TRICOLOR CHICKPEA SALAD

Posted in Rice and Grains, Salads, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

When I make a salad, I don’t really expect that much enthusiasm coming from the husband, so I was pleasantly surprised by how much he enjoyed this one. Plus, not only it is quite a simple recipe, but leftovers held well for two days in the fridge. Very sturdy. Chickpeas, raw zucchini, grape tomatoes and feta cheese. If white is to be considered a color, well, then let’s make it a “Four-Color Salad” and call it a day!

TRI-COLOR CHICKPEA SALAD
(inspired by several sources)

1 cup halved grape tomatoes
1 large zucchini, cut in small dice
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (15 oz)
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons Calamansi vinegar (or apple cider vinegar with squirt of lemon juice)
salt and pepper to taste
crumbled feta cheese to taste

Whisk the olive oil with vinegar in a small bowl, set aside.

Add tomatoes, zucchini and chickpeas to a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the mixture of olive oil/vinegar and mix well. Keep in the fridge for 15 minutes, then add the crumbled feta and serve. Adjust seasoning if needed.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I am quite in love with Calamansi vinegar, which believe ir or not, I found at Walmart… It is available at The Very Evil Empire, but it will cost you a lot more. I first heard about it on Milk Street, and they were right, it is a great product. Back to the salad: cut the zucchini in very small dice, because it will be incorporated raw, so the 15 minutes in the presence of the acidic dressing will be enough to mellow it, but not if it is cut in large pieces. A little cilantro could go well with all the other flavors, or maybe some mint. I had neither, so my salad was a bit more austere. This one will also be part of our rotation side dishes because whenever the husband loves a salad, I know it is a real keeper.

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1Aug2026

TWO INCREDIBLY EASY VEGETARIAN DISHES

Posted in Air-Frying, Small Dishes, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

It’s been a while since I posted in the Incredibly Easy folder, but today I share two tasty little recipes that will definitely be part of our rotation. First, a tortilla-egg concoction with tomato and cheese, next a tricolor carrot preparation in the air-fryer.

MINI EGG & TOMATO TORTILLA
(inspired by Hungry Happens)

for one serving

spray of olive oil
1 small flour tortilla
4 slices of tomato
1 egg, beaten with salt, pepper and Herbes de Provence
shredded or sliced mozzarella
avocado for serving (optional)

Spray olive oil in a small non-stick skillet, preferably one with the exact same diameter of your tortilla. Place on medium heat and immediately cover the pan with 4 slices of tomato. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, flip the slices, cook for one minute longer.

Pour the egg over it, and cover it with the tortilla. Cook on medium-low heat until you notice the edges of the egg getting firm and starting to get some color. Carefully flip the tortilla, adding a little more olive oil to the pan before doing so. Add some mozzarella on top, cover the pan and cook until the cheese is melted and the tortilla gets good color at the bottom, probably around 3 more minutes. Serve with avocado slices.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: The little pan I used was an impulse buy from a while ago, I found it at our grocery store in town and could not resist it. It is 5.5 inches in diameter and worked perfectly for the small tortilla with a single egg. Visit Hungry Happens site to see a bigger version. I actually made it but prefer the small one, easier to handle and perfect as a lunch for yours truly. Next time I will use a slice of mozzarella instead of shredded because it will melt faster. Consider that if you make it.
.

Moving on….

AIR-FRYED TRICOLOR CARROTS WITH ORANGE
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

2 carrots of each color (orange, purple, yellow)
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
squirt of fresh orange juice

Cut the carrots in sticks. Place in a bowl, drizzle olive oil to coat them well. Season with salt and pepper. Squeeze orange juice all over, and immediately air-fry at 400F until done, about 20 minutes, shaking the basket every once in a while.

ENJOY1

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This does not get any easier… I know that people who do not own an air-fryer tend to roll their eyes to the ceiling when they read praise about it, but honestly, it is one gadget I adore ad use all the time. The dry air environment makes it cook things faster and provide a texture I prefer when compared to regular oven, especially for root vegetables. But it is also my method of choice for chicken and eggplant parmigiana. I hope you give this recipe a try, even if you have to use a regular oven. It is delicious, and yes, incredibly easy!

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27Jan2026

BAKED EGGS TORTILLA BITES

Posted in Appetizers, Breakfast & Brunch, Pizzas & Small Dishes by sallybr

I am totally in love with this concept, which I saw in one of those reels online that entice you but not always work. This one had a happy ending, and for that I am grateful…

BAKED EGG TORTILLA BITES
(slightly modified from food bites)

makes about 8

3 tortillas
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 eggs
3 tablespoons heavy cream
25 grams cheddar cheese, grated
1 teaspoon sea salt
pepper, to taste

5 grape tomatoes, one per tortilla cup
fresh chives, to garnish

Heat oven to 350F.

Cut out tortilla flowers with a cookie cutter. Brush the top and bottom of the tortilla flowers with olive oil, insert in a muffin tin. Bake until slightly golden, maximum 5 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly as you prepare the filling.

Mix the eggs, cream, shredded cheddar, salt, and pepper. Spoon the mixture on top of each tortilla flower till the bottom is covered. Bake again until the egg is cooked (about 8 minutes). Remove the egg tortilla bites and allow to cool.

Slice a grape tomato in the middle at a slant. Cut each half in half. Connect the two set of halves to make two hearts. Top the tomato hearts onto the egg tortillas. Arrange chopped chives as the stem.
Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This was so simple and absolutely delicious. I used a carb-balance type flour tortilla, but I bet it would be even better with regular ones. Do what suits you. I include a little video to show you how to cut the hearts, as it was not quite clear for me when I read her explanation or watched her reel on Facebook. I hope it helps you.

These would be perfect to serve as appetizer for a Valentine’s meal, but I just enjoyed as lunch on a Saturday. Love this type of food. Leftovers were good warmed in a toaster oven, just make sure to keep an eye on the edge of the tortilla cup, they tend to brown quickly. Protect with foil if that bothers you. Each little cup, two small bites, one big smile!

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24Jul2024

A TYPICAL DINNER AT THE BEWITCHING KITCHEN

Posted in Poultry, Rice and Grains, Salads, Veggies by sallybr

For the most part our food is super simple. We always opt for a main dish that involves meat (although about one day each week we go the vegetarian route), a starchy side, and veggies. We alternate cooking days, but both of us follow this approach for our meals. Today I share the exact dinner we had a couple of days ago, all preparations are simple and I’ve done them so often I don’t even need to look at the recipes.

STARTING WITH THE MAIN DISH

GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH YOGURT PAPRIKA MARINADE
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

6 chicken thighs
1/2 cup yogurt (low-fat or full-fat)
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tablespoon agave nectar
squirt of lemon juice
drizzle of olive oil

Make the marinade by mixing all ingredients from yogurt to olive oil. Whisk well, add to the pieces of chicken, massaging them to coat well. Place in the fridge for at least a couple of hours.

When ready to grill, remove from the marinade, season lightly with additional salt (omit that if you ar not a “salt person”), and grill until done, on both sides.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I make these all the time, actually. The paprika amount might seem excessive, but trust me, it is not. You can use part of it as smoked paprika, I just don’t like to use the full amount as the smoked version because I find it overpowering. They turned out very moist and tender. I tend to eye-ball everything, just making sure the pieces of chicken are well coated with the marinade until grilling time. If I remember, I go back and move them around a bit in the bag. Honey works in place of the agave nectar, and you can add garlic if you are a fan…

Moving on, the side dishes…

This is a total non-recipe. Slice juicy tomatoes, drizzle olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. You are done! We are addicted to this, it shows up at our table very very often…

For the broccoli recipe, which I made probably once every week, click here. SIX MINUTES. Perfect broccoli every time. The version I make all the time is even simpler than the one from the past. After the broccoli is cooked for the total of 6 minutes, I transfer to a bowl, drizzle lemon juice and olive oil, eye-balling it all. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. DONE.

For my quick version of Persian rice, click here. Another constant presence at our table, as Phil simply adores it. So there you go, a typical dinner “chez nous”, I hope you incorporate some of these dishes into your weekly rotation!

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5Sep2023

TOMATO AND FRESH PEACH SALAD

Posted in Salads, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

You cannot go much simpler than this… Two main ingredients, juicy tomatoes and fresh yellow peaches, a simple dressing, and you are done. Not to mention the presentation that makes it all shine. You definitely need this salad in your life…

TOMATO AND FRESH PEACH SALAD
(very slightly modified from Mother Would Know)

2 Large fresh tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch slices, each slice halved in half-moons
2 Large peaches, cut into half, then cut each half into 1/2-inch half-moons
1 tablespoon Olive oil
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
Pomegranate molasses to taste
Handful of fresh basil leaves, torn or cut in half if large
2-3 Large pinches Maldon sea salt
Freshly ground pepper

I used yellow and red tomatoes, alternating colors. Arrange the slices of tomatoes and peaches in a circular pattern around a dinner plate (mine was 8 inch in diameter), and place basil leaves in between some of the slices, any amount you like.

Whisk the olive oil and balsamic vinegar together in a small bowl, add to the tomato-peach mixture. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle a little pomegranate molasses all over. If you have time, allow it to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I love peaches but do not care for the texture of the skin when I eat the fresh fruit, however in this preparation the dressing takes care of my “issues” and I enjoyed it without reservation. Peaches and tomatoes are yet another match made in heaven, this one new to me. Huge thanks to Laura for bringing this into my cooking world!

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