Many of us will be glued to the box this coming Sunday. If you’re like the Missus you’ll be watching all the glitz and glamour of the Academy Awards and if you’re like me, you’ll be watching the golf. Whether you’re flying solo or having an Oscar party, chances are you’ll need a little something to nosh on as the hours go by. Before you reach for the bag o’ chips and dip why not go for the win with this healthier alternative that takes just a little extra effort.

Garbanzo beans, also called chickpeas, are a good source of protein and are a good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber, as are most other beans. Pistachios are one of the lowest calorie, lowest fat, and highest fiber nuts. An ounce of pistachios provides 3 grams of fiber, or twice the fiber of walnuts and about the same as a serving of oatmeal. This means you’re also eating a heart-healthy snack, which is brilliant considering this is American Heart Month. Am I good or what?
I adapted this recipe from one I found long ago from Bon Appetit. Feel free to give it your own spin–that’s what cooking is all about.

RECIPE:
Makes 1 1/2 cups

1 15 oz can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained & rinsed
1/8 cup canola oil
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/3 lemon, juiced

1/2 cup raw pistachios, shelled
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400F/200C. Also preheat your rimmed baking sheet so it starts toasting the beans as you spread them out. Toss chickpeas with the oil, salt, cumin, pepper spices and lemon juice. Transfer mixture to heated baking sheet. Bake until chickpeas are golden and crisp, stirring occasionally with metal spatula, about 20 mins. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Keep at room temp.)

Stir pistachios and thyme into chickpea mixture. Bake until everything is crunchy, about another 12 mins. It’s as easy as that.

Compliments of Bon Appetite

Those of you over here Stateside are well aware that turkey season is just about here (Thanksgiving is next Thursday). I always associate turkey with Christmas but now since I’m over here I get a double dose with both holidays which for me equals lots of naps. By the time Santa comes I’ll have had turkey soup, turkey sandwiches, turkey stew, well you get the point.
There have been many articles about how best to cook turkey so it doesn’t dry out, wrapping it in bacon, basting with butter, wrapping it in soaked muslin and most recently brining. I’ve been brining my birds (too many to mention!) for a few years now and have always had great results. To see me in action click here. However there’s a new kid on the block: SALTING.
This is all over the mags and papers right now so here’s the scoop: All you do is salt the turkey a few days in advance, say 3 days ahead of cooking. Rub the salt into the flesh, a massage if you will, and pop it in the fridge in a sealable plastic bag. Then everyday prior to cooking give her a ruba dub dub to make sure the salt is spread evenly. How it works: The salt draws the moisture out of the meat but then re-absorbs it so in effect you’re actually brining it in it’s own juices. Apparently the bird is not salty when cooked. Sounds pretty good right? Check out the recipe from the LA Times.
Let me just say that I haven’t tried this yet but will be. I’d love to hear some feedback from those of you who’ve tried this out.