Garbanzo and Black Bean Turkey Chili

If you’ve been paying attention, you know by now that when anything with beans is on the menu, it means my dad is out of town.

My dad is with the U.S. men’s water polo team at the world championships in Barcelona, so I got the expected mid day call from my mother requesting one of her favorite things. Chili. On a ninety degree day.

Most might think this is a ridiculous request, but she gave me life and she let me live at home for free. So mommy gets what mommy wants.

Turkey makes this chili a little lighter and as “summery” as chili can get. Allright, “summery” is probably a stretch, but it was really tasty.

You will need…

2 tablespoons olive oil,

2 onions, cut into ½ inch dice

3 bell peppers (assorted colors), cut into ½ inch dice

1 serrano chili, seeds and membranes removed and finely chopped

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 ½ lb ground turkey

2 ½ tablespoons chili powder

1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

¾ cup blonde beer

28-ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes

15-ounce can garbanzo beans, drained

15-ounce can black beans, drained

Salt and pepper to taste

Your favorite chili garnishes (cilantro, avocado, cheddar cheese, diced onions)

In a large pot, heat the oil. When the oil is hot, add in the onions and bell peppers and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened.

Add in the Serrano and garlic to the pot and cook until the garlic is fragrant.

Add in the turkey and cook, breaking up any lumps with a spoon, until the meat is white throughout, about 4 minutes.

Stir in the chili powder, paprika, cumin and season well with salt and pepper.

Add in the beer and bring the liquid to a simmer. Cook down the alcohol for 3 to 4 minutes.

Pour in the tomatoes and beans and bring the chili back to a simmer.

Simmer over medium heat until the chili has thickened. About 20 minutes.

Season well with salt and pepper and served hot topped with your favorite chili toppers.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Garbanzo and Black Bean Turkey Chili

2 tablespoons olive oil,

2 onions, cut into ½ inch dice

3 bell peppers (assorted colors), cut into ½ inch dice

1 serrano chili, seeds and membranes removed and finely chopped

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 ½ lb ground turkey

2 ½ tablespoons chili powder

1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

¾ cup blonde beer

28-ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes

15-ounce can garbanzo beans, drained

15-ounce can black beans, drained

Salt and pepper to taste

Your favorite chili garnishes (cilantro, avocado, cheddar cheese, diced onions)

In a large pot, heat the oil. When the oil is hot, add in the onions and bell peppers and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened.

Add in the Serrano and garlic to the pot and cook until the garlic is fragrant.

Add in the turkey and cook, breaking up any lumps with a spoon, until the meat is white throughout, about 4 minutes.

Stir in the chili powder, paprika, cumin and season well with salt and pepper.

Add in the beer and bring the liquid to a simmer. Cook down the alcohol for 3 to 4 minutes.

Pour in the tomatoes and beans and bring the chili back to a simmer.

Simmer over medium heat until the chili has thickened. About 20 minutes.

Season well with salt and pepper and served hot topped with your favorite chili toppers. 

Sesame Roasted Chickpeas

Your really don’t know if a relationship will work out until you have your first challenging travel obstacle together.

Not a couple-hour drive.

Not a one-hour flight.

I’m talking about a flight that is cross-country or longer or a drive that covers multiple states.

Unless you live in a really tiny country or state where it takes very little time to travel that distance. In that case, think of a really big country or state and use that as your reference point.

Saturday, Wesley and I faced our first travel obstacle. A five-hour flight to Hawaii.

Obviously as far as great distance trips go, this was an easy one. We know that we are headed somewhere really great so it is easing the travel stress for both of us. But there are still issues to be ironed out.

Do you want to get there super early, or are you like me and you want to get there with little time to spare? Do you pack a week in advance as opposed to my ten hours in advance? Are you going to need food on the plane? Because I freaking will!

But despite my traveling style, Wes and I made it to Maui in one piece and actually had a great time while doing it.

We even took turns napping on each-others shoulders. Drool and all.

That must be love.

And now that we are here we are enjoying some delicious appetizers while we watch the sun go down over a neighboring island.

This being one of my current favorites.

You will need…

2 cans of chickpeas (garbanzo beans)

3 tablespoons sesame oil

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar

3 tablespoons sesame seeds

Start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees F.

Then, drains your beans of all their juice and rinse them well.

Dry all the beans well with a towel and spread them over a baking sheet that is lined with aluminum foil or a silicone baking mat.

Roast the chickpeas for 45 to 60 minutes. Just until they are crunchy all the way through.

If the are still soft in the middle, they need to keep baking.

As soon as the chickpeas are done, remove them from the heat and toss them with the oil, sugar, soy and sesame seeds.

Toss them well and serve hot.

Aloha!

Angela 

P.S. Are you jealous yet?

Sesame Roasted Chickpeas

2 cans of chickpeas (garbanzo beans)

3 tablespoons sesame oil

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar

3 tablespoons sesame seeds

Start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees F.

Then, drains your beans of all their juice and rinse them well.

Dry all the beans well with a towel and spread them over a baking sheet that is lined with aluminum foil or a silicone baking mat.

Roast the chickpeas for 45 to 60 minutes. Just until they are crunchy all the way through.

If the are still soft in the middle, they need to keep baking.

As soon as the chickpeas are done, remove them from the heat and toss them with the oil, sugar, soy and sesame seeds.

Toss them well and serve hot.

Pesto Chicken, Chickpea and Pickled Onion Salad

Let’s talk about health baby.

Come August, Wesley and I are taking our first vacation together. We are headed to Maui with his family and I am literally counting down the days. Seventy-two days to be exact.

And while I am crazy excited, it’s time for me to buckle down get serious about getting shape. Which is a two sided task. Not only do I need to buckle down in the gym and on the yoga mat, I need to be a little better about what I’m eating.

My friend Morgan and I have even resolved to send each other daily emails to help each other track our progress. Girly, I know. But necessary for me. I’ve never been a particularly self disciplined person.

So Tuesday I made a delicious salad that was satisfying and fit in with my health goals.

And most importantly, made awesome leftovers.

You will need…

5 chicken tenders (smaller cut chicken breast that cook more evenly)

½ large cucumber, thinly sliced

3 celery stalks, chopped

1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained

basil pesto

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

½ cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by combining your red onions, sugar and vinegar in a small bowl so that all the onions are soaking in the vinegar.

Allow them to sit for at least 1 hour, but up to overnight.

Then, season your chicken lightly with salt and pepper.

Cook your chicken on a grill pan or on the grill over a medium heat for about 4 minutes a side. Flipping once.

When the chicken has cooked, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool enough for you to handle.

While the chicken is cooling, combine the cucumber, tomato, chickpeas and celery in a medium sized bowl.

As soon as the chicken has cooled, use 2 forks to pull the chicken apart till its shredded.

Add the shredded chicken and the pesto to the salad mixture and toss everything well.

Finally, add in the pickled onions and their vinegar and toss it again.

Serve warm, or cooled.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

5 chicken tenders (smaller cut chicken breast that cook more evenly)

½ large cucumber, thinly sliced

3 celery stalks, chopped

1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained

1/3 cup basil pesto

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

½ cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by combining your red onions, sugar and vinegar in a small bowl so that all the onions are soaking in the vinegar.

Allow them to sit for at least 1 hour, but up to overnight.

Then, season your chicken lightly with salt and pepper.

Cook your chicken on a grill pan or on the grill over a medium heat for about 4 minutes a side. Flipping once.

When the chicken has cooked, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool enough for you to handle.

While the chicken is cooling, combine the cucumber, tomato, chickpeas and celery in a medium sized bowl.

As soon as the chicken has cooled, use 2 forks to pull the chicken apart till its shredded.

Add the shredded chicken and the pesto to the salad mixture and toss everything well.

Finally, add in the pickled onions and their vinegar and toss it again.

Serve warm, or cooled. 

White Bean and Parsley Dip

The thing that I’ve noticed about any dish that has the word “dip” in it, usually means it’s really bad for you.

French dip?

Bad.

Spinach artichoke dip?

Sounds healthy, but really bad.

Dip’n’Dots.

Looks harmless. Still bad.

I would keep going with examples, but long ago I learned of the writing rule of three. That and I’m out of good ones.

Basically, every time I make a dish with the word “dip” in it, I stop actually wanting to eat the dish.

Unless it’s delicious enough of course.

This is the first dip that I have encountered that didn’t make my arteries freeze up in fear.

The bonus is it tastes yummy.

You will need…

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

2 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup olive oil, plus 4 tablespoons

1/4 cup (loosely packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Here comes the really hard part.

In a food processor or blender, mix the beans, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and parsley.

Pulse the mixture until it is coarsely mixed.

Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a small serving bowl.

Serve with pita, pita chips or veggies.

Dip THAT!

Love and Beer Floats

Angela