Everyday Living Food & Lifestyle
Roasted Chickpea Salad
CHICKPEAS are often considered a superfood due to their high nutritional value and have been enjoyed by humans for over ten thousand years.
Grown in over fifty countries chickpeas are a type of legume and in the same family as peanuts and kidney beans.
The high plant based protein and fiber of chickpeas may also promote healthy ageing and assist in retaining our skin’s elasticity and firmness.
ROASTED CHICKPEA SALAD is delicious on its own or can be served with pita bread or as a side salad.
Prep Time: 30 min Cook Time: 30 Min Servings: 4
Ingredients:
- • 1 540 ml can of chickpeas
- • 2 tbsps olive oil
- • 1 tsp Paprika or hot pepper sauce
- • 1 tsp salt
- • ½ tsp ground black pepper
- • 4 cups of chopped head lettuce
- • 4 cups of cooked quinoa
- • 1 cup Kalamata olives
- • 1 cup sliced radishes
- • 1 cup cucumber chopped
- • 1 cup chopped tomatoes
- • 1 small container store bought red pepper hummus
Dressing:
- • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- • ¼ cup almond butter
- • 3 tbsps fresh squeezed lemon juice
- • 2 tsps Dijon mustard
- • 2 tsps maple syrup
- • ½ tsp salt
- • ½ tsp coarsely ground black pepper
- • 5-6 tbsps cold water
directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
Rinse, drain and pat dry the chickpeas and place in a small bowl, then combine with the olive oil, salt, black pepper and paprika or hot pepper sauce.
Spread chickpeas on a foil lined baking tray and bake in the oven for about 25 to 30 mins until brown and crisp. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
In a screw top jar place the olive oil, salt, pepper, Dijon mustard, lemon juice and maple syrup and shake until combined. Next add the almond butter and 5- 6 tbsps of cold water and stir until you get a smooth consistency.
To serve divide the quinoa among the bowls and top with lettuce, olives, raddish, tomatoes, cucumber, roasted chickpeas, red pepper hummus and some dressing. Serve with pita bread if desired.
Bon Apetit....
Roasted Chickpea Salad - Jen’s Cooking Tips
• I am a fan of Mediterranean style salads as they are colourful, flavourful, easy to prepare and can be a meal or a side dish.
• I have used canned chickpeas in this recipe for its convenience – all you need to do is drain, rinse, pat down with a paper towel, toss in olive oil, hot sauce, salt and pepper before roasting in the oven.
• You can spice up your chickpeas by adding ground cumin, red chilli flakes or garlic powder.
• I have used Kalamata olives for their rich dark colour but you can substitute with any olives of your choice.
• I chose quinoa which is an ancient grain as it does not take long to prepare and you can freeze leftovers in an air tight container for use another day. Quinoa is also naturally gluten free and rich in fiber.
You Will Need
• Chickpeas
• Quinoa
• Iceberg lettuce
• Tomatoes
• Cucumber
• Radish
• Roasted red pepper hummus (store bought)
• Almond butter
• Olive oil
• Lemon juice
• Maple syrup
• Dijon mustard
Latest Recipes
Thai Curry Chicken
Thai food is a blend of four cuisines – Indian, Chinese, Malay and Thai. Thai curry can be mild or spicy and contain meat, chicken, seafood or vegetables and is typically served with rice......
Thai Curry Chicken
Thai food is a blend of four cuisines – Indian, Chinese, Malay and Thai.
Thai curry can be mild or spicy and contain meat, chicken, seafood or vegetables and is typically served with rice or noodles.
The “reddish” colour and flavour of the curry comes from the red chillies used to make the paste which would also include lemongrass, shrimp paste, ginger and garlic, turmeric, coriander and cumin seeds.
Full fat coconut milk has been used in the THAI CURRY CHICKEN recipe as it helps to offset the heat and give it a creamy consistency. The curry is actually quite mild but you can increase the heat by stirring in the garnish of fresh, sliced red Thai chillies prior to serving.
Prep Time: 20 min Cook Time: 35 min Servings: 4 - 6
Ingredients:
- • 3 lbs boneless, skinless Chicken breasts
- • 1 medium size onion finely sliced
- • 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
- • 4 tbsps vegetable oil
- • 4 – 5 tbsps Thai Curry Paste
- • 3 tsps Fish sauce
- • 1 tsp sugar
- • 2 ½ cups full fat coconut milk
Garnish:
- • 3 Thai Red chillies deseeded and thinly sliced
- • 10 – 12 fresh mint leaves or Thai basil leaves
Directions:
• Cut the chicken breasts into small pieces.
• Heat oil in a large pan or skillet ( which has a lid), add the sliced onion and garlic and saute for 2 -3 minutes.
• Add the chicken pieces to the pan and fry until they change colour and are no longer pink.
• Add Thai Curry paste, followed by the sugar, salt and fish sauce and blend in with the chicken.
• Pour in the coconut milk and simmer on low heat until the chicken is tender about 20 mins.
• Garnish with thinly sliced 2- 3 Thai red chillies with seeds removed and fresh mint or basil leaves.
• Serve with Jasmine or Basmati rice or rice noodles if desired.
Bon Apetit...
THAI CURRY CHICKEN - JEN’S COOKING TIPS
Thai Curry Chicken is an easy to make curry at home, even on a week night. Use only full fat coconut milk for its richness and creamy consistency.Make sure to simmer and not boil the coconut milk as it will curdle.
Fish sauce is added for deeper flavour but will not make the sauce taste fishy. Thai Basil leaves or cilantro can be used instead of mint leaves.
Use a store bought Thai red curry paste for convenience. I have used Thai Kitchen Red curry paste in the recipe.
Leftover curry can be transferred to an air tight container and refrigerated for 3 – 4 days.
YOU WILL NEED:
Chicken breasts
Thai Curry Paste
Full Fat Coconut Milk Fish Sauce
Sugar Onion Garlic
Vegetable oil
Thai red Chillies
Mint or Basil leaves
Zucchini Spears With a Zesty Tomato Sauce
ZUCCHINI is a green, oblong squash that is typically served in savoury dishes. It has a mild taste and the smaller to medium sized zucchinis have the best flavour. Low in calories but high in fiber....
Zucchini Spears With a Zesty Tomato Sauce
ZUCCHINI is a green, oblong squash that is typically served in savoury dishes. It has a mild taste and the smaller to medium sized zucchinis have the best flavour.
Low in calories but high in fiber zucchini contains more potassium than a banana. Loaded with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, zucchini is good for the digestive system and eye health.
Zucchini can be eaten raw in a salad or with a dip but it can also be steamed, sautéed, added to breads, muffins and pancakes, stuffed with rice and meats or spiralized into zucchini noodles.
Baked zucchini with herbs and parmesan cheese is a quick and easy side dish, as shown in the ZUCCINHI SPEARS WITH ZESTY TOMATO SAUCE recipe below.
Prep Time: 20 min Cook Time: 15 min Servings: 4
Ingredients:
- • 4 medium size zucchinis
- • 2 tbsps olive oil
- • 2 tbsps fresh oregano
- • 1 cup finely crushed breadcrumbs
- • 1 cup shaved or grated parmesan cheese
- • 1/2 tsp salt
- • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- • 1 tsp red chilli flakes (optional)
Tomato Sauce:
- • 1 small can (398 ml) tomato sauce
- • 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- • 8 cherry tomatoes halved
- • 2 tbsps olive oil
- • 2 tbsps oregano
- • 1 tsp sugar
- • Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Pre heat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
Rinse the zucchini and pat dry with paper towel. Place the zucchini on a cutting board, trim the ends off and then slice into four pieces lengthwise.
Place the zucchini spears on a foil lined baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and then sprinkle with salt, pepper and oregano. Next sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly over the zucchini followed by the parmesan cheese and red chilli flakes if using.
Place the zucchini on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 12 minutes uncovered. Make sure not to overcook the zucchini as it will turn mushy.
To make the tomato sauce add olive oil to a small pan over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic and saute for about a minute followed by the cherry tomatoes and oregano. Saute for another couple of minutes and then add the tomato sauce, salt, pepper and the sugar. Simmer until the sauce starts to thicken and then remove from heat.
To serve place the zucchini spears on a platter and pour some of the tomato sauce over it. Leftover tomato sauce can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for a couple of days.
Bon Apetit....
JEN’S COOKING TIPS
• Use small to medium size zucchinis as they have more flavour• Do not overcook zucchinis as they will become soggy and limp
• Whole zucchinis can be stored in the refrigerator in the crisper drawer for up to a week
• Fresh zucchinis have a bright green skin, yellow or green flesh, small seeds and feel smooth to the touch
• Zucchinis are 95% water and low in calories
• Zucchinis can be added to pastas, salads and stir fry recipes
• Baked zucchini goes well with grilled or roasted chicken, meat or fish.
YOU WILL NEED:
Zucchini
Olive Oil
Parmesan Cheese
Breadcrumbs
Oregano
Tomato Sauce Garlic
Cherry Tomatoes
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Breakfast Quesadillas
EGGS are tasty, filling and good for your health as a whole egg contains a little bit of every nutrient you need. Cheap and easy to prepare they are an inexpensive source of high quality lean......
Breakfast Quesadillas
EGGS are tasty, filling and good for your health as a whole egg contains a little bit of every nutrient you need. Cheap and easy to prepare they are an inexpensive source of high quality lean protein.
Blue, green, brown or white eggs may have different colours but there is no difference in taste or nutrition between them. An average hen lays 300 – 325 eggs per year. The colour of the yolk depends on the hen’s diet and age, and typically as hens age, their eggs become larger.
An extremely versatile ingredient, eggs are not just for eating but are used to make beauty products such as face masks, compost and garden fertilizer. In many cultures the egg is a symbol of new life, fertility and re birth.
Eggs are also a breakfast/brunch mainstay and scrambled, poached, baked or fried are some of the ways to consume eggs. Quick and simple to cook, eggs can also be used in burritos or quesadillas as shown in the recipe for BREAKFAST QUESADILLAS below.
Prep Time: 20 min Cook Time: 20 Min Servings: 2
Ingredients:
- • 2 large tortillas
- • 1 1⁄2 tsps Olive oil
- • 1 Chorizo Sausage cooked and casing removed
- • 3 eggs lightly beaten
- • 1⁄4 tsp salt
- • 1 tbsp butter
- • 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese
- • 2 cups kale washed, stemmed and coarsely chopped
- • 1 cup sliced button mushrooms
- • 1⁄4 cup chopped green onion
- • 1⁄2 cup chopped red bell pepper
- • 1⁄2 jalapeno seeds removed and chopped (optional)
- • Cooking spray
directions:
• Heat olive oil in a pan or non stick skillet on medium heat. Add onions and saute for about 2 minutes. Next add red peppers and mushrooms and saute for another 2 mins and then add kale, jalapeno pepper and chorizo sausage. Cook until veggies are tender and then remove from heat and keep warm.
• In a skillet melt butter on medium heat and pour in the egg mixture with a 1⁄4 tsp of salt. Cook eggs while stirring until they start to firm up then scramble until they are cooked through and remove from heat.
• Coat a large skillet or fry pan with cooking spray and heat on medium heat. Place a tortilla in the pan and sprinkle a 1⁄4 cup of cheese on one half of the tortilla followed by half the veggie mixture and half the scrambled egg. Top with a 1⁄4 cup of cheese and fold tortilla in half over filling. Cook for a few minutes until tortilla is golden brown, turning once.
• Transfer quesadilla to a cutting board and repeat the process with the second tortilla.
• Slice each quesadilla into 2 or 3 slices and serve with your favourite hot salsa, guacamole or sour cream.
Bon Apetit....
JEN’S COOKING TIPS
Breakfast Quesadillas are one of my favourite egg recipes as they are easy to make, tasty and can be served at any time.• Use a large non-stick skillet for cooking quesadillas for best results
• You can substitute the kale leaves with fresh spinach leaves, thinly sliced broccoli or asparagus spears
• You can substitute the fresh jalapeno with 1⁄2 tsp of red chilli flakes
• You can substitute the button mushrooms with any mushroom of your choice
• Use Mexican shredded cheese for more flavour or any soft melting cheese as it helps to bind all the ingredients together
• You can substitute the chorizo sausage with cooked ham or breakfast sausage
• You can use flour, corn, wheat or spinach tortillas
• Saran wrap lefover quesadillas and store in refrigerator for up to two days
YOU WILL NEED:
2 large tortillas
Red pepper
Kale leaves
Mushrooms
Green onion
Jalapeno pepper
Chorizo sausage
Eggs
Butter
Olive oil
Cooking spray
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About Me
Jennifer
Hi there, I am Jennifer Puri and welcome to CookLaughLive. The recipes presented here are simple, quick, and relatively healthy and are inspired by my family and friends and my love for cooking.
As a mom and grand mom I appreciate the value of simple recipes that don’t take a lot of time to prepare and use fresh, tasty and mostly inexpensive ingredients.
I live in Calgary, Alberta and in addition to testing, preparing and photographing recipes, I also enjoy reading, getaways to the mountains, interior decorating and the occasional “friendly” political discussion.
“Food is how we bring people together and show love.” - Giles Duley
Thanks for being here
Jennifer
Read MoreDid You Know
DID YOU KNOW You can rebuild Collagen and reduce the signs of ageing?
May 14th, 2025
As we age collagen production slows down and less collagen, over time, causes fine lines, wrinkles and dry skin. Collagen is the most plentiful protein in our bodies and can be found not just in our skin but also in tissues, tendons, ligaments and joints....
You can rebuild Collagen and reduce the signs of ageing
As we age collagen production slows down and less collagen, over time, causes fine lines, wrinkles and dry skin. Collagen is the most plentiful protein in our bodies and can be found not just in our skin but also in tissues, tendons, ligaments and joints.
The loss of collagen as we age causes our skin to loose its firmness. Collagen is a protein that is naturally produced in our bodies and along with elastin and hyaluronic acid helps to maintain elasticity, moisture and suppleness. Collagen plays an important role in maintaining the health and youthfulness of our skin.
Collagen treatments such as dermal fillers can promote cell growth for healthy skin but collagen can also be replenished by consuming a nutritious diet that will help boost collagen production.
Foods such as fish, nuts and seeds, olive oil, poultry, eggs, beans, citrus fruits, leafy greens, blue berries, cinnamon, green tea, soya beans, bell peppers, tomatoes and root veggies are all great sources for producing collagen. Vitamins A, C and E, zinc and copper can enhance your skins elasticity and radiance. So consuming collagen rich foods can help replace the collagen in our skin and improve our overall appearance.
There are many skincare products that contain a synthetic form of the protein and collagen creams are available in lotions, gels and serums. Using skincare products that contain hyaluronic acid and collagen can also maintain and stimulate collagen in the skin.
It is also important to get enough sleep, manage stress, avoid sun exposure, reduce sugar, alcohol and smoking and drink enough water. UV exposure damages the skin so using a sunscreen is advisable.
Watch the VIDEO that presents the best foods to eat for collagen production.
Now you know..
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For more information call us at (403) 714-2572 or email jennifer@redriverleasing.com
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