all things food
This is clearly not a pasta bake, but it was supposed to be one. From November to December, I was pursued with a vision of an oozy, decadent french onion pasta bake — that is, the flavors of french onion soup applied to baked pasta with …
This kale pesto pasta is deliciously vibrant and cozy. Kale pesto made with lots of parmesan and garlic is twirled into hot pasta, served with crunchy chickpeas on top and a handful of extra cheese. Delish! Going into the second week of January looking green! This super simple kale pesto pasta is served with lots […]
The post Kale Pesto Pasta with Roasted Chickpeas. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.
This kale pesto pasta is deliciously vibrant and cozy. Kale pesto made with lots of parmesan and garlic is twirled into hot pasta, served with crunchy chickpeas on top and a handful of extra cheese. Delish!
Going into the second week of January looking green!
This super simple kale pesto pasta is served with lots of parmesan cheese and a big handful of crispy chickpeas on top. Don’t forget the pile of parmesan.
It’s so satisfying!
And vibrant and pretty.
And easy!
I can’t believe I am sharing this with you guys because I have been eating a version of this recipe for… maybe, 15 years? Or close to 15 years.
I’ve never quite deemed it recipe-worthy, because it’s simple. And frankly, it happens most often based on the leftovers in my fridge.
Pesto-y pasta, topped with crispy roasted chickpeas and are one of my-go to meals. I LOVE this. It is super satisfying and filling. The components can be made ahead of time so it’s easy to have to for lunch or dinner in a pinch.
And you can switch up the flavors too! Different pesto, different cuts of pasta, different seasonings on the chickpeas.
Love a dish like this so much.
I came about this when I had roasted too many chickpeas one week. And I had a ton of leftover chickpeas by Friday, and, well… they aren’t they great and crispy after more than a week. I wanted to use them up and I didn’t have kids yet, so I couldn’t really pawn them off on to other plates in the house.
Enter a big bowl of pasta! I threw some on top and the rest is history.
It’s true – I make crispy chickpeas almost every week. I love to eat them for a snack, on salads, in pasta and more. I’ve converted many people I know to the wonders of this little treat. The texture is so incredible and I adore how satisfying the chickpeas can be.
They are a major staple here, and so is pesto.
I tend to stockpile a ton of basil pesto in my freezer for the winter months. But there is something about a hearty kale pesto in the winter. I love the mix of kale and parmesan, mixed in hot pasta with some crushed red pepper, lots of garlic and a touch of lemon.
Add that pasta and it’s dinner gold. (more…)
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Whip up a pot of this flavorful pinto beans recipe, simmered with aromatic veggies and smoky spices. It’s perfect as…
Whip up a pot of this flavorful pinto beans recipe, simmered with aromatic veggies and smoky spices. It’s perfect as a satisfying side dish or simple main dish!
There’s something so satisfying about a simple pot of beans: it’s full of protein, super economical, and an easy way to make a healthy meal. Cooking dry beans is something we used to do often, but we’ve fallen out of practice lately. So we’re resolved to get back on the train! All you need is a bit of forethought to simmer up the beans into an irresistibly creamy, savory-spiced pot of beans that works as a side dish or simple main protein. Here’s what you need to know about how to cook pinto beans from scratch!
Pinto beans are simple to whip up, and a great way to infuse plant-based protein and fiber into your every day. Sure, canned beans are convenient (and we use them often). But cooking dry beans is much more delicious and cheaper! They come out perfectly seasoned with smoky spices, and you can adjust seasonings to your taste.
This pinto beans recipe has a creamy sauce that works when serving them as a side dish or main. You can also skip the sauce if you’re simply using them in a recipe that calls for canned pinto beans. Here are the ingredients you’ll need:
This pinto beans recipe is simple and mostly hands-off, but you do have to remember to soak the beans the night before! This is the traditional method for cooking dried beans, though there is some contention over whether it’s actually necessary for modern cooks. However, in our tests we’ve found that soaking the beans overnight helps them to cook more evenly. Here are the basic steps for how to cook pinto beans:
This pinto beans recipe is quite versatile: you can make the creamy sauce if you plan to serve them as a side or main dish. Or, you can omit this step if you plan to use the beans in a recipe that calls for canned beans that are rinsed.
We highly recommend making the creamy sauce, since it’s so flavorful and perfect for making the beans work as a cohesive dish! If you eat gluten-free, you can use cornstarch for thickening.
There is some contention among modern chefs and cooks about whether it’s required to soak dried beans. We’ve tried it both ways, and we prefer the texture of the beans when you soak the night before. They generally cook more evenly than if you don’t soak them, when some can end up crunchy and others are falling apart.
However, you can omit the overnight soak in a pinch! You may need to cook the pinto beans slightly longer and add a hint more salt in the final seasoning.
Cooking 1 pound of dried beans yields about 6 cups cooked beans. Store leftovers refrigerated in their liquid for 3 to 5 days. For any beans you won’t eat before 5 days, store them frozen for up to 8 months in a sealable storage container.
If you’re using these cooked pinto beans in a recipe that calls for canned, keep in mind that 1 ½ cups pinto beans = 15 oz can.
There are lots of other ways to flavor pinto beans! The recipe as written is vegetarian and vegan (with olive oil or vegan butter). Of course, many people love to add bacon to their beans, which you can also do! Here are a few more ideas for flavoring this pinto beans recipe:
This pinto beans recipe can be used as a substitute for canned beans, but we like it best on its own as a side dish or a simple main dish! Serve it with rice and a salad for a cozy meal, or it’s versatile enough to work with a long list of main dishes. It’s especially nice to add protein to a meatless meal! Here are a few ideas:
Love cooking dried and canned beans? Here are a few more recipes to try:
Vegetarian, vegan an dairy-free. For gluten-free, use cornstarch.
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 to 2 hours
Total Time: 9 minute 
Yield: 12 ½ cup servings Whip up a pot of this flavorful pinto beans recipe, simmered with aromatic veggies and smoky spices. It’s perfect as a satisfying side dish or simple main dish!
Category: Side dish
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: VegetablesKeywords: Pinto beans, pinto beans recipe, pinto bean recipe, pinto bean
These butternut squash enchiladas are a veggie-packed version of the traditional Mexican dish. Filled with sweet roasted butternut squash and black beans and then smothered in a flavorful homemade enchiladas sauce, it is a warm and comforting dish guar…
These butternut squash enchiladas are a veggie-packed version of the traditional Mexican dish. Filled with sweet roasted butternut squash and black beans and then smothered in a flavorful homemade enchiladas sauce, it is a warm and comforting dish guaranteed to be a hit during your next Mexican-themed dinner night! For more delicious and diverse butternut...
The post Butternut Squash Enchiladas appeared first on My Pure Plants.
Make this amazing butternut squash curry by combining sweet, nutty butternut squash with a mix of aromatic spices and coconut milk. You will have a delightful dish that is easy to make and can be batch-cooked anytime. It is comfort food at its finest. …
Make this amazing butternut squash curry by combining sweet, nutty butternut squash with a mix of aromatic spices and coconut milk. You will have a delightful dish that is easy to make and can be batch-cooked anytime. It is comfort food at its finest. If you want to add more tasty curries to your weekly...
The post Butternut Squash Curry appeared first on My Pure Plants.
This is my favorite chickpea salad bowl! Loaded with arugula greens, crunchy dill croutons, chickpeas, feta, avocado, cucumbers and tomatoes, this salad tossed in a red wine vinaigrette is a satisfying meal that everyone will love. You’re going to want to dive right into this bowl! My favorite chickpea salad bowl is loaded with crunchy […]
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This is my favorite chickpea salad bowl! Loaded with arugula greens, crunchy dill croutons, chickpeas, feta, avocado, cucumbers and tomatoes, this salad tossed in a red wine vinaigrette is a satisfying meal that everyone will love.
You’re going to want to dive right into this bowl!
My favorite chickpea salad bowl is loaded with crunchy croutons, avocado, tomato, cucumbers, feta cheese and piles of arugula greens. Drizzled with a fabulous red wine dressing, it’s tart and delicious and crunchy and everything you want a good salad to be!
This salad is inspired by one at our local cafe, Mediterra – it’s their chickpea bowl – and they pretty much have the best food ever. Plus enough cheese that you can get lost in the cheese counter.
It has texture and crunch and the dressing is incredible – and I sound like a broken record but there are really only so many ways you can describe a salad that is very simple but tastes amazing at the same time.
However, I do something a little fun in the salad bowl.
Croutons!!
The croutons are made with sourdough bread and dill and baked until super golden and toasty.
They make this entire salad, if I do say so myself.
The croutons are savory and crisp and really make the whole bowl very special. You wouldn’t think that putting dill on bread and toasting it is anything special, but add some salt and olive oil to that sourdough, let it get crunchy and it adds a whole new element to your salad bowl. You must try it.
There is so, so, so much other goodness in this salad too.
An assortment of greens, like arugula or butter lettuce or romaine.
Chickpeas. You can also use roasted chickpeas!
Avocado.
Crumbled feta cheese.
Cucumbers.
Tomatoes.
Fresh herbs, likely parsley.
The crunchiest salty, dill croutons.
And the most delicious dressing ever! A killer red wine vinaigrette that you will want to make for just about every salad for the rest of your life.
I make red wine vinaigrette all the time, but this is an extra special version. If you made my bruschetta pasta salad this summer, then you’re probably familiar with that wonderful, syrupy balsamic dressing that coats every bit of the salad.
This is like that, but with a red wine vinaigrette! It’s slightly thicker than traditional red wine vinaigrettes and clings to every bit of the lettuce, croutons and chickpeas. So darn good.
And that’s that!
No fancy way of combining. You can make this a tiny chopped salad or a traditional tossed salad. Whatever you like! And of course, add any other ingredients you love. Maybe some banana peppers. Pickled onions. Nuts or seeds.
The great thing about it is that it’s incredibly satisfying and filling. You can also prep the ingredients ahead of time, and even combine the chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumbers, and feta, then combine them with the greens, avocado and croutons when it’s time to eat.
Winning all around! (more…)
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