Mag Luv: Chickpea Spring 2012

I've been delighted to discover Chickpea magazine online.  These recipes are from the Spring 2012 issue.  I plan to browse the old issues one of these days and would be on the look-out for this year's releases.  I would love to try out some of the recipes too.  How does sugar cookies with naturally-colored icing, Cherry corn scones, baked eggplant sliders, and oregano chocolate cupcakes sound?

Chickpea features food and writing based around the vegan lifestyle. There is also a product guide highlighting small businesses owned by vegans, vegetarians and veg-friendly sellers.  The online version is free but printed versions are also available.  The printed version is ad free and printed on high-quality recycled paper.  If you want to check it out, here's the website.

Saturday, Food & Friends

Just wanted to share this collage from Saturday. 

Have a great weekend! 

Eats: Spinach & Cheese Omelette

Here's a quick, easy-to-do recipe that can be served for breakfast, brunch or any time of the day ~ Spinach Omelette!  I have to admit that I had a hard time flipping them over in the skillet so instead of the perfectly round omelet or a half-flipped omelet, this is what I have on my plating.

 

Here's the step-by-step + snapshots on how to make this.  

Ingredients:
baby spinach leaves
2 whole eggs
1/2 tsp mayonaisse
salt & pepper
cooking oil

 

How to Prepare: 

Tear off the baby spinach leaves from the stems. Wash and drain. Beat 2 whole eggs in a bowl. Add salt & pepper, cheese, and a dollop of mayo for that extra fluff. 

How to Cook:

Heat the skillet and drizzle with oil. Put all the baby spinach leaves until a bit wilted. Add the leaves to the bowl of beaten eggs. If you're not using a non-stick pan, drizzle the pan with oil again before pouring the combined eggs and spinach. Once the other side is cooked, flip it over and after a couple of seconds, turn off the heat and your omelet is ready!

Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese and happy eating =)

Do you like spinach omelet or do you have other spinach recipes to share?  

Eats: Bell Pepper Cheese Rolls

I often make bell pepper cheese rolls at home.  My hubby loves them and so do our dogs! Bell pepper cheese rolls or bell pepper cheese sticks (the skinnier versions) are ideal for parties.  These yummy sticks make a delightful starter and they're pretty easy to make too.  Even if you don't cook, you can try to make these.  All that needs to be done is slice the cheese and the bell pepper into thin strips and roll them together inside each wrap.  Wrapping takes some time but it can be done while watching your favorite tv sitcom.  They can be wrapped at least a day earlier and cooked a few minutes before your guests arrive.  Just be sure to place the rolls in a sealed container if you plan to prepare them early. If you love cheese like me and if you love bell peppers, I'm sure this would be a treat!
 

Ingredients: 

cheddar cheese 

fresh green bell pepper 

spring roll or lumpia wrappers

To Prepare:

Cut cheese and bell pepper into strips.

Wrap 'n Roll them together.

To Cook: 

Deep fry the rolls in hot oil until golden brown and crisp.
Be careful not to burn them.  They cook very quickly so you need to keep a close eye on them.
As soon as they turn golden, take them out of the pan and place them in a strainer to drain excess oil.

Eat them while they're hot and crisp, dipped in mayonnaise or ketchup. Mayo is really good!    

Brunch: Grilled Ham & Cheese Sandwich

This is brunch while browsing through the latest issue of Lonnymag.  One of the features is Jessica Goranson's luxurious apartment. I love her interior decorating tips, they're very practical and most of them are relevant to my personal style such as using assorted containers as vases; fresh flowers as ornaments; piling up books and displaying quirks on top of them; and using frames and trays to display jewelry. Can you relate to this styling or are these something you would like to try?

Eats: Steamed Mussels & Clams

I wanted to cook Seafood Pasta with Malunggay Pesto but these clams and mussels have been bought a day in advance so I can prepare them ahead of time.  I simply steamed them while they're fresh so I can save some shells for my pasta the next day.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 

3 cloves garlic, chopped 

1 small ginger 

1 medium sized red onion 

1/2 cup water or vegetable stock 

1/4 cup white wine 

1/2 kilo clams 

1/2 kilo mussels 

freshly ground black pepper

 fresh basil leaves

How to Prepare:

Place the mollusks in a colander and wash them with running water.

Place the clams in a large bowl filled with water.  Leave them for about 30 minutes to an hour.  This is to make sure that the clams would purge the sand inside their shells.  

With a brush, clean each shell and rinse them well.

How to Cook:

Heat pan and add oil. Sautée garlic, ginger and onion.  Add the shells. Pour white wine and add the liquid stock. Add pepper. Let it come to a boil.  It takes about 5 to 10 minutes depending on the size of the shells.  You'll know that the shells are cooked when they begin to open wide.   Sprinkle with fresh basil leaves.  Serve hot!