Again, they're usually only few ingredients each, none of them extraordinary, but have a sort of homeliness. I was never a peasant myself (nor was my family, as far as I can tell), but I imagine this is what restaurant owners want you to feel when you order their "peasant food" (at exorbitant prices, no doubt).
Most of these are still snacks, though they range from little study snacks (seriously: apple slices), to small meals (eg: cottage cheese, mashed chickpeas).
Charlie's Favourite Simple Snacks!
(not an exhaustive list)
Crunchy apple slices - I once read that if you're packing a kid's lunch (and the kid doesn't really like fruit?), slice up the fruit instead of putting them in whole (especially apples, oranges, anything round that can be cut into wedges). It is just so easy to not eat a whole fruit. Now, I find this applies to myself as well. If I pack an apple or orange, it is just so easy to think, "I'll just save it for tomorrow." But if I go through the trouble of cutting it up into little pieces (dunked lovingly into acidulated water to prevent browning), I know I have to eat it. Also, it's so convenient to eat: I don't have to dirty my hands (use a fork), which means I can eat while studying (especially crunchy apples, I love crunchy study foods)!
- I've heard that peanut butter goes well with apple slices, but I have yet to actually try it myself.
Grilled cheese sandwich - Pretty straightforward, eh? This is as much about the method as the ingredient, as a splurge snack I mean. Heat frying pan with a bit of butter (do not substitute!!) on low heat. Assemble your sandwich and when the water from the butter has steamed out, place the sandwich in the pan. We have a tiny cast iron skillet, and I like to place it on top of the sandwich to provide weight. My favourite bread to use is Winnipeg rye (sometimes called "Canadian", otherwise "light rye" is pretty close) that's chewy enough to provide some texture. My favourite filling so far has been cheddar, dried chives and thin apple slices.
- I once had a double-decker grilled cheese in Toronto; one layer had brie and bacon, the other layer had gouda (and at least two other cheeses) and tomatoes. Splurrrge!
Garlic toast - I learned this one from Myro. Toast some rye bread (use either a chewy bread, or a stale loaf) slowly under low heat. The goal is to harden the bread, not so much to toast it. Peel a clove of garlic (without crushing it too much), or two. Rub the clove (or cloves) into the bread, almost like you're grating it. Enjoy (preferably with soup, a creamy soup)!
- I suppose if you buttered the garlic side and heated in the toaster oven you'd have a quick version of garlic bread! I will have to investigate this further!
Cottage Cheese - My favourite way to eat it is with some dried chives, onion flakes and freshly ground black pepper. That's it. Nothing to it! Eat with a spoon!
Chickpea mash - This is basically a cooked hummus made with a potato masher instead of a food processor, and eaten warm. If I had to choose between heating hummus and making a fresh batch, I could really go either way! Drain and rinse a can of chickpeas (or soak them if dry peas are what you have). Gently boil the peas (in clean water) for a minute or so (if using dry, you must cook the peas; I'm sure you can find a time estimate online). Drain loosely (it's ok if there's still some water). Mash with potato masher. This would be a great time to add anything, for example finely minced garlic or carrots, fresh or dried parsley... Add a splash of olive oil or butter (treat it like mashed potatoes), maybe some black pepper. If it's too dry, add a little water. Mash until it's the consistency you like. I personally like mine a little rough.
Warm garlicky hummus and sour cream - Strange, eh? I discovered this out of desperation. I love to eat warm hummus (home-made, of course), but one time, I accidentally put too much garlic! The burning relentless! Heating the garlic more didn't help much at this point, and I didn't have any more chickpeas to add. So I reached for the sour cream, and whisked roughly to combine. It's so fluffy and light, it's magical. The garlic didn't burn as much, and the tangy twang of the sour cream added a really nice contrast to the heavy earthiness of the chickpeas. I ate this with a spoon, but I imagine it would make a good spread or dip, too.
...more to come!
What are some of your favourite simple snacks?
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