Baking with chickpea flour was different. I’ve used chickpea flour before to make a soy-free/egg-free scramble egg recipe and I’ve used it with other flours, but this was new.
This recipe started because I wanted to have a savory bread/muffin alternative to corn bread since I’m allergic to corn. And I really do like the corn/jalapeno version. And the sweet corn bread, and the plain hot water corn bread… It’s so good! But I wanted to see if I could make an alternative.
Now I’m not saying that this tastes like corn bread. Because it’s not corn. But it can be a good alternative as another savory option on the side of something like chili. Or you can have a savory breakfast muffin with coffee like I did one morning.
One thing I do have to say, this recipe is the second version. The reason why this was an interesting recipe to create was because the chickpea flour is SO DRY. I though the eggs would be enough but the 1/4 cup oil is necessary. Now I’m sure you can substitute out the oil for something else, but since I usually use something like apple sauce or pumpkin as an oil substitute when I feel like it, I just didn’t think those would work very well.
I love sweet and savory! And there are times of the year I crave pineapple. Spinach and pineapple smoothies, grilled pineapple, cold pineapple chunks to snack on, pineapple chicken salad (or chickpea salad for me), etc. This recipe brings pineapple into my lunch or dinner and I love it! I’m sure using grilled pineapple and grilled sweet potatoes would add another layer of flavor that would be amazing! But here are some reasons why I love this salad from a nutrition stand point.
Black Beans
Excellent Source of Fiber
High in Antioxidants – neutralizing cell damage
High in Iron – helps to bring oxygen to the cells
High in Calcium – bone health
High In Potassium – maintains healthy blood pressure and heart rate
Sweet Potatoes
Excellent Source of Fiber and Starch – which breaks down easily and is soothing to the stomach, even helping stomach ulcers.
High in Vitamin C and Zinc for Immune Health
High in Beta-Carotene – lowers inflammation inside and out
Helps to Regulate Blood Sugar
Pineapple
High in Vitamin C for Immune Health
High in Manganese for Bone Health and Connective Tissue
Contains the Digestive Enzyme Bromelain which Aids the Liver, and Breaks down Mucus in Sinuses and Lungs
Anti-Inflammatory
And then you add in the vitamins and minerals in the lime juice, the healthy fats in the avocado, and the metal detoxing benefits of cilantro – holy cow! I love this salad! Feel free to indulge! We also have roasted corn on the side to add for those who don’t have an adverse effect like me.
Sweet Potato, Black Bean & Pineapple Salad
Servings: 4 servings as a meal | about 2 cups each | 16 ounces
Adding chicken breast or shrimp to this would be a great way to make it a meal for those that are not plant-based.
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix together the olive oil, chili powder, chipotle chili powder, cumin, and cinnamon. Toss the sweet potato chunks with the olive oil mixture in a gallon size bag to distribute spices. Spread on baking sheet. Bake for 30-35 minutes, toss about 1/2 way through. Once cooked, remove from heat and set aside to cool.
While the sweet potatoes are cooking, make the rest of the salad. In a large bowl, mix together the black beans, diced pineapple, diced red onion, chopped cilantro, lime juice, and garlic.
Once the sweet potatoes are cooled, add to the black bean mixture and toss. If desired, add salt and pepper, and top with avocado and/or roasted corn.
Nutritional Information
*This is not including any added salt, the avocado, or roasted corn as a topping if you choose to add it.
273 calories | 8 g total fat | 1.3 g polyunsaturated fat | 5 g monounsaturated fat | 1.2 g saturated fat | 0 g trans fats | 0 mg cholesterol | 455 mg sodium | 44 g carbohydrates | 18 g fiber | 6 g sugar | 12 g protein | 285% vitamin A | 49% vitamin C | 583% vitamin K | 55% magnesium | 25% iron
Nothing says summer quite like barbecue. And in Texas, we love our barbecue and barbecue sauces. I try to get in the smokey flavors any way that I can.
This salad is one you can take as a side to a picnic, or top it with barbecue chicken, sliced sausages, or chickpeas (like I have below) and have it as a meal. It’s an easy summer dinner that doesn’t heat up your house. Then adding the Yogurt Ranch recipe I have to it helps to give you not only the smokey barbecue flavor, but the creaminess without it being heavy and you can make it dairy free.
Barbecue Chopped Salad
Servings: Makes 12 cups or more, 6-8 side servings, or 4-6 main servings with BBQ chicken, sausage, or chickpeas
If you are taking it somewhere, make sure to keep sauces and toppings separate so the lettuce doesn’t get soggy.
Nutritional Information
2-3 cups of Salad with 1 Roasted Chicken Breast, 2 tbsp Average BBQ Sauce, & 4 tbsp Yogurt Ranch
407 calories | 6.9 g fat | 1.5 g polyunsaturated | 2.2 g monounsaturated | 1.8 g saturated | 0 g trans fats | 149 mg cholesterol | 550 mg sodium | 32 g 23.5 g carbohydrates | 3 g fiber | 15.5 g sugar | 60 g protein | 113% Vitamin A | 95% Vitamin C | 78% Vitamin K
Nutritional Information
2-3 cups of Salad with 3/4 cup drained canned Chickpeas, 2 tbsp Average BBQ Sauce, & 4 tbsp Yogurt Ranch
426 calories | 4 g fat | 1.3 g polyunsaturated | 0.7 g monounsaturated | 0.4 g saturated | 0 g trans fats | 0 mg cholesterol | 734 mg sodium | 52 g carbohydrates | 10 g fiber | 20 g sugar | 16 g protein | 113% Vitamin A | 95% Vitamin C | 82% Vitamin K
You’re trying to watch your fat, but you just really want to dip those carrot sticks you have as a snack into a huge creamy bowl of ranch. Does this sound like you? Sounds like me! Here is an alternative to when you just can’t take it anymore and need to have that creamy tangy dipping sauce or salad dressing. I had originally made a plant-based version using a plant-based mayo, but it was still using a whole lot of oils and was fattening. This can still be made plant-based and is low in fat, or if you don’t have a problem with dairy, using low-fat yogurt and skim milk will do the trick just the same. Feel free to use this to indulge in something that isn’t really that bad.
The Comparison:
Regular Ranch Dressing:
1 tbsp serving | 73 calories | 7.7 g fat | 1.0 g carbs | 0.4 g sugar | 0.2 g protein
Yogurt Ranch Dressing:
1 tbsp serving | 10 calories | 0.1 g fat | 1.5 g carbs | 1.1 g sugar | 0.9 g protein
Yogurt Ranch
Servings: 1 tbsp serving, about 20 servings, makes 1 1/3 cup
1 cup unsweetened low fat plain Greek Style yogurt (I used Kite Hill’s unsweetened plain almond milk yogurt)
1/3 cup low fat milk or unsweetened plant based milk
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
Directions
Mix together the yogurt and milk until creamy.
Add in the rest of the ingredients and whisk together.
Ready to serve. Store in an air tight container for 1 week.
Nutritional Information:
10 calories | 0.1 g fat unsaturated | 1 mg cholesterol (0 mg if using plant-based ingredients) | 73 mg sodium | 1.5 g carbohydrates | 1.1 g sugar | 0.9 g protein
*Note that Greek Style dairy based yogurt will have less fat than the almond milk version. However, most of the fat from the almond milk version is from almonds, which is your healthy omega fatty acids, so it’s the healthy unsaturated fat instead of saturated.
I don’t know about you, but I’m not a fan of soggy creamy coleslaw. I’m picky about my cabbage since I’m not personally a huge fan. A light crisp coleslaw, especially with cilantro, yum! And of course, I have to make it pretty. If I can buy the purple cabbage and use that instead of the everyday green cabbage, it just makes it that much more appealing and fun! To me it seems to be a little more richer and earthier in flavor than your regular green head of cabbage.
Some of the numbers between the two are pretty interesting
Red cabbage has 85% of the daily vitamin C, while green cabbage only has 47%.
Red cabbage contains 10% more vitamin A than green.
Red cabbage has double the amount of iron than green cabbage.
And with any fruit or vegetable – the deeper the color, the more antioxidants. Red cabbage is higher in antioxidants than green!
Green cabbage is still a healthy choice, but red definitely has it’s benefits too! I say go for the deeper flavor and color anytime you can.
Red Cabbage
High in Vitamin C
Anti-Inflammatory
High in Vitamin K for Bone Health
High in Antioxidants
I’ve used this recipe as a side dish or as a topping on shrimp tacos. For my tacos I marinated chopped hearts of palm in spices and toasted them on the skillet instead of the shrimp. Whatever you want to use this with, it’s light and adds a crunch! No sogginess here.
1 tsp or more chipotle chili powder, optional for spice
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions
Mix together the shredded cabbage, carrots, cilantro, and garlic in a medium mixing bowl.
In a small bowl, mix together the orange juice, lime juice, agave or honey, cumin, and olive oil to make the dressing.
Combine the vegetables and the dressing. Add salt and pepper if desired. Serve immediately. Or put in fridge for a few hours to get cold before serving.
Nutritional Information
59 calories | 2.5 g fat | < 0.5 g polyunsaturated | 1.7 g monounsaturated | < 0.5 g saturated | 0 g trans | 0 mg cholesterol | 27 mg sodium | 9.4 g carbohydrates | 1.7 g fiber | 5.3 g sugar | 1 g protein | 159% Vitamin A | 47% Vitamin C | 30% Vitamin K
I’ve always enjoyed key lime pie, but with the sweetened condensed milk and the eggs and so on, it was hard to make it dairy free and plant based. I posted about trying to use the coconut sweetened condensed milk by Nature’s Charm and trying to find the right science to make it firm. It wasn’t the coconut sweetened condense milk, it was me. Here’s the post if you want to see my Key Lime Pie Fail.
At the end I do post my recipe that finally worked! So if you still want a good fattening creamy key lime pie that is dairy and egg free, it’s on that link. And it was delicious.
Dairy Free and Egg Free Key Lime Pie
HOWEVER – I wanted to share a healthier recipe that I’ve made. The original recipe is from The Salty Tomato. Lauren has some great flexitarian recipes! When it gets hot outside, I start thinking of this pie and it’s so simple. I also decided to make cupcake size portions for it so you can just get out one serving from the freezer. It’s basically avocados, key lime juice, agave, and a little bit of coconut oil to help keep it firm. The crust is originally graham cracker crust – which is my favorite – but this is a nutrition blog, so less of the graham crackers and butter, and more of the dates and pecans/walnuts.
Keep in mind – this is pretty much all fat. Healthy fats. But still fat. That’s why I like making the cupcake-size portions so that I don’t go overboard and I can stay “on track” with my goals.
Healthy fats
No processed sugar
Delicious
Easily Gluten-Free
Good Fats
Let’s talk about healthy fats for a minute while we’re on the subject. Good fats usually come from vegetables, nuts, seeds, and fish. They are unsaturated fats. There are two types of unsaturated fats – polyunsaturated (think omega 3 & 6) and monounsaturated (think olive oil). So when you see those on the bottom of my recipes, those are good fats.
Easily digested and used for energy
Build cell membranes
Creates the covering over our nerves
Needed for muscle movement
Breaks down inflammation
Helps with blot clotting
Reduces harmful cholesterol and triglycerides
On top of that, the good thing about this recipe – you are getting those fats along with keeping the original fruit or nut that it came from so the fiber and other nutrients are there as well. Just remember although it’s healthy for you, it doesn’t mean you can indulge and eat the whole recipe. Trust me I’ve tried. I don’t think it’s even possible with how rich these things are. Then if you add my Dairy Free Whipped Cream on top… you’re done!
Prepare a medium size muffin tin, either lining it with parchment paper or taking a small amount of coconut oil and rubbing the insides.
Take the pecans or walnuts, dates, vanilla, and small amount of salt. Blend in a food processor until slightly chunky but combined and you can press together. ***If you are like me and don’t want to drag another piece of equipment out: Take a gallon size bag and with a heavy rolling pin (I have a marble one) crush the nuts as finely as you can. Take the dates and chop into the smallest pieces you can. Add those to the bag with the vanilla and salt. Smash and roll the rolling pin over it until all is combined. It should look crumbly, but will stick together if you mold it.
Take about a large tablespoon of the nut and date mixture and add to the bottoms of the cupcake molds. Press down hard. Spread evenly until all of the mixture is used.
In a blender, blend the avocados, key lime juice, agave or honey, coconut oil and lime zest until smooth.
Take about 1 1/2-2 large spoonfuls of the avocado mixture and place on top of the nut mixture in the cupcake tin. Freeze for at least 2 hours or overnight. Allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before eating.
Nutritional Information
Per 1 Cupcake Size Serving
182 calories | 15 g total fat | 3 g polyunsaturated fat | 8 g monounsaturated fat | 2.5 g saturated fat | 0 g trans fats| 0 mg cholesterol | 3 mg sodium | 2 g protein | 13 g carbohydrates | 4 g fiber | 8 g sugar
Kombucha is fermented tea. It has a good amounts of probiotics and b-vitamins that has been shown to help digestion, detoxification, improve your immune health, and aids depression and calms you down when stressed. It can balance certain processes in the digestive system which helps the body to function.
If you are avoiding alcohol for any reason, know that kombucha does contain a small amount of alcohol naturally from the fermentation process. Most will contain 0.5% or less alcohol. If it’s any higher, they will be labeled as such. Just with anything you can always have too much of a good thing. This is a probiotic drink and it doesn’t take a lot for it to start helping and aiding your digestive system.
Now, if you are like me and love fermented foods and drinks, doesn’t like to drink sweet drinks, and enjoys something to sip on at the end of the day whether that’s tea, wine, or decaf coffee sometimes, try kombucha. It’s a probiotic drink that is fizzy, unsweet, and is low-calorie.
This is one of my favorite ways to “jazz up” my kombucha. I make a version of a moscow mule using kombucha, but I also add cilantro. I love cilantro in and on everything. So if you haven’t had it with crushed cilantro, give it a try!
This is one of my favorite go-to lunches when I’m running around! 3 simple ingredients. That’s it! Using avocado as a dressing is something I learned from Engine 2. It makes perfect sense. Especially with kale. It’s so rough and hearty that massaging in the avocado into the leaves isn’t going to hurt it one bit and it’s easier to eat. I also love this salad because it’s great for inflammation.
Avocado
Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fats (good fats) which have been shown to lower inflammation. Monounsaturated fats have been shown to reduce insulin resistance and regulate blood sugar levels because of this. They also contain vitamin E, vitamin C, manganese, selenium, and zinc which is beneficial to help soothe inflammation.
Kale
Kale has a 1:1 ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids which is a combo that is balanced so that it is anti-inflammatory. It’s high in antioxidants like beta carotene which is fat-soluble. Which means that it is broke down by fat. So the fat in the avocado in this salad will help break down and be better absorbed into your body. They work hand and hand.
Red Onions
Red onions are high in an antioxidant called Quercetin. You might have heard me talk about this before. It works as an anti-histamine so it’s one of the foods that is great for allergy sufferers. Along with that among other things, not just an allergic response, but it helps with inflammation in the body.
Here is my simple 3-ingredient kale salad that I use for lunch for busy weeks.
1 large bunch curly kale, leaves torn into bite size peices
1 medium avocado, pitted
1 small red onion, about 1 cup
Optional
Juice of 1 large Lemon
Salt and Pepper, if desired
Directions
Put washed and torn kale in a large mixing bowl.
Take the flesh of the avocado and add to the bowl. I usually will cut the avocado into small pieces before adding. With your hands, press the avocado into the kale. Since kale is so hardy and rough, it can take being mashed. Massage the avocado into the kale until all the avocado is incorporated and kale is a little softer.
Add chopped red onion and toss.
Add lemon juice and salt and pepper if desired. I usually have these on hand always so I don’t see it as extra ingredients.
Serve immediately, or later that day. It will keep in the fridge for a few hours.
Nutritional Information
For 4 Large Servings with Lemon Juice
139 Calories | 8 g total fat | 1.3 g polyunsaturated fat | 4.9 g monounsaturated fat | 1 g saturated fat | 0 g trans fats | 0 mg cholesterol | 43 mg sodium | 15.5 g carbohydrates | 7 g fiber | 3.6 g sugar | 5.5 g protein | 434% Vitamin A | 175% Vitamin C | 799% Vitamin K | 16% Calcium | 21% Magnesium | 10% Iron | 16% Potassium
I love dinner recipes when everything goes in one dish! Easy to make, easy to clean, and delicious to eat! This is one of the recipes I make on a regular basis. Partly because my husband loves mustard. A little too much. And partly, because it’s a balanced meal and easy to make vegetarian/vegan. I usually make a pan for my parents and him, and then half the recipe to make a small version of it with chickpeas or garbanzo beans for me. I will be hopefully making more dishes like this for easy dinners with not a lot of clean up for weekday meals. You could also get this prepared the night before so that when you get home all you need to do is throw it in the oven.
Let’s talk nutrition for a moment. Not only is this recipe low in fat and high in fiber, there are specific things that potatoes and carrots are good for.
Red Potatoes
Good Source of Iron – Oxygenation of Cells
Good Source of Vitamin C & Zinc – For Immune Health
Good Source of Potassium – Heart and Muscle Health
Carrots
Good Source of Beta-Carotene – helps slow down the aging of cells, including cells in the eye
Beta-Carotene is converted into Vitamin A in the liver
Vitamin A is converted in the retina to rhodopsin – used for night vision
Good Source of Vitamin A – protects the skin from sun damage
Honey Dijon Chicken with Red Potatoes & Carrots (with Chickpea Version)
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (depending on size)
OR 2 cans of chickpeas or garbanzo beans, drained
1/4 + 1/8 cup honey or agave (plus more for extra sauce to dip)
1/4 + 1/8 cup Dijon mustard (plus more for extra sauce to dip)
2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tsp olive oil
3 lb. bag of red potatoes, chopped
12-16 oz. bag of baby carrots
Salt and pepper, if desired
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Make your sauce. Combine 1/4 cup honey, 1/4 cup mustard, rosemary, and olive oil. Whisk together.
In a gallon size bag, add potatoes and carrots enough to almost fill the bag. If you are using the chickpeas, you can pour those in too. Pour sauce over top. Close the bag and toss for about 3 minutes to make sure the sauce is covering the vegetables.
Pour vegetables in a prepared 9×11 baking dish. Add your chicken breasts on top. Make a smaller batch of the sauce – 1/8 cup honey + 1/8 cup Dijon mustard, and cover the top of the chicken breasts. If using the chickpeas, if you need to add a little extra sauce, drizzle some on top.
Put the dish, uncovered, in the oven for about 35 minutes or until the vegetables start to brown on sides and chicken juice is running clear.
Let cool for about 5 minutes and serve! While it’s resting, if you need to whisk together extra sauce to dip or drizzle on top, do it now before serving.
Nutritional Information
With Chicken
555 calories | 8.5 g fat | 1.9 g polyunsaturated fat | 3.7 g monounsaturated fat | 2.2 g saturated fat | 0 g trans fat | 204 mg cholesterol | 459 mg sodium | 59 g carbohydrates | 6.9 g fiber | 32 g total sugar | 64 g protein | 673% Vitamin A | 22% Vitamin C | 8% Calcium | 40% Magnesium | 38% Potassium | 33% Zinc
With Chickpeas
435 calories | 5.7 g fat | 1.7 g polyunsaturated fat | 1.9 g monounsaturated fat | 0.5 g saturated fat | 0 g trans fats | 0 mg cholesterol | 87.5 g carbohydrates | 15 g fiber | 37 g total sugar | 13.4 g protein | 673% Vitamin A | 22% Vitamin C | 13% Calcium | 29% Magnesium | 25% Potassium | 21% Zinc
Brown rice is one of those things you put with anything and has become a staple in my house for a long time. Here is one we use for lighter meals, perfect for spring and summer, to go with fish, salads, and grilled anything! It’s good to become creative with rice if you are not having anything over it since it can be bland and can get boring especially with how much we use it. Adding fresh herbs, garlic, onion, juices like tomato, etc. can really bring on the flavor! Let’s look at why brown rice is so nutritious.
Brown Rice
Good Source of Magnesium – Vital for Heart, Muscle, and Bone Health
Good Source of Manganese – Trace Mineral Needed for Vital Functions
Nutrient Absorption
Production of Digestive Enzymes
Bone Development
Formation of Blood-Clotting Factors
Immune Health
High Fiber – Weight Management, Good Bowel Health, Lowers Blood Sugar, and more.
Add butter or oil to a medium pan on medium heat. Heat through for a minute. Add in garlic, broth, and salt. Bring heat to high and cover until boiling.
Add in rice and reduce the heat to low or medium-low for it to simmer, not boil. Cover and let simmer for 20-30 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat.
Add lemon zest and dill. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve immediately.
Nutritional Information
291 calories | 8.5 g fat | 1.3 g polyunsaturated fat | 5.6 g monounsaturated fat | 1.3 g saturated fat | 0 mg cholesterol | 950 mg sodium | 48.5 g carbohydrates | 3.6 g fiber | 2.8 g total sugar | 5.1 g protein | 22% Vitamin A | 27% Magnesium | 16% Zinc | 100% Manganese
A Different Beet Nutrition 