G! Gets Zesty: When Sweet Met Salty

The best of both worlds come together with these sweet and salty movie night treats

Text by Cory Gallant (aka Zestycook)

It’s movie night and you’re curled up in your favourite chair all tucked into a warm, fuzzy blanket – what will you be munching on when the opening credits start to roll? If you’re anything like me, it’s all about the sweet and salty combination. I’ve got three satisfying and super delicious recipes for you to try that will have you wishing every night of the week was movie night.

Sweet and Salty – The Cookie Version

 

These fellas were delicious (I had to taste test just to ensure quality). Packed with pretzels, M&Ms, Smarties, and potato chips, I could easily eat these all day.

 

 

 

1 cup of unsalted butter
3/4 cup of granulated white sugar
3/4 cup of brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 1/3 cups of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda
3/4 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of chopped candy coated pieces (M&Ms or Smarties, or both!)
1 cup of crushed savoury snacks (pretzels and/or potato chips)

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, beat butter and both sugars until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, and beat in the vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir into the butter-sugar mixture. Next, stir in the candy pieces and crushed savoury snacks. Drop spoonful size balls onto parchment paper lined baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Makes about 30 cookies. Enjoy!

 

Reese’s Peanut Butter Popcorn

Peanut butter popcorn drizzled with chocolate and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups Minis. This sweet snack is perfect for movie or games night.

 

 

 

 

8 cups of prepared plain popcorn (we used air-popped popcorn)
Fine salt
1/2 cup of honey
1/3 cup of granulated sugar
1/2 cup of natural peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/2 cup of milk chocolate chips, melted
1 1/2 cups of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups Minis

In a large bowl, mix together the popped popcorn and salt to taste. Set aside. Mix honey and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Let simmer for 2 minutes, then remove from heat and add the peanut butter. Stir vigorously until all of the peanut butter is melted, then add the vanilla extract. Immediately pour the peanut butter caramel mixture over the popcorn and gently stir with a long handled wooden spoon until the popcorn is completely coated. Spread the popcorn on a large baking sheet. Drizzle popcorn with the melted chocolate chips and let it sit until the chocolate hardens. Finish by stirring in the peanut butter cups.

Zesty tip: We used air-popped popcorn, but you can use microwave or stovetop popcorn if you prefer. No luck finding Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups Minis? Chop up a couple of regular peanut butter cups for the same results.

Honey Cinnamon Roasted Chickpeas

 

 

I love that this recipe only has five ingredients. I bet you have everything in your pantry to make them right now. The chickpeas are crunchy, sweet, and highly addictive. Make a double or triple batch if you plan on sharing.

 

 

 

 

1 – 15 ounce can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
2 teaspoons of canola oil
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon of granulated sugar
1 tablespoon of honey

Preheat oven to 375°F. Drain chickpeas and rinse them under cold water to remove the starch. Place on a paper towel to dry; at this point, feel free to peel off the skins.
In a small bowl, whisk together the canola oil, cinnamon, and sugar. Add in the chickpeas and stir until evenly coated. Spread out the chickpeas on a large baking sheet and bake for 35 – 40 minutes, or until they are crunchy and no longer soft in the middle. Transfer the hot, roasted chickpeas in a small bowl and evenly coat with honey. Spread the chickpeas out on the baking sheet and let them dry. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

What are your favourite movie snacks? Send me a tweet or visit the Zestycook Facebook Page and tell me all about it.

For recipes, tips, and techniques to try, visit www.zestycook.com.

Take care,

Zesty

Find Cory Gallant aka Zestycook each month in G! for ideas on what to put on your plate and in your belly.

The best of both worlds come together with these sweet and salty movie night treats Text by Cory Gallant (aka Zestycook) It’s movie night and you’re curled up in your favourite chair all tucked into a warm, fuzzy blanket – what will you be munching on when the opening credits start to roll? If you’re [...]

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G! Gets Zesty: What’s for Brinner?

Is there anything better than breakfast for dinner? Bring a little sunny side up to tonight’s dinner menu

By Cory Gallant (aka Zestycook)

Scrambled, boiled, or fried – not your usual dinnertime request, but when you’re cooking breakfast for the last meal of the day, it’s the norm. Finding time in the morning to make a big traditional breakfast is hard to come by, let alone finding the time to savour each tasty morsel. When you want a meal you can really sink your teeth into and enjoy, brinner reigns supreme. As far as I’m concerned, it can’t get to the table fast enough.

What would breakfast for dinner be without its most cherished dietary staple?  For as long as chickens have been laying them, eggs have always been an easy and affordable way for people to get a healthy dose of protein. Plus, there are endless ways to use them when you’re whipping up a brinner menu. Here are two simple egg-inspired dishes that are ready to serve, morning, noon, or night.

Baked French Toast

Crisp on the outside and tender in the middle, this recipe will have you craving French toast any time of day.

What you’ll need:

3 large eggs
2/3 cup of whole milk or whipping cream
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
6 to 8 slices stale French bread, thickly sliced
1/4 cup of salted butter

 

In a large shallow pan, mix eggs, milk, vanilla extract and cinnamon. Place bread slices in a single layer in the pan and allow to soak up the liquid for 10 minutes; flip, then soak for another 10 minutes (the slices can be covered and refrigerated overnight at this point, if desired).

In another large baking pan, melt butter in a 400°F oven. Transfer the soaked bread onto the hot, heated, buttered pan in a single layer. Drizzle the leftover egg juices on top of the bread slices and bake for 10 minutes. Turn bread slices over and bake for another 10 minutes, or until bread is golden. Serve with warm maple syrup.

Zesty tip: Baking French toast instead of frying it allows every slice to stay hot so everyone gets a nice, hot stack of golden deliciousness.

Quinoa & Kale Crustless Quiche

Quiche is a timeless classic that never gets old. This version is a little different since – tada! – there is no crust. This crustless quiche will have you wondering why you ever needed the pastry in the first place.

 

What you’ll need:

1 cup cooked quinoa
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 bunch of kale, chopped (stems removed)
1 Vidalia onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup of reduced fat white cheddar cheese
1/2 cup of reduced fat feta cheese
4 whole eggs and 3 egg whites
Salt and pepper to taste

 
Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a 9 inch pie dish with butter or baking spray. Cook quinoa according to package directions. Set aside.

Thinly slice the onion (I used my food processor). Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook slowly until they’re soft and browned; this will take about 35 minutes. Once golden brown, remove onions from pan, and place in a large mixing bowl.

Clean and chop kale and add it to the hot onion pan; cook until kale is wilted and bright green, or 2 to 5 minutes.

Add the cooked kale, cooked quinoa, garlic, and cheeses to the mixing bowl.  Stir the ingredients so that they are evenly distributed.

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and egg whites. Pour eggs over the quinoa/kale mixture. Stir until the egg mixture clings to the greens. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour mixture in the prepared pie dish. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the pie has started to pull away from the edge of the baking dish.
Serve hot or at room temperature.

Zesty fact: Quinoa (pronounced ‘keen wah’) like a grain, but is actually a relative of leafy green vegetables like spinach or kale. It’s considered a ‘super food’ because it is high in nutrients, antioxidants and protein. It has a fluffy, creamy, slightly crunchy texture with a delicious, nutty flavour when cooked. It’s good – try it!

For more tantalizing brinner ideas,such as Breakfast Pizza, Tuscan Baked Eggs with Tomatoes, or Apple Pie Slow Cooker Oatmeal, stop on over to www.zestycook.com. You’ll never look at dinner the same way again!

Take care,

Zesty

Find Cory Gallant aka Zestycook every month in G! for ideas on what to put on your plate and in your belly.

Is there anything better than breakfast for dinner? Bring a little sunny side up to tonight’s dinner menu By Cory Gallant (aka Zestycook) Scrambled, boiled, or fried – not your usual dinnertime request, but when you’re cooking breakfast for the last meal of the day, it’s the norm. Finding time in the morning to make [...]

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G! Gets Zesty: Crank Up the Heat

Give your taste buds a kick in the you-know-what by making it spicy!

By Zestycook Cory Gallant

 
Variety is the spice of life; the same goes for your food life. The world is full of tasty options, so why settle for the same foods and flavours day in and day out? Spice things up – literally!

Those who enjoy a diet rich with spicy foods get more out turning up the heat than just tingly lips. Studies show that people who regularly incorporate spicy foods and hot peppers, such as jalapenos, into their diet have improved sleep patterns, circulation and digestion. Spicy foods have also been known to aid in weight loss and help keep mood swings in check. Not many foods out there can do all that!

Not all spicy foods have to be heat-seeking, blow-your-socks off hot. If you like to live on the mild side, try this recipe for Basil Hummus. It’s like a cross between hummus and pesto and it’s delicious. The Tabasco sauce gives this dish a touch of zest that will make you taste buds take notice.

 

 

Basil Hummus

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients
* 1/4 cup of pine nuts
* 2 cups of sweet basil leaves, packed
* 3 cloves of garlic, smashed then minced
* 2 15-ounce cans of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained*
* 1/4 cup of olive oil
* Up to 1/4 cup of water
* 1/3 cup of fresh lemon juice
* 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of salt
* Several dashes of Tabasco sauce
* 1 teaspoon of tomato paste

 
Method

Heat the pine nuts in a small skillet on medium to high heat. Stir as they begin to brown. When most of the pine nuts have lightly browned, remove them from the pan into a bowl to cool. You’ll want to reserve a few of the pine nuts for garnish.

In the bowl of a food processor, place the basil leaves and the garlic. Pulse until finely chopped. Add the rinsed and drained garbanzo beans, most of the pine nuts, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, tomato paste, and a few dashes of Tabasco sauce. Pulse several times for several seconds each time until the hummus is smooth. Add more Tabasco and salt or lemon juice to taste. Add water to the point of desired consistency.

To serve, place in a bowl and drizzle a little olive oil over top. Sprinkle with a few toasted pine nuts. Serve with pita wedges, crackers, or rustic bread.

Spicy Mushroom Pasta

 

Let’s dial the heat up a little bit. This Spicy Mushroom Pasta takes pasta to the next level of awesomeness. The freshness and bite of the arugula balances with the sweetness of the tomatoes and makes a great base for the heat supplied by the red pepper flakes and jalapeno. The best pairing for this dish is a tall glass of milk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients
* 1 handful of Fettuccine pasta
* 10 -12 mushrooms, chopped
* 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
* 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
* 1/2 teaspoon of cumin
* 12 grape tomatoes
* 1/2 cup of white wine
* 1 cup of fresh Arugula
* 2 tablespoons of butter
* 1 teaspoon of olive oil
* salt and pepper to taste
* fresh parmesan cheese to garnish

Method
1. Bring water to a boil in a saucepan; salt and add pasta. Cook according to directions and drain.
2. In a large pan, turn on medium heat and add the olive oil and half the butter.  Add mushrooms and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Season mushrooms with salt and pepper. Add in red pepper flakes, Jalapeno and cumin. Cook for another 3 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes and cook for about 5 more minutes.
5. With heat still on medium, toss in the white wine and cook down for 1 minute.  Add remaining pat of butter and stir.
6. Toss in the arugula and let wilt for 2 minutes.
7. Add cooked drained pasta and toss gently. Shred parmesan cheese before serving.
8. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: If you find the sauce a little dry, add a small portion of the reserved pasta water before draining down the sink. This will bring a nice starchy, salty flavour to the sauce and give it a nice balance.

For more ways on how you can spice up your food life, head over to zestycook.com and I’ll show you how to heat things up!

Take care,

Zesty

Give your taste buds a kick in the you-know-what by making it spicy! By Zestycook Cory Gallant   Variety is the spice of life; the same goes for your food life. The world is full of tasty options, so why settle for the same foods and flavours day in and day out? Spice things up [...]

Read more »

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