Weekend Snapshots

This weekend I….

1. Added this new Alexis Bittar necklace to my accessory drawer, after stalking it ninja style, waiting for it to drop in price. Today is the last day for Bloomingdales friends and family sale for extra 20% using code HOLIDAY. Thanks to my sis for the heads up.

2. Watched another documentary from Netflix called Blackfish. I've mentioned several months ago I've been on this documentary kick and it hasn't changed…if anything my interest for documentaries have intensified. It sounds nerdy but I find them fascinating. Anyway, the most recent ones I've seen so far are Fat, Dead and Nearly Dying, Spinning Plates, and Blackfish. I highly recommend watching all of them, especially the first two if you are interested in food. Blackfish, however has nothing to do with food but focuses on a killer whale at SeaWorld who ends up killing his trainer and interviews former SeaWorld trainers who tells you what goes behind the scenes with training these whales. It was horrific and saddening to watch the emotional/physical abuse that occurs (have tissues ready) and it's only deepened my major dislike of places like SeaWorld and Ringling Bros. Please watch.

3. Received the last of my Sephora stash from their friends and family sale that occurred last week. Most of the products I ordered are things I needed to restock on but I'm especially happy to have bought a new perfume I've been eyeing--Carven. I'm not a huge perfume person (only own Chanel Chance) because I just don't care for perfumes and a bit particular with scents; however when I first smelled this at Saks Fifth Avenue a couple months ago I was hooked. It's light and sweet with soft notes of floral. Love.

4. Finally checked out Compass Rose Bar, located in Washington, DC. The menu of this gastropub is a collection of international dishes from various countries the chef has traveled to. Loved the cocktails and low key atmosphere of this place and it was fun trying out different dishes that didn't focus entirely on one type of food. Unfortunately they don't take reservations so prepare to wait.

5. Took another pilates class this weekend. I started trying pilates (with the reformer machines) and it's...hard. My thighs and arms burn after class but I suppose that's a good sign. The past couple weeks I have been trying out different studios via classpass (cycling, pilates, purebarre) and I will do a collective review on all the studios because not all studios are created equal.


How was your weekend?

NomNom: Moroccan Spiced Roasted Chickpeas

A habit I've been trying to get better at is snacking healthier. I used to snack on chips if I had to be at work all day and other not so good for you things I could get my hands on but have made a proactive decision this year to swap out those chips for something healthier like...baked chips. Kidding. Kind of.

Fortunately I love legumes and chickpeas/garbanzo beans is no exception and when I came across a recipe that roasted the beans, which turns them into something crunchy, I was intrigued. Story of my life.

Lately, documentaries and roasted chickpeas have been a thing in my life. I've been watching lots of documentaries on Netflix (it all started with watching Jiro Deams of Sushi to prep for my trip to Japan 5 months ago) and since I like to munch on something as I watch movies, or these days, documentaries, these crunchy, healthy, protein packed snacks have been fitting for the occasion...along with a glass of wine because you know, wine is always a good idea.

Have you guys seen the documentary Somm? It's about the road to becoming a master sommelier--who knew it would be that intense to become one?! My God. I have a new found respect for them if I see one listed at a restaurant. The documentary is fascinating in that it takes you into the world of professional trained sommeliers. The most recent documentary I've been loving these days has been The Mind of a Chef which spotlights on a specific chef and his culinary adventure on how he approaches food and dishes along with glimpses of his friendships with other well respected Chefs. I recently hung out with a good friend of mine last weekend who watches the show as well and we were discussing about one of the episodes from the first season where Chef David Chang makes gnocchi out of packaged ramen. WHAT. Mind blown. Such a fantastic documentary series if you are interested in food and cooking.

But back to my beloved chickpeas. Don't say I didn't warn you when I tell you that these are a-d-d-i-c-t-i-n-g. When I first made them, I used one can and finished it all by myself. In a day. Hello gluttony. The second time around, I made 3 cans worth. You live and learn folks, you live and you learn.

A couple of things to note about this recipe. Make sure the beans are super dry before putting them in the oven (helps with the crunchy texture) and have fun experimenting with different spices. These can be just as good with using simple ingredients such as olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder or if you want to go the sweet route, try this recipe for honey cinnamon roasted chickpeas.

Cheers to roasted chickpeas and good documentaries. Have a good weekend. Xo.


Ingredients
1 can of chickpeas (garbanzo)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 Tablespoons Ras El Hanout spice (spice recipe from my harira soup)


Procedure
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Rinse and strain beans under cold water thoroughly to remove starch. Spread them out on baking sheet and pat dry with paper towel. Remove any of the skin from the beans that may peel (not necessary but I like to remove them). Let it air dry for 10 minutes.

3. Once they are dry, place baking sheet of chickpeas into oven for 15 minutes and roast them. Remove from oven and drizzle olive oil and spice mixture, making sure all the chickpeas are evenly coated.

4. Place back into oven and roast for 25 more minutes until crispy. Remove baking sheet and transfer to serving bowl. Store at room temperature.