all things food
When warmer weather arrives, we’re suckers for the classic combination of chips and salsa. This vibrant, roasted salsa verde is the perfect companion to crispy tortilla chips, tacos, enchiladas, salads, and beyond!
We trialed a raw version (hoping the…
When warmer weather arrives, we’re suckers for the classic combination of chips and salsa. This vibrant, roasted salsa verde is the perfect companion to crispy tortilla chips, tacos, enchiladas, salads, and beyond!
We trialed a raw version (hoping the raw would work for an easy, heat-free option), but it didn’t quite compare to the smoky depth of flavor we achieved with the roasted version. It’s well worth the little bit of extra effort!
I am all about vegetarian tacos, they are my favorite. I love creating fun and delicious veggie tacos like my Roasted Cauliflower Chickpea Tacos and my Sweet Potato Tacos, but these Easy Vegetarian Tacos are my GO TO! I make them almost every week. I l…
I am all about vegetarian tacos, they are my favorite. I love creating fun and delicious veggie tacos like my Roasted Cauliflower Chickpea Tacos and my Sweet Potato Tacos, but these Easy Vegetarian Tacos are my GO TO! I make them almost every week. I love that they have a variety of vegetables and they…
The post Easy Vegetarian Tacos appeared first on Two Peas & Their Pod.
This Curry Chickpea Salad is a fast and easy no-cook lunch that’s perfect for summer. Light, fresh, filling, tangy, and flavorful!
The post Curry Chickpea Salad appeared first on Budget Bytes.
Y’all know I love chickpeas. They’re easy to prepare, versatile, cheap, and full of fiber and other goodies! Chickpea salads have become one of my favorite easy preparations for chickpeas, especially now that it’s mid-summer and a million degrees out. Today I made a light and tangy Curry Chickpea Salad, that you can eat as a wrap, stuffed into a pita, or piled on top of a fresh green salad. It only takes a few minutes to prepare and makes a super tasty lunch!
There are so many different types of curry powder out there and they all have a unique flavor. I haven’t yet met a curry powder that I don’t like, so I can’t suggest one over another, but I’ve tried a few different brands such as Sharwoods, 365, Spice Islands, and Simply Organic. If you want to try making your own curry powder at home, here is a great recipe for curry powder from Hari Ghotra, along with a ton of great info about curry powder, its origins, and ways it can be used.
As I mentioned in the intro, there are a few different ways to eat this Curry Chickpea Salad. I stuffed it into a pita with some lettuce for the photos here, but I’ve also wrapped it up in a tortilla to make a wrap sandwich. You can also scoop it on top of a green salad, or smash up the chickpeas and dip into it with crackers or vegetables.
I didn’t smash the chickpeas this time, but I often do to create a different texture in the salad. It really just depends on what texture you prefer or how you plan to serve it.
Chickpea salads are fun because you can add all sorts of other ingredients to make it fancy, if you have them. I think a grated carrot or diced red bell pepper would add a nice texture and the sweetness would work well with the curry flavor. Finely diced celery would also add a nice crunch, as would some slivered almonds. A few raisins would add a fun pop of sweetness. And lastly, if you can’t do red onion, sliced green onion would be a nice mild option to use in their place.
Love chickpea salads? Try my Scallion Herb Chickpea Salad, Pesto Chickpea Salad, or Sriracha Chickpea Salad Wraps.
First, make the yogurt curry dressing. Stir together ⅓ cup plain yogurt, ½ tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp honey, 1.5 tsp curry powder, and ⅛ tsp salt. You can use regular-style or Greek-style yogurt, keeping in mind that Greek yogurt will make a very thick dressing.
Rinse and drain one 15oz. can of chickpeas. Finely dice ¼ cup red onion and chop about ¼ cup cilantro. If you want the onions to have a softer flavor, you can slice them first and soak in cold water for about 5 minutes before finely chopping.
Pour the prepared dressing over the ingredients in the bowl.
Stir until everything is combined, give it a taste, and then adjust the salt or other ingredients to your liking. At this point, you can either leave the chickpeas whole or smash them up a bit. It’s up to you!
Today I left my chickpeas whole, but if I were going to serve them with crackers for scooping I’d probably mash them up a bit so the chickpeas don’t roll off the crackers. :) Enjoy your quick, cold, no-cook lunch!
The post Curry Chickpea Salad appeared first on Budget Bytes.
The summer produce is so good right now, I can’t get enough. I have been making lots and lots of salads: cucumber salad, tomato salad, easy orzo salad, watermelon salad…just to name a few! At the market, I picked up blueberries and sweet co…
The summer produce is so good right now, I can’t get enough. I have been making lots and lots of salads: cucumber salad, tomato salad, easy orzo salad, watermelon salad…just to name a few! At the market, I picked up blueberries and sweet corn because they looked so good. I made one of my favorite…
The post Blueberry Corn Salad appeared first on Two Peas & Their Pod.
Fresh and juicy summer sweet corn makes the best corn salsa for topping tacos, salads, bowl meals, or dipping with your favorite chips.
The post Sweet Corn Salsa appeared first on Budget Bytes.
If you’ve never raw fresh sweet corn, let this recipe be a sign that you totally need to try it. Fresh sweet corn is one of the best parts of summer and when it’s raw it is deliciously sweet, crunchy, and *juicy*. And this Fresh Sweet Corn Salsa is the perfect way for you to dip your toes into the waters and experience the awesomeness that is raw sweet corn.
I like to keep things simple in life, so I made my corn salsa super simple, kind of like a pico de gallo with corn. It has fresh sweet corn, tomatoes, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. That’s it! It hits all my favorite flavor elements: sweet, salty, acidic, and spicy!
You don’t have to use fresh corn for this salsa, but it’s definitely going to make the salsa top-notch. If you want to make this salsa in the off-season or just don’t have good fresh corn available, the next best choice would be frozen corn. I don’t suggest canned corn for this recipe because it will definitely throw the flavor off since it is canned in liquid that usually contains both sugar and salt.
If you want to use fresh corn but just don’t want to use raw corn, grilling the corn first will give this salsa a nice smokey flavor. You can also just do your usual boil, steam, or oven roasting.
If you need help knowing how to pick the best fresh corn, check out this short tutorial from Taste of Home about How to Pick the Best Corn.
If you do want to fancy it up some, here are some other great flavors that would be awesome in corn salsa:
Corn salsa is that great all-purpose summer condiment or side. You can serve it on things or just as a sort of side salad to your meal. I served mine this week on top of my Fish Tacos, but it would also be great with Beef Taco Skillet, Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas, Easy Cilantro Chicken, Creamy White Bean and Spinach Quesadillas, or Black Bean and Avocado Enchiladas.
Remove the husk and silk from three ears of fresh sweet corn. Slice the stem off the bottom to create a flat surface on which to stand the ear of corn. Stand the ear up on its end, then use a sharp knife to slice downward to remove the kernels. I like to do this on a rimmed baking sheet to catch the kernels as they fall.
Dice three Roma tomatoes. Try to make it a small dice, similar in size to the corn kernels.
Remove the seeds from one jalapeño, then finely dice. Finely dice about ¼ cup red onion and roughly chop about ¼ cup fresh cilantro.
Add the corn, tomatoes, jalapeño, red onion, and cilantro to a bowl. Squeeze the juice from one lime, then add about 2 Tbsp of the juice to the bowl. Sprinkle ½ tsp salt over top.
Stir until everything is combined and coated in juice and salt.
Serve immediately or refrigerate for later. If refrigerating, make sure to give it a good stir before serving to redistribute the juices.
The post Sweet Corn Salsa appeared first on Budget Bytes.
Are you ready for the best healthy sandwich recipe? This Smashed Chickpea & Avocado Salad Sandwich is my all-time favorite. Two of my favorite ingredients, chickpeas and avocado, come together to create the most amazing salad sandwich. It is kind o…
Are you ready for the best healthy sandwich recipe? This Smashed Chickpea & Avocado Salad Sandwich is my all-time favorite. Two of my favorite ingredients, chickpeas and avocado, come together to create the most amazing salad sandwich. It is kind of a twist on egg salad, but there are no eggs involved. The creaminess comes…
The post Smashed Chickpea & Avocado Salad Sandwich appeared first on Two Peas & Their Pod.
We have big plans for summer, friends. Plans that include tacos (which are coming very soon and are totally swoon-worthy). And a taco isn’t a taco without delicious toppings, so we dreamt up a slaw using an often-underutilized vegetable that deserves s…
We have big plans for summer, friends. Plans that include tacos (which are coming very soon and are totally swoon-worthy). And a taco isn’t a taco without delicious toppings, so we dreamt up a slaw using an often-underutilized vegetable that deserves some more love: jicama!
This slaw caught us off guard with how delicious, fresh, and versatile it is! It includes a unique pairing of lime and balsamic vinegar for an equal balance of brightness, acidity, and subtle sweetness (trust us — sounds weird, but it totally works).
I know, I kind of have a quinoa salad obsession, but I am not going to apologize for sharing another quinoa salad recipe because I know you are going to LOVE this one. This Charred Corn & Avocado Quinoa Salad is incredible! It is loaded with flavor…
I know, I kind of have a quinoa salad obsession, but I am not going to apologize for sharing another quinoa salad recipe because I know you are going to LOVE this one. This Charred Corn & Avocado Quinoa Salad is incredible! It is loaded with flavor and the perfect side dish for summertime. I…
The post Charred Corn & Avocado Quinoa Salad appeared first on Two Peas & Their Pod.
When the summer heat is at full blast and the last thing you want to do is cook, it’s time to make Gazpacho. It’s cold, refreshing, it only takes a few minutes to make, and you never have to turn on the stove. Plus, the leftovers are *chef’s kiss* delicious, so you can eat for […]
The post Summer Gazpacho appeared first on Budget Bytes.
When the summer heat is at full blast and the last thing you want to do is cook, it’s time to make Gazpacho. It’s cold, refreshing, it only takes a few minutes to make, and you never have to turn on the stove. Plus, the leftovers are *chef’s kiss* delicious, so you can eat for the next few days with no extra work! So hit up those summer farmers’ markets, grab some fresh produce, and let’s make some gazpacho!
Originally posted 5-3-2010, updated 7-3-2021.
Gazpacho is a cold, tomato-based soup made with puréed vegetables and other ingredients like bread, herbs, or even fruit. It kind of reminds me of salsa, but with a different flavor profile (so if you’ve ever been tempted to eat salsa straight, gazpacho might be for you). This recipe originated in the Iberian peninsula, namely Portugal and Spain, and has since spread around the world. And like many recipes that have been around for hundreds of years, there are many interpretations of this classic summer soup.
My interpretation of gazpacho is definitely a little non-traditional. For one, I used canned crushed tomatoes and vegetable juice (like V8) in place of fresh tomatoes. Yes, this will make some people clutch their pearls, but I like the full-bodied flavor that the crushed tomatoes bring to the party. Second, I don’t use bread in my gazpacho, which is a common ingredient in traditional gazpacho recipes. Blending a soft bread into the soup gives it an almost creamy flavor and is another way of adding body, so the soup isn’t too watery.
CHILLED. While this soup is pretty tasty even at room temperature, it’s ultra-refreshing when chilled and can really take the edge off that intense summer heat. I like to serve it with some crusty bread on the side for dipping, because every meal is better with a little crusty bread on the side, IMHO. It would also be great with some garlic bread, a grilled cheese sandwich, or even some cold pasta salad on the side. And if you want to add a little protein, a few cooled cooked shrimp would be marvelous in this soup!
Gazpacho is wonderful because it’s very flexible, and that’s another reason there are so many interpretations of this delicious soup. Here are some other ingredients you can toss in, if you have them on hand:
In addition to adding ingredients into your gazpacho, you can have a lot of fun with the toppings. Here are some ideas for topping your gazpacho:
Add one 15oz. can crushed tomatoes and 1 cup vegetable juice (like V8 juice) to a food processor or blender.
Cut ½ sweet onion (about 1 cup) and 1/2 cucumber (about 2 cups) into chunks. You can peel the cucumber or leave it unpeeled. Peeling the cucumber will allow your gazpacho to have a more vibrant red color. Wash the parsley and cilantro well. Mince the garlic. Add the onion, cucumber, ½ cup fresh parsley, ½ cup fresh cilantro, one garlic clove (minced), 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp salt, ¼ tsp freshly cracked pepper, and 2 tsp lemon juice to the food processor or blender.
Purée the ingredients, or leave them slightly chunky, if you prefer. Taste the gazpacho and adjust the salt, pepper, or lemon to your liking. Chill the soup for about 30 minutes before serving. It’s not a bad idea to give it one final taste after refrigeration, as the flavors will begin to melt and shift as the soup refrigerates.
Dice the avocado and add chunks to each bowl. I also like to drizzle just a bit more olive oil and sprinkle a little extra pepper over each bowl, but that’s optional. The avocado really takes it to the next level, though, so I wouldn’t skip that!
Enjoy that cool, refreshing tomato-cucumber flavor!
The post Summer Gazpacho appeared first on Budget Bytes.
It’s time to get snacking with this fresh and festive Blueberry, Strawberry, and Jicama Salsa. It is one of my favorite recipes to make for the 4th of July, Memorial Day, Labor Day, or really any day! It is so simple to make and so good with salt…
It’s time to get snacking with this fresh and festive Blueberry, Strawberry, and Jicama Salsa. It is one of my favorite recipes to make for the 4th of July, Memorial Day, Labor Day, or really any day! It is so simple to make and so good with salty tortilla chips. It is always a crowd…
The post Blueberry, Strawberry & Jicama Salsa appeared first on Two Peas & Their Pod.