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!

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.

Coconut and cardamom alfajores

You may think you don’t need another holiday cookie recipe, but these are subtly spiced, barely sweet, and super easy. Win, win, win!

Take me to the cookies!

First of all, who’s had Alfajores before? If not, get thee to an Argentinian bakery because they. are. delicious. This South American staple uses dulce de leche in between two soft, cakey, vanilla cookies and is then rolled in shredded coconut.

In the US version, we often swap the softer cookie for a crispier vanilla shortbread, which I prefer. Also, I decided to skip the shredded coconut on the outside and opt for a coconut-flavored shortbread because, while I love the taste of coconut, I don’t always love its texture.

I started with this Coconut Shortbread recipe from Food52, but simplified the method, dialed down the sugar, swapped two egg yolks for one whole egg, and added a tiny bit of cardamom for a warmer, spicier flavor that felt right for the holidays.

You know what else feels right for the holidays? Shortcuts. In this version of the recipe, we use only one bowl and mix up cold fats with the rest of the ingredients in a food processor instead of a mixer.

AND, this part might seem like sacrilege to some, but I used jarred dulce de leche. I know, I know. Bad food blogger, bad! I like this one the most and found it at World Market, but you can also find it online. If you feel like making your own, here are some options:

Smitten Kitchen’s stovetop dulce de leche
Displaced Housewife’s olive oil dulce de leche
Live Well Bake Often’s oven-baked dulce de leche
The Spruce Eats boiled condensed milk dulce de leche

Here we go!

Coconut and cardamom alfajores

Yield: 24 cutout cookies; 12 sandwiches
Time: 90 minutes (about 30 active)

½ cup (1 stick) butter, cut into ½ inch cubes
6 Tbsp coconut oil (solid)
½ cup cane sugar (can substitute granulated sugar if necessary)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup coconut flour
1/4 tsp cardamom
¼ tsp sea salt
1 15-oz jar of dulce de leche

Cube the butter and add it to a food processor. Add the coconut oil (making sure it’s solid). Run the food processor until the butter and coconut oil have combined and are smooth, about 30 seconds. You may have to scrape down the sides.

Add the sugar, vanilla extract, and egg. Run the machine until the ingredients are well combined. Again, you may have to scrape down the sides.

Add the dry ingredients and pulse just until the dough comes together. I often need to scrape the sides once. The end result of the dough should be a crumbly wet dough that’s in large and small sandy chunks that come together easily when pressed.  The dough should be wetter than a pie dough, but slightly more crumbly than your typical sugar cookie dough.

Divide the dough roughly in half and place one dough chunk on a sheet of parchment paper. Using the paper or your hands to form a ball. Place another piece of parchment on top of the dough ball and roll out to a ¼-inch thick disk. Repeat with the other half of the dough. Chill both dough disks in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

When the dough has chilled for about 25 minutes, preheat the oven to 325.

Working one disk at a time, remove the top parchment sheet from each half and use it to line a cookie sheet. Cut out as many shapes as possible and gently transfer them. Re-roll the dough to cut out more shapes. For the cookies that will be the base of each sandwich, score gently with a fork. For the top cookie, cut out any shape you like from the middle.

Bake the cutout cookies for 14-17 minutes, turning once during baking to ensure even cooking. The cookies are done when they just begin to brown. Let cool.  

When the cookies are cool, top each bottom portion with 2-3 Tbsp of dulce de leche and top with a cutout cookie.

Warm farro, chard, and pancetta salad

Winterize your salads with whole grains, quickly cooked greens, some pancetta, and a shower of cheese. You might even get your littles on board with this salty, crunchy, filling salad.

Take me to the recipe!

So! Winter is here. However you feel about that, one thing is for certain: It’s comfort food season. I mean, cold temperatures and hearty fare go together like tomato soup and grilled cheese, boeuf and bourguignon, chocolate and marshmallows…you get the idea.

Buuut, I definitely suffer from the winter blues and hiding under a weighted blanket of Gruyere doesn’t help.

This warm salad is somehow a happy medium between a green salad (there’s still plenty of green!) and a soup/stew/comfort dish (there’s pancetta and cheese! It’s warm!). There’s a lot of goodness in there but you don’t feel deprived after eating it.

I can even get my little to eat some of this along side something else. Miracle!

PS- my favorite way to eat this salad is with a runny egg on top. Talk about comfort.

Chard, pancetta, and farro salad 

Time: 35 minutes (20 active)
Yield: about 6 side servings

1 cup uncooked farro 
3 cups water 
8 oz pancetta, diced small (I use the pre-diced stuff, which doesn’t render as much fat, but is a big time-saver)
1-2 Tbsp olive oil, as needed 
1 large onion or 4 large shallots, thinly sliced 
2 small bunches chard, rinsed, dried, and roughly chopped (about 6-8 cups) 
5 large cloves garlic 
2 large pinches salt 
2 tsp balsamic vinegar 
1/2 - 1 cup crumbled ricotta salata, cotija, feta or other crumbly, salty cheese 

Rinse the farro and add to a medium pot with the water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 30 minutes or until the farro is tender, but still chewy. Drain any remaining water.

Heat a separate pan (I love cast iron for this dish, but use whatever you have) over medium high heat for 2-3 minutes until hot. Turn the heat down to medium/medium-low (if the pancetta fat is popping, turn the heat down more and gradually raise it) and add the pancetta. Cook, stirring frequently, until the pancetta is browned, smells gamey, and has rendered some fat, about 5 minutes.

If needed, add some olive oil to the pan. Add the sliced onions or shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions or shallots have wilted and become translucent, about 3 minutes. If the onions seem like they’re cooking too fast, adjust the flame to medium low.

Add the chard and cook, stirring and tossing frequently, until the chard is wilted, about 3-5 minutes.

Test for seasoning and add salt as needed.

Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Turn off the heat and add the balsamic vinegar and stir several times. The residual heat of the pan should cook off some of the vinegar.

Drain any water from the cooked farro and add to the pan. Stir and test for seasoning.

Top with crumbled cheese and serve.

Coconut turmeric noodles

Need a gluten-free, dairy-free, one pan, 20-minute dinner that is full of flavor and will keep you full and satisfied? Well, here you go: Coconut turmeric noodles!

Take me to the recipe!

This dish is on our weeknight rotation primarily because it’s really delicious and crazy fast to put together. It’s a filling meatless meal (aside from the fish sauce), but is also a great base for fish, shellfish, chicken, or pork, either leftover or fresh.

I lightly adapted this one from a Bon Appetite recipe that I found when I decided that we should eat more turmeric.

I included a range for the honey and fish sauce so that you can suit this dish to your tastes. I like it with the larger amounts because the combination of sweet and savory is my jam. But some people prefer a sweeter or more savory dish, so edit as you will.

Coconut turmeric noodles

Lightly adapted from Bon Appetite

Time: about 20-25 minutes, all active
Yield: about 3 adult servings, or 2 adult and 2 kid servings

8 oz rice noodles (measure dry)
1 Tbsp coconut oil
2 large shallots, thinly sliced  
4 large garlic cloves, minced
½ inch piece of fresh ginger, finely grated (about 1 tsp)
1 tsp turmeric
¼ tsp black pepper
½ tsp kosher salt
1 can coconut milk
1½ -2 Tbsp honey
1-2½  Tbsp fish sauce (to taste)
1-2 cups shredded kale/bok choi/greens of any kind

Cook your noodles according to the package directions. If your package gives a range of cooking times, choose the lowest time. If it doesn’t give a range, subtract 1-2 minutes from the total. You’ll continue to cook the noodles in the sauce, so you want them al dente. 

While the water is boiling and the noodles are cooking, get your other ingredients together.

Melt the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for 2-3 minutes until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the garlic and the ginger and cook for another 1 minute, until fragrant.

Add the turmeric, pepper, and salt and stir well to coat the onion and garlic mixture. Let cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

Add the coconut milk and stir to melt any solids. Add 1½ Tbsp of honey and 1 Tbsp of fish sauce and stir well. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Taste the sauce for seasonings and add more honey and fish sauce to taste.

Add the noodles and shredded greens to the sauce and stir well. Let cook, bubbling slightly, until the sauce has thickened to your liking, the noodles are fully cooked, and the greens are wilted, about 4-5 minutes.

Chicken and apple breakfast sausages

These chicken and apple breakfast sausage patties are super quick, packed with flavor, and a great way to add some lean protein to your breakfasts.

Take me to the recipe!

So! It’s been forever since I last posted because, like half of the food bloggers I follow, I’ve been busy cooking something else: A BABY. Normally I have a strong sense of smell, but pregnancy turns me into a bloodhound. Combine that with constant nausea, and you can imagine how I’ve felt about cooking or looking at food photos or being in the kitchen or even opening the refrigerator door.

Luckily, I started working on a homemade version of chicken and apple sausages (a family favorite) WAY before they started making me nauseous, so I know they’re good. Plus, they’re easy to whip up over the weekend and then store or freeze for future breakfasts. OR, if you’re feeling ambitious, you can even make them on a weekday morning if you’re one of those people with your shit together on school days.

I fiddled around a lot with the spice mix so that it would be strong enough to compensate for how little fat is in the recipe. I use a combination of fresh and dried sage but you could certainly opt for a single type. If you like less garlic or just milder flavors generally, cut back on the garlic powder and the patties will still taste great.

A note about the fat we add: It’s only a Tbsp, which may feel like too little or too much depending on where you stand and you may be tempted to add more or leave it out. But I’ve found that 1 Tbsp is enough to keep the meat from drying out without making it taste oily or making the texture crumbly.

And the apple adds a little sweetness and a little moisture.

Chicken and apple breakfast sausages

Time: 15 total (5 prep, 10 cooking)
Yield: 16 patties

1 lb ground chicken, (7-8% fat)  
1 small apple, shredded (about ½ cup of apple)
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp fennel seeds
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp onion powder
1 tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp pepper

Combine the chicken, shredded apple, 1 Tbsp olive oil, and the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl. Mix just until all of the ingredients are combined.

In a large skillet, heat ½-1 Tbsp of oil over a medium flame until hot. (If you’re cooking the sausages in batches, use half of the oil; otherwise, use it all.)

Scoop 2 Tbsp of chicken mixture into balls and place in the hot skillet. Push them down slightly to form round patties. Reduce the flame to medium low and cook until well browned on the bottoms, about 5 minutes.

Flip the patties and cook on the other side until the meat is cooked through, the patties feel firm to the touch, and/or the patties reach 165 on a meat thermometer, about 4 more minutes.