Roasted Chickpeas

I have a confession to make: I'm a snacker. The first part about changing is admitting that you have a problem, right? My problem, or one of them at least, is snacking. When I'm bored, I snack. When I'm hungry, I snack. When I'm thirsty, I snack. When I have a craving, I snack. When I'm up late and think it's time for fourth meal, I snack. I have a snacking problem. Help!

Moroccan Lentil Stew

I keep hearing all of this news about global warming, but I must say that current DC weather conditions make it hard to believe. This past Wednesday was the first day of spring, and yet I saw snow flakes Thursday morning. There is something seriously wrong with this picture. Spring should mean warmer days with crisply cool evenings...not snow. As much as I love our environment and want to do everything to protect it (reduce, reuse, recycle!), I'm really a fan of warmer weather; so, a little global warming here and there can't hurt anyone, right?

Roasted Vegetable Greek Salad

As soon as I wrote my Skinny Secrets post, I found myself surrounded by so many temptations. If I said I didn't go out and enjoy a few drinks and a humongous slice of pizza this weekend, my nose might grow a few inches. It's funny how sharing skinny tips and tricks is so much easier than sticking to them. Oh well...good thing bikini season is still a few months away!

Crock Pot Curry Chicken

One of the great things about Cooking to Perfection is that it has opened my eyes to many different ingredients, preparation methods, recipes, and dishes that I might not have ever come across. By meeting other bloggers, reading recipes posted on other websites and blogs, and asking friends and family about ideas of what they'd like to see on Cooking to Perfection, I've learned so much more than I ever would have without this blog. Growing up in a household that always made and ate homemade meals together and had the Food Network on all day long, I thought I knew a thing or two about cooking, baking, and all things related to food. While I feel like I am fairly knowledgeable, there are a lot recipes and ideas that I'm still discovering and am anxious to try.

Chickpea Burgers with Yogurt Tahini Sauce

The title of this recipe is somewhat misleading as there is no meat used. In fact, all of my vegan followers will be happy to know that there are no animals products in this dish what-so-ever. So, for anyone who is a vegan or who is looking for a vegan recipe, you've come to the right spot!

Falafel Cakes

Here is another quick, easy, and delicious dinner to add to the books! If you've seen some of my previous posts, then you are probably starting to pick up on the fact that I love chickpeas. They are a great ingredient to use in dinner recipes because they are versatile, healthy, full of fiber and protein, and cheap! With a lot of other food prices going up recently, I always like to find and purchase items that won't break the bank.

Beans and Greens

I'm a sucker for chickpeas. Those little beans are so stinkin' cheap and can be used in a ton of different ways (one of the more exotic ways is in this recipe, which is on my list of things to try!).

Mediterranean Salad

This is a different twist on my Quinoa, Chickpea, and Avocado Salad. With the addition of crumble feta cheese, this recipe has more of a Mediterranean vibe to it. This salad also eliminates the avocado topping and just uses sliced avocado placed on top. This cuts the prep time and makes the salad even easier to prepare. This recipe is great served as a light lunch, or would pair well with a grilled turkey burger or grilled chicken for dinner.

Quinoa, Chickpea, and Avocado Salad

Quinoa is the newest cool food. If you want to pretend that you have any type of culinary knowledge, "quinoa" (pronounced "KEEN-wah") should now be apart of your vocabulary. Quinoa is the new greek yogurt, just like greek yogurt was the new sundried tomatoes. There is always a new "in" food, and quinoa is currently all the rage.

This grain has received lots of attention due to its high protein content (nutritional evaluations of quinoa indicate that it is a source of complete protein-pretty impressive for a grain!). Quinoa is also high in fiber, magnesium, iron, and calcium. Basically, this is a miracle grain.