite-size pieces. Peel the tough stems down to the pale green center and cut them into 1/2 inch pieces. Set aside.

Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the garlic and chili flakes and cook, stirring, until the garlic is golden, about a minute. Add the broccoli and salt, stir well, add a couple of tablespoons of water and cover the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally and adding water if needed, until the broccoli is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chickpeas and cook until they are warm.

Meanwhile, cook the linguine in lots of salted water according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Add the linguine to the broccoli. Toss well, adding the reserved water if needed. Keep tossing over medium heat until all is warm and well-mixed.

Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle on some grated parmesan if desired.

Serves 3-4

Shiitake Mushroom Adventure

I was given a shiitake mushroom log at Christmas. I was pretty excited because I have never grown mushrooms before. And it came at the perfect time - the weather was cold and rainy, and our garage provided the perfect environment to grow the 'shrooms. The log grows inside a plastic bag, so it has stayed moist even as our days and air have become drier.

The other day, I picked our first crop - a bumper - and made this delicious stew with the winter vegetables I have in our fridge.

I often buy fresh shiitake mushrooms at the Hollywood Farmers Market. They are dark brown and thin-capped and very mushroom-y in flavor. The shiitakes I picked off our log are white and sweet - a different taste altogether and quite eye-opening. It's like the difference between a supermarket tomato and a home-grown tomato, but more so.

My first harvest!

I cut the caps from the stems and dried the stems on a rack on the kitchen counter to go into my next batch of vegetable stock. The caps added great flavor to this simple vegetable dish.

The key sauce ingredient in the stew is nutritional yeast. This is a good source of B vitamins and a vegan source of cheese-flavor. I'm told it's also good on popcorn, but I have yet to try that.

Vegetable Stew
1/3 cup chickpeas
1/2 lb Brussels sprouts
2 tbsp olive oil
6 cloves garlic, peeled and bashed
4 shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
2 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
1 carrot, cut in large matchsticks
3 cups packed chopped green curly kale
1 cup water
1/4 cup tamari (natural soy sauce)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast

Cook the chickpeas in plenty of simmering water until tender, 2-4 hours depending on the age of the beans. Drain and set aside.

Trim the Brussels sprouts and cut them in half. Steam them about 5 minutes until tender and bright green. Set aside.

Shiitake log in its plastic bag

Warm oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, mushrooms, squash and carrot. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add chickpeas and kale. Cook stirring often, until kale is bright green, 1-2 minutes. Stir in Brussels sprouts. Reduce heat to medium low.

Whisk together water, tamari and nutritional yeast in a small bowl. Pour over the vegetables in the skillet. Stir and cover. Remove from the heat and let stand 1-2 minutes for the flavors to blend.

Serve on brown rice.

Serves 4

Chickpea Burgers

There is nothing like an excellent falafel. It's the perfect vegetarian fast food — chickpea fritters served in a pita with those delightful pickled turnips. I used to eat it often in Montreal because there was a Lebanese restaurant right up the street from my home.

Of course, falafel are traditionally deep-fried, which is not the healthiest thing. I now only eat falafel on my trips back to Montreal.

The other night, however, I combined chickpeas and spinach in this yummy burger that was reminiscent of falafel in flavor and texture. I served it with a sauce of yogurt with mint and garlic — the burgers are dense and on the dry side so the sauce helped — and a salad of romaine lettuce with more yogurt sauce drizzled on it. It was a nice light dinner, until I found a bag of organic french fries in the freezer and decided to serve them alongside. Larry appreciated that. And actually Chase, the Lebanese restaurant I frequent in Montreal, serves excellent french fries and salad alongside their flafel sandwich, so it was a nice reminder of home for me too.

Of course, you could stuff these burgers in a pita, or even put them on a bun. Make sure to have a sauce or some juicy tomato with them. They are dense and protein-packed, but still not as much like a hockey puck as many commercial veggie burgers.

They made good sandwiches the next day too.

Chickpea Burgers
2/3 cup chickpeas
1 cup packed chopped fresh spinach
2 scallions, white and light green parts, sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 cup flour

Cook the chickpeas in plenty of simmering water until tender, 2-4 hours depending on the age of your beans. Drain.

Put the chickpeas in the food processor with all the remaining ingredients. Process until well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Tip the mixture out and divide into 4 pieces. Shape into patties about 1/2 inch thick.

Warm a well-seasoned cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add just enough oil to coat the bottom lightly.

Place the burgers in the skillet and cook without touching them for 4 minutes. Check if they're lightly browned on the bottom. If they are, flip them over and cook another 4 minutes without touching. Resist the urge to press the patties while they're cooking. This would compress them even more - not a good idea.

Serve immediately.

Makes 4 burgers.

Garlicky Chickpeas and Spinach

I took this picture before the spinach had fully
cooked down.

This is one of those recipes that is too easy to write down, but too good not to try.

The longest step is cooking the chickpeas, and I supposed you could skip that part and just use the canned variety.

But really, this recipe is as good as the sum of its parts. So it's worth taking the time to buy really good dried organic chickpeas and then simmer them until they are cooked but still have a little bite. Then sauté them with garlic and excellent spinach, and you have a feast.

Garlicky Chickpeas and Spinach
2/3 cup chickpeas
1 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
1/4 tsp crushed red chiles
14 oz spinach
1/2 tsp salt

Pick over the chickpeas, removing any stones or broken beans. Rinse them well, then put them in a large pot and add water to cover by at least two inches. Bring them to a boil, cover, and simmer gently until they are tender. This can take 90 minutes to 2 1/2 hours, depending on the age of your beans. Remember to check them regularly during cooking, and add boiling water from the kettle as needed to make sure they always have at least an inch of water covering them. When they are tender but not mushy, drain them and set aside.

Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and let it warm until fragrant. Add the chile flakes and cook 15 seconds. Stir in the chickpeas and coat them with the fragrant oil. Let them get hot, stirring for about 2 minutes, then increase the heat to high and add the spinach and salt. Stir until the spinach wilts, 2-3 minutes.

Serve immediately as a main course or as a vegetable side.

Serves 4. Makes great leftovers.

Fall Bean Salad

The beautiful peppers at the Hollywood Farmers Market inspired this chickpea salad. Because this is southern California, I was able to buy fresh asparagus at the market to add contrast. I could have used green beans instead.

It had good staying power - I took it for lunch 3 days in a row along with a green salad. I tossed the two together for an excellent lunch, followed by a farmer's market apple. Real food is a great break in a busy day.

Fall Bean Salad
1/2 cup chickpeas
juice of 2 limes
2 tbsp basil, chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
8 oz asparagus
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
12 kalamata olives

Pick over chickpeas and remove any stones or clumps of dirt. Bring a quart of water to the boil and add the chickpeas. Cover and simmer, adding boiling water from the kettle as necessary, until the chickpeas are tender - 2-3 hours.

Whisk together the lime juice, basil and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste

Drain the chickpeas and put in a bowl. Add the dressing and stir to combine.

Steam the asparagus until tender. Cut in 1 inch pieces and add to the chickpeas along with the chopped peppers. Pit and slice the olives and add to the salad.

Serve on lettuce.

Serves 4

Chickpea Eggplant Salad

In the fall the market is full of purple eggplants and red peppers. And, here in Southern California, it is hot. Too hot to feel like doing much cooking or eating.

So the other day I made this salad for dinner - the eggplant was spicy enough to tempt the appetite, the chickpeas added protein, and the crisp lettuce and fresh mint lightened it up. I adapted the recipe from Sunset's Edible Garden Cookbook, which always inspires me to plant more vegetables, even if I know they will be dug up by raccoons in August.

Chickpea Eggplant Salad
1/3 cup chickpeas (or 14 oz can)
1 red pepper
1 orange pepper
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
3 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tsp hot sauce (sriracha)
3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium eggplant
2 tbsp olive oil
butter lettuce
12 mint leaves, slivered
1/3 cup diced red onion, rinsed and drained

Cook the chickpeas in plenty of boiling water until tender, about 2 hours. Drain and set aside. (Or drain the canned chickpeas and rinse well.)

Roast the peppers over a gas flame or under the broiler until blackened all over. Put in a covered pot to steam and cool. When cool enough to handle, scrape off the skins with a small sharp knife, cut off the stems, and take out the seeds. Cut the peppers in 1/2 inch dice.

Whisk together a salad dressing of the vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper, hot sauce and 3 tbsp olive oil.

Wash the eggplant, cut off the stalk end, and dice it in 1/2 inch cubes. Warm the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Cook the eggplant until it begins to color, 10-12 minutes. It will stick a bit to the pan. That's okay, it adds extra flavor. Add the chickpeas, a couple of tablespoons of water, and salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, 2-3 minutes to blend the flavors.

Stir in the peppers and remove the pan from the heat. Toss the vegetables with half the dressing.

Line a plate with lettuce. Sprinkle it with the mint and red onion. Pile on the chickpea eggplant stew. Serve the extra dressing on the side.

Serves 4

Leftover chickpea eggplant stew is great cold for lunch the next day.

Vegetable Stew

Once the vegetables are prepped, this stew cooks quickly. It's a satisfying, comforting stew, suitable for this season of cool evenings before the summer vegetables hit the farmers market. It's a good winter stew too -- add some hot chilies to give it a kick, if you like. The turmeric gives the potatoes a pretty yellow color.

Serve it on brown rice with a crunchy salad on the side. It makes great leftovers too.

Vegetable Stew

1 large onion

3 red potatoes

1 small butternut squash

2 large carrots

1 tbsp olive oil

14-oz can diced tomatoes

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground turmeric

14-oz can chickpeas, drained

Chop the onion coarsely in roughly 1 inch pieces. Peel the potatoes and cut them in 1/2 inch chunks. Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise. Peel it, scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp, and dice the flesh into roughly 1/2 inch chunks. Peel the carrots, cut off the ends, and slice in 1/2 inch rounds.

Warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is lightly browned, 5-7 minutes. Add the potatoes, squash, carrots and the canned tomatoes with their juice. Pour in enough water to barely cover the vegetables, cover and bring to a simmer. Stir in the cumin and turmeric, cover the pot, and simmer gently until the vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes.

Add the chickpeas, and season to taste with salt and pepper. You'll need at least a couple of teaspoons of salt. Simmer over low heat another 5 minutes to blend the flavors.

Serves 6-8

Chickpea Salad with Soft-Boiled Eggs

When the weather is hot, it helps to have a zesty meal to tickle the tastebuds and spark the appetite.

The other night I made this simple chickpea, olive and radish salad and put an egg on top of each serving. The olives and radishes perked up the chickpeas, and the warm runny egg yolk turned it into comfort food.

It was a simple yet nourishing meal of protein, carbs and vegetables. Easy to digest, fun to eat -- it was a great summer dinner.

(I soaked the chickpeas in a large container of water in the fridge all day the day before, and then cooked them that evening. I drained them and stored them in the fridge overnight so they were ready when I needed them.)

Chickpea Salad with Soft-Boiled Eggs
1/3 cup dry chickpeas, cooked (or 1 14-oz can, drained)
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
1/4 cup green olives, pitted and wedged
2 scallions, white and light green parts, chopped
2 eggs at room temperature

Put the cooked chickpeas in a bowl and lightly crush half of them with a potato masher. Whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil and pour it on the chickpeas. Add in the olives, radishes and scallions. Spoon half on each plate.

Add the eggs to a saucepan of boiling water, cover and boil over moderately high heat for 4 minutes. Drain and put in an ice water bath for 1 minute. Crack the shells, peel the eggs, and put one on each plate. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve.

Serves 2

Marinated Chickpea and Red Pepper Salad

I found baby artichokes at the farmers market last week, and used them in this bean salad that was excellent for lunch and dinner.

If you can't find tiny artichokes, use one large one. It will take longer to cook. Or you can use a small jar of marinated artichoke hearts.

I pulled a roasted red pepper from the freezer. (Last November I thought I was freezing too many, but my supply is running low and this season's harvest won't be at the market for a few more months.) You can substitute a small jar of roasted red peppers if you like.

This salad would also be good with some feta cheese crumbled on top, or some fresh oregano stirred in.

Marinated Chickpea and Red Pepper Salad
1/2 cup dry chickpeas, cooked (or 1 can, drained and rinsed)
1 roasted red peppers, peeled, seeded and diced
6 baby artichokes
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Tear the leaves from the artichokes, pare off the bottom of the stem, and cut them in half lengthwise. Pull off any thistly parts of the choke. Put them in water with lemon juice as you work so they don't go brown. Cook them in boiling water about 3 minutes until they are tender. Drain.

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Stir well. Season to taste. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

This dish keeps well in the fridge for a few days.

Serves 4-6.

Chard and Feta Bake

Our chard is growing vigorously. I picked a couple of pounds the other day to make this excellent casserole.

The cheese and chickpeas provide protein. Chard is chock-full of vitamins and minerals, and is receiving attention for its balancing effects on blood sugar levels. So this is a very healthy one-dish dinner.

Chard and Feta Bake
2 lbs chard
2 tbsp olive oil, divided use
1 stem green garlic or 1 clove regular, sliced
2 spring onions, sliced
1/4 cup basil, coarsely chopped
1 can chickpeas, drained (or 1/3 cup dry, cooked)
4 oz feta, diced

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Strip the chard stems from the leaves. Cut the stems in 1 inch or smaller pieces. Coarsely chop the leaves.

Warm 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pot. Add the stems, garlic and onion and sauté until the stems are tender. Stir in the chard leaves and basil, cover and let cook until all is soft.

Drain the greens, squeezing out some of the excess water. Toss them with 2 tbsp olive oil, chickpeas, and salt and pepper to taste.

Oil a shallow 2-quart casserole. Spoon in the greens. Sprinkle the feta over top, pushing it into the greens.

Bake 15-20 minutes until sizzling hot. Serve immediately.

Serves 4-6. Great as leftovers too.

Baked Chard with Feta

I had a great day working in the garden, and did not feel like cooking dinner. So I picked some Swiss chard on my way into the house and stirred together this one-dish meal. I cooked it in the toaster oven so I didn't have to heat up the kitchen. It has protein from the chickpeas and vegetables from the chard, so no sides were necessary.

Even though it's a simple casserole, it would be a good one to serve to guests, or anyone reluctant to eat greens. Larry said it smelled like pizza while it was cooking.

If you don't have chard, you could use spinach or another tender green. If your dill is more vigorous than mine, add a couple of tablespoons along with the chickpeas.

I used a can of chickpeas (this was lazy cooking, remember?) but you could use 1/3 cup dry chickpeas, cooked until tender but not falling apart.

Good feta is crucial to this dish. I have not found satisfactory organic feta, so I buy mine from the Aliki's Greek Taverna stand at the Hollywood Farmers Market. How poisoned can Greek feta be, I ask myself? Feta is usually made from sheep's milk, not high on the factory-farmed, hormone-added, antibiotic-inflicted list.

So use good feta and fresh greens, and you will relish this one-dish meal.

Swiss Chard with Feta and Chickpeas
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup diced white onion
1 1/2 to 2 lbs chard
1 clove garlic, minced
14-oz can chickpeas, drained
3 oz feta, diced

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Wash chard, remove heavy stems. Chop about 1 cup of these stems into 1/2 inch dice, discard the rest.

Sauté onion and diced chard stems in olive oil until tender. Add chard leaves, toss well, cover and let cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Drain, squeeze out liquid with the back of a wooden spoon, and chop coarsely.

Toss the chard with 1 tbsp olive oil, garlic and chickpeas. Season to taste with salt and pepper, but remember the feta will add saltiness.

Spoon the chard mixture into a 6x8 inch pyrex casserole. Scatter feta on top and push into the greens. Bake 15-20 minutes until sizzling hot and aromatic. Serve immediately.

Serves 2-3