Now it's really almost the end of the year...

Christmas is over. I got my syllabus done for my class. I still have some work to do for work, but it's okay if it doesn't happen until Thursday--work is officially "closed" right now.* So now, I can blog!

What to blog?!  I think I'll start with a review of the festive chickpea tart.

I made it pretty much like the recipe from that web page (no oil added) except I didn't make the topping. Next time I make the tart, I plan to layer a bunch of cranberries near the top layer. This was so good with cranberry sauce! Oh, and we used fresh kale not spinach in ours.

It is festive! Nick's comment was that it tasted like dressing. It's got all the dressing spices. It definitely could be a gluten-free dressing--and that's a compliment! I love dressing!

I made it in a pie shell, but I'm not a super big pie crust fan. Next time, I won't make it in one unless daughter #1 wants me to make it with a crust. She liked it. I liked it. Nick wasn't crazy about it. Guests liked it. It's a good addition to the repertoire!


Ingredients

• 1/2 - 1 tbsp olive oil - or water for oil-free

• 1 cup onion, diced

• 1/2 cup celery, diced

• 4-5 medium-large garlic cloves, minced

• 1⁄4 tsp sea salt

• Few pinches freshly ground black pepper

• 2 cups chickpeas

• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 2 tsp tamari

• 1/2 tsp ground sage

• 1/4 tsp sea salt

• 3/4 cup walnuts, toasted

• 1/3 cup rolled oats (optional, see note)

• 1 - 10 oz package of fresh kale (or as much as you want

Add water, onion, celery, garlic, salt and pepper in a skillet over medium-high heat. After a veggies and onions are softened and turning golden add the kale and cook it down.  In a food processor, add chickpeas (except reserved 1/3 cup), lemon juice, tamari, sage, salt, and sautéed mixture, and partially puree (not fully like hummus, but leaving some chunkier consistency). 

Add toasted walnuts and oats, and briefly pulse to lightly break up nuts. Transfer to a bowl, and stir in spinach, cranberries, parsley, thyme, and reserved chickpeas. Transfer most of the mixture to pie shell (or lightly oiled pie plate), smoothing to evenly distribute. Add a layer of cranberries and then cover with the mixture. (I'm going to do a THICK layer!). 

I don't have picture. Next time I will. I'll add it when I get one.





*I imagine I might think a little bit about it before then, but we'll see. I think so much that sometimes it's hard not to work/think. I get bored. I like my work! I know I need to take breaks, but I didn't work Monday-Friday last week.