April 21st was National Chickpea Day, our opportunity to try out this baked potato recipe. We liked it so much that we’re glad that we had extras to enjoy today.

Chickpea Stuffed Sweet Potatoes are protein-packed, gluten-free and dairy-free. Thanks to Bubbies Fine Foods for the recipe, which creatively added their sauerkraut as a garnish.

The recipe would work with white potatoes, too.

> The history of chickpeas and how the chickpea got its name.

> Are chickpeas peas or beans?

> More chickpea recipes.

> The different beans, grains, legumes: a photo glossary.

Below:

> The difference between legumes, beans, and pulses.

> The most popular legume, bean, and pulse dishes in the U.S.

> All the legume, bean, and pulse holidays.
 
 
RECIPE: CHICKPEA STUFFED SWEET POTATOES WITH BUBBIES SAUERKRAUT
 
Prep time is 10 minutes, and bake time is 70 minutes.
 
Ingredients

 
For The Garnish

 
Preparation
 
1. PREHEAT the oven to 375°F. Prick the sweet potatoes with a fork and bake for 45 -50 minutes or until tender.

2. DRAIN the chickpeas, rinse with water, and pat dry. Toss them in a small bowl with olive oil, salt, black pepper, garlic, and cumin.

3. EVENLY SPREAD the chickpeas on a sheet pan and bake for 25-30 minutes until browned and crispy. Once the potatoes have cooled…

4. SLICE them in half and top them with chickpeas (if you wish, you can scoop out some of the flesh).

5. GARNISH with sauerkraut, drizzle with tahini sauce, and top with some arugula leaves.
 
 
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LEGUMES, PULSES, & BEANS

Legumes, pulses, and beans dominate American recipes. Legumes like peanuts and soybeans are found in many health-conscious meals, processed foods, and snacks. Pulses like lentils and chickpeas become are important in fiber-forward and plant-based diets (not to mention that great “American” snack food adoptee, hummus).

All beans and pulses are legumes, but not all legumes are beans. For example:

 
Legumes, pulses, and beans are all related, but each term refers to a different level of classification or usage. Here’s how they fit together. Thanks to the Food and Agriculture Organization Of The United Nations (FAO) for the information.
 
 
Legumes are the broadest category, which refers to plants in the Fabaceae botanical family. It includes the entire plant: pods, seeds, and structure.

Legume is a botanical term, not a food term. The plants in the legume category do not have to be edible.

Examples of legumes include alfalfa, beans, chickpeas, clover, lentils, mesquite, peanuts, peas (both green and dry), soybeans, and tamarind.
 
 
Pulses are a subset of legumes. Pulse is a botanical term. Like legumes, it is not limited to food use. Pulses don’t have to be edible—for example, ornamental* legumes.

Pulses are the dry edible seeds of certain legume plants. They are harvested dry, not green or fresh.

Pulses include chickpeas, cowpeas (e.g., black-eyed peas), dried beans (black, kidney, navy, pinto, and hundreds of others), lentils, mung beans, pigeon peas, and split peas.
 
 
Beans are both a type of pulse and a legume. Bean is a culinary term, not a botanical term.

The bean group refers to seeds from specific plants in the Phaseolus (common bean) genus plus a few others. They are most often oval or kidney-shaped.

The bean group includes black beans, kidney beans, lima beans (a.k.a. butter beans), navy beans, pinto beans, and many others.

Note that particular legumes—chickpeas, fava beans, lima beans, mung beans, and others are pulses if they are harvested dry, but legumes if they are harvested fresh.

For example:

 
 
THE MOST POPULAR BEAN, LEGUME, & PULSE DISHES IN THE U.S.

 
 
ALL THE BEAN, LEGUME, & PULSE HOLIDAYS

We have include some, but not all, of the holidays for the most popular bean dishes.

 
Plus:

 
Plus, For Fun:

[1] Ready to celebrate National Chickpea Day in style. The recipe is below (photos #1, #34, and #5 © Bubbies Fine Foods).

[2] Cumin, part of the seasoning, is warm, earthy, nutty, and slightly peppery. The seeds are used either whole or ground. The spice can be found in global cuisines, especially in India, the Mediterranean, Mexico (and Tex-Mex), the Middle East, and North Africa (photo © The Spice House).

[3] Chickpeas top the sweet potato (photo © Clark Douglas | Unsplash).

[4] They in turn are topped with sauerkraut.

[5] Bubbies Sauerkraut is available in Original and Spicy. You can use either in this recipe.

[6] Then, a drizzle of tahini, which is a sauce made from ground sesame seeds (photo © Alex 9500 | Panther Media).

[7] A few leaves of arugula, and you’re ready to eat (photo © Baldor Food | Facebook).

They can also have functional benefits, for example, adding nitrogen to the soil (helping other plants grow), and providinge habitat and erosion control.

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[1] A bottle of Habanero Hot Honey Syrup has many uses in the kitchen. See them below (photos #1, #2, and #3 © Cheeky Cocktails).

[2] The two-ounce size makes tasty party favors and stocking stuffers.

[3] It’s time to bring back the Bee’s Knees gin cocktail—and make it spicy! The recipe is below.

[4] Make spicy caramel (photos #4 and #5 © National Honey Board).

[5] Glaze carrots.

[6] Use on pancakes, waffles, and French toast (photo © Colavita).

We’ve been playing with Cheeky’s Habanero Hot Honey Syrup all week. Infused with habanero chile peppers, it was created to add a spicy twist to cocktails.

But we’ve wandered afar from expressing our inner mixologist, using Habanero Hot Honey Cheeky sweet with everything from hot chocolate to ice cream and vinaigrette (see our list of adventures below).

Handcrafted with habanero chiles, honey, and water, and free from preservatives or artificial flavors, these shelf-stable syrups are also nifty gifties for home cooks and mixologists.

> Below: uses for Habanero Hot Honey Syrup.

> Also below: a Spicy Bee’s Knees cocktail recipe.

> The history of simple syrup.

> The history of honey.

> The history of chile peppers.

> The different types of chile peppers: a photo glossary.

> A year of chile pepper holidays.

> A year of honey holidays.

> A year of cocktail holidays.

> Check out things to do with Cheeky’s Decaf Espresso Syrup.
 
 
GET YOUR HABANERO HOT HONEY SYRUP

Bottles are available in 2-ounce (photo #2), 4-ounce (photo #1), 16-ounce, and 750ml/25.4-ounce sizes.

The small size is a great party favor or stocking stuffer.

While your on the website, CheekyCocktails.co (not .com), check out the other flavors and mixers, and gift sets.
 
 
USES FOR HONEY-HABANERO SIMPLE SYRUP

Habanero-infused honey simple syrup offers a wonderful balance of sweet and spicy that works in many applications.

Spicy Cocktails

 
Spicy Non-Alcoholic Drinks

 
Spicy Cooking

 
 
RECIPE: THE BEES KNEES COCKTAIL

The Bee’s Knees cocktail was created during Prohibition (1920-1933) in the U.S. Like many cocktails from this period, it was designed to mask the harsh taste of bathtub gin.

It was a version of the gin sour, substituting the richer, stronger honey syrup for simple syrup*.

The original creator’s name is lost to history. There’s a common belief that a famed bartender, Frank Meier, created the Bee’s Knees cocktail at the Hotel Ritz in Paris in the 1920s. But he was not the first to make it.

While Meier included a recipe for the Bee’s Knees in his 1934 book, The Artistry of Mixing Drinks, the cocktail was served in American speakeasies before then.

Why the name? Not only was the drink considered to be excellent (“the bee’s knees” in the slang of the day), but it contained honey.

The drink fell out of fashion after Prohibition but has enjoyed a revival during the craft cocktail renaissance of the 21st century. Now, it’s made with quality gin, and more people are disposed to natural honey as a sweetener than refined sugar.

Why can’t you use straight honey in the drink?

Straight honey is very thick and doesn’t mix easily into cold beverages. It needs to be made more fluid by diluting it with water. The typical ratio is 2 or 3 parts honey to 1 part water, stirred to a uniform consistency. (Any extra can be easily stored).

The conventional Bee’s Knees is made with traditional honey syrup. This version turns it into a Spicy Bee’s Knees.

If you’re not a gin lover, substituting Bourbon creates a Spicy Gold Rush.

Ingredients Per Drink

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE the ingredients in a shaker filled with ice. Shake for 10-15 seconds and strain into a coupe or rocks glass.

2. GARNISH with a lemon twist.

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Instead of the conventional glass of wine poured while waiting to sit down for Easter dinner, how about a carrot cocktail?

This recipe is from Chef Richard Sandoval, proprietor of two haute Mexican restaurants in Manhattan we love: Maya and Tán.

The recipe follows, but first:

> The history of carrots.

> The history of cocktails.

> The history of Tequila.

> The different types of Tequila.

> All the carrot holidays.

> All the cocktail holidays.
 
 
RECIPE: TEQUILA & CARROT COCKTAIL

For the very best flavor—if you don’t have a juicer—purchase fresh carrot juice. Otherwise, our favorite brand is R.W. Knudsen (photo #3).

Ingredients Per Drink

 
Preparation

1. RIM the glass(es).

2. MUDDLE the cucumber coins in a shaker. Add the tequila, lemon juice, carrot juice, and simple syrup.

3. SHAKE and strain into the rimmed rocks glass. Garnish with a cucumber ribbon.
 
 
TAJÍN VS. SAL DE GUSANO: THE DIFFERENCE

Tajín and Sal de Gusano are both popular Mexican seasonings, but they’re quite different in ingredients, flavor, and how they’re traditionally used.

Tajín is a chili-lime seasoning blend made with dried chili peppers, dehydrated lime juice, and salt.

It’s tangy, citrusy, and mildly spicy and used to:

 
Sal de Gusano is worm salt. It’s a traditional Oaxacan seasoning made with toasted and ground maguey worms (the kind sometimes found in mezcal bottles), chiles (often pasilla), and sea salt.

It’s earthy, smoky, and, slightly spicy and used to:

 
 
HOW TO MAKE A CUCUMBER RIBBON

These are nice garnishes for savory cocktails, including the Bloody Mary, Gin & Tonic, Martini, Pimm’s Cup, Southside, Tom Collins, and most gin cocktails. Also great for sparkling or still water and spa water.

What You Need

 
Preparation

1. WASH the cucumber thoroughly, pat dry, and trim the ends off.

2. USE the vegetable peeler or mandoline to slice long, thin ribbons from top to bottom. Apply even pressure to get a full-length strip.

If the slices are too floppy, press deeper—but keep the thickness flexible to create the curled ribbon.

[1] Tequila and carrot juice cocktail (photo and recipe © Richard Sandoval Hospitality).

[2] Fresh-squeezed carrot juice is great in this recipe…(photos #2 and #4 by ChatGPT 2025-04-16).

[3] But you can always buy store bought. This is our favorite (photo © R.W. Knudsen).

[4] Making cucumber ribbons with a Y-shape peeler (photo Taste.com).

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[1] It’s easy to make frozen banana peanut butter bites for snacking or with after-dinner coffee (photo © Gelson’s).

[2] Start with ripe banana slices (photo © Eiliv Sonas Aceron | Unsplash).

[3] Add flavored PB for more pizzazz (photo © Peanut Butter & Co.).

[4] The original recipe used walnuts but we prefer pecans or pistachios (photo © Schermer Pecans).

With all the food holidays we celebrate each year, there is no Peanut Butter & Banana Day. Peanut Butter & Jelly, yes, Fluffernutter, yes. Why overlook the banana?

There’s always a PB&B (Peanut Butter & BANANA) sandwich for Elvis Presley’s birthday on January 8th. He liked it griddled (fried), adding butter—or likely, bacon fat—to the equation. NPR called it “The Sandwich That Helped Kill Elvis” [source].

In fact, it’s called the Elvis Sandwich, and he liked to add bacon (making it a PBB & B).

> Here’s the recipe.

Today, we have a slimmed-down version of bananas and peanut butter: Frozen Peanut Butter & Banana Bites. The recipe follows, but first:

> The history of peanut butter.

> The history of bananas.

> All the peanut butter holidays.

> All the banana holidays.

> All the peanut holidays.

> A Peanut Butter Banana Dessert Cocktail recipe to go with your frozen bites.
 
 
RECIPE: FROZEN PEANUT BUTTER & BANANA BITES

Thanks to Gelson’s for the recipe.

Ingredients For The Banana “Sandwiches”

 
For the Chocolate Coating

 
For Garnish and Storage

 
Preparation

1. PEEL and slice 3 large ripe bananas into ¼”-thick rounds. ⁠Line a baking sheet with parchment.

2. SPREAD ½ teaspoon peanut butter on one banana slice and top with a second slice, pressing gently to create a peanut butter sandwich. Place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining banana slices.

3. FREEZE for 1 hour, or until hardened.⁠ In a small saucepan over low heat…

4. COMBINE the chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon coconut oil, stirring frequently, until completely melted, 2 to 3 minutes.⁠

5. CAREFULLY DIP half of each sandwich into the melted chocolate, using a fork. Place the dipped sandwich back on the baking sheet and garnish each with a pinch of finely chopped walnuts. ⁠

6. FREEZE for 1 hour more, or until completely frozen. Enjoy cold or store in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.⁠
 
 
> For more frozen delights, check out our photo glossary, Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts.

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Truth to tell, we had never heard of boiled peanuts, a Southern specialty. While many Southern specialties—barbecue, chicken and waffles, cornbread, hot sauce, and pecan pie, for example—not to mention Bourbon—boiled peanuts had never crossed our path.

But when Dixie Grace’s wrote to us to try her boiled peanuts—and added that there was a National Boiled Peanuts Day on February 21st—how could we resist?

While we missed National Boiled Peanut Day, we have enough upcoming events Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, even July 4th, to make gifts of the all-American peanut in a form beyond what most of us eat (i.e., roasted peanuts).

Dixie Grace’s Boiled Peanuts are our Top Pick Of The Week because everyone should know what boiled peanuts are like.

More about them follows, but first:

> The history of boiled peanuts is below.

> So are all the peanut holidays.

> Beyond the peanut: all the nut holidays.

> The history of peanuts.

> Why are peanuts called goobers?
 
 
WHAT ARE BOILED PEANUTS?

Simply that: green (raw) peanuts in the shell that are boiled with a bit of salt and lemon, plus other seasonings if you want them spicy or sweet.

A protein-rich snack popular in the South, they deliver layers of flavor with just four simple ingredients: peanuts, salt (Dixie Grace’s uses pink Himalayan salt), water, and lemon.

You end up with a peanuts that are more tender and buttery. They’re vegan, gluten-free, cholesterol-free, non-GMO, and keto-friendly.

Nutritionally, peanuts are a protein powerhouse snack (7g per serving), 18% DV of fiber, gluten free, and cholesterol free, with lots of vitamins and 80+trace minerals. Dixie Grace’s are dairy free, soy free, and non GMO.

Open the bag and you’ll see what looks like most, dark brown peanut shells (photos #1 and #2). Pick one up and they immediately pop open revealing the red-skinned peanuts inside.

This Southern snack is popular fare at weddings, family reunions, tailgates, and other parties.
 
As you can see in the chart that follows:

 

[10] Boiled vs. roasted Peanuts: nutritional differences (image created by ChatGPT).
 
 
BEYOND SNACKING: HOW TO ENJOY BOILED PEANUTS

Just as with regular peanuts, boiled peanuts are surprisingly versatile in the kitchen. Remember that peanuts are legumes, belonging to the same botanical family (Fabaceae) as beans, lentils, and peas.

Since boiled peanuts are cooked, you can use them as you would any cooked legume.

They soak up flavor well and can act like legumes in many recipes.

And as an aside, although most snack peanuts are roasted, peanuts can be eaten raw, just like their fellow legumes such as fava beans, green beans, green peas, mung beans, snap peas, snow peas, and soybeans (edamame).

 
 
GET YOUR BOILED PEANUTS

Original Flavor: As mentioned above, just peanuts, water, lemon, and pink Himalayan salt.

Hot & Spicy: With an added blend of herbs and spices that delivers just enough kick.

While the peanuts are perfectly delicious as is, there’s a “Starter Kit” with dry seasoning and drizzle toppers that make a fun gift. Boiled Peanuts!

> Head to DixieGraceBoiledPeanuts.com.

We ate ours at room temperature, but you can heat them:

 
 
THE HISTORY OF BOILED PEANUTS

Boiled peanuts have deep roots in Southern cuisine, particularly in the states of Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina.

However, their origins trace back to Africa and South America, where peanuts (originally from South America) were cultivated and later brought to North America via the transatlantic slave trade.

> The history of peanuts.

African culinary traditions included boiling legumes, and enslaved people in the South likely adapted this technique to peanuts.

By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, boiled peanuts became a popular snack among rural Southerners. They were especially common in late summer when fresh green peanuts (not fully dried) were harvested.

Today, boiled peanuts remain a beloved Southern tradition, often enjoyed at roadside stands, festivals, and social gatherings.
 
 
PEANUT HOLIDAYS

 
Plus:

[1] Fresh out of the pot (photos #1, #2, and #3 © Dixie Grace’s Boiled Peanuts).

[2] Just four ingredients: peanuts, water, lemon, and pink Himalayan sea salt.

[3] Available in Original and Hot & Spicy.

[4] These are peanuts freshly-pulled from the ground (photo © Once Again).

[5] These boiled peanuts were made in a slow cooker. Here’s the recipe (photo © Chef Hugh Acheson).

[6] Here’s a pressure cooker recipe (photo © Hannah Kaminsky | Bittersweet Blog).

[7] Add them to any dish for protein and texture; here, a noodle bowl (photo © Zhugewala | Pexels).

[8] On a road trip through the South, Grace discovered boiled peanuts at a roadside farm stand and “was blown away by their unique taste and texture” (photo © Mikhael Mayim | Pexels).

[9] You can make your own with green (raw, unroasted) peanuts, although in her recipe on Bittersweet Blog, Hannah Kaminsky says that roasted peanuts work, too Alabama Peanut).

“Goober” comes from the Bantu word nguba, meaning peanut.

Enslaved Africans brought peanuts to the American South used this word, and it entered English through Gullah, a Creole language spoken by African Americans in the Lowcountry region of South Carolina and Georgia.

Its first-known use in American English is found in the early 1800s, in the southern U.S.

“Goober peas” became a common colloquial term for boiled peanuts, especially among Confederate soldiers during the Civil War.

“Goober Peas” subsequently became the title of a folk song popular during the war: “Eating goober peas, good old goober peas…”

We learned the song in our grade school songbook. Here it is, sung by Burl Ives, a Grammy Award-winning folk singer who became a CBS Radio star and a film actor.

“Goober” also became a slang term for a silly or clumsy person (some people will remember Goober Pyle from The Andy Griffith Show).

But originally, the word just meant “peanut.”

And that’s why a popular brand of chocolate-covered peanuts is called Goobers.
 

[11] Goobers: chocolate-covered peanuts (photo © Ferrara Candy Co.).
 
 

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