TALKIN' SNACK

Hello! My name is Hana El-Assad. Most people know me as a makeup artist. Most people who really know me, know me as a makeup artist who loves food. Here you will find all my tips, tricks, and tools to help make awesome food a part of your life. So let's talk snack!

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Eggs and Kale

2 heaping handfuls of kale, washed and torn into medium pieces

2 eggs

coarse sea salt

freshly cracked black pepper

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

maldon salt 

Creamy Parsley Dressing (adapted from “It’s All Good” by Gwyneth Paltrow):

1 bunch of Italian parsley (about 1 cup)

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup Vegenaise <3

3 tablespoons light agave nectar

½ teaspoon coarse sea salt

¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

I’ve been obsessing over Gwyneth Paltrow’s cook book “It’s All Good.” All the recipes are so simple and really great for you, and since I’ve been trying to be “more healthy” this book has really come in handy. One thing I’ve been introduced to that I’ve been using as much as possible because it’s so good, is Vegenaise. Ummm…this stuff is amazing. I always used to see it in grocery stores and think it was gross, but it took Gwyneth to tell me it’s amazing to finally try it, and now? I honestly don’t ever want mayo again…unless it’s homemade… The taste is amazing, and it’s not bad for you! 

The creamy parsley dressing is a recipe in her book I’ve made a few times now, and I love it! I hope if you make this recipe you’ll invest in a jar of Vegenaise, you won’t be sorry. Of course you can use regular mayo instead.

I love making this recipe for breakfast. It's truly a great start to any day. By having the thick, beefy, green that is kale with eggs, you kinda don’t need bread (something I’ve been trying to cut down on). You’ll notice I have maldon salt listed in the ingredients. This is something else you NEED to invest in. It’s amazing salt, and amazing topped on eggs. This salt is thin, flakey, dreamy, and I’m in love with it. 

Serves 2

For the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a powerful blender, or food processor and blend until completely pureed. Set aside. (Keeps well in a jar in the fridge for up to a week).

To boil the eggs, bring a pot of water to a boil. Slowly lower one egg at a time into the pot using a spoon. Boil eggs for 7-8 minutes to get a semi soft yolk (the way i like it). If you like hard boiled eggs, boil them for 10 minutes,and if you like it really soft boiled, boil for 5 minutes. 

While the eggs are boiling, heat up the olive oil in a large frying pan on medium heat. Add the kale, season to taste with salt and pepper, and sauté for no more than 2 minutes. You just want to cook the kale till the color is brighter, and still has a crunch to them. Split to kale onto two plates and drizzle some of the creamy parsley dressing over the kale. 

Once the eggs are done, strain the water, and place the eggs in a bowl of ice water to stop the eggs from cooking further. Once cool enough to handle, peel, and cut in half length wise. Add one egg to each plate, and season with pepper and maldon salt. If you’d like you can drizzle a little olive oil over the eggs. Eat while the kale and eggs are still warm, and enjoy!

Note: Everyone boils eggs differently, so if you have a technique of your own, do it that way. I find this way always brings the same results.

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An oldie, but this is a great way to start your day!

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Orecchiette Pasta with Truffle, Cream, and Chanterelle Mushrooms

1 cup chopped chanterelle mushrooms

1 tablespoon of butter

1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1 sprig of fresh thyme

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper

¼ cup of heavy cream

white truffle oil (drizzle, or ¼ teaspoon)

1 tablespoon minced parsley

2 cups of orecchiette pasta

parmesan cheese

Tis the season to eat all the carbs and cream you desire! That’s my way of thinking at least. Who doesn’t want to curl up with a bowl of creamy truffled pasta when it’s cold out? I happened to make this dish on a whim, and I’m definitely adding this to my list of winter pastas.

Chanterelles are one of my favorite types of mushrooms. They’re meaty, and almost buttery in taste. I suppose a mushroom connoisseur would describe it as being “woodsy.” It’s awesome paired with cream and truffle oil, though they may be a bit difficult to find, so any mushroom of your liking can be used. I love using orecchiette with this sauce because the shape of the pasta ends up being beautiful little bowls filled with truffled cream, and if that doesn’t make you push aside your greens for a moment to indulge in some winter coziness I don’t know what will. 

Serves 2

In a medium pot, bring water to a boil. 

While water is heating up, in a large pan on medium heat melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the chopped mushrooms, garlic, and thyme and sauté till golden and fragrant. Season with salt and pepper. Lower the heat and add the heavy cream. Cook for about 3-4 minutes, or until the cream thickens a bit. Discard thyme sprig. 

Meanwhile, when water begins to boil, add a good amount of salt and boil the pasta until al dente. Strain reserving some pasta water. 

Toss the pasta with the sauce in the pan while on the fire with low heat until everything is well mixed. Add some pasta water, or more cream if more sauce is desired. Turn of heat. Mix in the parsley and a drizzle of truffle oil. Serve immediately with some freshly grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

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I’m starting November off with this recipe from last year. Pasta, cream, and truffle. Yes, yes, and yes. 

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Reminder that I started an Instagram not too long ago. Follow me @talkinsnack.

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Broccoli Steak with Garlic Butter and Romesco Sauce

Romesco Sauce

2 hot peppers (halved, seeds removed)

handful cherry tomatoes

2 garlic cloves, peeled

¼ cup slice almonds, toasted

½ teaspoon paprika 

1 ½ teaspoons dijon mustard

1 ½ teaspoons white wine vinegar

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 

4 sprigs of italian parsley

salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

Broccoli Steak

1 broccoli head

extra virgin olive oil

salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

Garlic Butter

2 tablespoons butter

1 garlic clove, minced

Here’s another broccoli dish for your fall evenings. Though I would eat this with an actual steak and mashed potatoes on the side for the ultimate hearty dinner, this alone is kind of a genius replacement for meat for you vegetarians out there. Broccoli is pretty filling, and totally meaty. And cooking it in this fashion with garlic butter you’ve got all the flavors of a steak, minus the steak. 

As for the romesco sauce, this is my version of the traditional northeastern spanish nut and pepper based sauce. This sauce can be served with many different foods, though I really love spreading it on a plate with olive oil drizzled on top and eaten with bread. It’s spicy and nutty and totally warming to your belly. Perfect for this old weather.

Recipe inspired by Lady and Pups.

Serves two.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

On a baking sheet spread out the hot peppers, tomatoes, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil. Mix everything together so it’s evenly coated. Pop in the oven and roast until tomatoes and peppers are wilted and cooked, and garlic is golden. About 10-15 minutes. Keep the oven on for the broccoli. 

Once roasted add the peppers, tomatoes and garlic to a food processor along with the toasted almonds, paprika, mustard, white wine vinegar, 4 tablespoons of olive oil, parsley, salt and pepper. Puree until smooth. If you like it chunky pulse the food processor until you get the consistency you like. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Transfer sauce to a bowl, and drizzle a little more olive oil on top. Set aside.

Clean and peel the stem of the broccoli until you see the tender flesh. Quarter the broccoli head and season with salt and pepper. Place an oven proof pan on high heat, and add a drizzle of olive oil. About 2 tablespoons. When oil and pan is hot, add the quartered broccoli cut side down on the pan and cook for about a few minutes, until you see them starting to brown. Leaving the broccoli on the same side, slide them into the oven and roast for 8-9 minutes. (Should be deep in color and caramelized). Then flip them over, to the other cut side down and roast for an additional 8-9 minutes. 

While the broccoli is roasted, make your garlic butter. In a small sauce pan on medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Cook the butter until you see it starting to foam on top. Remove from heat, and clarify the butter by skimming off the foam using a spoon. Discard foam. Add the garlic and let it infuse while the broccoli steaks are roasting. 

Once broccoli is done, serve immediately with a drizzle of garlic butter on top, and the romesco sauce on the side. Enjoy!

*Romesco sauce will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. 

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Broccoli Salad with Purple Collards and Husk Cherries

2 cups of thinly sliced broccoli

1 cup purple collards, shredded (collard greens, or kale can be used instead)

¼ cup of husk cherries, halved (red or green grapes can be used instead)

Dressing:

¼ cup greek yogurt

1 teaspoon of minced onion

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 teaspoons garlic vinegar, white wine vinegar is fine too

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

This is a great salad to make beforehand and eat later. With broccoli, and collards being such thick greens, you don’t need to worry about them getting soggy. Instead you can expect for the flavors to become more intense and delicious the longer they sit together.

I know purple collards, and husk cherries are intimidating ingredients, but if you have the means of finding them, I say go for it! The purple in the collards make such a pretty color palette mixed with the green of the broccoli, and the orange of the husk cherries. Though if you want to replace them with kale or grapes, this salad will be just as delicious. I guess the painter/makeup artist in me came out in this recipe and demanded PRETTY COLORS! 

Serves 2-4 as a side salad

Whisk together all the ingredients to the dressing in a small bowl. Set aside.

Wash and dry the broccoli. Thinly slice the broccoli including the stems. Set aside in a salad bowl.

Wash and dry the collards and thinly slice (shredded). set aside with the broccoli.

Halve the husk cherries and add to the bowl. Toss the dressing with broccoli, collards, and husk cherries. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve right away, or prepare before hand and keep in the fridge. This salad definitely tastes better when all the flavors have marinated in the fridge a bit. You can add grated parmesan to this when ready to serve.  

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A great fall recipe from a couple years ago. A fall coleslaw of sorts. 

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Curry Rice with Peas and Spicy Egg

Curry Rice

2 cups white basmati rice

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 large yellow onion, finally chopped

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

salt

3 tablespoons curry powder

1 1/2 cups milk

1 1/2 cups water

Peas

1 cup sugar snap peas

1 cup peas (frozen or fresh)

1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

extra virgin olive oil

salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Spicy Egg

4 hard boiled eggs, pealed

1 teaspoon cayenne powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

1 teaspoon paprika powder

salt and freshly cracked black pepper

cilantro for garnish

Serves 4

Curry rice recipe from Saltie: a cookbook.

This is a great dish that can be made for breakfast, lunch and dinner in my opinion. This is kind of my interpretation of the traditional indian dish, egg biryani. Mainly because its a spiced rice with a spiced egg. I was originally making this dish with just a plain hard boiled egg on the side and when my sister told me about biryani I realized how similar this dish was to that. So I tried it out with a spicy egg and I was hooked.

Rinse the rice, then soak in water for 30 minutes. Once soaked strain completely. Place a medium pot on medium high heat and add the olive oil. When oil is hot add the onion and garlic and add a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring around until the onions are golden, about 5 minutes. Add the curry powder and cook with the onions for 1 minute. Add the rice, and mix everything together. If it seems too dry add more olive oil.

When rice is evenly coated with onions and curry powder add the milk and water and stir everything well. Bring liquid to a boil, cover the pot, then lower heat to a simmer. Cooked until all the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the rice steam more, then cool a little, 5 to 10 minutes longer.

While the rice is cooking start to prep your vegetables. In a medium sized pot, bring water to a boil. Have a bowl of iced water near by. Cut off the ends of the snap peas and slice them up at an angle. Blanch the peas and sliced snap peas for 30 seconds if using frozen peas, and 1 minute if using fresh peas. Strain them then plunge them in the ice water so to stop from further cooking. Once cooled strain the veggies completely and set them aside.

In a medium sized frying pan coat the bottom with olive oil and heat at medium. Once oil is hot enough, add the red onion and sauté till slightly shriveled and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the peas and snap peas along with salt and pepper to taste. Cook everything together for another couple of minutes.

Transfer veggies to a bowl, and using the same frying pan add a little more olive oil and have the fire on medium heat. Make slits going around each egg so to get some flavoring inside the egg. Add them to the pan and swirl the eggs around in the oil. Constantly be moving the pan around as the eggs can stick to the pan. Keep doing this till you start to see the eggs getting golden all around. Once golden add a good amount of salt and pepper, swirl around, then add all the other spices, swirl around. Keep moving the pan around till all the eggs are evening coated with the spices and have darkened slightly. Take off the fire. Slice each egg in half.

In four individual bowls portion the rice in each with a bit of the veggies on top. Add halved eggs to each bowl. Garnish with cilantro and eat immediately. Enjoy!

*can be eaten with a dollop of greek yogurt on the side.

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Homemade Coconut Milk, no blender needed!

2 cups shredded coconut, unsweetened

4 cups water

cheesecloth

This recipe is so essential to me. When I figured out how to make my own coconut milk I was relieved to know I never had to buy another can of coconut milk again. I always disliked the taste that came from the canned version, and making my own obviously feels so much healthier. This is so easy to do that it’s not even question in my mind. 

Use this coconut milk in your cooking, baking, our just drink it alone. 

In a pot bring water almost to a boil. Or till you start to see small bubbles forming.

Place shredded coconut in a large bowl.

When water is ready pour it into the bowl with the coconut and let sit till it’s at room temp.

Using clean hands, knead the coconut in the water. Do this for about a minute. 

Dampen the cheesecloth and lay it over another large bowl. Slowly pour the coconut mixture over the cheesecloth making sure nothing spills over. Collect all the edges of the cloth and squeeze the milk into the new bowl. Make sure you get all or as much of the liquid separated from the coconut. 

Pour the milk into a large mason jar, and there you have it…coconut milk.

*Save the shredded coconut for another use like baking. 

*Can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.

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Heirloom Salad with Warm Feta Cheese

heirloom tomatoes

heirloom bell peppers

bundle of fresh oregano

feta cheese, made from sheep’s milk

honey

extra virgin olive oil

freshly crushed black pepper

fluer de sel salt

I have been making this salad daily. It’s delicious! It’s so quick, and easy, and with all the tomatoes and pepper I had from my farm share, this was a perfect way to eat them up! When it comes to heirloom tomatoes, they’re just bursting with flavor, so when preparing them, keeping everything minimal is the way to go. I found a recipe online months ago where feta was used in this way, though sadly I can’t find the website anywhere. But here is my version on it, and boy is it yummy!

As you see I have no measurements or amounts for this recipe. It all depends on how much you want, or how many people you’re cooking for. Since the recipe is so simple, just play it by ear, and season to your liking. 

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.

Lay out the feta cheese over a bed of oregano on a sheet of parchment paper. Add more oregano on top. Season with some pepper, a drizzle of honey, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Fold the parchment paper over the feta, creating a pocket. Place the “feta pocket” on a baking sheet and pop in the oven for 15 minutes.

While the feta is heating up, wash and dry the tomato and pepper. Trim the stems off, and for the peppers take out the seeds and discard. Thinly slice both the tomato and pepper and lay out on a serving plate. Sprinkle some fluer de sel on top and set aside.

Once feta is done, open up the parchment paper. You’ll see some liquid escaped the cheese so be careful when opening. Using your hands take the warm feta cheese and crumble it over the tomato and pepper slices. Add some more pepper, ruffly chopped fresh oregano, and a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Serve immediately while the cheese is still warm. Enjoy!

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Here’s a throwback recipe. I love making this during this time of year. Get your hands on some heirloom tomatoes and pepper and make this incredibly easy, healthy snack.

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Peach, Corn, and Cucumber Salad with Curry Vinaigrette

1 yellow peach

1 ear of corn

a little less than half a large cucumber

cilantro

Dressing:

1 garlic clove, thinly sliced

1 shallot or small red onion, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1 teaspoon grainy mustard

1 teaspoon curry powder

a generous pinch of sea salt

1/2 cup white wine vinegar

1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil

One of the places I go to most frequently in my neighborhood has got to be Saltie. It’s an amazing sandwich shop which also serves seasonal salads, soups, lassi, and great sweets. Honestly, I think it’s probably my favorite place to grab a quick lunch. Also a couple years ago they came out with a cookbook which is amazing. A must have cookbook. All their unique sandwiches are served on their focaccia bread, and there salads are really interesting, always using seasonal items. They have this one sandwich for a couple weeks in the summer called the Walty which I really crave all year long and it’s silly how simple and delicious it is. It’s just Cucumber, coriander seeds, their mayo and mint sandwiched in their focaccia bread. That’s it. And it’s fucking amazing!

Anyway, a few weeks ago I went in and they were serving this salad consisting of peaches, corn, pickled peppers, some other veggies, with a curry vinaigrette. It was the embodiment of summer. At every bite. Summer. In my mouth. It was really good, and since summer isn’t quit done yet, I figured I’d give it a try my way and share it. 

*Dressing adapted from the Saltie cookbook’s Lazy Housewife Vinaigrette. 

Serves 1

In a mason jar add the garlic, onion, mustards, curry powder, salt, and vinegar. Screw the lid on tightly and shake to mix well. Unscrew the lid and add the olive oil. Close the jar again and shake. Set aside. 

*Dressing will keep in the fridge for 1 week.

Remove kernels from ear of corn using a knife. Blanch the corn kernels in boiling water for 10 seconds, strain, then add the corn to an ice bath to stop from cooking further. Once cooled, strain and place corn in a large bowl. Set aside.

Cut the peach in half, discard the seed and slice the halves. Throw into the bowl with the corn. Set aside.

Peel the cucumber and slice in half. Using a small spoon scoop out the seeds of the cucumber and discard the seeds. Slice the cucumber and add to the bowl with corn and peach slices. 

Spoon in some dressing, enough to evenly coat everything, and toss. Save the rest of the dressing for another use. Throw in some cilantro leaves, and freshly cracked black pepper and toss more. Taste and add more salt if desired. Serve, and enjoy!

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Black Bean Tacos, a repost

Beans:

1 can of black beans

2 sprigs of cilantro

extra virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

salt

Cabbage Salad:

2 cups of shredded purple cabbage

1 tablespoon of cilantro, minced

1 jalapeño, diced (discard seeds for less spice)

1 tablespoon of lime juice

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon of maldon salt

¼ teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper

corn torillas

1 avocado

extra lime 

sour cream

hot sauce

I posted this recipe last year around the same time, and a summer later and this is still a go-to dish for me. Though I make the black beans differently now which is more time consuming, but way tastier (recipe for that to come). This is the kind of recipe that you can change up however you’d like. For example, instead of using sliced avocado make a homemade guac. Or grill some veggies like peppers and onion and add that to it as well. Use it as a blank canvas as you will. 

Black beans adapted from ’It’s all good.‘

Make about 6-8 tacos.

Strain and rinse the beans. Set aside.

In a medium pot, on medium heat, heat up a good drizzle of olive oil. Add the minced garlic and sauté till garlic is golden. Add the beans, sprigs of cilantro, and a good pinch of salt. Then add enough water to barley cover the black beans. Bring to a boil, then simmer the beans for about 5-10 minutes. Taste, and season more if needed. Let the beans sit in the pot while you prepare everything else.

For the salad, in a bowl, add the cabbage, cilantro, jalapeño. Dress with the lime, olive oil, salt and pepper.Taste, and adjust seasonings if necessary. Set aside.

Slice up an avocado, lay out on a plate and squeeze some lime juice over it, and sprinkle some maldon salt on top.

Put out a bowl of sour cream, and extra lime slices.

Place the black beans in a serving bowl, and discard the cilantro sprigs. If the beans are too watery, strain the water out.

Toast as many tortillas as you’ll be needing over an open flame on your stove top. Put them on a plate, and serve away!

To make the taco, add a few spoon fills of the beans to a tortilla, then the cabbage salad, some slices of avocado, and a dollop of sour cream. Had some hot sauce for some spice, and enjoy!

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Little Gem Salad with Mustard Seed Yogurt Dressing

1 little gem lettuce

6 asparagus’

1-2 radishes, thinly sliced

Dressing:

1 tablespoon of plain yogurt

1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, smashed

1/4 teaspoon of ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon of mustard seeds

salt

fresh cracked black pepper

This time of year I’m all about the simplicity of a salad. You can get so many flavors with just a few ingredients. No need to fancy it up here as I see so often with salad recipes. It’s always daunting when you see a recipe online and the list of ingredients seem endless. I just don’t think that’s necessary when you’re dealing with beautiful fresh ingredients. Especially when you’re using seasonal veggies. Why mask their flavor with so many other flavors…it gets messy. Also, it’s summer…it’s hot, the less time in the hot kitchen, the better. 

Anyway, this salad serves wonderfully as a side with just about anything grilled. Double the recipe if you’re serving more. 

Serves 2.

In a small bowl, whisk all the ingredients to the dressing together. Season to taste with salt and pepper, set aside.

Fill a bowl with water and ice. Set aside.

 Bring a pot of water to a boil. Rinse the asparagus, trim the ends, and boil in the water for 30 seconds. Strain, and place asparagus in ice bath. Once asparagus is completely cooled, strain, dry, and thinly slice them at an angle.

Tear the little gem leaves away from the bulb so that you have loose leaves. Wash the leaves and dry. Spread the little gem leaves out in a large salad bowl, and top it of with the sliced asparagus, and sliced radish. Lightly season with some salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Dress the salad with the dressing (you may not need all the dressing depending on how small the little gem is) and toss. Serve immediately and enjoy!

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Summer Squash Carpaccio with Ricotta

1 yellow squash

1 zucchini

1 patty pan squash

2 tablespoons of toasted pine nuts

5-6 fresh basil leaves

1 sprig of parsley

1/2 lemon, juiced

extra virgin olive oil, about 2 tablespoons

parmesan cheese

1 cup ricotta, homemade or store bought

fleur de sel

freshly cracked black pepper

This is such a good summer dish. It’s light, fast to make, pretty looking, and goes well with so many main dishes. Whether it be pasta, steak, fish, you’re good to go with this side dish. 

Serves 6-8

Using a knife or mandolin slicer, slice the squashes thinly. Lay the slices of squash on a large tray or plate. Season with some fleur de del and pepper. Set aside.

Mince the basil and parsley together. In a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice, herbs, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper

Drizzle the dressing on top of the squash carpaccio. Sprinkle on the pine nuts, and add some shavings of parmesan cheese. Add more lemon juice, and or olive oil if desired.

Serve with a bowl of ricotta that’s topped with salt, freshly cracked pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil. You can also dollop the ricotta on top of the squash carpaccio.

*note: I only used the whole patty pan squash, and half of the zucchini and yellow squash in these photos which would serve about 4 people. You can always reserve the rest of the squashes for another time. 

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After Workout Salad - Kale Salad with Golden Curried Chickpeas

2 handfuls of laminate kale, washed and dried

1 handful of snap peas

1/2 avocado

1 tablespoon of pepitas

lemon, juice from about 1/2

extra virgin olive oil

salt

freshly cracked black pepper

Golden Curried Chickpeas

1/2 of an 8oz can of chick peas

1 teaspoons of curry powder

couple dashes of cayenne powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

extra virgin olive oil

This is a great after workout salad. It’s filled with nutrients, and packed with flavor and I can’t get enough of it. This salad has actually motivated me to work out more knowing this will be my treat for myself after. It’s a little pat on the shoulder saying “good job.” 

You can make the chickpeas a couple hours before making the salad if you want to save time. But they’re best when they’ve just been cooked. I like to dress the salad first then add the chickpeas as to not have the chickpeas get soggy. Also, cook the second half of the chickpeas the next day the same way, because you will want this salad two days in a row. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drain, rinse and dry the chick peas. Place on the baking sheet and season with curry powder, cayenne powder, salt,  and olive oil. Mix everything together using your hands. Taste a chickpea and adjust seasoning if necessary. Place in the oven and cook for about 20-25 minutes or until golden and a little crisp. 

While the chickpeas are roasting prep the rest of the salad. Remove the thick stem from the kale and cut into shredded pieces. Place in a salad bowl. 

Slice the snap peas at an angle, thinly and add to the kale. Cut up half of your avocado and add to the bowl along with the pepita seeds. Season with salt and pepper, and dress with lemon juice and a good drizzle of olive oil. Toss. 

Once chickpeas are cooked wait a few minutes to cool down before adding to the salad. Enjoy!

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Granola

2 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup walnuts, broken up into small pieces

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

1/3 cup shredded, un-sweeted coconut

1/4 cup coconut oil, plus 1 tablespoon

1/4 cup of maple syrup, or agave

pinch of salt

I love making this granola. I make sure to have a filled up jar in the fridge at all times. Scooping a few spoonfuls on top of yogurt, and you’ve got yourself such an easy breakfast to make before work. Doesn’t take a lot of thought.  

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

In a large bold mix all the ingredients together so that everything is evenly coated with the coconut oil and syrup. Spread the granola mixture onto a large baking pan, making sure everything is spread out evenly in one layer.

 Pop in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden. Make sure to mix the granola up halfway through baking time to make sure everything is baking evenly. 

Take out of the oven once cooked, and let it cool down completely. Store in a mason jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Eat the granola with some yogurt, and fruits of your liking with some honey drizzled on top. I love using chopped up dates, and apricots. Enjoy!

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Heirloom Tomatoes, and Radishes with Carrot top, Garlic Scape Pesto

heirloom tomatoes

radishes (I used french breakfast radishes)

carrot top, garlic scape pesto

extra virgin olive oil

maldon salt

basil for garnish

As promised, a recipe using my carrot top, garlic scape pesto. Heirloom tomato season approaches, and simple recipes like this are key. I personally could eat an heirloom tomato like an apple, but this makes things a little more exciting, and how freakin pretty are those colors! The colors!!

Slice the tomato/tomatoes a ¼ inch thick. Slice up the radishes paper thin. Spread the tomato slices on a plate with the radishes on top. Drizzle some pesto over the tomatoes and radishes,as well as a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil if you’d like. Season with some maldon salt, and garnish with some small basil leaves. 

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Started a Talkin’ Snack instagram. 

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Carrot Top Greens, and Garlic Scape Pesto

1 cup of carrot top greens

3 scapes

1 sprig of basil

1/2 cup parmesan

1/2 lemon, juiced

1/2 cup olive oil

salt and pepper 

Tis the season for one of my favs. Garlic Scapes. These are the flower stems that grow from hard-neck garlic. And yes, they taste like garlic. I wish they were around all year long, but now’s the time, so go out there and get some. 

I love using them in pesto. They’re also fantastic grilled and served with a steak. The choice is yours. And a note on carrot greens; yes, you can eat them, and they’re delicious. They’re greens with a hint taste of carrots. Never throw these out. This pesto is a great way to use them, they also do really well in salads or used as a garnish. They’re also very good for you, packed with vitamin C, potassium, and protein. Prrrretty cool huh?

In a food processor, puree all the ingredients together until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add more lemon juice or olive oil if the pesto is too thick. 

More recipes to come using this pesto. Until then, find your self some garlic scapes, and meet me back here.I got mine from Good Eggs.