Spanish GARBANZO BEAN SKILLET with Chunky Tomatoes

Watch Albert prepare this recipe here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lINQBi5W6BE

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 onion
  • 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cumin powder
  • 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 1 15 oz can cooked chickpeas
  • sea salt
  • black pepper
  • fresh parsley

Instructions

  1. Drain one 15 oz can of cooked chickpeas into a sieve and rinse under cold running water, thinly slice 4 cloves of garlic and finely dice 1/2 of an onion
  2. Heat a fry pan with a medium heat and add in 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, after 2 minutes add in the sliced garlics and the diced onions, mix continuously with the olive oil, after 4 minutes add in 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika and 1/2 tsp cumin powder, mix together, then add in one 15 oz can diced tomatoes, one 15 oz can cooked chickpeas and season with sea salt & black pepper, mix it all together until well combined and simmer on a medium heat for 5 minutes, remove from the heat and garnish with freshly chopped parsley, enjoy!

10 Incredible 3-INGREDIENT Spanish TAPAS

From Albert Brevia:
The way I served these 10 delicious tapas was over a piece of bread, like they do in tapas bars in Spain. So the bread is not included as an ingredient, neither is salt or pepper. Just make sure to use baguette bread, it makes all the difference in the flavor.

TIPS & TRICKS to make this recipe: As I stated earlier, make sure to use baguette bread, I cut mine into 1-inch thick diagonal slices and lightly toasted them. The Manchego cheese I used was a mild one, but you can use a stronger cheese if you prefer. I also used an Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil in some of the tapas. The one I used was from Apollo, an absolute flavor bomb that is seriously becoming my go-to EVOO. The ingredients below are to make 3 servings from each tapa, so if you need more, just double up on the ingredients.

10 Incredible 3-INGREDIENT Spanish TAPAS

Watch Albert preparing this recipe:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuSQjBhrELM

Ingredients

Instructions

  • 1 slice smoked salmon
  • 1 container cream cheese
  • 3 tins Spanish tuna
  • 3 Spanish green olives
  • 3 tomatoes
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 tin Spanish anchovies
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 1 block Manchego Cheese
  • 1 jar strawberry jam
  • 3 walnuts
  • 2 dried pitted dates
  • 8 fresh basil leaves
  • 1 jar roasted red bell peppers
  • 1 creamy goat cheese
  • handful fresh chives
  • 1 hardboiled egg
  • 2 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • pinch sea salt
  • pinch black pepper
  1. For the first tapas dish you will need smoked salmon, cream cheese and fresh chives, begin by spreading the cream cheese over the pieces of bread and then add in 2 fresh chives over the cheese, cut a slice of smoked salmon into 3 pieces and roll each one up, add on top of the chives and cream cheese
  2. For the second tapas dish you will need 2 tins Spanish tuna, 1 tomato and 3 Spanish olives, begin by draining the oil from the tuna, then divide the tuna over the pieces of bread, cut a tomato into thin slices and then in half, add a 1/2 slice of tomato over the tuna, pierce an olive with a toothpick and pierce over the tomatoes
  3. For the third tapas dish you will need 2 tomatoes, 1 clove garlic and extra virgin olive, begin by rubbing the raw garlic over the pieces of bread, then rub the tomato over the bread, drizzle each piece of bread with a kiss of extra virgin olive oil and lightly season each one with sea salt
  4. For the fourth tapas dish you will need 1 tin Spanish anchovies, 1 tomato and 1 clove garlic, begin by rubbing the raw garlic over the pieces of bread, then cut the tomato into thin slices and then in half, add a 1/2 slice of tomato over the bread, finally add 2 anchovies in a criss-cross design over the tomatoes
  5. For the fifth tapas dish you will need a block of Manchego cheese, extra virgin olive oil and 1 sprig fresh rosemary, begin by cutting the block of Manchego cheese into 1/4 inch thick slices, add a slice of cheese on top of each piece of bread, next drizzle in a kiss of extra virgin olive oil over each piece of cheese, for the final step roughly chop a sprig of fresh rosemary (remember to remove the needles from the stem) and sprinkle over the cheese
  6. For the sixth tapas dish you will need 3 slices Manchego cheese, strawberry jam and 3 walnuts, begin by adding a slice of cheese on top of each piece of bread, next add a dollop of strawberry jam over the cheese and finally add a walnut over the jam
  7. For the seventh tapas dish you will need goat cheese, 2 dates and a sprig of fresh rosemary, begin by spreading the goat cheese over the bread, then roughly chop the pitted dates and sprinkle over the cheese, for the final step sprinkle each piece of bread with freshly chopped rosemary
  8. For the eighth tapas dish you will need jarred roasted peppers, fresh basil and extra virgin olive oil, begin by cutting the roasted peppers in half, then add a half on top of each piece of bread, lightly season the peppers with sea salt, drizzle a kiss of extra virgin olive oil over the roasted peppers and top off with some freshly chopped basil
  9. For the ninth tapas dish you will need jarred roasted peppers, goat cheese and fresh chives, begin by spreading the goat choose over the pieces of bread, then cut the roasted peppers into thin strips and add two over the cheese, sprinkle with some freshly chopped chives
  10. For the tenth and final tapas dish you will need 1 tin Spanish tuna, 2 tbsp mayonnaise and 1 hardboiled egg, begin by draining the oil from the tuna and then add the tuna into a large bowl, roughly chop the hardboiled egg and add with the tuna, finally add in 2 to 3 tbsp of mayonnaise and season everything with sea salt & black pepper, mix together until well combined, evenly divide the tuna salad over the pieces of bread

Mediterranean Diet Can Reduce Symptoms of Depression

A new study from Australia found following a Meditteranean diet can help reduce the symptoms of depression. They studied two groups aged 17-35 that scored high for depression, anxiety, and stress for three weeks. One group followed the Meditrranean Diet and the other continued with their normal diet. Afterwards the group on the new diet went from scoring high on the depression scale to normal and the other group remained the same. Larger and repeatable studies need to be conducted to confirm the findings but they are very encouraging.  This study is part of a growing body of research confirming a link between diet and mental health called nutritional psychiatry. 

With all that is known at this stage in nutrition history regarding the link between inflammation, mood and diet, it is not too early in the process to make a solid hypothesis that the Mediterranean diet can reduce depression symptoms.- Lisa Richards, nutritionist and author