Sweet and Spicy Roasted Chickpeas

I am a huge snacker. I admit it. I love to snack. But more than that, I love a crunchy salty snack. Yep - I have a salt tooth. Eating chips/popcorn/pretzels can be considered one of my hobbies. Oh man, ESPECIALLY during exam time. A little studying, a little crunching. Come oooonnn ya'll know what I am talking about, we have all been there.  But clearly this isn't something I should be doing everyday (although I want to). So when I stumble on a healthy way to cope with my snack craving, I jump all over it.


Okay so chickpeas. How does that solve anything? Chickpeas are mushy. Well, let me tell you something, magic happens in that oven of yours. When you roast chickpeas, they actually become crunchy - like nuts! Seriously, it is insane. Another awesome thing about this is, chick peas are like a blank canvas. There are so many spice combinations out there to use, I guarantee there will be something to please everyone. A healthy, protein-rich quick and easy snack. Wicked.

Baby Bok Choy and Tofu Stir Fry

A stir fry is recipe that should be a staple in every student's kitchen. But really the beauty of a stir fry is the fact that you don't need a recipe. You can use whatever vegetable, whatever protein, whatever sauce in an combination you like. So what am I even doing here? Just going to provide a few suggestions.

This stir fry is nothing spectacular - it is the sauce that makes it special. It is a classic stir fry sauce that has been used in my family for years. It is simple and quick and is awesome with any vegetables. In honor of the New Food Challenge #2: Baby Bok Choy, the star of this stir fry is - you guessed it - baby bok choy. I have also been experimenting with tofu lately. It is extremely cheap and packed full of protein-goodness.

New Food Challenge #2: Baby Bok Choy

With Chinese New Year happening last week, I was in the mood for some cooking with an Asian flare. So why not use one of my most favourite vegetables: bok choy! I grew up on this veg and it is hard for me to envision a stir-fry without it. As I was about to post my bok choy recipe, I realized that not everyone has some Chinese family members, and not everyone knows what the heck bok choy even is!

But now you will  muahaha...

Banana Nut French Toast

I have always viewed French Toast as a blank slate for flavour. Which means, you can start with a basic recipe and add whatever spices or ingredients you want to change the whole dish around. Well today I was craving some really good banana bread. But my bananas were ripe, I didn't have the time to make a batter then wait for it to bake and I was out of flour. Sigh. So, why not take the flavours of my fave banana bread recipe and put it into some french toast.

How To: Toast Your Nuts

Toasted nuts? Everyone likes toasted nuts. And for some people like me, its the only way to eat them without getting an allergic reaction. Its a very simple procedure, but your nuts can go from toasted to burnt in no time flat. An NOBODY likes burnt nuts.

This method can be used for any type of nut, but make sure you don't try to toast nuts of different sizes at the same time because bigger ones take longer than smaller ones.

Okay, there are 2 ways to do this: In a frying pan and in the oven. Both methods require your 100% attention.

Balsamic Steak Sandwich

Who likes a good steak sandwich? Greasy tender beef, loads of cheese, crunchy vegs all topped on a soft bun. Oh ya. You can find them at any local pub, and I  hear Philly is the place to get a good one ( ha ha). Some foods are meant to be greasy, cheesy and extremely unhealthy for you, and most people could agree that a steak sandwich is one of those things. Especially with a side of fries, a big ol glass of beer and friends at sleezy bar (at least...those are my memories of a steak sandwich!)

But alas, uber fattening food is no longer part of my everyday anymore. So how to compensate? Try to make one at home. But it will never be the same, I can never get it to taste just right (but then again, I am making healthier choices, so how could I ever make it taste the same). So .. lets swap fat for flavour. Be BOLD. Sounds like a plan. Instead of using pounds of cheese, I choose to use a type with big flavour, but just less of it. Instead of using gallons of butter, I used spices. See the pattern?