Crispy Pasta Salad with Chickpeas and Creamy Garlic Dressing

 

Ingredients

Crispy Pasta

2 cups cooked pasta, cooled and lightly dried

1 tbsp olive oil 

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp dried oregano

Kosher salt, to taste

Black pepper, to taste

Chickpea Salad with Creamy Garlic Dressing

15 ounces canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 cup pickled red cabbage

 1 romaine heart, chopped

1/2 cucumber, diced

4 tbsp mayonnaise

3 tbsp Greek yogurt

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp water

Kosher salt, to taste

Black pepper, to taste

 

Preparations

Crisp Pasta 

Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.

In a medium bowl, toss the cooked pasta with the olive oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, dried oregano, kosher salt, and black pepper.

Add the pasta to the air fryer basket in an even layer and cook for 10–15 minutes at 400°F, shaking the basket halfway through, until golden and crisp. Let cool slightly.

Chickpea Salad with Creamy Garlic Dressing

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and water until smooth. Season with kosher salt and black pepper.

In a large bowl, combine the chickpeas, pickled red cabbage, romaine, and cucumber.

Add the dressing and toss until evenly coated.

Add the crispy pasta and toss just before serving.

 

 

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Cold Avocado Pasta

 

Swap heavy sauces for a light avocado-based dressing. Blend avocado with garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and a little pasta water to create a creamy sauce. Toss it with boiled pasta and chill it for a refreshing summer meal. Add sweet corn, cherry tomatoes, or grilled veggies for more texture. 

 

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Freeze These Foods to Reduce Waste and Save Money

I don’t know about you, but every time I have to throw away food that spoils I feel a pang for the waste of both money, time, and perfectly good groceries I've lost. Luckily, a friend of mine told me that I can freeze a lot of the groceries I buy, so they’ll last longer. I’ve tried and tested this method, and it works! I haven’t thrown away hardly any food in the three months since I began, and now it’s my turn to teach you.

1. Cheese

Freeze it by the block, and then let it thaw completely so it won’t crumble. If you prefer shredded cheese, put it in a Ziploc bag and add a little cornstarch (to prevent clumping). 

 

2. Pancakes, Waffles, and French Toast

Make a large batch and freeze it for a quick breakfast anytime. Remember to put a cooking sheet between each piece to make it easier for you to separate them. 

 

3. Fruits

Freeze them first on a cookie sheet so they won’t clump, and then move them into Ziploc bags. If you want to freeze bananas, but don’t want them to turn mushy when you defrost them, freeze them with the skin on. 

 

 

4. Cooked Rice

Cook a large batch and spread it into small bags. It’s a great solution for when you don’t have time to make rice, or for brown rice that requires a lot of time to cook. 

 

 

5. Pies

Make your favorite pie, and then freeze it before baking. Once you feel like eating some pie, or you have guests over, take it out of the freezer and throw it in the oven for 2 hours at 200°F (95°C) and enjoy. 

 

6. Corn

Don’t remove the husk, just put it in a Ziploc bag and freeze it. When you’re ready to eat it, take it out and put the frozen cob in the microwave for 4 minutes on high (5 if you want 2 ears). 

 

 

7. Cooked Pasta

Next time you’re making pasta, cook the whole bag, then just freeze any leftovers you have in individually-portioned bags. 

 

8. Flour

This is a great way to kill any “stowaways” (flour mites) – just freeze the flour for 3-4 days, or store it in the freezer indefinitely. Be sure to double-wrap the flour to prevent the forming of condensation. 

 

 

9. Pesto

Store-bought or home-made, pesto is a great addition to pasta, and best of all – leaving it in the freezer means it won’t spoil for ages. 

 

10. Mashed Potatoes

Freeze individual portions on a cookie sheet, and then transfer to Ziploc bags. The mash will stay fresh for at least 2 months.

11. Cookie dough

 

 If you’re making cookies, make a large batch of dough, and freeze individual cookie-sized bits on a cookie sheet. Once frozen, transfer them to a bag and then you can always prepare fresh cookies whenever you want. 

 

12. Chili and Soup

Leftover soup or chili can often taste even better after being frozen. Remember to leave space in the container for expansion. 

 

 

13. Broth and Stock

If you have any leftover broth or stock, freeze it and use next time you’re cooking – no need to make it again from scratch. 

 

14. Sandwiches

Make a week’s worth of sandwiches and freeze them, and then take one out every morning and leave it in your lunchbox. By break time it’ll thaw out and be ready to eat. Just remember that mayonnaise, lettuce, and tomatoes don’t freeze well. 

 

15. Potato Chips

Got a party next month, but there’s a sale of potato chips now? Buy them and store them in the freezer. Another bonus for doing this is that frozen chips usually taste even better. 

 

16. Bread

If your favorite bread is on sale, stock up and freeze it all. Individual slices will take between 30 seconds to 1 minute to defrost in the microwave, or toss them in a toaster. You can do the same for most types of baked goods. 

 

17. Diced Veggies

To freeze diced veggies, spread them flat out on a baking sheet and put in the freezer overnight, then transfer into Ziploc bags.

18.Dough

Whether it’s homemade or store-bought, you can freeze dough (covered in saran wrap) and use it whenever you need it. 

 

19. Marinated Meat

One of the best ways to marinate meat is to put it in a Ziploc bag with the marinade sauce and freeze it. During the freezing and thawing process, the marinade soaks into the meat.

 

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  

https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement

https://cancersupportindia.blogspot.com  for info on cancer and health related topics

https://GSiyers home remedies.blogspot.com   is the latest addition to my blogs.

10 Foods We Often Keep In the Freezer, But Shouldn't

Freezing certain foods is a great way of extending their life. However, not all the food products in your home are freezer-friendly. In fact, freezing some foods will lead to counterproductive results and may result in a drastic change in their taste and texture. Sometimes, the result of freezing some food items is not just messy, it can also be dangerous if they are consumed.

Generally, foods with higher water content shouldn’t be kept in the freezer. Many other food products too don’t turn out well inside that freezing chamber. Take note of this list of foods that should be kept far away from the freezer.  

 

1. Eggs

A perfectly good hard-boiled egg can be ruined if you put it in a freezer. The freezing temperature inside could expand and crack the shells of the whole eggs and thus allow bacteria to make their way in. Even if the shells somehow remain safe, the yolk will almost certainly become mushy and won’t mix well with the egg whites. Furthermore, the whites too tend to become rubbery when inside a freezer. Icings or sauces made with eggs should also be kept out of the freezer if you want them to maintain their texture.

You can, of course, store your eggs in the refrigerator to ensure that they keep a consistent and cool temperature. However, eggs should not be kept in the refrigerator door. 

 

2. Dairy Products

  

Almost all dairy products should be kept away from the freezer. Milk, cream cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, and many other dairy products will suffer a texture change if put there. These products are likely to become crumbly if they were hard or become crystallized if they were soft. Generally, sour cream separates and becomes watery inside a freezer while milk, yogurt, cream, and the likes might thicken and also give off a foul smell. 

 

3. Fried Foods
 

You had a whole plate of chicken cutlets left from dinner and your refrigerator is completely crammed. Well, why not just put them in the freezer, right? You can always microwave them the next morning. That would be a mistake, though. Fried foods taste delicious when they are fresh and crispy. Putting them inside a freezer will take away their crispiness. This happens because thawing makes previously crunchy foods soggy and watery and really difficult to reheat.

Homemade French fries, however, are an exception. You can cook and freeze them and then recook them without thawing them first. However, how well they freeze is going to depend on how long they were left out at room temperature. Ideally, freezing your French fries within 2 hours of being cooked should work well. 

 

4. Soft Herbs Foods  

 

A leafy green herb can become a blackish-brown ball of mush if kept in the freezer for too long. The texture of soft herbs like basil, cilantro, parsley, mint, and tarragon, is bound to transform with such a dramatic temperature change like this. These fresh herbs become soggy and limp inside a freezer and won’t be useful as a garnish. 

 

However, if you have absolutely no option other than the freezer to keep your soft herbs temporarily, there is a way that does work. Just chop the herbs, cover them with oil, and freeze them in an ice cube tray. That should keep them safe for a while. 

 

5. Some water-rich fruits and vegetables 

 

Fruits and vegetables with high water content should be a strict no-no for the freezer. You are almost certain to end up making them into a limp and mucky mess. That's because when the ice inside them melts upon defrosting, these fruits and vegetables become quite unsavory. Their taste and smell are also likely to become worse after thawing and freezing will also bring down their nutritional value. 

 

Fruits and veggies such as cucumbers, cabbage, lettuce, watermelon, potatoes, grapes, and apples, have high water content and should be kept far away from the freezer. 

 

6. Raw Potatoes

Potatoes don’t hold up well in the freezer. Freezing potatoes separate the starch and the potatoes' water, leading them to become watery, squashy, and inedible. Also, thawed raw potatoes tend to become discolored and, in some cases, even turn black. 

 

If you have a bunch of potatoes you have to store for a long time, then the first thing you should do is partially cook them as they will require less oven time later. Freeze them in airtight bags for quicker freezing and defrosting. However, we must repeat here that raw potatoes don't freeze well and can even turn grainy once thawed.

7. Seasonings

  

Spices and seasonings like garlic, pepper, and imitation vanilla will not fare well in the freezer. Unlike what many believe, freezing does not extend the shelf life of spices and instead causes their taste and flavor to change. Also, storing small amounts of spices in the freezer will trap humidity once it’s opened. In fact, leading food experts say that spices like curry develop a musty off-flavor when frozen. Now, that doesn’t sound appetizing at all, does it?

 

8. Cooked Pasta

While fresh pasta can be kept in the freezer before cooking, freezing fully cooked pasta will lead them to become mushy and limp. They are more likely to resemble a sloppy bowl of noodles with an odd warmed-over taste. 

 

That being said, with pasta that has been cooked up to al dente, meaning when it's still firm when bitten, you will get better results with freezing. Since the texture is still hard, it will hold up well inside the freezer. Cooked pasta that is already soft will almost certainly disintegrate the moment you reheat it after freezing.

9. Carbonated Drinks

Cooling a carbonated can in the freezer might sound like a cool experiment but it would be a big mistake. When you leave a bottle of soda in the freezer for a long time, it can explode and leave a sticky mess inside. The thing is, that when the water in the soda freezes, it attempts to push the carbon dioxide out. Carbonated water expands at the rate of about nine percent when it freezes. However, sealed, pressurized containers do not allow for their expansion and hence they explode. Thus, it is better if you keep those drinks in your refrigerator instead. 

 

10. Jelly

 

Freezing a jar of jelly won’t help you extend its life at all. The jelly’s texture will not be the same once it’s been frozen and its consistency is likely to be softer and more watery than before. The National Center for Home Food Preservation at the University of Georgia explains that jelly may become so watery on being frozen that it "may soak bread" when it's defrosted. Now, that won’t really be useful, would it?

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