A Book and a Brownie: "The Invisible Gorilla" Book Review and Trying "The Amazing Black Bean Brownies"

So why a book and a brownie? I was sent a copy of "The Invisible Gorilla: And Other Ways Our Intuitions Deceive Us" by Christopher Chabris and Daniel Simmons by the publisher to read and review, and because food is my life and this is a food blog, I chose to tie it to food. In this case a brownie...not just any brownie, but a brownie with a secret ingredient that you wouldn't notice unless someone told you it was there.

"The Invisible Gorilla" is named after an infamous psychological experiment the authors created, (if you don't know it you can check it out here). The premise of the experiment and of this book is that the mind doesn't necessarily work the way we think it does, and it effects our perception, attention to detail, and memory in ways we don't expect. We may think we are able to multi-task successfully, chat on our cell phones while we drive, and that we would notice something out of the ordinary if we saw it, but through their own experiments, as as well as evidence from a variety of sources, Chabris and Simmons show how our intuition can play tricks on us. It makes for entertaining and interesting reading, the easy to relate to stories and examples outweigh the dry, more technical information, and the book illuminates some of the inner workings of the human mind. It's a little something different to put in your beach bag and will leave you wondering how much information you actually miss each day.

So how does that relate to The Amazing Black Bean Brownie? Well, first off, I was craving chocolate and brownies sounded good. ;-) Secondly, I have had this recipe tagged for ages now and wanted to give it a try. Finally, in the spirit of the book, I thought it would be fun to give a few to some friends and see if they thought there was anything different about the brownie without knowing the ingredients, and if knowing the ingredients changed their perception of the taste of the brownies. The recipe is from a little cookbook I bought a while back that has languished sadly in my pile of cookbooks, "Baking With Agave Nectar: Over 100 Recipes Using Nature's Ultimate Sweetener" by Ania Catalano. I like to use agave and honey in my treats instead of white sugar and this book is a great resource for recipes using agave.

Catalano says, "Without exception, this was my most sought-after recipe at my restaurant and bakery. You would never believe these incredibly fudgy brownies are made with beans but no flour. The beans provide great body and fiber without a "beany" taste. Keep the brownies in the refrigerator. They will slice much better if refrigerated several hours or overnight. Find natural coffee substitute at natural food stores."

The Amazing Black Bean Brownie

"Baking With Agave Nectar" by Ania Catalano

(Makes 45 (2-inch) Brownies)

Gluten-Free

4 oz unsweetened chocolate

1 cup unsalted butter or nonhydrogenated butter substitute

2 cups soft-cooked black beans, drained well

1 cup walnuts, chopped

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup natural coffee substitute or instant coffee

1/4 tsp sea salt

4 large eggs

1 1/2 cups light agave nectar

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 11-by-18-inch baking pan with parchment paper and lightly oil with canola oil spray.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a glass bowl in the microwave for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on high. Stir with a spoon to melt the chocolate completely. Place the beans, 1/2 cup of the walnuts, the vanilla extract, and a couple of spoonfuls of the melted chocolate mixture into the bowl of a food processor. Blend about 2 minutes, or until smooth. The batter should be thick and the beans smooth. The batter should be thick and the beans smooth. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the remaining 1/2 cup of walnuts, remaining melted chocolate mixture, coffee substitute, and salt. Mix well and set aside. In a separate bowl, with an electric mixer beat the eggs until light and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the agave nectar and beat well. Set aside.

Add the bean/chocolate mixture to the coffee/chocolate mixture. Stir until blended well. Add the egg mixture reserving about 1/2 cup. Mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Using an electric mixer, beat the remaining 1/2 cup egg mixture until light and fluffy. Drizzle over the brownie batter. Use a wooden toothpick to pull the egg mixture through the batter, creating a marbled effect. (I omitted the marbling steps.) Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the brownies are set. Let cool in the pan completely before cutting into squares. (They will be soft until refrigerated.)

Notes/Results: A fudgy, dense brownie that is quite tasty. I did make a couple changes--I lessened the agave to 1 cup as I like things a bit less sweet. I also didn't go through the step of whipping up part of the egg whites and using them to marble the brownies--I just didn't feel like doing the extra step--I am lazy like that! I ended up dusting them with a bit of cocoa powder after baking them instead--for a truffle-like experience. These are very good for a gluten-free brownie, especially if you are a fudgy brownie rather than cakey brownie fan, which I am. I somewhat suspiciously tasted them for "beany" taste or texture, and really found none, even knowing they had a can of black beans in them. They are by no means the best brownie I have ever tasted but good and probably even more indistinguishable from a regular brownie with all of the sweetener added and some frosting on top. ;-)

The verdict from my friends--while not scientific, pretty much supported my don't ask / don't tell flavor theory. I gave them to four different people, telling two of them only that they were brownies, with no extra details, and telling the other two that they were made with black beans. Three of the four thought they tasted like normal, fudgy brownies. One person thought there was a "slight beany texture and taste" to them--and of course it was one of the two I let know the secret ingredient. OK, so my experiment was a bit of a stretch to tie to the book and it probably won't make it in the next book as an example of perception, but at the end of the day,I read a good book and ate some good brownies. Life is good! ;-)

***Giveaway Reminder***

Don't forget to enter my drawing to win a $50 Safeway Gift Card. If you live near or visit anywhere that has a Safeway store, this is $50 worth of groceries! Get the details here.

Happy Aloha Friday!

Chicken Piccata Pasta Salad, Road Testing the Safeway Just for U Program, and a $50 Safeway Gift Card Giveaway!

I have a lot to share with you today--my experience with a new personalized savings program from Safeway, a great giveaway, and finally using some of my my grocery store bargains to make a delicious pasta salad inspired by one of my favorite dishes--chicken piccata.

When it comes to grocery shopping, I am not very skilled at value shopping and saving money. The times I actually clip coupons or have them available, I forget to use them and even though I know I should, I hate the hassle and extra effort required. To make it easier, Safeway in Hawaii recently rolled out a new online customized savings program called Just For U that I recently road tested to see if it would work for me. Just For U sorts items, organizes and builds your printable shopping list and gives you better prices for certain items based on the purchase history on your Safeway Club Card. It saves additional money on products selected just for you, allowing you to save on the items you want without having to sort through ads and clip coupons.

There are 3 ways to save:

1. Personalized Deals: exclusive to you deals and prices based on your buying history that you load onto your Safeway Club Card that are not visible or marked in the store.
2. Coupon Center: You can load digital manufacturers coupons on your Safeway Club Card for additional savings. There are many pages of possible coupons but they are organized with the coupons for the items you use the most toward the top of the list. You can load the coupons onto your club card so there is no cutting out coupons or remembering to bring them to the store required.
3. Your Club Card Specials: Alerts you to items you buy that are on the in-store club specials and adds them to your printable shopping list

The program is currently only in Hawaii and the kind people at Safeway invited me to try it out and blog about it. As a thank you, they sent me a $50 Safeway gift card to use on my groceries and were generous enough to provide an additional $50 Safeway gift card to give to a lucky reader. (More on that below) Disclosure: Although the gift cards were given to me as a gift for trying the program, my opinions about the Just for U program are my own and not influenced by the gift cards.

My Safeway Club Card was already registered online, so signing up was merely a matter of going to the website and entering a few more details. It was a little confusing and extra input was required to sign up for the Just for U program and the separate coupon program, (it would have been nice to sign up for both with the same info), but I got it sorted out and was ready to go.

Safeway is offering everyone who signs up with the program a free dozen eggs--so I got my first savings ($3.99) quickly loaded on my card. I then spent about 25 minutes looking through everything--my personalized deals, the club card deals, and the coupons and loading the things I wanted onto my card and shopping list. I was pleasantly surprised at the number of items that I use that showed up in my deals, so I took the opportunity to stock up on some staples. When I was done, I simply printed out my detailed shopping list which was organized by category and I was ready to go.

The list made the shopping easy--my normal lists are usually scrawled out and not as organized. ;-) Being slightly distrustful by nature, I was sure some of the prices wouldn't register correctly when my groceries were rung up, but everything came out. Between my personalized deals, club card savings and a few electronic coupons, I was able to save about $24 off of my $112 grocery bill (about 21%) and so I spent about $88 - the $50 gift card, and ended up with large load of groceries and non-grocery items for about $33.00 out of pocket. Not bad--especially considering the minimum amount of effort I put in. The program overall is easy to use, doesn't take that much time to use, and although I don't expect to save that much on every visit, it is a simple way for me to save and every little bit helps, especially here in Hawaii, where the price of groceries is so high.

***$50 Safeway Gift Card Giveaway***

Although the Just For U program is currently just in Hawaii, luckily for many of you there are Safeway stores all over the US and Western Canada, and my giveaway $50 Safeway Gift Card is good at any of them. If you live near one you are eligible to win this valuable prize!

I will do a random drawing for the gift card on Sunday, July 11th. You have up to 2 chances to win--you can do either or both--each counts as one entry:

1. Leave a comment on this post, letting me know that you want to enter and include one simple saving/shopping tip you use.
2. If you are on Twitter, tweet about this giveaway mentioning @debinhawaii & Kahakai Kitchen and leave a separate comment letting me know you did.

All comments must be left by midnight, Saturday, July 10th to be eligible for the drawing. (Please make sure I have a way to contact you if you win)

Mahalo to Safeway for providing such a great prize!

Good Luck!

I decided to create a dish from a few of my Just For You purchases--namely a rotisserie chicken, canned artichoke hearts, large lemons, and Barilla Plus multigrain pasta (total savings: $4.10.) ;-) I was craving pasta salad and as usual, chicken piccata with all its lemony, capery goodness, so I decided to combine them into one and thus my Chicken Piccata Pasta Salad was born!

Chicken Piccata Pasta Salad

by Deb, Kahakai Kitchen

(Serves 8)

1 box farfalle (bowtie) pasta (I used Barilla Plus multigrain for 4g of fiber per serving)

1 Tbsp olive oil or butter

1 (or 2) large onion, sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 can artichoke hearts in water, quartered

2 cups cooked chicken breast, cubed

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup fresh, flat-leaf parsley, chopped

4 Tbsp capers, rinsed and drained

lemon vinaigrette (recipe below)

salt and black pepper to taste

freshly grated parmesan cheese for garnish

Cook pasta according to package instructions, drain well and cool. Meanwhile caramelize onions in olive oil or butter over medium heat for about 20 minutes, stirring often, until golden brown. For the last 5 minutes of cooking, add the minced garlic to the onions to cook through.

In a large mixing bowl, add pasta, caramelized onions, garlic, artichoke hearts, chopped chicken breast, cherry tomatoes, parsley, and capers. Mix gently but thoroughly with the lemon vinaigrette and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve cold, with freshly grated parmesan cheese on top.

Lemon Vinaigrette

by Deb, Kahakai Kitchen

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

2 Tbsp white wine vinegar

2 tsp finely minced garlic

1 tsp honey or agave syrup (or more to taste)

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

freshly ground black pepper and sea salt to taste

Combine lemon juice, white wine vinegar, garlic and agave in a small bowl. Whisk in olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste.

Notes/Results: Really tasty, it captured the essence of a chicken piccata and hit the spot for all my cravings. The multigrain bowties hold up well to all the goodies inside, and there is a lot of good tangy flavor from the lemon, artichoke hearts and capers. Next time I would double the amount of caramelized onions--they were so good I wanted more. The cherry tomatoes are not usually in a chicken piccata but they add bright color and a sweet taste that compliments the other ingredients. You could also poach or roast chicken breast for this salad but using a rotisserie chicken is so much easier. I added a touch of agave to the dressing to cut a little of the sour tang of the lemon and bring out the flavor. You could mix the grated parmesan right into the salad but I like to serve it on top to reduce the amount used. Like most pasta salads--this one benefits from a few hours in the fridge so it is an easy recipe to toss together in the morning and then enjoy when the day gets hot. I will make this again.

I haven't contributed to Ruth's Presto Pasta Nights for quite a while so I am sending this recipe along to this week's host, Helen of Fuss Free Flavors, who will be rounding up all the yummy pasta dishes on Friday.

Don't forget to enter to win the $50 Safeway Giftcard!

Things I Am Loving This Week (Exploring a New Farmers Market, Local Ice Pops & a BLT Salad for Bacon Lovers)

It's time for the Things I Am Loving This Week, my semi-regular Tuesday feature with the (mostly) food-related items and experiences that I am enjoying and want to share. This week it starts at the new(ish) Hawaii Kai Farmers Market--where great local real food and real food products like OnoPops abound, and ends with a bacon-lover's BLT Salad, made from some of the fresh produce I picked up on my market visit.

I love exploring a good farmers market--it is the best way to kick off a Saturday morning in my opinion. This past weekend I finally managed to make it to the new (OK, it has been open over a month, but still pretty new), Hawaii Kai Farmers Market at Kaiser High School. Although I usually attend the KCC farmers market on Saturdays, I have been getting a bit weary of fighting the large crowds and I was happy to have a new market open up so close to my home. The market has a little over 30 vendors currently, many from the Hawaii Kai area, and like the KCC market, the items the vendors sell must be made or grown here in the islands. This market is also green-inspired with vendors using environmentally-friendly serveware, and there is an easy to follow recycling system in place. Unlike some of the other farmers markets, it really emphasizes a spirit of community with live music, a cafe tent with tables and benches, and a keiki (kids) corner with crafts and a bounce house to play in.

It was a breezy and somewhat grey morning at the market, but there was a decent size crowd (they were expecting about 1000 that morning.) There was a nice blend of some favorite and new vendors to chose from. Otsuji Farms (the farm is behind the high school where the market is held) was there with plenty of greens and other veggies. (I bought basil, cilantro, corn & baby romaine.) They also had their well-known $10 veggie box where they put $13 of whatever is fresh that week into a box and sell it. Naked Cow Dairy had their flavored butters and also fresh yogurt, a new item they are carrying. Although their curry compound butter is my favorite so far, I tried and bought some of their butter with toasted coconut, thinking it would go well with fish and on the ears of the sweet corn I picked up

Of course it is always nice to have some island flavor with Kona coffee, fresh pineapple, (wait until you see what I do with my pineapple later in the week!), orchids, sugar cane and coconut juice. The group from Downes Grounds were very friendly and offered coffee samples in little eco-friendly ceramic tasting cups. Their Kona coffee is very smooth and has good flavor, which they say is from the sun-drying. Although I am not drinking much coffee these days, I bought a 1/2 lb bag for $13 for my freezer and a couple of ripe mangoes too. I also nabbed a large GMO-free papaya from another vendor and that and the pineapple rounded out my fruit purchases.

Northshore Farms was at the market with their bright tomatoes (and parsnips and leeks), and were serving not only their famous pesto pizza, but their fried green tomatoes too. This will make my mom very happy on her next visit in September--she loves her some fried green tomatoes ;-) I bought some of their sweet cherry tomatoes and a few Heirloom tomatoes too.


My breakfast was a veggie crepe (mozzarella, organic baby spinach, tomatoes, sweet basil and green onions) and Eau de Jouvence or "Water of Youth" (a blend of organic lemon juice, organic cane sugar, fresh mint and strawberries with orange blossom water) from Le Crepe Cafe. Both were delicious--although I am not sure I looked or felt any younger after the water. ;-) My meal was enjoyed at one of the community tables available under the cafe tent, while listening to a little live guitar music. The plate, serveware, and cup are all compostable and there are recycling bins at one end of the tent that make it easy to sort. It was so nice to enjoy a bite to eat at a table without needing to juggle a plate and my market purchases. I even got a chance to sit and chat for a few minutes with Pam Boyer and Ann Suite, the founders/owners/operators of this market and the one in Haleiwa on the Northshore. They are pleased with the growth since they have been open and they look forward to adding more vendors including more organic produce and more food options, especially breakfast items.

The sun finally came out as I was leaving the market, purchases in hand. There were plenty of people coming and going, and I wouldn't be surprised if they surpassed their estimated attendance for the day. Anytime you can bring a community together, support local farmers and vendors, and get fresh, healthy, real food, it's a good thing. I will be back.

Hawaii Kai Farmers Market

Saturdays 9am-1:00pm
Kaiser High School Parking Lot
511 Lunalilo Home Road
Hawaii Kai, HI 96725

After sampling their salty-tart Ume-Thai Basil flavor, I had been wanting to try more locally-made OnoPops and I was happy to see them represented at the farmers market. As the label says, these are "Fresh Local Hawaiian Paleta"--paleta means popsicle in Mexico, and they are made from locally sourced ingredients, many in some very creative combinations. OnoPops is a family business started by two brothers (I'm not sure whether it is Joe or Josh in my picture), and it's great to see their business growing and find them in more places.

There were 17 different flavors of ice pops for sale Saturday and I took home a half-dozen to try; Guava-Tamarind, Fresh Lychee, Honeydew Mint, Mango-Habanero, Kalamansi-Coriander (all water-based) and an Apple-Banana Banana Cream Pie (dairy-based). I love that they are made with natural, pure ingredients sourced from local growers and amazed at the variety of unique flavors. I have only tried 3 of the flavors I bought so far (I am allowing myself one a day!) The Apple- Banana Banana Cream Pie was creamy and delicious, the Honeydew Mint was cool and very refreshing, but my favorite so far has to be the Mango-Habanero. It has the perfect combination of sweet creamy mango with a nice kick of the chili at the end. A fun and tasty treat.

So, what to do with farmers market bounty like ultra-fresh local basil and baby romaine, tomatoes so sweet they are like candy, and a creamy avocado? Make Mark Bittman's BLT Salad of course! It's Better With Bacon week at I Heart Cooking Clubs and once again I am cooking out of "Kitchen Express." (While I love all my Bittman books, this is hands down my favorite for its simple, quick recipe sketches.) This is an indulgent salad to love.

Bittman says, "The avocado dressing really sets this apart"

BLT Salad

adapted from "Mark Bittman's Kitchen Express"

Fry a few small cubes of slab bacon for about five minutes or until crisp. Puree an avocado, a handful of basil leaves, a clove of garlic, juice from one--or more--limes, about one-quarter cup of olive oil, salt, and pepper together in a food processor or blender; if you like thinner dressing, add a few drops of water. Mix a head of Bibb or romaine lettuce with sliced tomatoes and chopped red onions. Add the bacon to the vegetables and dress with the pureed mixture. Serve with warm, crusty bread.


Notes/Results: Yum! The combination of the fresh vegetables with the crisp bacon topped with the creamy basil-avocado dressing is fantastic and really makes this simple salad special. Rather than buying slab bacon, I used my favorite nitrate-free pepper bacon and I also chopped some extra avocado to add to the salad. Bittman knows bacon! Here I thought his Pasta with Breadcrumbs and Bacon was my favorite bacon-filled dish from "Kitchen Express"--but this delicious salad certainly holds its own. I will make this again, especially the creamy dressing.

You can check out the other wonderful Bittman bacon creations the other IHCC participants made by going to the website and following the links.

So these are the Things I Am Loving This Week, and since they all represent wholesome, natural, real food, I am linking this post to Two for Tuesdays Blog Hop Carnival, hosted by my friend girlichef along with some other wonderful bloggers. If you want to see and read about "real food"--go to one of their sites and follow the links.

So what are you enjoying this week?

Healthy & Delicious Hummus Soup for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

I think I will have to dedicate this week to the mighty chickpea--between the Hummus (with Homemade Tahini! Sorry, I still get excited about making my own tahini) to the Tuna & Chickpea Tabouleh, to today's Hummus Soup. Although this recipe is from "Supermarket Vegan: 225 Meat-Free, Egg-Free, Dairy-Free Recipes for Real People in the Real World" by Donna Klein, and it is designed to be made with prepared ingredients, I used my own homemade stock and hummus for delicious results. If you like hummus, you will like this flavorful soup.

Plus how much fun is it that this homemade tahini:

Became this hummus:

That turned into this Hummus Soup?

Klein says, "Ready in just about fifteen minutes, this marvelous Middle Eastern-style soup makes a filling supper, accompanied with lots of pita bread and a tossed green salad."

Hummus Soup

"Supermarket Vegan" by Donna Klein

(Makes 4 servings)

2 (14 oz) cans (3 1/2 cups) low-sodium vegetable broth

1 1/2 cups prepared plan (classic) hummus

1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

cayenne pepper to taste (optional)

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 to 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, or to taste

2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp toasted (dark) sesame oil

In a medium stockpot, bring the broth and hummus to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often to incorporate the hummus. Add the chickpeas, salt, pepper, and cayenne (if using); reduce the heat and simmer, covered, 10 minutes, stirring a few times. Stir in the parsley, lemon juice, olive and sesame oils. Serve hot.

Per Serving: Calories 335, protein 20g, total fat 13g, sat. fat 2g, cholesterol 0mg, carbohydrate 38g, dietary fiber 8g, sodium 684 mg.

Notes/Results: Really good! The broth is savory and has a lot of layers of flavor with the hummus, lemon and cayenne. I do apologize to all the vegans out there as I used my homemade chicken stock for the base, because that is what I had on hand. Since I don't make stock with any salt, and my hummus has less salt in it than prepared hummus, and I used 2 cups of cooked dried chickpeas, I am sure I brought those sodium numbers down a bit. I had about a cup and a half of cooked brown rice in the fridge which I tossed in as well--for a bit more fiber and texture. Served with toasted pita bread and a salad of romaine, cherry tomatoes and cucumbers fresh from the morning farmers market, it made a wonderful and healthy dinner that goes together quickly.

Let's take a look at who is in the Souper Sundays kitchen this July 4th and see what dishes they brought.

First up is Janet from The Taste Space with this Turkish Spicy Lentil and Bulgur Soup with Dried Mint and Red Pepper inspired by a soup at a cooking class on a trip to Turkey. She says, "...the recipe originates from southeast Turkey, where they like a bit more heat with their dishes. This soup has a very nice textural component, with cooked lentils perked with bulgur, in a spicy broth flavoured with tomato, red pepper and a dash of mint. Delicious and easy to make."

Spencer from Live2EatEat2Live has a unique Pig Feet Soup to share this week. He says, "To add variety to our menu, instead of chicken feet soup, I made pig feet soup. The difference between chicken feet and pig feet is that with chicken feet, it’s all feet. When purchasing pig feet at the grocer, you get the foot and part of the lower leg.For this version, I added kombu (Japanese seaweed), Chinese dried red dates, dried mushrooms, and raw peanuts to the pig foot to simmer for several hours."

Danielle from Cooking For My Peace of Mind made the most of some free morels she was luck enough to win and made a Potage Veloute Aux Champignons (Cream of Mushroom Soup). She says, "This recipe came from Julia Child's MtAoFC and I have to say...it is fabulous!!! Most often, when I cook, I change up stuff. I mean...that's what we do, right? But with Julia's recipe, I didn't change a thing!! It's easy, but not simple. It didn't take all that long...but there are several steps. And each step is sooooo worth it."

If you are still salivating over the Sweet Corn Soup with Mushrooms and Bacon that Joanne from Eats Well With Others shared last week, you'll be happy to see that Natashya of Living in the Kitchen with Puppies made it this week. She says, "I know, soup in the summer seems like punishment to my hubs too - but once you try this sweet corn soup you will be a convert. It is bursting with pure corn flavour and graced with savoury mushrooms and crispy bacon. A little oniony bun on the side and all is well with the world." (Hmm..soup as punishment? I guess eating soup year-round in warm sunny Hawaii must make me a masochist then?)

Lee Ann from Mangos, Chili and Z has a delectable Asian Chicken Salad with Wasabi Dresssing to share this week. Lee Ann says, "Melissa Rubel over at Food and Wine does it again with this interesting combination of flavors. And if you like wasabi, you’re going to love this double hit. This salad starts out soothing you with a fresh cool crunchy base of poached chicken, pear, cucumber and bean sprouts and then kicks your butt with a topping of wasabi peas and a creamy spicy wasabi dressing. Yum…eee."

girlichef knows the way to my heart with a Potato, Onion and Caper Salad. She says, "I bought a gorgeous little bunch...if you can refer to potatoes in the term bunch...of multi-colored fingerlings at the farmer's market a week or so ago and really needed to use them! So, I searched out Greek recipes that contained potatoes...and I find one that became a quick favorite. I love potato salads made with vinegar, but mostly have it German-style (BACON!). This particular recipe is fabulous...is packed full of those addictive, salty little bubbles...capers!"

Kim from Stirring the Pot made a healthy and fun Hippie Rice Salad this week. She says, "This is a terrific recipe and holds very well at room temperature, making it perfect for picnic baskets, this week's theme at IHCC! I found some gorgeous orange bell peppers at the market and decided to serve my rice salad in the bell pepper cups. It was delicious. Everyone enjoyed the slight nutty crunch from the sunflower seeds. Hippie Rice Salad was a total hit!"

The lovely Lori from Fake Food Free made a beautiful, nutritious Cucumber Dill What Berry Salad. Lori says, "So last week, armed with some wheat berries that desperately needed to be utilized, I began thinking about what herbs would go well with the grain. That led me to think about the fresh cucumbers I picked up at the farmer’s market which ended up in thoughts of Greek yogurt. The Cucumber Dill Wheat Berry Salad ended up a hit. I was able to combine two of my favorite herbs for a slightly Mediterranean cold grain salad."

Debby from A Feast for the Eyes stopped by with a nutritious Toasted Barley Salad with Fresh Herbs, Heirloom Tomatoes & Zucchini that she saw demonstrated at the Culinary Institute of America. She says, "The recipe tasted just like the small sample we received at the Culinary Institute. I loved the crunch of the toasted pine nuts and barley. Who doesn't love sun-ripened tomatoes? I loved the perfect balance of lemon with just a very light coating of olive oil. I ate three bowls of this salad, without one single ounce of guilt. This would make a pretty side dish at a barbecue or any kind of potluck."

Joanne from Eats Well With Others gets rid of her frustrations by screaming but sometimes requires comfort food, or in this case Roasted Green Bean and Fennel Pasta Salad. She says, "And by comfort food. I mean pasta. I should tell you that it had been two weeks since I'd had pasta. Which, really, is enough to induce kitchen table screaming all on its own.And so when I found some locally grown green beans and grape tomatoes at my nearest Whole Foods. A pasta salad was born. Although it tastes better cold the day after you make it, I have to say that I really did like it."

Making the most of her basil, Reeni from Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice made this flavorful Roasted Red Potato and Tomato Salad with Basil Pesto. She says, "...a healthy alternative to mayonnaise-laden salads. Aside from the pesto sauce the salad is a simple one with only three ingredients: the potatoes, grape tomatoes and red onion. Simple to make, complex in flavor. Not only are the potatoes roasted but so are the grape tomatoes. Roasting them adds another layer of flavor, especially from the tomatoes that intensify and add a nice pop of acidity to the salad. The pesto sauce is made with basil, parsley, olive oil, garlic, pine nuts, and Parmesan cheese. Flavors that compliment both potatoes and tomatoes."

There you have it--a great round up of dishes for a holiday weekend--lots of satisfying soups and scrumptious salads to enjoy. Thanks to all who joined in. If you have a soup, salad or sandwich that you would like to share, click on the Souper Sunday logo on the side bar for all of the details.

Have a safe and happy holiday!

Cucumber Ginger Green Tea Sangria--A Healthy "Mocktail" & Simple Saturday Sipper

This week's Simple Saturday Sipper is Cucumber Ginger Green Tea Sangria, a quick and easy "mocktail" recipe from the current issue of Clean Eating magazine that is perfect for summer, and contains some of my favorite flavors and ingredients. It might not be red, white & blue but if you need a refreshing drink for your picnic or barbecue, this is a good one and a good, natural to a sugary soda or bottled green tea drink.

Cucumber Ginger Green Tea Sangria

Chef Adam Goetz for Clean Eating July/August 2010

(Makes about 4 cups)

I an blender, combine 1 chopped seedless cucumber, 2 cups water, 2/3 cups raw honey, 1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger, and 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice with 3 cups brewed, cooled green tea. Puree until smooth and pass through a fine mesh strainer. Pour liquid into a tumbler with ice and garnish with a cucumber stick.

Health Note: Green tea, rich in catechin polyphenols, helps you digest fat, while its caffeine may boost your metabolism.


Notes/Results: Refreshing and really tasty--a good combination of flavors. The tea I used was a green citrus tea, which added additional citrus flavor. I reduced the amount of honey to 1/3 cup and also used a bit more ginger than the recipe called for, but the cucumber flavor still came through nicely and it was plenty sweet for me. Although a "mocktail"--this would be a good drink base too. A pitcher of this, mixed with a bit of vodka or rum, or even a crisp white wine, would be nice for a party on a warm summers night. I will make this again.

Happy Saturday & July 4th weekend!

Tuna (& Chickpea) Tabouleh--So What's in Your Picnic Basket?

This week's I Heart Cooking Clubs theme is Picnic Basket--featuring those laid-back, portable foods that hit the spot in the great outdoors. I selected Tuna Tabouleh--an easy recipe from "Mark Bittman's Kitchen Express." I of course made a few changes/additions to the recipe--namely adding a can of chickpeas to the mix for extra fiber and protein. I make a lot of tabouleh, and another salad of chick peas and tuna, but this combination of the two recipes is even better. A perfect addition to your picnic basket or cooler or great for lunch or dinner when the weather is warm.


Tuna & Chickpea Tabouleh
adapted from "Mark Bittman's Kitchen Express"
(Makes 4-6 servings with my changes)

"Serve on romaine leaves with tomato and yogurt"

Soak about one-half cup of fine grain bulgur in boiling water to cover. Peel, seed, and chop a cucumber and toss with lots and lots of chopped parsley, scallions, and fresh mint. Squeeze the bulgur dry and add it to the cucumber mixture, dressing with lemon juice (again: lots), olive oil, salt, and pepper. Use a fork to add a can or two of good-quality tuna; toss to fluff the salad and serve.

Notes/Results: Excellent--a great combination of flavors and textures. The recipe goes together very quickly--you can chop everything while the bulgur soaks, and can pretty much be made from the pantry and fridge. My changes--I used 1 cup of fine bulgur, one can of garbanzo beans, and two cans of good solid white tuna. I used an organic, non-waxed cucumber so I didn't peel it. I used 1 and 1/2 lemons worth of juice and some extra black pepper. Instead of eating it with the tomatoes as Bittman recommends, I mixed some small cherry tomatoes into the tabouleh and served it on some butter lettuce leaves. Easy and delicious--and tastes even better the next day, I will make this again.

Check out what the other IHCC participants have in their picnic baskets by going to the site (here) and following the links.