Olala Chickpea & Onion Salad

Been ultra low on groceries lately, so I made this bomb-shelter friendly salad to go with my dinner tonight. Good way to get your protein in for the day.

Ingredients:
Can of Chickpeas
1/2 red onion
1 TBS of Parsley
1 TSP of Pepper
1 TSP of Salt
1 TSP of Garlic Powder
Some squirts of lemon
Splash of Vinegar
Splash of Olive Oil

Preparation:
This is an easy one! Drain Chickpeas and rinse in water. Throw in a medium sized bowl. Add olive oil, vinegar, and lemon. Chop up some onions and toss in bowl. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and parsley. Mix until everything is evenly distributed. Taste and if it needs anything, add whatever you think is missing.

Restaurant Review -- Oleana in Cambridge

Day 57 (Starting to lose track) -- Red Wine, Success by Cold War Kids

So after about a month of drooling over the Oleana menu online, I managed to drag two carnivore pals over to this Turkish, vegetarian-friendly spot in Inman Square. This place is the perfect happy-medium for both vegetarians and meat eaters.

Besides having a great selection of vegetarian options, Oleana also offers a menu that changes seasonally. So, you'll always be eating the freshest ingredients. The restaurant even gets all of its produce from a local, independently owned farm out in Western Massachusetts. At this progressive restaurant, your inner-hippie will dine in peace, knowing that your produce grew pesticide-free!

Onto what you're interested in -- the food! I went with the vegetarian 5 tapas sized-course tasting menu for only about 36 bucks. Seems a bit pricey, but it's completely worth it for the innovative food that your evening has in store. If you're a picky eater, this might not be the best option as your dinner is entirely up to the chef's whim.

First Course -- Creamy Carrot soup
Second Course -- Chickpea yogurt deliciousness (honestly, I wasn't sure what I was eating, but I wanted more).
Third Course --Fried Beans with Mushrooms & Celery Salad
Fourth Course -- Ricotta & Bread Dumplings with Red Wine, Porcini & Black Kale

If you do make it out here, get the whipped feta as an appetizer. As you scoop the last mound of cheese, you'll throw all manners out the window and be licking the bowl clean. (Don't worry, I didn't have that much wine yet to resort to this).

To polish off this entirely gluttonous evening, I got a sorbet dessert. It was good, but I'd rather eat the calories in a chocolate form. Let's just say you had to roll me home, because I was so full!

Rating: 4.5 tofu cubes

Tip: Make a reservation as this is a hot spot. Also, it's a great date place!

Deli Guy's Vegetarian Caprese Sandwich

After the Deli Guy looked at me in disgust after ordering a half-pound of the questionable egg salad, he asked me if I really wanted something so unappealing. After I told him my difficulty in finding a good veggie sandwich, he wrote me this recipe on some receipt paper. It's a winner!

Ingredients:
Basil
3 slices Tomatoes
Roasted red peppers
3 slices of buffalo mozzarella
1 tbs of capers
1 loaf of sub bread
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Some salt and Peppers

Preparation:
This is an easy one! Heat pan up at medium heat. Once hot, add some olive oil. Add roasted red pepper, tomatoes, and capers. Cook until properly sauteed.

Meanwhile, slice bread open and add cheese and basil. Add ingredients from pan. Sprinkle salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar, and oil on cheese for flavor. If desired, heat sandwich on Panini Press or george foreman grill.

Meatless Buffalo Chicken Wrap

Picked up some Boca Spicy Chicken Patties over the weekend. Maybe, I already forgot what chicken tasted like, but I was fooled into thinking I was really eating a chicken patty. Take a look at the below Buffalo chicken wrap I made tonight. It's a bit on the processed side, but we can't be perfect every night.

Ingredients:
1 Boca Chicken Spicy Patty
1 Whole Wheat Flour Tortilla (Burrito Size)
A couple squeezes of some Mayo
3 Tomato slices
Pete's Buffalo Sauce
1 Slice of American Cheese (or, Blu Cheese. I was out. But might be kind of overwelming with the Mayo).

Preperation:
Heat up skillet on medium heat. Once hot enough, spray with olive oil. Cook patty evenly on both sides and melt cheese on it.

Meanwhile, nuke the tortilla in the microwive for 15 seconds. Then, squeeze some mayo on the tortilla and squirt the buffalo sauce on top of the mayo and spread together with spoon.

Once patty is come complete, cut in half and place on tortilla. Add tomatos or any other toppings you dig and roll.

Got a killer, quick recipe? Post it and I'll give it a try!