Chickpea, Kale and Quinoa Bowl

When it comes to eating out, I'm a sucker for places like the Whole Foods hot bar or the salad bar at Jason's Deli. It's a little dose of sensory overload, with all the amazing (and often healthy) foods to choose from. Perhaps as a food editor I shouldn't admit this, but I would much rather eat a healthy, basic, meal any day of the week rather than to sit down at an upscale restaurant.

I don't exactly have time to make ten different whole grain salads and chop dozens of veggies for dinner every night. But just because I can't make an entire salad bar at home doesn't mean the same effect can't be recreated at home with a whole lot less effort.

Enter, the Chickpea, Kale and Quinoa bowl! Sorry, I find it hard to contain my excitement about this dish. It's a deliciously salty combination with the perfect mixture of crunchy and chewy. It's packed with protein from the chickpeas and quinoa and vitamins A and C thanks to the kale.

Although Joe and I ate this dish hot, I could see someone enjoying it chilled for lunch. Either way, it's sure to be delicious. 

Chickpea, Kale and Quinoa Bowl
Ingredients
*1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed and drained
*2 cups water
*1/2 teaspoon salt
*1 tablespoon butter
*1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
*1 teaspoon fresh thyme
*1 recipe Spiced Roasted Chickpeas 
*1 recipe Roasted Kale (recipe below)

Instructions
* In a large heavy saucepan over medium high heat, combine the quinoa, water and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover the saucepan with a lid. Simmer for 13 to 15 minutes, until water is absorbed and quinoa is cooked. Remove from heat. Fluff lightly with a fork. Add butter, balsamic  vinegar and thyme to the quinoa and stir until evenly combined.
*Spoon the prepared quinoa into three or four bowls. Place some of the Spiced Roasted Chickpeas and Roasted Kale into the bowls with the quinoa. Serve immediately. Makes 3 to 4 servings

Roasted Kale: Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Set aside. In a large bowl, toss together 4 cups chopped kale leaves (stems removed), 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Spread mixture onto prepared baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until kale is wilted and slightly crispy around the edges. Remove from oven and cool slightly.

Feed Adam

A couple months ago, I eluded to the fact that my cousin, Curtis, was starting a new business centered around quinoa and quinoa products. It's been a long time in coming, and I can't tell you how excited I am to share with you a little bit more about his company now that it's up and running! Curtis and I grew up together and he's the closest thing I had to a brother.

His heart for the Lord and those in need is amazing, as I'm sure you'll see by reading on. Feed Adam is so much more than a business, it's an opportunity for all of us to make a difference with the purchases we make and where we choose spend our food dollars. Curt and I did a little Q&A about Feed Adam that I'm excited to share. The post is a little (okay, a lot) longer than my typical posts, but there is such great information in the words below. If you want more information about Feed Adam, or if you're a member of the media looking for promotional materials or samples, please e-mail me (madisonjanemayberry@gmail.com) and we can talk!

No Fat Talk Tuesday: Natalie's Story

Today's No Fat Talk Tuesday post comes to us from Natalie, who blogs over at Married Meets Healthy. I am so excited to share Natalie's story with you all, because she brings a unique perspective to the series. Natalie's story of learning to love and appreciate her body through her fitness and athletic accomplishments is something I can relate to personally and know many of you will be able to as well. Thanks for sharing, Natalie! - Madison

Spiced Roasted Chickpeas

Hey, all! I hope you all had a happy weekend. Joe and I spent our time up in Minneapolis partaking in bachelor and bachelorette festivities for Joe's brother, Jason, and his fiancé, Ali. And I solidified my title as worst blogger ever by taking zero pictures of our weekend. Thankfully, someone had the good sense to take a picture this morning at brunch with Ali's family, or I would have nothing to show you.

Ali has amazing friends. Even though Amber and I felt like the old married women among a group of 21-year-old college girls, a great time was had by all. Special shout-out to Ali's friend, Kaitlyn, who is about as fun as it gets and is a faithful reader of Espresso and Cream.

Before I left for the weekend, I made a batch of roasted chickpeas to snack on when I want something slightly crunchy and salty. Since chickpeas are packed with protein and low in carbohydrates, they make a great alternative to chips or crackers. The protein also helps to keep you full, which is great for portion control. Now that I've seen how easy roasted chickpeas are to make, I think preparing a batch each weekend in preparation for the week ahead is going to become a habit.

And now, because I'm sleep deprived and completely off my writing game, I'm going to leave you with another picture and this killer recipe...

Spiced Roasted Chickpeas
Makes 2 to 3 servings

Ingredients
*1 (14.5-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
*1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
*1/2 teaspoon Spanish paprika
*1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
*1/4 teaspoon salt
*1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
*3/4 teaspoon ground coriander

Instructions
*Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Set aside
*In a small bowl, combine all of the above ingredients. Toss to coat evenly. Spread chickpeas in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until chickpeas are toasted and crispy on the outside. Cool slightly before serving.

Happy Cooking!
Madison

Chop, Chop!

It must be something in the air, but I got the crazy desire today to cut my hair. And cut I did! I can't say I thought about it all that much. It was impulsive, to say the least. Ahh!

When all was said and done, I think I cut off somewhere around six inches. I can hardly believe it, but I feel even more ready for summer than ever before.

Happy weekend, all!
Madison

Crispy Baked Tofu with Marinara

Last week when I posted a picture of the tofu I had in my lunch from dinner the night before, I got a lot of requests for the recipe. Honestly, I haven't had much success preparing tofu at home in the past. Usually it ends up getting stuck to the skillet or ends up tasting soggy and tasteless. Unless, of course, you cover it in a bunch of browned butter or calorie-dense sauce, but I guess that really negates the benefit of heating tofu for a healthy meal, doesn't it?

Instead of sticking to what wasn't working, I mixed things up. After consulting a few online sources, I realized that my main problem with making tofu in the past was that I wasn't buying the right type of tofu, and even when I was, I had no idea how to prep it for cooking. 

No Fat Talk Tuesday: Chelsy's Story

Today's No Fat Talk Tuesday post comes to us from Chelsy. She is a longtime Espresso and Cream reader (and recently won the Chobani giveaway), and blogs about food and life over at Mangia. Chelsy brings a unique perspective to the series, having majored in Kinesiology. And in May she will officially be a certified ACE personal trainer. It's amazing to read her story of how she came to be such a healthy, beautiful and confident woman. Thanks for sharing, Chelsy! - Madison