Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Have your kids gone back to school yet? We're getting dangerously close here (woohoo!) and I am already thinking about new healthy ideas to fill my son's lunchbox, and mine!

This vegetarian alternative to tuna and chicken salad is so easy to make, and it's delicious! I have a feeling it's going to be on our weekly rotation.

Makes 4 medium sandwiches

• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed = 1 boite de 425 g de pois chiches, égouttés et rinsés
• ¼ cup light mayonnaise or vegenaise = 4 cuillères à soupe de mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard = 2 cuillères à café de moutarde forte
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice = 1 cuillère à café de jus de citron
• 1 rib of celery, roughly chopped = 1 branche de céleri, coupé en morceaux
• 1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped = 1 carotte, épluchée et coupée en morceaux
• Pinch cayenne pepper = une pincée de poivre de Cayenne
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste = du poivre noir fraichement moulu
• Whole grain bread = des tranches de pain aux céréales complètes
• Lettuce leaves = des feuilles de laitue
• Tomato slices = des tranches de tomate

Place chickpeas in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a couple of times to roughly chop. Add mayo, mustard, lemon juice, celery and carrots and pulse a few times to incorporate. Season with cayenne and black peppers.

 

Assemble sandwiches by layer bread, lettuce, tomato and chickpea mixture. Top with another slice of bread, or serve open-faced. Enjoy!

 

Note: If you don't have a food processor, you can simply mash the chickpeas and finely chopped the carrot and celery, before mixing all the salad ingredients together.

Summer Quiche

I just love quiche! You can make so many combinations and this one is perfect for the summer months when zucchini, bell peppers and eggplants are in season.

The pie crust is easy to make in the food processor. Or simply buy a frozen one. Shortcuts are okay sometimes! If you have a Trader Joe's near you, I highly recommend theirs. And while you're there, grab a bag of Quattro Formaggio. It's a blend of shredded parmesan, asiago, provolone, and fontina cheeses that will give any dish great flavor and texture. Otherwise, use 1/3 cup shredded parmiggiano reggiano or asiago and 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella or fontina.

I brought this quiche, with mixed greens on the side, to a swim team potluck recently. It stood out... and was gone quickly!

Makes one 10” quiche, 6-8 servings

• 1 pie crust (thawed as per instructions) = 1 pâte brisée
• 2 zucchini, diced = 2 courgettes, coupées en petits dés
• 1 orange or red bell pepper, diced = 1 poivron orange ou rouge, coupé en petits dés
• 5 or 6 slices of eggplant = 5 ou 6 rondelles d'aubergine
• Olive oil, in a spray bottle = huile d'olive en spray
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme = ½ cuillère à café de thym séché
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten = 3 oeufs, légèrement battus
• ½ cup heavy cream = 120 ml de crème fleurette
• ⅔ cup shredded cheese = 75 g de fromage râpé (parmesan, gruyère...)
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano = ½ cuillère à café d'origan séché
• salt & pepper = sel et poivre

Place the vegetables on a cookie sheet, lined with parchment paper. Spray with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and thyme. Roast in 425°F oven for 35 minutes, stirring the diced veggies and flipping the eggplant slices after the first 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, roll out the pie dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/8” thick. Transfer to a pie pan. Prick the base with a fork a few times and set aside.

When veggies are done, remove from oven and turn it down to 375ºF / 190ºC. Let veggies cool slightly.

Beat together the eggs and cream and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the shredded cheese, season with pepper and dried oregano. Add roasted zucchini and bell peppers and pour onto the prepared crust. Top with roasted eggplant slices. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove and serve at room temperature. Enjoy!