MASHED CHICKPEA SALAD

Since I eat this salad all the time, I figured it was time to post it here. This is one of my favorite to go lunches lately. It reminds me of a potato or egg salad. I typically serve this on a bed of chopped romaine or sometimes arugula. I'll add sliced tomatoes and cilantro along the side and top with salt, cracked pepper and paprika along with a squeeze of lemon. This will be what I graze on for most of the day. It's completely satisfying and tastes great while giving me more than half of my required protein and fiber for the day! You could also serve this alone or pair it with some plain, or toasted, bread to make a great sandwich like this one, Mashed Chickpea Salad Sandwich. You could add in all kinds of other ingredients to this salad like olives, capers, sweet pickle relish, etc...let your imagination be your guide. 

Cheers to a good nutrient dense meal with lots of flavor. :)

Mashed Chickpea Salad

Ingredients

• 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup celery, sliced 
• 1/2 cup carrots, diced
• 1/4 - 1/3 cup scallions, sliced 
• 1/4 cup or so hummus or tahini (any vegan mayo works too)*
• 1 - 2 tablespoons mustard (stoneground or dijon)
• sea salt & cracked pepper, to taste
• dash of garlic powder
• juice of 1 lemon, optional
• small handful pepitos (pumpkin seeds), optional
• paprika/smoked paprika, garnish

Drain and rinse your chickpeas, place in medium size bowl and roughly mash with a fork, potato masher or pastry blender. Add the remaining ingredients and combine. Add more hummus if you like it creamier and taste for seasoning.

Serve however you like...make a sandwich, serve on a bed of leafy greens or scoop up with crackers or sliced vegetables like cucumbers, bell peppers, celery sticks, etc. 

Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Notes:

If you find your hummus is a bit thick, thin it out with a tablespoon or two of water. This will make for a perfect consistency to use as a binder without being overly thick and/or drying as well. 

Enjoy!

Here are two hummus recipes you may like to try, they both work great with this recipe...

Simple White Bean Hummus

& 

Favorite Hummus 

ROASTED NOURISH BOWL

Life has been very slow lately. I think it must be this time of year and changing season that has slowed me down. I'm not complaining, in fact I quite like it. It's given me a chance to really practice my yoga, spend time with my kids and bake a lot of loafs of bread, mainly these pumpkin and banana breads. I'm obsessed with them at the moment and they've both been amazing recipes, even when making new alterations that I've also added to the notes. Winter hasn't set in yet but I'm prepared for when it does. Between easy vegetable bowls, like the one I'm sharing here which can work for lunch or dinner, and my breads, that I eat in the morning and as a snack or dessert, I'm ready for the cooler months to come. And if you're anything like me...you'll appreciate the simplicity and beauty of this roasted nourish bowl. Late last spring I shared this Everyday Nourish Bowl which is full of fresh vegetables. I thought it'd be a good idea to have a roasted version here too so you can get an idea of, and be tempted by, all the goodness it has to offer. Even in the cooler months, the freshness of the everyday nourish bowl would be great. But really the roasted version is so delicious and perfect for the cooler months. Enjoy every bite...be warm and nourished!

Simply chop your veggies, add them and your beans to a roasting pan, toss in a little oil (or not), add a little salt & pepper and roast. Once done your vegetables should be nice and browned on the edges and fork tender. Feel free to use more or less of the vegetables I have listed. If you can't get them all in that's ok, a various few of the veggies called for will be enough. You can also change up the beans if you like, maybe use another white bean like cannellini or great northern. Other beans have slightly more protein and fiber than chickpeas so if you're looking to get the most protein I'd suggest changing them up. 

Makes a perfect complete meal once you add a grain like quinoa and some fresh spinach. A nice big dollop of hummus and you're all set for a hearty, nutrient dense meal. So much to love about bountiful nourish bowls!

ROASTED NOURISH BOWL

Ingredients

• olive, grapeseed or coconut oil, 1 - 2 tablespoons
• 1 large sweet potato, cut into 3/4" cubes
• 2 large carrots, sliced
• 1 1/2 cups brussles sprouts, halved or quartered
• 1 1/2 cups broccoli florets
• 1/2 large red onion, sliced
• 6 serrano chilis, sliced in half and de-seeded 
• 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas or 1 can (15oz) drained and rinsed
• 1 - 2 lemons, cut into six pieces
• mineral salt & fresh cracked pepper, to taste

To serve

• 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
• 5 oz. spinach
• 1 - 2 avocados
• big dollop of hummus
• red pepper flakes, to garnish
• hemp hearts, to garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Prepare vegetables: remove any unsightly spots on the sweet potato skins before cubing, peel the carrots if needed and half or quarter the brussels sprouts depending on the size.

Place vegetables, chickpeas and lemon in a large roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet. Toss with oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper to taste. Roast for 40 - 45 minutes, stirring half way through. Vegetables should be slightly browned on the edges and fork tender. Remove from oven and let cool a few minutes. If you have a favorite herb or herb blend, you may consider adding a dash or two before roasting.

In individual bowls, serve vegetables with 1/2 cup quinoa, handful of spinach, sliced avocado and a nice dollop of hummus. Top with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, hemp hearts a squeeze of roasted lemons.

Serves 6.

Notes: 

Vegetables can vary in quantity. Add or subtract to your liking.

Serrano peppers are optional. I personally love the heat they give and they are wonderful roasted! You can sub 3 jalapeno peppers as well.

If you don't have hummus on hand or want to vary it up, try using these dressings and sauces instead: Lemon-Tahini Dressing, Sriracha Cashew Sauce, tahini based Dynamite Sauce or Creamy Tahini Hippie Sauce, For a non-creamy dressing, try this Shallot Vinaigrette.

Cooking quinoa: I had a comment about cooking quinoa so here is my recipe for perfect quinoa.

In a medium size pot, bring 1 3/4 cup water + 1 cup quinoa to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Once done, turn off heat, remove cover, fluff with fork and let set 10 - 15 minutes.

Perfect quinoa every time! Makes about 3 cups. Feel free to add a little seasoning to the quinoa before cooking like garlic powder, thyme, garlic salt, mineral salt, lemon pepper, everyday seasoning, etc. Or simply season once done. This will give you more than called for in the recipe...leftovers can be served chilled or warmed with your favorite vegetables or fruits.

FAVORITE HUMMUS

I love hummus and eat it often. I've bought it for years but have now gotten into the habit of making it myself since it's so quick and easy. A basic chickpea hummus recipe is handy to have on hand and is so versatile. It can be used as a dip for vegetables, served with crackers, pita chips or bread; also use it as a spread for sandwiches, wraps and as a binder in places you might use mayo type products.

I like my hummus in different consistencies depending on what I'm using it for. For spreads I like it a little thinner and juicier. If you find you are the same, add a little water to whatever portion you'll  be using. For dips I prefer it on the thicker side and keep the recipe as is. You may also like my Simple White Bean Hummus which I use to keep it varied.

Pair it with various vegetables of choice like cucumbers, carrots, colored bell peppers and tomatoes just to name a few. I just recently started using organic white corn tortilla chips in place of pita chips and it is fantastic, seriously...who knew! And the chips are gluten free making it an even better choice with all the flavor and crunch of a pita chip. 

.

FAVORITE HUMMUS

Ingredients

• 1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)(15 0z), drained and rinsed or 1 1/2 cups cooked
• 4 tablespoons tahini
• 1/4 cup water (+ 2 tablespoons as needed)
• 1 small garlic clove or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• juice of 1 or 2 lemons, to taste
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon roasted pine nuts, optional
• 1/2 teaspoon himalayan salt, or to taste

Place all ingredients in food processor and blend until desired consistency. Taste for flavor adding anything here and there that you like....garlic, lemon, salt, cumin. Depending on the size of your lemons or how many you used, you may like to add the extra 2 tablespoons of water for slightly thinner consistency. I used all the water for the recipe pictured here.

Serve with toppings of choice or plain. I have garnished here with chickpeas, pine nuts, chopped parsley and a dash of smoked paprika.

Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to a week or so.

Notes: 

You can use 2 tablespoon tahini + 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil if you like. Or you can use all olive oil omitting the tahini all together and still have a great hummus. Keep in mind the olive oil will slightly color the hummus, but not in a bad way.

Enjoy !

This hummus pairs perfectly with this Spicy Carrot & Hummus Sandwich

SPICY CARROT & HUMMUS SANDWICH

 I am loving making my way through all the wonderful plant based meals I come across. This sandwich was completely lovely...and I used my own homemade bread too! How does it get any better than that. What a great sandwich idea and good use for some caraway seeds, they are delicious. I would have never thought of this myself so thank goodness my eyes are always open for the next inspiration, and there is a lot of inspiration out there.

This sandwich was created by the British chef, Nick Sandler, for Paul, Stella & Mary McCartney's book, The Meat Free Monday Cookbook. I adapted it from Spicy Carrot Sandwiches from Food & Wine. It's a minimal ingredient recipe full of terrific flavor. Add this to your must try list, you will not be disappointed!

Grate your carrots, slice your garlic and gather the other ingredients...

Saute the few ingredients...

Toast your bread, spread hummus on both sides...because hummus is amazing!

Add your carrot mixture along with a few spigs of cilantro...

Slice in half and that's it...a great sandwich any time of day!

SPICY CARROT & HUMMUS SANDWICH 

Ingredients

• 2 - 3 large carrots, coarsely crated
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, or cumin would be nice too
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• pinch red pepper flakes
• himalayan/mineral salt, to taste
• four slices bread of choice...french, sourdough, rye or whole grain would pair nicely
• hummus to spread
• cilantro
• cracked pepper, optional

In skillet heat oil on medium, add the carrots, garlic, caraway seeds and season with salt and red pepper. Cook until carrots are just wilted, about 4 minutes. Let cool.

Toast or grill your bread, layer with hummus (I do both sides because I have hummus love). Add carrot mixture, top with cilantro and season with black pepper...serve. Makes two servings.

Notes: 

To make your own fresh, four ingredient, no knead bread, check my recipe here: No Knead Artisan Bread: Short Rise and/or No Knead Artisan Bread: Long Rise

Enjoy!

Simple White Bean Hummus

Hummus is a staple in our house. I love it for almost anything from a dip for veggies and crackers/chips to a sandwich spread. Use it as a binder for recipes like my 'Chickpea of the Sea' Salad Sandwich, Mashed Chickpea Salad, or Stuffed Avocados or as a spread on my Favorite Summer Sandwich. Traditionally hummus is prepared with chickpeas but cannellini beans are even more nutritious with more protein and fiber per serving. The cannellini bean have a smooth and creamy texture...it is my favorite white bean. In the past, I usually went for the traditional chickpea hummus but this will a great alternative from now on...it's everything I could ask for with many ways to dress it up! You may also like to try my favorite Chickpea Hummus as well.

Simple White Bean Hummus

Ingredients

• 1 can cannellini beans (15 oz), drained and rinsed
• 2 heaping tablespoons tahini
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• juice of 1 or 2 lemons
• 1 clove garlic, minced or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, optional
• a couple twists of himalayan salt grinder
• a couple tablespoons of water as needed to thin

vary up your hummus with these optional add ins or toppers:

• dash of cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon or so of cumin and/or coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon or so dijon mustard
• herbs like chives or basil
• roasted garlic
• sun-dried tomatoes
• roasted bell pepper
• paprika, smoked or plain

Place ingredients in food processor, except water, and blend until desired consistency. Taste for flavor adding anything more to your liking...more garlic? more lemon? more tahini? more salt? blend again. Add water one tablespoon at a time to thin if needed (when using as a sandwich spread or binder I prefer a thinner hummus and will add a few extra tablespoons of water to thin it out nicely). Serve however you like it! It's great either at room temp or chilled. Makes 1 1/2 cups. Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to a week or so.

Enjoy !

'Chickpea of the Sea' Salad Sandwich

 This is a wonderfully simple mock 'tuna' salad that can be served many ways. Great alone...or serve on whole grain/artisan bread, bed of leafy greens or simply with crackers. You could even cut some bell pepper strips or cucumber slices and serve with that, they make great scoopers. Pairs well with fresh fruit too! It's healthy, delicious and sustainable. Of course, it's not going to taste exactly like tuna, but it will give you the mouth feel and fullness that its predecessor, the 'tuna salad' sandwich, gave you. Add some nori sheets or flakes to add more of a sea flavor. I have really been enjoying trying all these different foods and sharing them here in hopes to inspire others who are looking to make changes, or who already have and are looking for new inspiration. I find it's not difficult eating a plant based diet, in fact...it's a joy! I hope you like this version as much as I did.

I never tire of the simples...

My kind of wonderful!

'Chickpea of the Sea' Salad Sandwich

Ingredients

• 1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans) (15 oz)
• juice of 1/2 lemon + some zest if you like
• 3 or 4 tablespoons hummus or white bean hummus (vegan mayo is great too)
• 1/2 cup celery (about 2 small stalks, leaves ok too), chopped
• 1/2 cup red onion (about 1/2 small), chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• himalayan salt & cracked pepper to taste
• dash of cayenne, optional
• 6 slices whole grain, sprouted whole grain flourless or artisan bread, to serve
• leafy greens, to serve
• nori sheets, to serve (optional)

Other optional ingredients:

• crushed nori sheets or dulce
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds or hemp hearts for some omega 3 & 6

Drain and rinse beans, place in medium size bowl and roughly mash with back of a fork or potato masher until desired consistency, I like mine a little chunky. Add rest of ingredients and mix well adding any extra ingredients you like. Alternately, you could use a food processor starting with the beans, pulse a few times...add remaining ingredients pulsing again a few times until desired consistency. 

Serve chilled or at room temperature on bread of choice along with some leafy greens and the optional 1/4 sheet of nori. You can also serve on bibb or romaine lettuce like a wrap instead of using bread for a gluten free meal like shown below. Also, try serving this with sliced fresh scooping veggies like cucumber, red bell peppers, zucchini, etc.

Serves 3 generously. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in fridge for a week or so.

Notes: 

If using store bought hummus that is thick, take a couple heaping tablespoons of the hummus in a small bowl and add 1 tablespoon water at a time to thin to desired consistency making for a really nice binder. And if using the hummus recipe link in the ingredient list, omit the cumin.

Crunchy and flavorful...Enjoy! 

Favorite Summer Sandwich

Nothing like summer time with its abundance of tomatoes, cucumbers & avocados. One of the best ways of putting them together is in a sandwich that I deem my 'favorite'. This is a true classic! It's loaded with flavor and juiciness. I have come back to this sandwich many times over the years. 

It's simplicity and deliciousness keep me coming back for more... 

Favorite Summer Sandwich

Ingredients (serves two)

• 1 tomato, sliced
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cucumber, sliced
• sprouts or leafy greens (or both would be great too)
• hummus, to spread (veganiase would be great too)
• 4 slices your favorite bread (I used a sprouted whole wheat bread)
• mineral salt & cracked pepper, to taste

Start by toasting, or not, your bread. Add a nice layer of hummus to both inside pieces of bread. Then layer with the tomato, avocado, red onion, cucumber, sprouts/leafy greens and sprinkle with a little bit of mineral salt and cracked pepper.

Notes: If you find your hummus very thick, try adding a tablespoon of water at a time and mix well until desired consistency. 

Nothing short of wonderful!

 Enjoy the taste of summer !

Stuffed Avocados

Avocados are so versatile and can be served with so many dishes. I eat them almost every day. Today it was served stuffed and as you can imagine it tasted amazing !

Ingredients

grape tomatoes

cucumber

jalapeno

shallot

garlic

hummus or tahini

himalayan salt & pepper

Dice ingredients, place in small/medium bowl, add just enough hummus to bind. Fill avocados and top with salt & pepper.

Let this just be a starting point for you. You can add/subtract whatever you wish. You can even double stuff yours. Go stuffing nuts and enjoy every minute !

Hope this inspires something wonderful within ! xo

MEDITERRANEAN KALE SALAD

Summer in California is setting in, the temperatures are rising and salads are always welcome. I've been on an olive loving kick lately, as well as a chickpea kick (I'll tell you why soon), so this salad hit the spot with some salty olives, fresh sweet grape tomatoes & red bell peppers, refreshing cucumbers, red onion and fresh cooked chickpeas. All dressed up with a light vinaigrette and nice dollop of hummus. This salad didn't start with a dollop of hummus, but half way through eating I added a scoop and decided it needed to be included in the recipe (and photo), although I list it as optional. It adds such nice creaminess and rounds it out the salad well. If you find raw kale too hard to eat, even after letting it relax in lemon juice, a dollop of hummus will definitely do a world of good for you. It adds a nice creaminess to the overall salad while masking some of kale's bitterness. Similar to the Every Day Nourish Bowl, we now have another option of whole hearted goodness to choose from when a craving for salads occur! It's simple, accessible, not too expensive and good for you. Cheers to all of those things! :)

I have some fun news to share! I'm going to be immersed in all things chickpeas the next few months. I figured this post is a great place to introduce a project I've been working so hard on called, CHICKPEA: THE CHICKPEA HANDBOOK/COOKBOOK. It's all you need to know about chickpeas, with chapters containing information on nutrition, history, types, sprouting, growing (gardening), storing & selecting, flour, cooking and a few other relevant chapters. Plus, it will include upwards of 100+ recipes (not sure where to stop since there's so many good ones I want to add), including pictures of each one. It will include all of the favorite chickpea recipes from the blog and a ton of new ones. I'm excited out of my mind for this project! I was asked a few months ago what was the one ingredient that was important in my kitchen and my answer was chickpeas. They are so versatile and I use them often, especially for my hummus which is so much more than just a dip. After toying around with a couple cookbook ideas, doing a chickpea cookbook seemed so right. I want to celebrate the chickpea in all its glory and showcase its versatility, all the way from breakfast to desserts. It's a perfect fit for me and I know it will be a useful addition to any kitchen library! It's meant to be used often and will have my signature simplicity with a few recipes to kick it up a notch. I'm shooting for the end of the year but am really in no hurry as I want this book to be amazing. I ♥ chickpeas and think we should all eat more of them!

Enjoy the salad, and of course, this will be in the book! :)

MEDITERRANEAN  KALE SALAD

Ingredients 

• 3/4 bunch kale, stems removed and julienned
• 1 large lemon, juice of
• 1/2 small red bell pepper, sliced
• 1/8 small red onion, sliced
• 1/4 cucumber, sliced
• small handful cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half or campari tomatoes, quartered
• small handful cup kalamata olives, pitted
• 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• dollop of hummus, optional (but so good!), to serve
• fresh chopped parsley, to serve

Vinaigrette

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• juice of one lemon
• 1 heaping teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, optional
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• salt & pepper, to taste

Remove the stems from the center of the kale leaves, as least the thickest parts. Julienne kale leaves and place in a medium size bowl, add lemon juice, mix to coat the leaves and let set while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. The lemon juice will help soften the kale leaves. Toss every few minutes or so.

In a small bowl, add the ingredients for the vinaigrette. Whisk together until emulsified. It usually takes me about one minute, set aside.

Once you've prepped your other ingredients you're ready to assemble your salad. In a serving dish, add kale and top with bell pepper, onion, cucumber, tomatoes, olives and chickpeas. Add your vinaigrette over top and a dollop of hummus anywhere you like.

Serves one generously.

Notes:

Depending on the size of your produce, amounts will vary. Adjust accordingly to suit your taste and situation. For instance, I used small Persian cucumbers here but used a whole small one. Typically, you'll be using a regular or English cucumber and will only use about 1/4 of it, as per the recipe.

Enjoy!

Garden Salad 'Tacos'

Inspired by my Sun Kissed Tomato and Avocado dish I made yesterday after gardening, I decided to make Garden Salad 'Tacos' for lunch. I love eating fresh and raw in the summer and spring. These left me feeling satisfied and still able to get everything done that I needed to do. Something about eating living foods for a living body that energizes you. 

Ingredients

• grape tomatoes, halved 
• avocado, diced
• cucumber, julienned
• scallions, thinly sliced
• carrots, julienned
• hummus 
• cilantro, chop or leave as is like I did
• Himalayan salt & cracked pepper, to taste
• romaine hearts, washed and dried

Directions

Wash and dry romaine leaves. Start with your hummus and layer up. 

I myself can eat about four, five or six of these as a meal...very clean, refreshing and satisfying!

Enjoy!

HUMMUS VEGGIE WRAP

Wraps have been my thing lately! They're easy, economical and travel well. And let's not forget how versatile they are. Change up the spread using flavored hummus of your choice. Vary up the veggies, add spices and herbs to suit your taste. Layer and roll. Done and done!



I used kale, plain hummus, bell peppers, carrots, cucumber, mineral salt and red pepper flakes. All on top of lavash bread. You could easily use shredded cabbage (green or purple) in place of the kale, or any other leafy greens you prefer. I think these are a good combination of veggies here. You could try adding in some sliced avocado to the mix if you like. This just gives you an idea, you can take it from here and make it your own, or use this one...it was delicious!



Layer and roll...



Take it with you for a brown bag lunch! In this case, a blue bag since I like to recycle, reduce and reuse my paper shopping bags. It's kind of girly, so guys you can tote around your usual uni-sex lunch bag. It fits perfectly in this little reusable plastic container, they usually come in a set of four so you could make a few and tuck them away in the refrigerator for later. I paired my wrap with some mixed nuts & dried fruits along with a fresh apple. I eat at least one apple everyday, sometimes two or three and I always carry one with me. My favorite is the sweet, juicy Fuji apples. They are convenient, fit right in my purse along with my Nalgene water bottle. Next time I share a brown bag lunch I'll break it out for you. And if you doubt that I always carry an apple with me, I swear just look in my purse!



HUMMUS VEGGIE WRAP

Ingredients

• lavash bread (or large flour tortilla)
• kale or other leafy greens of choice
• red bell pepper, sliced
• yellow bell pepper, sliced
• 1- 2 carrots, sliced lengthwise or julienned
• cucumber slices
• hummus, to spread 
• salt, to taste
• red pepper flakes, to taste

Lay lavash bread (or tortilla) on a flat surface, spread hummus over 2/3 - 3/4 of the wrap leaving at least an inch on both ends, layer with veggies, wrap one end up, over, and roll. Slice in half and enjoy now or store for later. 

Notes:

Make 2 - 3 of these wraps at a time storing them in individual containers for the next day or two as a lunch or snack. They will hold up well and actually allow the bread to soften a bit in the refrigerator.

I have my cucumbers in long slabs but you can cut them in long 1/4 - 1/2 inch strips instead. 

EVERYDAY NOURISH BOWL

I've always been a self-taught learner, a do-it yourself kind of girl. From household fixings to health fixings, and now to minor website fixings, I've done my fair share of learning how to take care of things myself. You may have noticed the mini-facelift on the site. I've been tweaking it around here & there after much reading and fumbling around on the computer. lol I'm finally done, for now anyway! After the few minor setbacks (I had a slight learning curve), I'm so happy to be finished bringing new things and life to my little blogspot with only spending my time (for what's it's worth, if I had to start this blog over again I would use WordPress, just saying). For starters, there is a new page up top containing MY PANTRY & KITCHEN ESSENTIALS. I hope to elaborate on this page in the future. I've also added an INSPIRATION & RESOURCE page which is still in progress. Here and there you'll find a few other new bells and whistles that were done completing my mini makeover. I hope it's easy to navigate and more pleasing to the eye. This is my personal space on the web and I like to have it as fresh and clean as possible. Now enough about that and without further ado, I hope to inspire you with this everyday nourish bowl!

 

An easy everyday nourish bowl, everyone should have one! I put this bowl together with simple, accessible ingredients in mind. All ingredients are fresh, except for the hummus and chickpeas, making it a cinch to pull together. Feel free to add in roasted vegetables if you like, especially in the cooler months. If you don't have the pumpkin or hemp seeds, sub in some sunflower or sesame seeds. For the leafy greens, I picked up some baby kale on sale so that's what I used but you can use whatever greens you like. Simply add a big fat dollop of your favorite hummus in the middle (that's the best place for it!), sprinkle your seeds, add a squeeze of lemon over top and enjoy to your hearts content! A complete meal that will nourish and revitalize you in the simplest way, everyday!

EVERYDAY NOURISH BOWL

Ingredients

• leafy greens of choice (I used baby kale)
• cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• carrots, grated or sliced
• grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• red onion, diced or green onion, sliced
• cucumbers, sliced
• 1/2 avocado, sliced
• big fat dollop of hummus
• pepitas (pumpkin seeds), to garnish
• hemp hearts, to garnish
• 1 lemon, squeezed at serving

I'll let you measure your ingredients. I used about a handful of each chickpeas, carrots, tomatoes, onion and cucumber...for the onion I used a small handful. Use however much you like depending on how big your salad is going to be.

Place your ingredients in your serving bowl, add a big dollop of hummus to the middle, sprinkle with seeds and a big squeeze of lemon. Say out loud, or to yourself, "I am grateful for all that is", while keeping good thoughts in your mind. Then dig in and nourish yourself everyday!

Notes:

Add in any vegetables you prefer....broccoli florets, sliced zucchini, radishes, bell peppers, artichokes hearts, olives, etc. In the cooler months try adding in roasted vegetables like sweet potato, butternut squash, broccoli, carrots, etc. You can also add in some fresh herbs like parsley or cilantro if you have them on hand.

Sub in sunflower seeds and/or sesame seeds for the pumpkin seeds and hemp hearts.

For the best chickpea flavor, try making them fresh at home. It's really easy and nothing beats the freshness of homemade chickpeas! Take a look at the following link about garbanzo beans (chickpeas) and how to cook them from WHFoods: Garbanzo beans

Enjoy and be grateful!

I'd love to see your masterpieces!
#thesimpleveganista

Grilled Hummus Sandwich + Sautéed Onion,Tomato & Arugula

If you love sautéed onions...your going to love this!

I've been loving sandwiches lately. It's a nice change from all the soups I've been eating. After seeing this wonderful recipe from Katy's Kitchen which features caramelized onions I was all in to give a grilled hummus sandwich a try. As you probably already guessed it did not disappoint! I wanted to create something a little faster and decided to simply sauté my onions until golden around the edges, saving the caramelized onions for another time. This sandwich is warm, juicy, full of simple flavors that come together and will melt in your mouth. I love everything about it...even the slight messiness of eating it and the onion breath afterward...so worth it! Since the protein amount is on the low side, I recommend pairing this with, or having after, a vanilla or Chocolate protein shake. Or maybe this Banana Split Protein Smoothie. You may even consider this Almond Chunky Monkey Ice Cream or Raw Chocolate Banana Ice Cream with an added scoop of protein powder and a splash of non-dairy milk. It will round out your meal perfectly making sure all your nutritional needs are met. Then give yourself a pat on the back for making such great choices!

All it takes is a few simple ingredients and then grill to perfection. Seriously delicious!!! 

Grilled Hummus Sandwich + Sautéed Onion, Tomato & Arugula

Ingredients (serves two)

• 1 small onion, sliced and halved
• olive or grapeseed oil
• 2 - 3 medium to large tomatoes, sliced
• handful arugula
• hummus  (use your favorite)
• mineral salt & fresh cracked pepper
• 4 slices bread of choice

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium pan over medium high heat, add sliced onion and cook, stirring occasionally until golden around the edges and tender, about 5 - 7 minutes keeping an eye on the last 2 minutes so they don't over char on the edges. Set aside. 

Heat your griddle over medium high. Depending on what type of griddle you are using, you may want to lightly grease it. I used a cast iron griddle and didn't grease mine.

Layer both inside slices of bread with a generous amount of hummus. Add a layer of sautéed onions, then sliced tomato, arugula and a sprinkle of salt & pepper. Add top slice of bread and gently press down. Drizzle or brush olive oil on the top. Place oiled side on griddle and cook for about 2 - 3 minutes, or until golden (times may vary, check periodically so the bread doesn't burn). Before flipping, drizzle or brush the top with olive oil. Using a good size spatula, flip and cook for another 2 -3 minutes until bread is golden once again and sandwich is warmed through.

Slice and devour!

Notes:

If your bread is on the larger side, you may consider slicing it in half either before layering and/or grilling.

If your humus is on the thicker side, thin it out with a little water making it less pasty and more like a mayo consistency.

Serving nothing but love here at The Simple Veganista...

Enjoy!