Sautéed Green Beans With Lemon Zest, Fresh Mint, & Crispy Chickpea Crumbs

Sautéed Green Beans with Lemon Zest, 

Fresh Mint & Crispy Chickpea Crumbs

Green Beans can be elegantly dressed with just a few simple ingredients such as fresh mint and lemon zest. Topping them with a chickpea crumb is a great dairy- and gluten-free alternative for added nutrients and nutty flavour. This recipe makes more chickpea crumbs than needed. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to two weeks. They are delicious sprinkled on roasted vegetables, pasta, salads and soups.

Crispy Chick Pea Crumbs
1 can (540 mL) chickpeas
1 tbsp (15 mL) extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp (2 mL) garlic powder
½ tsp (2 mL) freshly ground pepper

Green Beans
2 tbsp (30 mL) extra virgin olive oil
1 lb (455 g) fresh green beans, trimmed
1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp (30 mL) fresh mint, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Zest of 1 lemon

Directions:

To make crispy chickpeas, preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).

Drain and rinse chickpeas in strainer. Place on plate lined with paper towel. Blot chickpeas with a paper towel to remove excess water. Remove any loose skins and place chickpeas on a large baking sheet. Toss them with the oil, garlic powder and pepper. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until golden and crisp, stirring them after 15 minutes. Check chickpeas during the last 5 minutes to avoid burning. Remove chickpeas from oven and set aside to cool. Blend cooled chickpeas in a food processor for approximately 30 seconds.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add green beans, cook and stir for 5 to 6 minutes for a crispy bean or longer until a desired tenderness. Place green beans on large platter, toss with lemon juice and fresh mint and season with salt and pepper. Top with lemon zest and 1 tbsp (15 mL) or more, to your preference, of chickpea crumbs.   Serves 6

Fresh Herb Falafel With Bread

Fresh Herb Falafel With Bread

Ingredients:  

For the Falafel

1/2 cup dry (uncooked) chickpeas
1/2 cup dry peeled fava beans (be sure they're the pale, peel dry favas, not the dark unpeeled favas which won't work)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup mint leaves
3/4 cup flat leaf parsley leaves
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1 small jalepeno, ribs and seeds removed and coarsely chopped or 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup coarsely chopped yellow onion (1 small onion)
1/2 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon baking soda
Safflower or canola oil, for frying (about 3 cups)

For the Tahini Sauce:
3/4 cup yogurt or laban
1/3 cup tahini (stir before measuring)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 clove garlic, green sprout removed and minced
Juice of 1 lemon

Directions:
In a medium bowl, cover the chickpeas and fava beans with cool water by several inches. Soak them overnight and up to 24 hours.

Drain the chickpeas and fava beans. In the food processor, process them with a teaspoon of salt until they are ground to a coarse crumb. Add the mint, parsley, cilantro, jalepneo, garlic, onion, and sesame seeds and pulse until everything is finely ground and the mixture is a fine, web crumb—but not pureed. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, stir in the baking soda, and chill for at least 30 minutes and up to one day.

To make the tahini sauce, process the yogurt, tahini, salt, and garlic until combined. Pour in the lemon juice and pulse to combine. Taste and adjust the seasonings so that the sauce has a nutty flavor of tahini with a bit of the tang of the yogurt.

Heat the oil in a 2-quart saucepan or sauté pan until a pinch of herb dropped in floats and bubbles dramatically. Using an ice cream scoop or a large spoon, pack the falafel mixture tightly in to the scoop to form 2-inch ovals, and fry a few at a time until they are golden brown, flipping them over with tongs as soon as they are browned on one side. Remove the falafel from the oil with the tongs to a paper towel-lined plate, and fry the remaining falafel in the same way.

Serve the falafel hot with the tahini sauce on the side or drizzled over top.

Lemony Salmon With Spiced Chickpeas

Lemony Salmon With Spiced Chickpeas

Yield 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 lemon, thinly sliced and seeds removed

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling

1 1/2 lb salmon with skin on

1/2 tsp salt, plus more

Freshly ground black pepper

1 15 oz. can chickpeas, rinsed, patted dry

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

2 teaspoons za'tar spice

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Flaky Sea salt

Directions:
Place rack in the lower third of oven; to preheat to 300*F.  Toss lemon slices in a large bowl with a drizzle of oil.  Arrange slices in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet.  Arrange lemon slices in an even layer on rimmed baking sheet.  Set salmon on lemon slices.    Season salmon all over with Kosher salt and pepper with some oil.  roast until some just barely opaque in the middle, 12- 17 minutes , depending on thickness.  If you like your salmon well-done, cook a few minutes longer, but keep in mind that you risk the chance it will dry out,  Let salmon cool and then flake into medium-size pieces with a fork.

Meanwhile bring chickpeas, garlic, za atar and remaining 1/2 cup oil to a bare simmer in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally and reducing heat if needed, 10 minutes. Stir in 1/2 tsp. kosher salt (less if your za’atar is salty) and remove skillet from heat.

1. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chickpeas to a medium bowl, leaving oil behind. Whisk lemon juice into oil; taste dressing and season with more kosher salt and a few grinds of pepper if needed.Toss arugula in a large bowl with 1 tsp. dressing. Divide among bowls along with radishes, chickpeas, and salmon (and lemons if desired); drizzle with more dressing. Sprinkle with sea salt and more pepper.