The air was more than human, and the heat was more than hungry...

It's summer, it's hot, and with temperatures sky high I prefer to eat light and refreshing dishes. I indulge in a salad almost daily, as I have been experimenting with more than just the average garden salad. This is a garbanzo ginger salad. It is sharp and bright. The fresh ginger is the star in my opinion, but this bold flavor is sweetened by the carrot. This packs the protein and nutrition for a slow picnic and walk through the park. This would also be an ideal dish to take to your next summer picnic, as it can stand up to the heat. Keep cool, and I hope you all enjoy.   

You know my name, not my story. You've heard what I have done, but not what I have been through.
-anonymous

Ginger Garbanzo Salad

Ingredients

• 2 cups canned garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup cashews, lightly chopped
• 2 large carrots, finely grated
• 1 scallion, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons ginger, minced
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 2 teaspoons paprkia
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper as desired

Instruction

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Toss to combine.

Until tomorrow...Peace.

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Down the Mississippi to New Orleans...

Happy Friday! I assure you I have not let my cooking stand idle throughout my absence. With a move and a busy few months behind me I am pleased to report I will now be resuming my regular posts. I ask for your patience during this transition period, as you can imagine I have accumulated many photos and recipes while away. It is taking some time to organize the pics, and complete the recipes I have created. Enough about that, let’s talk about today’s post, stuffed zucchini with kale pesto and chicken. Since it is the season for gorgeous farmers markets, this is where I shop for fresh produce. I usually attend the markets without a plan, and purchase the freshest brightest looking goodies. Now comes the fun part, deciding how to prepare these gems. My favorite stand, at the Saturday market I attend, allows patrons to walk up on a large flatbed and pick from an array of delights. The kale has been wonderful, but I found, myself in a rut. In order to get out of this routine I tried a kale pesto with walnuts. So delicious!! This recipe takes the pesto and combines it with shredded chicken and quinoa stuffed into a zucchini boat. The result is fun, healthy, and works as a wonderful freezer meal. A simple salad is a delicious accompaniment (I used fresh beets in mine). It is wonderful to be back, and I look forward to hearing how this recipe worked in your home.

Quinoa and Kale Pesto Stuffed Zucchinis

4 lovely looking zucchinis

For the pesto

1 bunch of kale

1 ¼ C walnuts

3 T grated parmesan cheese

2 garlic cloves minced

Olive Oil

For the stuffing

1 cup of cooked quinoa (according to package)

3 C shredded chicken (precooked at home or rotisserie)

Salt and pepper to taste

Pop your oven on to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

To prepare the zucchinis slice each zucchini in half and use a metal spoon to scrape out the soft middle part leaving 1/2 a cm of white flesh around the edges.  Line up each of these beauties on the prepared baking tray. To make the kale and walnut pesto, first blanch the kale in boiling water for 1 minute and then refresh in ice water (this helps keep the vibrant color). Squeeze out all the moisture and then transfer to a food processor. Add the walnuts, garlic and parmesan cheese. Pulse these ingredients while adding olive oil until smooth mixture develops.

For the chicken I roasted chicken breast and then shredded them, but you could also use a store bought rotisserie chicken. Mix chicken, quinoa, pesto, salt and pepper. Transfer the stuffing to the hollow zucchinis until all the zucchinis are tightly packed with stuffing. Bake for 10-15 minutes until zucchinis are soft and the stuffing has browned. Serve with a side salad.

Until tomorrow…Peace.

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