Whew!
Busy last day of innocence. And by innocence, I mean my 24th year. Tomorrow it’s going to be all business. And by business I mean wine tasting. Obviously.

As for today, I’ve been running around….at the gym, at home and at work. Lots of running around! I ate some egg whites, all wrapped up:

And finally got around to concocting lentil/chickpea recipe number three.

Did you miss my previous two recipes?
I still have to come up with four more recipes by…..Tuesday. It’s going to be tight.

But back to tonight’s chickpea recipe. It was the best yet! So simple, so summery, so fresh. I shall call it Chickpea Veggie Medley, after it’s utter simplicity.
You’ll need:
2 cups frozen corn, defrosted
6 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup edamame, frozen or fresh and shelled
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 small cloves garlic, minced
1.5 tbsp olive oil
1.5 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp sea salt (I love this!)
1/4 cup shredded fresh basil
First combine the olive oil, garlic, salt and vinegar in a small bowl to make the dressing. In a larger bowl, combine all other ingredients. Pour the dressing over and toss well. Eat!
My mom and I also picked up a margharita pizza from Rosso to split. It was pretty much perfection.


Last but not least, don’t forget these guys….

Black licorice scottie dogs. One of my top five favorite candies of all time.
Yes, I love black licorice. I don’t discriminate.
Special post coming later!
Jessica @ The Process of Healing
June 10, 2010 at 7:16 pmOh. Wow. That pizza looks SERIOUSLY amazing!!!
Ellie
June 10, 2010 at 7:26 pmCongrats on your almost birthday (and on a Friday- beat that)! Your pizza looks amazing! I’m really thinking homemade pizza for dinner Friday night- Whats on a Margarita Pizza?
Nora@LiveLifeEatRight
June 10, 2010 at 7:30 pmMargharita is my favorite! No matter how many insane toppings people can create I always turn to this. I love how fresh and simple it is while boasting HUGE flavor! You’ve had such a great day of eats! Enjoy the wine 🙂
Brooke (Baking with Basil)
June 10, 2010 at 7:35 pmYou can never go wrong with a margharita pizza!! One of my tops faves. Along with bbq pineapple pizza – simply amazing I tell you. Hope you enjoyed the wine tasting!
lk
June 10, 2010 at 7:40 pmI love black licorice too!
Marilou @ Mostly Healthy
June 10, 2010 at 7:47 pmI thought you were older than that! Like 27 🙂
Btw … black licorice? Yuk!
MMiller
June 10, 2010 at 8:03 pmHave an awesome birthday tomorrow! So glad you can celebrate with your mom! Glad that tonsil didn’t get in the way of your plans!
Amanda @ Organic Eats
June 10, 2010 at 8:08 pmThat chickpea veggie medley looks so summery, fresh and divine!!! Must try soon…
Lindsay @ Summit Sandwiches
June 10, 2010 at 8:13 pmDid you know that liking black licorice is supposedly a genetic thing? You will either love it or hate it. No in-between. I personally can’t stand the stuff, but my mom and sis love it. Go figure. That chickpea recipe looks so simple and delicious. Definitely my kind of meal! You’ve been on a roll with these chickpea recipes.
Stephanie
June 10, 2010 at 10:41 pmWould that make it “congenital” instead of “genetic”?
Jennu
June 10, 2010 at 8:16 pmHappy 25th!!! Enjoy it:)
Jen (Running With Cake)
June 10, 2010 at 8:19 pmI’m not a fan of black licorice but those little Scotty dogs are so cute! Do they come in different flavors? FYI – if anyone has high blood pressure, black licorice is probably not a good idea.
Danica
June 10, 2010 at 8:25 pmHappy early birthday!!
I hate licorice but in cute little doggy form, I would give it a try =)
Hillary [Nutrition Nut on the Run]
June 10, 2010 at 8:34 pmSpecial posts are exciting! Old, adorable pics of Jenna? How’s the interior decorating going? Hope your day is everything tomorrow.
Kellie
June 10, 2010 at 8:36 pmThat pizza looks so good…mmmm
M.
June 10, 2010 at 8:41 pmI hope the special post is written by your MOTHER !!!!
That would be so fun with your bday and all.
We think your mum is a strong and beautiful woman.
Look forward to reading her post!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Meg
June 10, 2010 at 9:03 pmI LOVE black licorice! Everyone always leaves the black jelly beans for me 😉
Claire
June 10, 2010 at 9:06 pmYour chickpea veg medley looks great…the pizza does too of course! Like Hillary, I am interested in the interior of the new place!
Becki @ HikeBikeEat
June 10, 2010 at 9:20 pmHappy birthday! Enjoy the hard work of wine tasting ahead of you: it sounds like a rough day!
Suzanne de Cornelia
June 10, 2010 at 9:26 pmI ALWAYS get margharita pizza…with extra basil and garlic. Healthy and delicious. Looks fantastic. Tonight got back from the beach and made stir-fry jumbo shrimp, big bunch organic watercress, garlic, sesame oil, fresh lime juice, Thai curry paste…..ridiculously good although needed something else like brown mushrooms, or fresh mango…but was excellent as is.
Dolphin vid for you to go with ice blue dress: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMCf7SNUb-Q
If go have a cheeseburger for early dinner at Montecito Biltmore on terrace restaurant patio….ALWAYS see dolphins towards sunset following fishing tugs to wharf. We used to do that regularly when I lived there. Seriously want BP execs in jail for LIFE!!!! They are WORSE, far worse, than Maddoff. Just sickening.
Courtney (Pancakes & Postcards)
June 10, 2010 at 9:34 pmYum!!! I hate licorice, but those scotties make me want to eat them. Happy almost birthday! Quarter-century mark, woohoo!
miranda
June 10, 2010 at 10:39 pmi love black licorice too! And everyone makes fun of me for it, but that’s okay because then I don’t have to share. 🙂 I found a store in Berlin that was entirely black licorice-I had no, no idea that there were soooooo many varieties. Yum!!
miranda
June 10, 2010 at 10:39 pmi love black licorice too! And everyone makes fun of me for it, but that’s okay because then I don’t have to share. 🙂 I found a store in Berlin that was entirely black licorice-I had no, no idea that there were soooooo many varieties. Yum!!
Stephanie
June 10, 2010 at 10:39 pmWho, in this day and age, makes it to 25 years old… still innocent?? 😉
Happy birthday a little early!
lola
June 10, 2010 at 11:11 pmToday I saw the trailer of Eat, Pray, Love. I haven’t seen the movie yet, but so far all I could think of was you! hehe can’t wait to see it!
lola
June 10, 2010 at 11:12 pmOh and happy bday Jenna 😀
amber's notebook
June 10, 2010 at 11:36 pmHappy Birthday Eve!!!
Annie @ stronghealthyfit
June 11, 2010 at 1:00 amAll of that food looks so delicious! I love black licorice, too. Have you had Panda licorice? It’s my favorite.
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is
June 11, 2010 at 3:26 amHappy birthday Jenna! 🙂
Jil @ Peace, Love & Munchies
June 11, 2010 at 3:40 amThat pizza looks absolutely amazing – and happy birthday!!
Sarah (Running to Slow Things Down)
June 11, 2010 at 4:21 amI love black licorice too! Best candy ever. 😀
Paige (Running Around Normal)
June 11, 2010 at 4:59 amHappy Birthday, Jenna!!!
Teresa @ vinogals
June 11, 2010 at 5:00 amHappy birthday!! I hope you have a great day celebrating with your Mom and friends!!
Carly @ The Road To Health
June 11, 2010 at 5:23 amHappy birthday Jenna! 🙂
Nichole
June 11, 2010 at 5:26 amThose gummy pups are too cute.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROCK STAR!
eatmovelove
June 11, 2010 at 5:34 amThe crust on that pizza looks stellar.
Good choice.
Surprisingly, I like black licorice too…I eat too much of it at night though and , well, oye…red is easier on the tum…
Brittany
June 11, 2010 at 5:43 amHAPPY BIRTHDAY! Join the 25 club. 🙂
Melissa Cari @ Miles for Markets
June 11, 2010 at 5:45 amHappy birthday Jenna! It’s amazing how much you’ve accomplished and how many people you’ve inspired in your 25 years. Looking forward to many more years of “eating” with you! I hope you’re having an amazing day.
read, write, repeat
June 11, 2010 at 5:49 amhappy birthday! that pizza is making my mouth water…
Tracey @ I'm Not Superhuman
June 11, 2010 at 6:04 amHappy Birthday!
Heather @ Side of Sneakers
June 11, 2010 at 6:07 amHAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Hope your 25th years is as fabulous & as full of adventure as your 24th 🙂
Elizabeth
June 11, 2010 at 6:10 amhappy birthday jenna!!
kalli@fitandfortysomething
June 11, 2010 at 6:12 amHappy Bday! Love the pizza and the black licorice-two of my favs for sure 🙂
Macrae
June 11, 2010 at 6:14 amHappy B Day!! You know what? You’re actually leaving your 25th year and entering your 26th! (Like when you’re born, you are in your 1st year yet not yet 1) Now you REALLY have to get down to business- haha 🙂 Just a fun fact- have a great time with your Mom!
Evan Thomas
June 11, 2010 at 6:28 amHappy birthday, Jenna!
Cara
June 11, 2010 at 6:28 amBlack licorice is just plain nasty!
Tricia
June 11, 2010 at 6:33 amI must have those Scottie dogs!! Where do you find them?
Brynne
June 11, 2010 at 6:35 amHappy Birthday Jenna!! Hope you have an amazing and wine-filled day!
Jill
June 11, 2010 at 6:36 amI LOVE black licorice too! Everyone thinks it’s such an “old lady” thing to like, so it’s good to seem that someone else around my age likes it too 🙂
Jen
June 11, 2010 at 6:44 amHAPPY BIRTHDAY JENNA!
Jen
June 11, 2010 at 6:44 amps…I LOVE black licorice!
Kristin (Salty Tooth)
June 11, 2010 at 6:46 amThat pizza looks great. Happy (early) birthday!
Brynne
June 11, 2010 at 6:48 amHappy birthday Jenna! Hope it’s filled with great food and wine :0)
Té la mà Maria
June 11, 2010 at 7:02 amvery good blog, congratulations
regard from Reus Catalonia
thank you
Chelsie
June 11, 2010 at 7:05 amSo, if you’re turning 25, that means that you are FINISHING your 25th year and starting your 26th year. Going back…when you turned 1 year old, you weren’t STARTING your first year…you were FINISHING your first year. So, all the trauma of beginning your second quarter century of life is behind you! Yay!! Happy Birthday!
Dee
June 11, 2010 at 7:05 amHappy Birthday Jenna! 🙂 Yum to that Margherita pizza! Hands down the best flavor evah!
Corinne (breathe and savor)
June 11, 2010 at 9:52 amI wonder if lentils would be a good topping for pizza, just a thought 🙂 I don’t know of many people that like black licorice: color me impressed.
Sana
June 11, 2010 at 12:22 pmLentil power!!!
Staceyhttp://stacey-healthylife.blogspot.com/
June 11, 2010 at 4:04 pmBlack licorice is the best.
jill
June 11, 2010 at 5:49 pmHappy Birthday!! You are a wonderful, beautiful and creative women who brings a ton of joy and humor to the lives of so many readers, I hope this year brings continues to bring you great joy and is a huge step towards your making your dreams come true.
Have a great birthday!
Brooke
June 11, 2010 at 9:24 pmYay! Someone else who loves black licorice! Woohoo! (tho it was disappointingly sweet when I had it in Denmark!)
I’ve had a lentil recipe addiction recently, and I’ve gotten several out of Deborah Madison’s cookbook, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. Lots of other good recipes, too!
Happy birthday! 🙂
Gabrielle
February 19, 2011 at 3:35 amI made the “vegie medley” for dinner tonight, though i chucked in some red chillies instead of the dressing and just drizzled with some olive oil. DE-LISH!
p.s. i LOVE licorice, i find it strange that so many people don’t.