Rebecca Davis 5/10/21 Rebecca Davis 5/10/21

Miso parmesan chickpeas and kale

This quick dish is funky, salty, cheesy, and creamy with lots of greens and filling fiber thanks to the beans. #meandthemoose #lunch #dinner #sidedishes #kalerecipes #chickpearecipes #vegetarianrecipes

This quick side dish or light main is an easy way to add some greens to your meal that are both tasty and satisfying.

The idea for these greens came from a New York Times Cooking recipe for Miso pasta. That simple recipe combines only butter, miso, and parmesan cheese with pasta, pasta water, and a little nori on top. My husband made this dish on a whim and we were all sort of stunned by its deliciousness— even the 6-year-old!

I mean, what’s not to love?? It’s funky, salty, cheesy, a little creamy, and a lot carby. I replaced the pasta with beans and greens, which is just a light nod to health, but if you wanted to add the pasta back in (or garbanzo pasta to double up on the bean-age!) that would also be delicious.

We typically eat this as a side dish with a simple chicken or fish that’s either grilled or roasted while the kale cooks.

Just a quick note about this recipe: I used salted butter because I like things pretty salty. Between the butter, miso, and parmesan, there’s a lot of salt in this dish. While I normally advocate salting as you cook to build layers of flavor, I encourage you to hold off on adding any extra sodium until you’ve finished the dish.

Miso parmesan chickpeas and kale

Time: about 20 minutes, all active
Yield: 4 side servings, 2 main servings

3 Tbsp butter (I use salted, but use whatever you have)
1 can chickpeas, drained and dried
1 bunch kale, stems removed and thinly sliced (about 3 firmly packed cups of you’re using prechopped or frozen)
1 heaping Tbsp white miso paste
3 Tbsp water, plus more as needed
½ cup parmesan cheese, shredded
Squeeze of lemon juice, to taste
Chili pepper flakes, optional
Fried egg, optional

Over medium high heat, melt your butter. This should only take 1-2 minutes and the butter might start bubbling on the sides, which is fine!

Add the chickpeas and cook, shaking the pan frequently, until the beans and the butter start to brown, about 4-5 minutes. If you don’t drain the chickpeas thoroughly, never fear! Your butter won’t get quite as brown and may need an extra minute or two to brown the chickpeas.

Add the kale and stir to coat. Turn the heat down to medium low and let cook for 1-2 minutes while you prep the miso.

Combine the water and miso paste in a small bowl or measuring cup and whisk to combine. Add to the pan and stir well. If the liquid boils off immediately or if there are brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan, use 3-4 more Tbsp of water at a time to deglaze the pan. Repeat if necessary. You should have a little bit of liquid in the bottom of the pan before adding the cheese.

Turn off the heat and add the parmesan. Stir until melted.

Squeeze the lemon and garnish with chili pepper flakes, more cheese, and an egg if desired.

Rebecca Davis 4/30/21 Rebecca Davis 4/30/21

Avocado toast with a twist

Try a new take on the quick, easy, and healthy classic avocado toast with chickpeas, harissa, feta, tzatziki, pesto, arugula, eggs, and dukkah! #meandthemoose #avocadotoast #lunch #easyrecipes #breakfast

Refresh your breakfast and lunch avocado toast routines with these three quick and healthy spins on the classic sandwich staple.

I know, I know. Who really needs a recipe for avocado toast? Well, here’s the thing. I’m SO BORED with the standard base and toppings. I love everything bagel seasoning, but if I eat one more avocado smashed with it sprinkled on top, I’m going to turn into an everything bagel. Which might sound okay, but trust me, I would make a VERY SALTY bagel.

Anyway, here are some fun options I’ve been incorporating into the rotation!

Egg, pesto, and arugula liven up the classic avocado toast. #meandthemoose #avocadotoast #pesto #eggs #breakfast #lunch

Egg, pesto, and arugula avocado toast

1 piece of bread (your choice!)
1/4 large avocado, smashed
2 Tbsp pesto
1 egg, cooked using your preferred method
1 large handful arugula
flaky sea salt
drizzle of olive oil

Toast your bread.

While the bread is toasting, cook your egg however you like. I’ve used fried, poached, hard-boiled, and scrambled eggs in this and they all taste great.

Prep your other ingredients. I linked to my basic, kid-friendly pesto above, but there are loads of pesto recipes on this site OR feel free to use your own favorite recipe or a store-bought version.

Smash the avocado onto your bread with a fork and spread pesto on top. Add the egg and the arugula. Top with a sprinkle of salt and a drizzle of olive oil.

Crispy chickpeas, dukkah and harissa are a fresh vegan take on the classic avocado toast. #meandthemoose #veganrecipes #veganlunch #chickpeas

Dukkah, crispy chickpea, and harissa avocado toast

1 piece of bread (your choice!)
1/4 large avocado, smashed
1 can of chickpeas
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
pinch of sea salt
1 Tbsp dukkah seasoning (I used a Trader Joe’s mix, but dukkah recipes and pre-made mixes are easy to find)
1/4-1/2 tsp harissa spice
flaky sea salt
drizzle of olive oil (I used roasted garlic oil)

Preheat the oven to 400. Spread the drained chickpeas out on a sheet pan and pat dry with a paper towel. Drizzle with the olive oil and a large pinch of sea salt and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the chickpeas are crispy.

While the chickpeas are baking, toast your bread.

Smash the avocado on top of the bread and sprinkle with the dukkah seasoning. Top with about 1/4 cup of the crispy chickpeas. Sprinkle on your desired amount of harissa, flaky sea salt, and olive oil.

Quick-pickled cucumbers and onions add a lightly sweet and tangy bite to the salty feta and creamy, garlicky tzatziki of this new version of avocado toast. #meandthemoose #feta #tzatziki #avocadotoast #lunch #breakfast #quickpickles

Tzatziki, feta, and pickled cucumber avocado toast

1 piece of bread (your choice!)
1/4 large avocado, smashed
1 English or hothouse cucumber (use 3/4 for the pickles and the other 1/4 for the tzatziki if making yourself)
1/2 large white onion
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1-2 Tbsp tzatiki (recipe here or use a premade version)
1-2 Tbsp crumbled feta

Thinly slice 3/4 of the cucumber and 1/2 of the onion. Combine with the white vinegar, salt, and sugar in a container with a lid. Shake well and leave to marinate for 5-10 minutes.

Make the tzatziki, if necessary.

Toast your bread. Smash the avocado on the bread and top with pickled cucumbers. Add the tzatziki and top with the crumbled feta.

Rebecca Davis 1/6/20 Rebecca Davis 1/6/20

Creamy chickpea and halloumi skillet dinner

Cheat the clock with this vegetarian dish inspired by the flavors of tikka masala that uses shortcuts for both time and flavor!

Take me to the recipe!

This easy, quick chick pea and haloumi tikka masala uses a couple of shortcuts to pack in big flavor, but in half the time. #meandthemoose #dinnerrecipes #shortcuts #tikkamasala #haloumi #meatlessmonday #chickpeas #vegetarian

It’s January! That means we can’t binge eat cookie dough for dinner anymore.

I KID! Heartburn is my constant companion lately, so poor eating is much less appealing. That said, I’m feeling pretty great this pregnancy. I am, however, exhausted by 5 pm, so easy dinners that don’t require a lot of prep or cleanup and that cook super fast are at the top of our meal rotation. And I’m looking for shortcuts EVERYWHERE.

There’s absolutely nothing “authentic” about this tikka masala-inspired dish, but it’s so easy and so good, that hopefully you can overlook it this once. The flavors recall your favorite takeout and the halloumi adds a tangy, salty bite.

I normally shy away from recipes that “cheat” with jarred sauces, but I’m making an exception in the interest of time. Rao’s is by far our favorite jarred sauce, but the first time I made this, I was trying to use up another jarred sauce that we didn’t like. It’s great either way.

A couple of tips:

Be sure to cook the spices with the onions and garlic before you add the tomato sauce or cream. Since this dish cooks fast, you need to deepen the flavors by giving the spices a quick sear.
Speaking of cream, don’t forget to let it warm up while you make the rest of the recipe. Adding cold dairy to hot tomato sauce can make the cream curdle. It’ll still taste fine, but the dairy will look like little beads in your tomato sauce instead of mixing together completely.
You might notice that there’s not a lot of salt in this recipe. Since we’re using jarred sauce and really salty cheese, I recommend waiting until the end to add salt if it’s necessary.
Garam masala may not already in your spice rack, but it should be! It’s available all over the place and is really just a mixture of familiar spices that you might not have on hand. Try some!
Wait until the last minute to add the chickpeas because putting them in the sauce too early will soften them too much.
Finally, if you can’t find haloumi or if it’s too expensive, feel free to sub in farmer’s cheese, feta, cojita, queso blanco, or any other salty cheese. If using another type of cheese, no need to cook it beforehand, just add it to the tomato, cream, and chick pea mixture right before serving.

Chickpea and haloumi tikka masala

Yield: 4 grown-up servings
Time: about 35 minutes, all active

1 large can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1-2 Tbsp butter, ghee, or oil of choice
½ large onion minced
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2½ tsp garam masala
2 tsp cumin
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp turmeric
2 cups jarred tomato sauce (about 24 oz)
½ cup cream or half and half
Haloumi, sliced
Naan or flatbread for serving

Preheat the oven to 400.

Pour the half and half or cream and set aside to warm up.

Wash and drain the chickpeas and dry them off lightly with a paper towel. Toss with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast until crispy, about 20 minutes.

While the chickpeas cook, heat the butter, ghee or oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. Add the onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

Add the spices and cook, stirring to mix well, for 2-3 more minutes until fragrant.

Add the tomato sauce, mix well, and turn the flame up to high. Let the sauce come to a boil and turn the heat off.

Heat a small skillet over a high flame until a few drops of water bubble immediately when they hit the skillet. Add the cheese and sear until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip and repeat on the other side. Turn the skillet off and set aside.

Check the chickpeas for crispness.

Mix the chickpeas and cream into the tomato sauce. Test for salt, keeping in mind that the haloumi is quite salty. Top with the seared haloumi.