Chickpea and Leek Soup with Basil and Goat Cheese Bread Sticks

Spring has arrived cool and wet here in Seattle. Naturally, with the changing of the season, my palette changes as well. Craving something light and refreshing, I knew I wasn't ready to give up the warmth of a piping hot soup, to a cool salad (not yet, at least) so soup is exactly what I did. A clean, hearty, yet light-tasting Chickpea and Leek soup. Could act as a great starter for a dinner, but I personally think it's great as a meal itself; served alongside a thick slice of toasted sourdough bread, or in this case, Basil and Goat Cheese Bread Sticks. Regardless, it's a no muss, no fuss, easy-going and delicious soup. Top it off with freshly grated parm and you'll find yourself spooning it out of the pot while you're attempting to do your post-supper dishes (as I did).

Soup is one of those things that I've found hard to go wrong with. It is also great for those who are looking for a better way to stretch their dollar in the food department. I usually just make a big batch ahead of time, and freeze the rest in single-serving sized tupperware containers, or small plastic baggies. Whenever I want some, I just grab it from the freezer and put it on the stove to cook up. Ingredients in soup are usually so simple - stock that you can either make or buy; veg, beans, rice, noodles or meat depending on what you are hankering for. I know I could make a big, beautiful pot of it for under $5. How is that for a deal!

To be honest, this was my first time cooking with leeks, so I looked up a great, little how-to video on cleaning and prepping them. Click here, if you too are a first-time-leek-user, as it was very helpful to me!

Chickpea and Leek Soup

Ingredients

- 1 can chickpeas/garbanzo beans
- 1 medium potato
- 3 leeks, finely sliced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- few sprigs of basil
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
- salt (to taste)
- freshly ground pepper (to taste)
- 850 ml chicken or vegetable stock (you can use more or less depending on the consistency you want)
- 2 handfuls Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)
- extra virgin olive oil (as needed)

Tools

- Blender or Cuisinart


Boil water for potato and cook for about 30 minutes, or until tender with a fork.
Remove the outer skin of the leeks, cut off dark green top, root and toss. Slice lengthwise from the root up, wash carefully and slice finely.
Warm a skillet, and add the tablespoon of oil. Add the leeks and garlic to the pan, and sweat gently with a good pinch of salt until tender and sweet.
Add the chickpeas and cut-up potato and cook for 1 minute.
Add about two-thirds of the stock and simmer for 15 minutes.
Add basil and purée half the soup in a food processor or blender and leave the other half chunky. This gives a lovely smooth and comforting feel but also keeps a bit of texture.
At this point, I found I had too much soup for my Cuisinart to hold, so feel free to transfer it all to a large pot over low heat and mix together. You can go back and forth between pot and Cuisinart/blender to achieve your desired texture.
Add enough of the remaining stock to get the consistency you like.
Check for seasoning, and add Parmesan to taste. Top with finely chopped basil.

Basil and Goat Cheese Bread Sticks

Ingredients

- White Whole Wheat Pizza Dough - will need to be made ahead of time (use as much or as little as you like and refrigerate/freeze the rest)
- few sprigs of basil, finely chopped
- sprinkling of goat cheese crumbles
- any other herbs if wanted
- cornmeal for dusting (optional)

Tools

- rolling pin (or wine bottle!)


Preheat oven to 425*F.
Thinly chop up your basil.
Roll out dough flat.
Sprinkle cheese and basil evenly. Fold in half. Roll out flat. Sprinkle, fold and roll, once more.
Now, with a sharp knife, cut dough into long pieces.
With hands, shape/roll into bread sticks and pat with cornmeal.
Place on cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve immediately.

White Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

If you asked me what my favorite thing to make was, I'd have to say - pizza. Hands down. Pizza can be pretty versatile, and there is always room for experimenting. It's quick, easy, fun and a great way to get rid of the random veg-stash in your refrigerator. Be it solo, a meal-for-two, or for a crowd, you can count on a homemade pizza to please. Growing up, I have fond memories of making pizza with my mom. I remember the way the Boboli pre-made crusts smelled and loving to spoon on just the right amount of marinara and topping it off with motz and meat-free pepperonis. Growing up was good in the Gaudet house. Then, as the years progressed, so did the family's pizza-making-methods. I remember visiting my aunt and uncle in their darling Greenlake home in Seattle during my middle school years and seeing those heaping plates of assorted homemade pizzas with homemade crusts and knowing that it was truly, love at first sight. Then came the bite - I was hooked. We all were. With tweaks of her own, my mother's pizza became my very favorite nibble, as well as the continuously requested birthday-dinner special.

Now, out on my own, and naturally, with my own twist, homemade pizza has made itself comfortable under our 'Favorites' list, as we make sure to have it at least a few times a month. After seeing Trader Joe's offering ready-to-go pizza dough at $1.99 a pop, I got pretty comfortable just taking credit for my toppings. That was until last night - I had forgot what I was missing out on by not making the dough my own! And how simple it was at that. I woke up, went straight to the kitchen and took 10 minutes to mix the couple of ingredients/roll everything out, and enjoy my morning tea, all at the same time. Threw it in the refrigerator, and let it do it's "thing" while we enjoyed our Saturday. Come nightfall - it was time, and now, I really couldn't go back. Hooked, once again.

Thanks again, to 101 Cookbooks, I've fallen in love with a remix of Peter Reinhart's Napoletana Pizza Dough. Rolled extra-thin it lends the perfect crunch, a drool-worthy flavor and a beautiful, rustic presentation. I'm personally a big fan of keeping my pizza simple - an olive oil base, little or no cheese, and a good spread of veg. Last night's olive oil based, herd-infused pizza was adorned with roma tomatoes, red onions, roasted corn, red kale, green onions, roasted peppers and a crumbling of goat cheese. I prefer a stronger cheese like feta, goat, blue or a nice parm, because you just need the smallest bit to make a statement.


White Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

Yields six 6-0unce pizza crusts, or 2 full-cookie sheet sized crusts

Ingredients

- 4 1/2 cups White Whole Wheat Flour
- 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 3/4 cups water, ice cold
- a few tablespoons chopped herbs (optional)
- Cornmeal for dusting

Tools

- Electric mixer with dough hook, or Cuisinart with dough blade (however, I'm convinced that you can knead this all by hand)
- Cookie sheet of baking/pizza stone

Preheat oven to 450* F.

Stir together the flour, salt, and instant yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer.By hand stir in the oil and the cold water until the flour is all absorbed. Add the herbs. Switch to the dough hook and mix on medium speed for 5 to 7 minutes, or as long as it takes to create a smooth, sticky dough. The dough should clear the sides of the bowl but stick to the bottom of the bowl (I just threw mine in my Cuisinart for a couple of minutes). Add a touch of water or flour to reach the desired effect (if needed). The finished dough will be springy, elastic, and sticky, not just tacky.

Transfer the dough to a floured counter top. Cut the dough into 6 equal pieces (for single servings) or in half for two normal-sized pizzas. Mold each into a ball. Rub each ball with olive oil and slip into plastic sandwich bags. Refrigerator overnight.

Generously dust a peel or the back of a sheet pan with semolina flour or cornmeal and get ready to shape your pizza dough. Uncover or unwrap the dough balls and dust them with flour. Working one at a time, gently press a dough round into a disk wide enough that you can bring it up onto your knuckles to thin out - you should be able to pull each round out to 12-inches or so. If the dough is being fussy and keeps springing back, let it rest for another 15-20 minutes. Place the pulled-out dough on the prepared sheet pan, and jerk the pan to make sure the dough will move around on the cornmeal ball-bearings (you don't want it to stick to the pan). Add your toppings (less is more!) and slide the topped pizza into the oven. Bake until the crust is crisp and nicely colored.

Add your toppings (less is more!) and slide the topped pizza into the oven. Bake until the crust is crisp and nicely colored. Enjoy with a nice tossed salad or side of soup as a great, light meal!

Regaining Confidence in Myself (in The Bulk Section): Making Easy, Crispy, Gluten-Free, Hemp Seed Crackers

With all of this new-found time on my hands (which ends as of this morning - cafe world, here I come!), I've been experimenting a lot in the kitchen. Since out of work, I've gotten back into making batches of things ahead of time (ie steel cut oats for the morning and snacks, brown rice with black beans for dinners and lunches). I've decided to take the extra 5 minutes (literally) to measure out my goods and set them on the stove for 30 minutes while I'm doing other things, because eating this way makes me feel better! I feel everything is working in a very harmonious manner. The state my body has reached in terms of energy, mind-clarity, mood - it's as if I keep reaching a sort of natural high on a daily basis. My body feels well oiled, powered and taken care of, and when that's where you're working from, there is little that can tear you down. I've always been pretty conscious about what I put in my body, and would have considered myself a "balanced" health nut, but sometimes felt like the instant-oatmeal packet was all I could afford (time-wise). Oh - so wrong! I've found that as our priorities shift (like tending to our mind, our body, our soul, our Self), that taking these extra couple of steps to ensure you're giving your body what it needs, becomes normal (and easy to accommodate!). It's a little thing called time management, my friends, and the willingness to investigate what you're really doing to your body. It doesn't have to be hard!

Throughout the past couple of years, I've had a growing interest in letting go of the processed foods in my diet. We haven't made it there - yet, but changes have been made. Things such as cereal, pastas, sauces, (most) chips and crackers, any boxed/microwavable/pre-made meals, will rarely find their way into our cart. It's been a process, but we've found some cool alternatives along the way, and now I know, I could never go back. Lately, I've become infatuated with the bulk isle at my local natural grocer. Ok, I don't know about you guys, but I always had the weirdest thing with the bulk isle (especially at the health food stores). I always felt lost, unprepared, and like I didn't belong or didn't know what I was doing (or what I was looking at). However, a couple items here, a couple items there, some winners in the kitchen, and best of all - a much cheaper grocery bill (!), I was turned on big time and now the beginning of a beautiful, healthy relationship is being born!


Now this is where I come in - say you're still a little uneasy with that section, you feel a little awkward scooping mounds of "what is that..?" into foggy, little bags - that's ok! I've done the research! I've found some very simple recipes that call for less mainstream ingredients, and for the most part are cheaper (if bought in the right quantities), and they're so satisfying to make!

Yesterday, I tried making crackers for the first time (huge cracker fan right here - huge). I've noticed that I think I have somewhat of a baby wheat allergy, so I found a gluten-free recipe that I liked, courtesy of the blog, Daring to Thrive: Gluten-free cooking, wellness, nutrition, and living a positively thriving, engaged life. These babies were so simple to make, so delicious and left you feeling empowered, like "Yeah! I make my own snacks!" (try that on for size, Nabisco!). I tweaked their recipe a bit, to suit what I could find at the store and to make them more my own, so feel free to do the same!


Crispy Gluten-Free Hemp Crackers

Ingredients:

- 2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free All Purpose Baking Flour (contains the tapioca and sorghum flour that the original recipe called for - brilliant!)
- 1/4 cup flax seed (soaked in water for 5-10 minutes)
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt (can grind or leave)
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon red Cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons hemp seed
- 2-3 teaspoon (to taste) of olive or grapeseed oil (the oil really flavors the cracker, so use what you like)
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- about 2 tablespoons warm water

Tools:

- parchment paper
- cookie sheet
- rolling pin (or a wine bottle!)

Preheat oven to 400* F.
In a large bowl mix flour(s) pepper and salt.
Add flax seed, hemp seed, Cayenne pepper, apple cider vinegar and oil. Mix until coarse and pebbled dough forms.
Add warm water a little bit at a time and knead into an even textured ball. Should be moist, but not sticky. If so, add more flour.
Put half the dough between parchment paper on baking sheet. Flatten with hands and roll out to be paper thin. Carefully peel off top layer of parchment paper and either cut dough carefully into desired shapes before baking, or break up after baking.
Bake for 15 minutes (until golden and crispy). Repeat with other half of dough.

There are many other things you could incorporate into these yummy crackers, such as: strong, sharp cheeses, herbs (rosemary would be great!), other seeds and spices, scallions, green onions - go wild and get creative!

To go with mine, I also made my own hummus. No, not hard at all! I purchased ground up garbanzo bean mix from my local co-op grocer for $1.08 (and it's something that'll last me a little bit, as I only need to mix it up when I'm feelin' the urge!). It's very simple. The ratios are, for 1 cup of mix, add 1 1/2 cups warm water and 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and voila, you're set! Super simple and you can make as little or as much as you want and it still tastes fantastic! A little dry the next day - just add a smidgen of oil and you're golden!

Enjoy! And Happy Experimenting! Remember: both you and your body are worth it!

A Vision of Vignettes

When it comes to decorating, I love little nooks and crannies - the little spaces provided for setting trinkets and what-nots in a thoughtful manner has always been somewhat of a hobby of mine. Incorporating complimentary textures, shapes and colors - I thought it would be a dream if I could do this for a living! Later on, through a friend coming to visit, I realized what I referred to as a sort of "nook and cranny" style of decorating was actually something called a 'vignette', which is a small groupings of objects (thanks, Katje!).

Using vignettes in your decorating is not only a simple, ascetically pleasing way to decorate, but a way to keep things tidy, while showing off some of your most prized, yet small, possessions.

Through some browsing, I found the design blog, Apartment Therapy, and they had laid out a couple of tricks, I thought helpful in putting some of your little objects to work (in a vignette!):


- Group objects in odd numbers - this is the most pleasing to the eye.
- Group objects together by color - put objects together that are all the same color and suddenly, your collection goes from messy to ordered. You can also group objects by tone - warm colored objects (reds, oranges, yellows), cool ones (greens and blues), neutrals or metallics.
- Group objects together by kind - for example, a group of square picture frames, balls piled in a basket or curvy perfume bottles.
- Perfectly balanced isn't necessarily a good thing - better if some objects are taller and some are shorter. Different levels also work.
- Take a step further: bring in one object that stands out from the rest of the group in some way but still ties in. Try mixing two groups together.

Don't limit your groupings to a coffee table or a book shelf; try it in your linen closet, under your sink or in your clothes closet to bring order to these often messy spaces. - Apartment Therapy

I thought for the sake of inspiration and fun, I'd take some pictures of what I've done with some of the things around our apartment, just to give it a little more "us" flair...

Happy Placing!