Wow. July 6th. The last time I have blogged. Busy would be an understatement. A lot can happen in 41 days. I will do by best to be short, sweet, and to the point.
This past weekend was the Xsport Fitness Rock 'n' Roll 1/2 Marathon benefiting the American Cancer Society. It was a fun, inspirational, and exhausting weekend. The alarm clock was set for 1:45am on race morning. At what time does one go to bed when they have to get up at 1:45 in the morning? Good question. It was an early day, but so worth the reward of seeing our 190 runners cross the finish line. I even got to see one of my favorite DetermiNation athletes - Kristin McQueen. Kristin is hoping to raise $70,000 this year for the 70,000 young adults that are diagnosed with cancer each year. Go big or go home McQueen.
Then, there was the move. Moving is exhausting. The packing, the unpacking, the moving of boxes (or more like dragging across the floor), the changing of addresses on every piece of mail that comes, the going through closets and drawers, and the logistics behind it all, is just a lot of work. I gave away multiple bags of clothes, and could probably have given away more, and tried to de-clutter as much as possible. Overall, I think I succeeded. I've been living in the downtown area ever since I moved to Chicago, first on the 32nd floor in the Gold Coast neighborhood and then the 11th floor Streeterville. For this move, I've headed north to the Lakeview neighborhood. The commute is just a bit longer, but everything else is just oh so much better.
The fish market was also smaller than I envisioned. I didn't get to see any flying fish, but I also didn't stick around that long to see it happen. If I had been near a grill, I would have been one happy camper shopping here.
The Herbed Chickpea Patties that I'm talking about below, is a dish that Andy and I have made multiple times already. It's actually one of Andy's top requested dishes for the week. It is healthy, easy to put together, and utilizes quite a few seasonal ingredients. There are quite a few staples on the grocery list on a weekly basis, and chickpeas are definitely one of those staples. I easily come out of the store with at least 4 cans of chickpeas for just a week of recipes.
I can bike to the gym, which is just .8 miles away from the apartment. I have the cutest Starbucks just around the block that has the best outdoor patio with tons of shaded, outdoor seating. I'm just steps from the brown line, not that I take the brown line, but if I need to take the el, it is right there. There are neighborhood restaurants, bars, and cute stores to shop and browse through. It is steps from Wrigley Field. So far, I love everything about the area.
Then, there was a trip out to Seattle for the Seattle Rock 'n' Roll Marathon and 1/2 Marathon. I was out there to work, but was able to get a little bit of sightseeing in. I had never been to Seattle before and would like to go to take more time to explore the city. Of course, visiting the flagship Starbucks was on my to-do list, as well as walking through Pike's Place Market. The Starbucks was smaller than I was envisioning it, and was almost a bit touristy. If I lived in the city, I think I would avoid that Starbucks at all cost.
The fish market was also smaller than I envisioned. I didn't get to see any flying fish, but I also didn't stick around that long to see it happen. If I had been near a grill, I would have been one happy camper shopping here.
The Herbed Chickpea Patties that I'm talking about below, is a dish that Andy and I have made multiple times already. It's actually one of Andy's top requested dishes for the week. It is healthy, easy to put together, and utilizes quite a few seasonal ingredients. There are quite a few staples on the grocery list on a weekly basis, and chickpeas are definitely one of those staples. I easily come out of the store with at least 4 cans of chickpeas for just a week of recipes. This recipe does require the use of a food processor, but other than that, it quickly comes together. It's a great summer meal, that is meat free, and oh so good. Give it a try.
Herbed Chickpea Patties
adapted from "A year in a vegetarian kitchen" by Jack Bishop
1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup packed fresh parsley leaves
1 medium garlic clove, peeled
2 cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 teaspoons ground cumin
Salt and pepper
1 medium head of romaine lettuce, chopped
2 tomatoes, cored and chopped
1 medium cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, and chopped
1 tablespoon tahini
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
5 tablespoons olive oil
Put the cilantro, parsley, and garlic in a food processor and process until finely ground. Add the chickpeas, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste and process until the mixture forms a coarse puree. Adjust the seasonings, adding salt and pepper to taste. Shape the mixture into 4 large patties.
Put the lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumber in a large bowl. Whisk the tahini, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of oil and salt and pepper to taste together in a small bowl. Set the salad and dressing aside separately.
Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the remaining oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chickpea patties and cook until golden brown on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Turn the patties and drizzle the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil around the edges of the pan. Continue cooking until the patties are golden brown on the second side, about 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, toss the salad with the tahini dressing. Divide the salad among four individual plates. Top each portion of salad with 2 patties. Serve immediately.
