Garbanzo Bean Salad and the Bon Appetite Files

Talk about a cooking streak. After the holidays I burnt myself out. Didn't even want to think about cooking. We had a work potluck and I didn't make anything for it, the kitchen was not a comfort to me, like it usually is. So, I took a break and now I'm diving back in. 

Oh, the recipes I want to try!

I've had a subscription to Bon Appetite for over two years now. I read the issue, try a recipe or two and than to the den it goes. They pile up and I don't want to give them away, because why would I want to give away awesome recipes?! But I'm not doing anything with them. So I am starting to revisit my older issues, like from 2010 and early 2011. It's like reading them for the first time. Recipes that might have intimidated me two years ago, or ingredients that I never wanted to cook with now seem appealing and exciting to try. I reread articles that now resonate with me, or articles that I found inspiration in at the time, and have now renewed my passion.

I cut out all the pages of the magazine that I liked and organized them in a small filing box by ingredient. Meat, Veggie, Dessert etc. And now I have been planning out a week in cooking and buying all the ingredients during the weekend. It feels super awesome to be so organized for once. I'm not coming home and wondering what's for dinner. Or taking the bus the grocery store after work every day. That is just so time consuming. I'm preparing things the day before and it's so nice to come home and have things partially prepped for me. In fact the garbanzo bean salad isn't even for tonight, it's for tomorrow. And finally, finally I can take into account the fresh herbs or perishable items that I have on hand and organize my meals around that. Why, oh why, did I not do this ages ago?? But now I'm doing it and it's so efficient it's freaking me out. I am a worrier. I worry when things are going well or horribly wrong. I worry.


Garbanzo Bean Salad
Adapted from Bon Appetite

1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans
2 Tb. chopped fresh basil
2 Tb. chopped fresh parsley
2 Tb. fresh lemon juice
4 teaspoons EVOO (shit! now that I am writing this down I realize I added 4 Tb. ooops!)
1 small garlic clove pressed
1/3 c. packed freshly grated parmesean
dash of garlic powder
splash of lime juice

Add all ingredients. Serve chilled or at room temp.