Sandy's Cool Recipe - Lunch #1

Chickpea Salad

 🍴Kitchen tools:

• 1 large mixing bowl
• Can opener
• Strainer
• Knife and cutting board

📋Ingredients:

• 10 branches of fresh dill
• ½  lemon
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 large red onion
• 1 can of chickpeas
• 1 tbsp pepper
• 1 tbsp thyme
• 1 tbsp basil
• 3 tbsp olive oil

📢Directions:

1. Peel the skin off the red onion and dice into small pieces (real men cry during this!). lace the diced onions into the large mixing bowl. 
2. Use the can opener to open the can of chickpeas and drain it in a strainer. Rinse the chickpeas under lukewarm water to remove the preservatives. Dry the chickpeas before placing them into the mixing bowl. 
3. Chop the dill into fine pieces before placing into the mixing bowl.
4. Squeeze ½ lemon into the bowl and ensure none of the seeds get into salad. Mix all the ingredients in the bowl until well incorporated.
5. Season the salad with 1 tsp of salt, pepper, basil and thyme.
6. Add 3 tbsp of olive oil into the salad. 
7. Refrigerate overnight for best results.

📹Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaJTVZUeyYQ&t=12s 

🍏Nutrition Information🍏

Ingredient	Notable Micronutrients (% Daily Value)	Health benefits
Fresh Dill- 1 tbsp (0.55g)	Calories-0.2 Potassium- 4.1mg	Can help protect against free radicals (contains antioxidants)
Lemon- 1 fruit (108g)	Calories- 22 Carbohydrates- 12g Fiber- 5.1g (21% DV) Potassium- 157mg Vitamin C- 83mg (139% DV) Copper (15% DV)	Low in fats, cholesterol, and sodium Good source of dietary fiber, Vitamin C, and other micronutrients
Red Onion- 1 medium onion (110g)	Calories- 44 Carbohydrates- 10g Potassium- 161mg Vitamin B6 (11% DV) Manganese (8% DV)	Great source of micronutrients including vitamin B6 and manganese
Salt/Sodium- 1 tbsp (18g)	Calories- 0 Sodium- 6976mg (291% DV)	Should be consumed in moderation
Pepper- 1 tbsp (6.4g)	Calories- 16 Carbohydrate- 4.1g Dietary Fiber- 1.6g Manganese (41% DV)	Low in fat, cholesterol, and sodium Source of other micronutrients
Chickpeas- 1 cup (240g)	Calories- 211 Sodium- 667mg (28% DV) Carbohydrate- 32 g Dietary Fiber- 11g (43% DV) Protein- 12g Vitamin B6 (88% DV) Iron (37% DV) Manganese (99% DV) Copper (19% DV)	Great source of micronutrients, and a gluten-free and vegan option for protein and fiber
Thyme- 1 tbsp (2.7g)	Calories-7.5 Carbohydrates- 1.7g Fiber- 1g (4% DV) Iron (42% DV) Vitamin K (39% DV)	Rich in micronutrients and dietary fiber
Basil- 1 tbsp (2.1g)	Calories-5 Carbohydrates-1g Fiber 0.8g (4% DV) Vitamin K (31% DV) Iron (24%)	Rich in micronutrients and dietary fiber
Olive Oil- 1 tbsp (13.5g)	Calories- 119 Fat- 13.5 (Monounsat 9.8g, Sat 1.9g) Vitamin E- (13% DV)	High level of monounsaturated fatty acids, which help lower risks of heart disease, and also rich in fat-soluble vitamins like K and E

Sandy's Magic Recipe - Lunch #2

Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

🍴Kitchen tools:

• Knife and Cutting Board
• Oven
• Small baking pan
• Aluminum foil

📋Ingredients:

• 7 medium sized mushrooms
• 1 tbsp basil
• 1 tbsp thyme
• Shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup Original Philadelphia cream cheese

📢Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Cut and remove the stems from the mushrooms and scoop out the inside flesh. Save the flesh in a bowl.
3. Place ½ cup of softened Philadelphia cream cheese in a bowl.
4. Season the cream cheese with 1 tsp of basil and 1 tsp of thyme. Mix until the herbs are well incorporated.
5. Fill the mushroom cups with 1 tsp of the cream cheese spread and top with shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese.
6. Place the mushrooms on the baking pan lined with aluminum foil and place it in the oven.
7. Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the mushrooms are cooked.
8. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool for 5-20 minutes. 

📹Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mr4D43Xq0yE 

🍏Nutrition Information🍏

Ingredient	Notable Micronutrients (% Daily Value)	Health Benefits
Mushroom- 1 mushroom (19g)	Calories-6.5 Sodium-1.7mg Carbohydrate-1.3g Vitamin B6-0.1mg (5% DV) Niacin-0.7mg (4% DV)	Low in Carbohydrate Rich in other micronutrients
Original Cream Cheese-1 tbsp (15g)	Calories-50 Fat-5g (Sat 2.8g, Unsat 1.2g) Cholesterol-16mg Sodium-53mg Vitamin A (6% DV)	Available in other fat free or low fat variations which have 16 and 30g per serving Source of other micronutrients
Basil- 1 tbsp (2.1g)	Calories-5 Carbohydrates-1g Fiber 0.8g (4% DV) Vitamin K (31% DV) Iron (24%)	Rich in micronutrients and dietary fiber
Thyme- 1 tbsp (2.7g)	Calories-7.5 Carbohydrates- 1.7g Fiber- 1g (4% DV) Iron (42% DV) Vitamin K (39% DV)	Rich in micronutrients and dietary fiber
Mozzarella Cheese - (28g)	Calories- 85, 115 Fat- 6g, 10g Cholesterol- 22mg, 29mg Sodium- 178mg, 183mg Calcium (15%, 20% DV) Phosphorus (11%, 14% DV)	Good source of calcium, and other micronutrients like phosphorus and zinc depending on the variation of cheese

Thank you to Sajad for trying out this recipe! Looks fantastic (see picture above)! 

Abrar's Fun Falafel Recipe!

Ingredients:
- Chickpeas (2 cups dry)
- 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
- 3-4 cloves of garlic
- Fresh dill (about 15 stems)
- Fresh parsley (about 20 stems)
- Ground coriander seed
- Ground cumin seed
- Salt and Pepper
- Flour
- Baking powder (optional)
- Sesame seeds (about 1/3 cup) Optional

So full disclosure, I don’t have a measured recipe per se, I just throw things together and that’s kind of why two batches never taste the same! (Also why I don’t have quantities above^)
Start by soaking your chickpeas, for 12 to 24 hours. I find the longer you soak the better, but don’t go beyond 24 hours. Drain the water and soak with different water every 8 hours. (to prevent the beans from fermenting)
Once your beans are soaked rinse them and dry them as best as you can. 
Place them in a food processor with the onion, garlic, dill, parsley and spices and pulse, you want a texture that resembles rough sand. It’s ok if it’s not all the same texture; that makes the end result better.
Pour it into a bowl and add about 2 tablespoons of flour, a tablespoon of baking powder and the sesame seeds. (the baking powder is optional but results in fluffier, airier falafel) and mix. Now you have to test if the batter is ready for frying or if it needs more flour. Grab a spoonful of the mixture and squeeze it into your hand, if it holds together its ready, if not add more flour until you achieve this. 
Now you are ready to ball, but what I usually do is fry a test one to adjust salt and seasoning.
To ball them up, grab a spoonful and squeeze it in your hand. You can fry immediately or freeze for a later date. You can also bake them but the result won’t be the same.
To fry them heat oil in a pan. You want enough oil to deep fry the falafel. Oil temperature is really important, you want it hot enough to fry it and cook it thoroughly. So not so hot that the outside cooks and the inside is raw and not so cold that the fritter absorbs all the oil.

If you have an oil thermometer, you want 350 degrees.

Fry until golden brown and enjoy!!

Abrar's Amazing Quinoa Buddha Bowl!

One of my favorite meals! 😋

Ingredients (serves 2 adults and 1 child)

Quinoa:

• 1 cup of quinoa
• 1.5-2 cups of water, veggie or chicken stock
• ½-1 teaspoon of salt
• Juice from half a lemon (optional)

Toppings:

• Onion ( 1 medium)
• Mushrooms (1 tray)
• Green peppers (1/2 green pepper)
• Corn (about 3/4 cups)
• Black beans (about 1 cup)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ½ teaspoon of ground coriander and cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (optional)
• Guacamole or avocado dressing (recipe follows) This is optional as well

Start by making the quinoa. Remember quinoa amount triples when cooked so measure accordingly. The typical ratio of quinoa to liquid is 1 part quinoa to 2 parts liquid. But I prefer 1 part quinoa to 1.5 parts liquid, that gives the quinoa more of a bite which is my preferred texture. You can experiment with the two and choose your favorite. Before cooking the quinoa rinse it thoroughly, this ensures that your cooked quinoa won’t have a bitter taste. Then add your rinsed quinoa (e.g. 1 cup) into a pot and add your liquid (e.g. 1.5 or 2 cups, depending on your preference) the liquid in this case can be water, veggie stock or chicken stock. Finally add the salt/seasoning, I add about 1 teaspoon but it really varies according to your taste. Put the lid (preferably tight fitting) on the pot and bring to a boil. If you don’t have a tight fitting lid you can use aluminum foil. Once it is boiling, lower the temperature and leave it simmer for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes take off the lid and fluff it with a fork. At this point I like to add the juice from half a lemon but this is totally optional.

For the toppings of the bowl, the sky is the limit. You can roast your favorite veggies and dress it with your preferred dressing. I make a variation with green lentils, roasted sweet potato, zucchini and eggplant and dress it with a tahini dressing. But for this recipe, I sauté onions and mushrooms in a little oil in a pan until the mushrooms are golden. Then I add the peppers, corn and black beans. I season with salt, pepper, ground cumin, ground coriander and a touch of cayenne pepper. Top the quinoa with this mixture, then if preferred, add the guacamole or avocado dressing and enjoy!!

Guacamole:

3 ripe avocados

Juice of one lime

½ a tomato finely diced

½ a small red onion finely diced

Salt to taste

Ground cumin and cayenne

Optional: jalapenos and cilantro (yuck)

Mash avocado with a potato masher with lime. Add the remaining ingredients and mix together.

Avocado dressing (this is an alternative to the Guac)

Place 2-3 ripe avocados in a blender with the juice of one lime, salt and pepper to taste. Blend until desired consistency and drizzle over bowl. If it’s too thick thin with water or more lime juice.