Think Savory, Not Sweet

By Peg Rosen

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By the time you’re deep into the holiday season, the appearance of yet another sweet treat in the house can make your eyes glaze over and your taste buds virtually beg for a break. The answer, of course, isn’t to ban all treats. “What you want is the yin to sugar’s yang, which is something salty, herbal or even spicy. It’s perfect for the season, since historically, spices were considered to be very, very precious,” says Patty Panozzo, an Illinois-based cookbook author, farmer and professional chef. With that in mind, here are four savory snack and gift ideas that will give sugar-weary appetites a wake-up call.

1. Serve eye-popping popcorn.
Air pop your own, toss with a little peanut oil, then sprinkle on a savory surprise, like a mix of salt, curry powder and cumin, or a dusting of chili powder and salt. How about a healthy handful of grated Parmesan cheese? If you’re really in a pinch or don’t have a hot air popper, microwave popcorn will do the trick too.

2. Make spice a surprise.
Add 1/4 teaspoon of hot red pepper flakes to your favorite brownie recipe or mix. Then watch eyes pop open when friends bite into what you’ve baked. “The idea is to make the heat subtle enough so that people don’t know exactly what makes the brownies different. They just know there’s something spectacular about them,” says Panozzo.

3. Cheer ‘em with chickpeas.
Sure, chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) are a yummy, high-fiber source of protein. But who knew that when you roast ‘em in the oven, they turn into a crunchy, addictive snack that can blow beer nuts out of the water?

Here’s the basic game plan: Rinse, drain very well and pat dry one 15-ounce can of chickpeas. Spread in a single layer onto a foil-lined rimmed cookie sheet that’s been coated with cooking spray or oil. Roast chickpeas in a 400 F oven for 35 to 45 minutes, shaking pan frequently and checking often so they don’t burn. Chickpeas should be golden and very crunchy when done.

Pour into a bowl, and while they are still warm, toss with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Now get creative: Try sprinkling with coarse salt, 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper and 1/2 teaspoon cumin. If you have garam masala, a popular Indian spice mix, give that a try. Any commercial popcorn seasoning will work, as will chili powder and even dried salad dressing mix. Serve while still warm or allow to cool first. The chickpeas will also make great gifts if bottled up once they’ve cooled completely. (Be sure to include a note saying chickpeas should be eaten within about two weeks.)

4. Send “seasoning” greetings.
For this year’s goodie giveaway, whip up a big batch of your signature chili seasoning, sirloin rub or burger spice mix and decant it into mason jars -- complete with a personalized label, holiday ribbon and a recipe card. “If you don’t have a great recipe already, check online. There are hundreds of recipes for things like mulled apple cider mixes and chicken seasonings,” says Panozzo.

If you want to go the extra mile on the chili front, throw all nonperishable recipe components -- beans, canned tomatoes, even cornbread mix -- into a pretty basket and deliver to your friends. “All they’ll need to do is dump everything into the pot,” says Panozzo. “That’s really appreciated during the busy holiday season.”

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