Holiday Gift Guide 2015: Crispy Za'atar Chickpeas

Z knows better than anyone else that I love presents. For me, presents aren't just things, but rather highlight the time and effort someone took into finding you that perfect gift.

Presents don't have to be silk pajamas, jewelry, or a new scarf (though I won't say no to those either). I love small tokens of affection, like little packages in the mail filled with delicious treats, that always seem to arrive come the holiday season. And while you can spend quite a pretty penny at Dean and Deluca, you can easily create delicious food gifts at home on a realistic budget.

These crispy chickpeas are simply delicious, and one of the best food gifts to give and receive! Everyone can eat them (no worrying about dairy, gluten, nuts), and they are just the right amount of salty, crunchy, and addictive. Pour some into a cellophane bag, tie with a cute ribbon, and start mailing them to friends and family across the country. 

These chickpeas are so easy to make that I am also going to whip up a triple batch for Z's and my annual Channukah party. Finding a dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegetarian snack option can be difficult, and these will be a great addition to any holiday party. 

Crispy Za'atar Chickpeas

From NYTimes

2 cups cooked chickpeas, rinsed if canned

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons Za'atar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Spread chickpeas out on a paper towel. Pat dry, then let dry for an hour at room temperature. 

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a heavy rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread chickpeas evenly on the pan, and bake for ~ 30 minutes, stirring and rotating every 10 minutes. Chickpeas should be crunchy. 

Place chickpeas in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil, Za'atar, and salt. Toss, then enjoy!

Greek Turkey Burgers

Thanks to this gorgeous weather, it finally feels like spring! I went out and saw the cherry blossoms last night, and I must say, they were stunning. This warmer weather is getting me so excited for the weekend! I cannot wait to spend all day Saturday outside.

Follow me @hilstone on Instagram for more updates!

And with the warmer weather, I am more inspired to cook lighter, healthier, food. I already shared my healthy Greek yogurt dip which I love paring with veggies. It also works as the perfect sauce for this Greek-inspired Turkey burgers! 

I love the feta, dill, and red onion filling in these turkey burgers. I made the burgers without spinach, but feel free to add it in for an extra iron and vitamin boost. 

Check back tomorrow for some interesting weekend reading links! 

Greek Turkey Burgers

Serves 4

From Ellie Krieger

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 small onion, chopped

2 cups lightly packed baby spinach, roughly chopped

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 1/4 lean ground turkey breast

1/4 teaspoon salt

Greek yogurt dipping sauce

Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the feta cheese, dill, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. 

Divide the turkey into 4 equal-sized rounds. Make 2 equal sized patties out of each round so you have 8 patties total. 

Put 2 tablespoons of the spinach-feta mixture onto half of the patties. Top with remaining patties, and seal the edges of the burgers closed. Season the burgers on both sides with the remaining salt and pepper.

Spray a nonstick pan with cooking spray, and heat over medium high. Grill patties until cooked thoroughly, about 5 minutes on each side.

I served mine on a slice of toasted whole wheat bread with avocado, roasted red peppers, and the Greek yogurt dipping sauce.  Enjoy!

Greek Yogurt Sauce

I recently purchased an UP band for myself, and I have actually been very thorough with logging my food, activity, and sleep habits through the UP iPhone app. Even after just a few days, I noticed myself making healthier food choices, simply because I am now keeping track of almost everything I eat. 

Last weekend, I wanted to make a dip to go with some crudités and sandwiches, but I wanted the dip to be somewhat healthy given my new found health kick. Perusing the internet led me to focus on Greek-inspired veggie dips. I love love love Mediterranean food, and this dip is definitely going to be in constant rotation in my kitchen! It only takes about three minutes to pull everything together, and the dip really livens up sandwiches, salads, and vegetables.

Hope this inspires you to bring some health, Mediterranean cooking into your life this week!

Greek Yogurt Dipping Sauce

From Ellie Kreiger

1/2 cup non-fat greek yogurt

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill

1/8 teaspoon salt

Fresh black pepper to taste


In a small bowl, stir together all of the ingredients.  It's really that easy!