Baked Chickpeas and Beef Stir Fry

ladies and you few gentlemen, I present to you a couple of recipes: baked chickpeas and beef stir fry.  completely unrelated but I don't want to make two posts so work with me.  Before we continue I must ask: have any of you made the Olive Oil-Orange poundcake yet?  Or have you at least bought the ingredients with the intention of making it?  If not you should have, like, yesterday.  Get on it!

Ok so I was watching Food Network (naturally) and Claire Robinson (who I don't normally watch) was making tapas- well, if you know me and my love of latin culture, I was instantly hooked.  She made these baked chickpeas and it seemed to me quite interesting and I thought "well gosh that's like under $1 to make so why not make it and try it?" and can I tell you...they were scrumptious.  I would bake them for a few minutes longer than she suggests in the recipe because I like them to be crunchy (they almost remind me of corn nuts).  Anyway, it's a SUPER healthy snack, packed with protein (and fiber..hellooo they're BEANS) and super duper cheap.  Here's the link to the recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/claire-robinson/spicy-baked-chickpeas-recipe/index.html

here's what they look like to give you a visual:

yum.

Now, onto the main event: this beef stir fry I speak of.  Relatively healthy and delectably delicious.  My husband said to me not once, not twice, but THREE times how good it was- DO YOU KNOW HOW UNUSUAL THAT IS?? not that I make bad food but my hubs is a man of few words so if he repeatedly tells me something is good, that means IT'S GOOD.  

this recipe is courtesy of my fav, the pioneer woman (www.thepioneerwoman.com)  

Ingredients

• 1-½ pound Flank Steak, Sliced Very Thin Against The Grain
• ½ cups Low Sodium Soy Sauce
• 3 Tablespoons Sherry
• 2 Tablespoons Packed Brown Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
• 1 Tablespoon Minced Fresh Ginger
• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 teaspoon Red Chile Paste (or A Few Dashes Red Chile Oil)
• 2 Tablespoons Canola Oil
• 1 whole Medium Yellow Onion Sliced
• 2 whole Red Bell Peppers, Cored And Sliced Into Rings
• 1 Tablespoon Diced Fresh Jalapeno (or 1 Teaspoon Dice Hot Pepper)
• Red Pepper Flakes, For Sprinkling
• Cilantro Leaves

Preparation Instructions

• Mix together soy sauce, sherry, brown sugar, cornstarch, ginger, garlic, and chili paste (or chili oil.) Place sliced beef in the mixture and toss to coat. Set aside.

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high to high heat. When it is very hot, throw in the onions and cook for less than a minute. Remove to a separate plate. Return skillet to flame, allow to reheat, and add bell peppers (and hot pepper/jalapeno if using.) Cook for a minute, tossing, until peppers have brown/black bits but are still firm. Remove to a plate.

• Return skillet to heat and allow to get hot. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add 1/3 of the meat mixture, evenly distributing over the surface of the skillet. Allow to sit for 20 to 30 seconds, then turn with tongs. Cook for another 30 seconds, then remove to a separate plate. Repeat with remaining meat until all brown.

• Reduce heat to low. Add all meat, onions, and peppers to the skillet and toss to combine. Pour in remaining sauce (the sauce the meat marinated in*) and stir. Allow to simmer on low for a few minutes. Sauce will slowly thicken. Turn off heat. 

• *Update/Note: you can also whip up an extra batch of liquid if you do not want to use the same liquid you use for the meat.

• Turn off boiling water, then throw in noodles. Stir, then allow noodles to sit in hot water for 8 minutes or so (check package directions to be sure.) Drain, then add 1/2 the noodles to stir fry. Toss together, then add more noodles to taste. Add very hot water if needed to thin.

• Top with cilantro leaves. Serve immediately. 

***changes I made: I added scallions to add with the cilantro, instead of rice noodles I served it over brown rice, and I added some edamame (air force people, you can find it in the frozen vegetable section of the commisary), I did NOT use jalapeno although I would have loved some heat.

Enjoy.  Everyone's husbands will love this dish, promise.