goat cheese

Meatless Monday: Freekeh Salad with Chickpeas and Goat Cheese

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 1 Comment

While I’m back to eating meat (I gave it up for Lent) and have been for some time, I still enjoy the occasional meatless meal. I’d been dying to try freekeh for a while now – after hearing it dubbed the “new quinoa” I knew that I had to give it a try.

What is freekeh? According to Wikipedia, freekeh “is a cereal food made from green wheat that goes through a roasting process in its production.” Freekeh Foods says, “Freekeh is a healthy alternative to rice because it has up to 3 times the protein as even brown rice! Freekeh is a roasted ancient grain that is equal to quinoa in protein and fiber … Freekeh has 6 g protein and 4 g fiber per serving.”

Freekeh Salad with Chickpeas and Goat Cheese

Anyway, enough about the health aspects of freekeh. You get it – it’s healthy. Now, how does it taste?

It reminded me more of rice than quinoa from the texture and flavor. It wasn’t nutty like some quinoas can be and it had a similar soft texture to rice. And it was just as easy to prepare! The fine folks at Freekeh Foods sent me three packages of Freekeh (original, rosemary sage, tamari) along with a bunch of recipe cards with recipes from freekeh breakfast cereal to freekeh chili. I can’t wait to try all the recipes out. But in the meantime, let me share some recipes I came up with, based on what I had on hand. First, Freekeh Salad with Chickpeas and Goat Cheese:

Freekeh Salad with Chickpeas and Goat Cheese

Freekeh Salad with Chickpeas and Goat Cheese

Here’s what you need:

  • 1 c. dry freekeh (I used Freekeh Foods original)
  • 2 TBS olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced or diced
  • 1 can chickpeas
  • 1/4 c. goat cheese
  • 1/4 c. toasted pine nuts

Here’s what you do:

  1. Prepare freekeh according to package directions (my freekeh said to add to 2 1/2 c water, boil, then simmer for 20ish minutes).
  2. While freekeh is cooking, heat 1-2 TBS olive oil on a pan over medium low heat. Add chopped onion and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add in garlic. Cook onion and garlic for 5 or so more minutes, until onion is translucent and soft.
  3. Remove onion and garlic from heat but keep in pan. Add chickpeas and toss to mix well.
  4. When freekeh is done cooking, drain well. Add to onion/garlic/chickpea mixture. Toss so the olive oil and garlic fully incorporate with the freekeh. Pour mixture into a bowl.
  5. Just before serving, toss with pine nuts and goat cheese. Enjoy!

Makes: 2-3 side dishes or 1-2 vegetarian main meals

20140505_171034

Some questions for you:

  • Have you tried freekeh before?
  • What’s your favorite meatless meal?
  • What other freekeh recipes should I try?

Disclosure: Freekeh Foods sent me three packages of Freekeh to try out. I was not compensated for this post and all opinions/thoughts/photos/other randomness are my own. And I can’t wait to try out my next package and share the info with you!

Freekeh Salad with Chickpeas and Goat Cheese

Looking for some more Meatless Monday, vegetarian recipes? Here are a few of my favorites:

more meatless mondays (1)

Eating like a hipster … Roasted butternut squash with kale, mushrooms, onions, roasted red pepper and goat cheese

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / Leave a comment

The other day I came across a list of the most hipster foods there are. Hipster foods! And can you believe  that out of that list, B and I enjoy most of them on a regular basis? Like, a LOT of them? For example, here are just a few:

  • Cold brew coffee – B LOVES this, especially this time of year.
  • Anything from a food truck – Obviously. Who doesn’t like stuff from a food truck? Helllllo Walnut Wednesdays!
  • Pickles – Always have, always will love them.
  • Brussels sprouts – B’s not a fan but I’ve been eating them roasted for a while!
  • Bacon – you can’t tell me bacon is just for hipsters. We got some nitrate free bacon in our CSA last year and I can’t wait to get it again.
  • Cauliflower – Have you met me? I love cauliflower! Roasted, mashed, buttery… please, I’ve been eating cauliflower for years. My parents cook cauliflower. Does this make my parents hipsters?
  • Kale – SEE BELOW. Seriously, I don’t know whether to be flattered or insulted.

butternut squash kale, mushrooms, onions, roasted red pepper and goat cheese

Roasted Butternut squash with Kale, Mushrooms, Onions, Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese

Here’s what you need:

  • 2-3 Tbs olive oil
  • 1 butternut squash, peeled and chopped into about 1-inch pieces
  • 1 large bunch kale, washed, and chopped (remove stem)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced or finely diced
  • 1 c. chopped yellow onion
  • 1 c. sliced mushrooms
  • 1-3 tsp hot sauce, to taste (optional)
  • 1/2 red pepper, roasted
  • 1/2 c. crumbled goat cheese

Here’s what you do:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place chopped up butternut squash onto a greased baking sheet. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until squash is just starting to brown.
  2. While squash is cooking, in a large saucepan, heat up about 2 Tbs olive oil on medium high heat. Add in garlic and sautee for 2 minutes or until it starts to smell yummy (yes, I LOVE the smell of garlic!). Add in diced onion and cook for 2-3 more minutes until onion starts to become translucent. Add in mushrooms and cook for another 3ish minutes. Add kale and cook until kale has wilted. You may need to add more olive oil at this time. If you like heat, here’s where you’ll add your hot sauce.
  3. When squash is done, add to mushroom/onion/kale/garlic pot. Saute squash just enough so that it starts to caramelize slightly.
  4. Almost finished! Pour onto a plate and top with goat cheese and roasted red pepper. Enjoy as a vegetarian main dish or as a side dish. Enjoy!

butternut squash with kale, mushrooms, onions, roasted red pepper and goat cheese - i crashed the web

 

Some questions for you:

Are any of the hipster foods foods you enjoy regularly? See above. Apparently, yes.

Are your parents hipsters? Ha, well since they eat cauliflower … and my dad likes craft beer and has been wearing Converse since the beginning of time. Maybe? Which makes me think of this great blog: Dads are the original hipster.

Are you a hipster? Trick question!  A hipster would never admit to being a hipster. GOTCHA!

What’s something vegetarian you enjoyed lately?

Chicken Sausage, Quinoa and Goat Cheese Stuffed Squash

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / Leave a comment

When my brother Greggypoo came and visited for the weekend (he loves when I call him that) we decided to spend some time cooking a dinner together. Of course, since it was a Saturday, we went the West Side Market to pick up fresh produce first and see what would inspire us. The only request from my brother? He wanted something fall-like, and delicious, of course. Something fall-like? What says “fall” more than squash? And since B and I have been eating quite a bit of roasted squash lately (2-3x a week), I decided to try something different – stuffed squash.

greg cooking the meat

Greg cooking!

This recipe was really good. Both B and Greggypoo cleaned their plates and declared they were full. I served the squash with some sweet cornbread, which I made for the second day this week. Because the cornbread recipe really is that good. I may have to share it soon!

Chicken sausage quinoa and goat cheese stuffed butternut squash

Chicken Sausage, Quinoa and Goat Cheese Stuffed Squash

Here’s what you need:

  • 2 medium butternut squash
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
  • 1-2 tsp vegetable oil
  • 4 ounces fresh italian chicken sausage, casing removed
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 cup chopped Spanish or yellow onion
  • 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely diced
  • 3 ounces goat cheese
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder

Here’s what you do:

  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Cut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds; place cut sides facedown in a baking pan filled with 1 inch hot water. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until squash is soft or done.
  2. While squash is cooking, prepare stuffing. First, make the quinoa. Boil the chicken broth in a medium saucepan. Once boiling, add quinoa. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.
  3. Remove sausage from casing and add to a nonstick pan. Cook sausage for 5-7 minutes, using a spatula to evenly cook and break up the meat. Once meat is no longer pink, add Italian seasoning, onion, pepper and garlic. Cook 5-7 minutes or until onion is translucent. Stir in quinoa and put heat on low, cook for another minute or so.
  4. When squash is cooked, remove water from baking dishes and turn squash so cut side is up. Mix filling with goat cheese, and fill each squash with the same amount of filling. Sprinkle squashes with cumin and chili powder. Bake squashes for another 15-20 minutes.

collage - Chicken sausage and goat cheese stuffed butternut squash - i crashed the web

Chicken sausage and goat cheese stuffed butternut squash - i crashed the web