SWEET POTATO & CHICKPEA SALAD + CRISPY SHALLOTS

Hello again! 

It's been two weeks since I've been here and I'm so happy to be back. Today I've brought with me a salad that I think you'll love as much as I do. As a food blogger, I tend to skip around a lot but I've made this a few times over the last few weeks which means it must be pretty darn good. It's one of those salads I find myself craving. I'm totally in love with sweet potatoes at the moment (and forever more) and they are great in salads. The crispy shallots take it to another level. Truth is crispy shallots equal awesomeness! And the simple lemon tahini dressing adds a creaminess making this a salad dream come true. At least for me anyway, I love creamy dressings! There's nothing wimpy about this salad either. It's a perfect warm salad to keep you cozy and happy. I've also got plans for another sweet potato salad coming your way soon...it'll have a Thai peanut dressing. Oh yes, and its soooo good! But in the meantime, I urge you to pick up everything you need for this salad and get on it, pronto!

Follow my kitchen on Instagram. It's where I share most of my daily meals and inspiration with a sprinkle of randomness thrown in. I'd love to have you join me! 

SWEET POTATO & CHICKPEA SALAD + CRISPY SHALLOTS

Ingredients

• 1 large sweet potato, diced
• 1 cup cooked chickpeas
• 1 large shallot, sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• garlic powder
• chili, chipotle or smoked paprika powder
• pink salt
• leafy greens of choice (I used baby kale)
• pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Simple Lemon Tahini Dressing

• 3 tablespoons tahini
• juice of 1/2 medium lemon
• 2-3 tablespoons water, + more as needed
• pink salt, to taste

Preheat oven to 400F. 

Roast: Place sweet potato and chickpeas on a large rimmed baking sheet lined with a silpat, parchment paper or lighlty greased. Drizzle with oil, toss to coat. Sprinkle a few dashes of salt, garlic and chili powder of choice over top. Place in oven and roast for about 25 - 30 min, stirring once half way through, potatoes will be ready when they are fork tender. Ovens vary so your cooking time may be more or less.

Crispy shallots: Heat remaining oil in a small/medium pan over medium heat, add shallots and cook for about 5 minutes stirring frequently. Lower heat to medium low and cook the shallots until nicely browned, about another 5 - 10 minutes. Once browned to your liking, remove from pan and set aside on a paper towel lined plate (if you leave them in the pan to cool, they may cook a bit more (possibly overcook) since the pan will still be hot). Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper if you like.

Dressing: Place the dressing ingredients in a small bowl, mix well and add a more water as needed to thin. Set aside. 

To serve, add leafy greens to serving dish/plate, top with 1/2 of the roasted sweet potatoes and chickpeas along with 1/2 of the crispy shallots. Add a sprinkle of pepitas over top and drizzle with 1/2 of the dressing. Add a squeeze of the remaining lemon half over to if you like!

Serves 2. 

QUINOA CHILI VERDE

Here I am again with another recipe for the Soups, Stews & Chilis collection (I just can't help myself!). This recipe has been in the works since December and I'm finally getting around to adding it to the collection. The poblanos and tomatillos have been sitting in my refrigerator for long enough (not since December though lol). So without further ado, I share with you my recipe for Quinoa Chili Verde. It's a hearty and brightly flavored chili. The tomatillos are what brighten this chili with their citrus notes. I've added just enough herbs and spices to be noticed, I didn't want to overpower it, but you can add more if you like. I used a flavorful vegetable broth so if using water you'll most likely want to up the amounts to suit your taste. My first attempt at this I added tempeh but for this recipe I've left it out. It wouldn't hurt to add a package when combining everything while crumbling it between your fingers. Tempeh will make it that much heartier (and its an excellent soy product for most!). I also added some corn which adds color and a nice sweetness. For the beans, you can use any mix. I would stick with any mix of cannellini, kidney, pinto or black. This chili is a one pot wonder and will be ready in under an hour from start to finish. You can be sure this green quinoa chili is going to be a nice departure from the usual chili routine. Round up your ingredients and give it a try!  

I know tomatillos and poblanos are in season and abundant during the summer months, but here in California we have them year round tempting me every time I see them to take them home and make something wonderful. Corn is the only ingredient in the recipe that isn't fresh year round so I used 1 cup frozen. Hopefully you can find all the produce in the winter months with ease or you'll have to wait for the warmer season.

The only thing you have to chop and dice are the onion, peppers and tomatillos. I left my tomatillos on the chunky side, they will soften and fall apart, but you can dice them up as small as you like. 

Get ready, gather your ingredients and start cooking!

QUINOA CHILI VERDE

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil or 3 tablespoons water 
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 heaping teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 12 oz tomatillos, diced or quartered or 1 can (15oz) crushed
• 2 poblano or Anaheim peppers, de-seeded and diced
• 1 corn off the cob or 1 cup frozen or canned sweet corn
• 1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup dry quinoa
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• salt to taste

optional garnish

• avocado, diced
• bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
• tortilla strips
• cashew sour cream or cilantro-lime cashew sour cream

In a large pot or dutch oven, heat oil/water over medium heat and sautee onions until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic powder, oregano, cumin and chili powder, cook for 1 minute more stirring frequently, or just until spices and herbs become fragrant. Add tomatillos, poblanos, corn, beans, quinoa and vegetable broth, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat, uncover and let rest about 10 minutes before serving.

Serve in individual bowls topped with garnish of choice. Pairs well with corn bread too, either on the side or broken up in your chili!

Serves 4 - 6.

Notes:

Add in a package of organic tempeh for added hardiness. This Three Grain Tempeh is my favorite flavorwise.

You can rinse your quinoa if you like. I honestly usually skip this step but if you prefer you can run the quinoa under cool running water using a fine mesh seive.

Adjust the spices to your taste. If using broth you may like it as is, if using water you may like to add more.

This can also be made in the crock pot/slow cooker, add all the ingredients, cover with the vegetable broth and cook on medium or medium-low for 4 hours.

MASHED CHICKPEA & AVOCADO SANDWICH

Happy New Year 2015! It's been a few long weeks since my last post. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and happy new year! It feels good to be back bringing you some healthy inspiration to start your new year. I'm starting the year off with this most delicious mashed chickpea & avocado sandwich. I love my chickpeas salads and have quite a few of them in the recipe collection for good reason. They are easy, healthy and filling. If you're already familiar with the other chickpea sandwiches, this will be a nice change up for you (if you're not you should definitely take a look). Chickpeas & avocados are a winning combination, add in a few other ingredients and it's a match made in heaven! Not in the mood for bread? Try serving this over a bed of leafy greens instead. Either way I know you're going to love it!

If you haven't already, you may like to pick up a copy of the 'The Archives' E-cookbook! It's a collection of 250+ timeless whole food vegan recipes for you to have at your convenience always. I personally have it downloaded on my iPad mini and use it often in and out of the kitchen. It's so handy to have when your internet is unavailable and is much faster to use. Start your new year off with this invaluable resource of healthy & simple recipes to keep you feeling your best throughout the year! And be sure to subscribe to the blog for new recipes and inspiration as soon as they're available. Cheers to a happy and healthy new year!

MASHED CHICKPEA & AVOCADO SANDWICH

Ingredients 

• 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas or 1 can (15oz.), drained and rinsed
• 1 avocado, seed removed
• 1 small carrot, diced
• juice of 1 lemon
• dollop of hummus, optional
• dash or two of garlic powder
• mineral salt & fresh cracked pepper, to taste

To serve

• leafy greens
• 6 slices bread of choice
• red onion slices

In a medium size bowl, add chickpeas and roughly mash with the back of a strong fork. Add avocado and mash together well. Add in carrots, lemon juice, hummus, garlic powder, salt and pepper, mix to combine.

Layer your bread slices with leafy greens, onion and a nice helping of the mash. Top with remaining slice and enjoy!

Serves 3

Notes:

Sliced tomato would pair nicely in the sandwich.

Try adding a small handful of pepitas (pumpkin seeds) or sunflower seeds to the mash for extra nutrition and crunchiness.

If needed, add a dollop of hummus, it pairs well and will act as a binder.

KIMCHI BREAKFAST TACOS

Now that kimchi has been added to the recipe collection, it's time to experiment with this spicy, tangy mixture. What better way than to add this spiciness to a tofu scramble. Tofu at times can use a little help, kimchi is a perfect addition and will whip that tofu into shape. This is my vegan version of a recipe I saw for a kimchi scramble using eggs. My tofu interpretation came out amazing and I'm very happy with the results. If you're a kimchi lover and tofu appreciator, than I think you'll agree! I first made this recipe using spinach (which tasted great, of course!) but ultimately decided to use kale here as we try to use the most nutrient dense foods possible whenever we can. I loved the kale, it cooks down beautifully adding a nice pop of green to the scramble. I've kept the seasoning super simple, it doesn't need much as the kimchi will shine through. Best to use your most fermented batch of kimchi, the ripened flavors will work best when cooking with kimchi. These tacos can be eaten any time of day. It pairs great with green tea. If having these for lunch or dinner and you're a beer drinker, I think an Asian or Mexican beer would be great too. Beers like Kirin Ichiban, Sapporo, Corona and Dos Esquis are vegan friendly. To see if your favorite beer or alcohol is vegen, check this great guide: Barnivore. Whatever your drink of choice is, you're going to love every bite of these kimchi tacos! 

All cooked and ready to go. I could eat it just like you see it above...so good! But we're making tacos here, so fill your warmed tortillas (I used corn), you may like to use two if your mixture is very wet. Top with cilantro sprigs, scallions, sesame seeds and a squeeze of lime. Enjoy to the fullest!

KIMCHI TOFU SCRAMBLE TACOS

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon sesame seed oil, optional
• 1 block (14 - 16 oz) organic tofu, firm or extra-firm
• 4-5 large leaves of kale, center stem removed and julienned
• 3 scallions, sliced (divided)
• 1-2 tablespoons tamari
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1-2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, optional
• 1 cup kimchi
• cilantro sprigs, for garnish
• sesame seeds (toasted, black or white), for garnish
• lime wedges, to serve
• 6 corn or flour tortillas, to serve

Measure out 1 cup kimchi and let come to room temp.

Open and drain tofu. You may like to give it a quick press to remove moisture if not using a vacuum packed brand. 

In a large wok/skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add tofu, crumbling between your fingers, cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 -3 minutes. Turn heat to medium, carefully add tamari and garlic powder, give a good stir. Add kale and 2/3 - 3/4 of the scallions, cook, stirring occasionally until kale becomes soft and wilts, cover partially to help with the process, about 5 - 7 minutes. Lastly, add the nutritional yeast and kimchi, mix and cook just until kimchi has warmed through, about 1 minute or so. We don't want to overcook the kimchi or it will destroy some of the health benefits of the probiotics. 

Heat your tortillas. I like to heat mine carefully over a gas burner until lightly charred in spots. Use your preferred method.

Layer your tortillas with the scramble mixture, add a few sprigs of cilantro, some of the reserved scallions, a sprinkle of sesame seeds and a squeeze of lime. 

Serves 3

Notes: 

Use spinach in place of kale.

Use ripened kimchi, the flavors will be more pronounced. You may prefer fresher kimchi, in which case use your favorite.

You may like to chop your kimchi a bit before adding it to the tofu. I kept it as it was but it's an optiona.

Try adding a drizzle of this Garlic Miso Cashew Sauce, or for extra heat try the Dynamite Sauce or Sriracha Cashew Cream. You can control the heat when adding the spice to each of these condiments. 

BLACK BEAN FAJITAS + GUACAMOLE

Happy Friday to you all! For most of you, your work week is ending and you’re ready for some days off. Today I hope to inspire something wonderful for you to eat on your time off. I've always loved fajitas and if you’re like me you love them too. Finally, they have arrived to the recipe collection and I'm so happy to share them with you!

 I was so excited the day I was going to put this together, trying to do my full workout at the gym, just knowing I would be coming home to put this recipe together. I imagined a flavorful fajita mix with a big helping of guacamole on top. At last minute I added some shredded cabbage I had on hand, but that is optional. They are everything I wanted them to be and more! These are 'Eat like you mean it' tacos! I loaded mine and ate them just as you see here with no problem at all, hardly any mess either. Although the next couple tacos I had were a bit messier, just because I was at the bottom of the fajita mix where all the juiciness is. Not a bad thing at all, just be sure to have a couple extra napkins handy, and just like your mom might have told you, 'Eat over your plate'. I especially love making tacos, mainly because I love corn tortillas, but if you prefer flour tortillas, your options are open for making tacos or burritos (see notes). However you like, gather your ingredients and get ready to enjoy some of the best darn black bean fajitas you've ever had! At least I think they're pretty darn good. :)

Just simple, colorful ingredients that come together in the best way. If you're lucky enough, you may even find a prepared fajita mix where you just add your spice and protein. That's exactly what I have here, 2 packages, but the ingredients will reflect buying and slices your own bell peppers and onion. The tortillas I used are homemade tortillas from Trader Joe's. They are thick and can withstand a large helping.



Start with your guacamole. This is a very simple, classic chunky guacamole. I added chopped cilantro just before serving. Feel free to omit/add anything you like!



Cook up your fajita mix and warm up the tortillas...



  Layer your tacos and serve you & yours some hearty black bean fajita tacos!

BLACK BEAN FAJITAS + GUACAMOLE

Ingredients

• 2 cans (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed (about 3 cups)
• 1 red bell pepper, cored and sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cored and sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, cored and sliced
• 1 small white onion, sliced
• 1 tablespoon grapeseed or olive oil or 3 tablespoon water (for water saute)
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon chipotle or cayenne powder, optional
• 1/2 teaspoon mineral salt
• corn or flour tortillas
• 1/4 head of cabbage, shredded (optional), to serve
• lime wedges, to serve

Guacamole

• 2 - 3 avocados
• 1 small jalapeno, most seeds removed and diced
• 1/4 red onion, diced
• small handful cherry tomatoes, quartered or 1 small tomato, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon mineral salt, or to taste
• few sprigs cilantro leaves, diced
• 1 lime, squeezed

Start with your guacamole. Cut avocados in half lengthwise, remove seed and using a spoon scoop out the flesh, place in medium size bowl. Using a fork cut the halves into large chunks and mash about 1/3 - 1/2. Add diced jalapeno, onion, tomatoes, mineral salt and lime juice. Mix to incorporate. Add in chopped cilantro and mix again gently. TIP: To keep your guacamole from browning, pack your guacamole well, add about 1/4 - 1/2 inch water over top and place in the fridge. When ready to serve, drain water, mix and serve. This will keep air away preventing oxidation. 

In a large wok/skillet, heat oil or water over medium high heat. Add bell peppers, onions, and spices, cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add black beans and cook until heated through, about 3 more minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste adding anything extra you like.

Warm your tortillas. I like to heat mine carefully over the open flame of the stove top.

Serve layering the fajita mix on top of each tortilla, then add cabbage and a nice helping of guacamole. Add a squeeze of lime to each taco if you like.

Serves 3 generously.

Notes:

These can easily double as burritos by simply using large flour tortillas. Layer just as you would the taco leaving about 2 inches at one end, fold up the end over the mixture, take one side of the burrito, fold over and roll. This style will leave you with one open end at the top. It's the way I usually make my burritos. For a completely closed burrito, take a look at this tutorial from the Kitchn: How To Wrap A Burrito (So It Doesn't Fall Apart When You Eat It!)

I read about the water trick for the guacamole from an article at Huff Post Taste: How To Make The Best Guacamole: Tips and Mistakes To Avoid

Enjoy!

TEMPEH CHOW MEIN

This recipe has been on the back burner for a while. I shared a version of this on Instagram back in January of this year and meant to put together a recipe sooner. I find myself getting side tracked often as a food blogger. There are seriously 1000+ recipes that I have in mind and sometimes can't figure which one to do next. All in due time! Fortunately, the time has come and I'm happy to add this to the recipe collection. It's a classic dish and a very welcome addition! It's absolutely delicious and I polished the whole thing off by the end of the day...yes, it was lunch and dinner...no leftovers. ;) You can keep this simple or go all out with a few extra vegetables if you like. If you're not a fan of tempeh, omit it altogether or add some cubed tofu instead. This simple chow mein can be ready for the dinner table in less than 30 minutes for your enjoyment.

For the tempeh, I used this three grain tempeh that is available locally. Tempeh is a great source of protein for the plant based eater. It contains 19 grams of protein per serving (4 oz.) and 13 grams of fiber. It's also an excellent source of manganese, copper, phosphorus and vitamin B2. If you can't find tempeh, this recipe will do just fine without it. For me, I have added the tempeh primarily for protein purposes but I do love the flavor as well. Tofu would work here too, just be sure to use extra firm so it doesn't fall apart while cooking. Or omit the tempeh/tofu altogether and make yourself a nice protein shake or smoothie later. 

The noodles I chose are a Japanese version of Chinese egg noodles, but without the eggs. Chuka soba noodles are great for soups, stir fry’s and cold noodles salads. They cook up fast, about 4 minutes, making things go a little quicker. They shouldn't be confused with the Japanese soba noodles that are tan colored, straight and made from buckwheat flour. Ingredients for the shuka soba noodles are: wheat, water, salt & turmeric. Those looking to go gluten free should use rice noodles or 100% soba noodles. If you're not gluten intolerant feel free to use any thin spaghetti noodles or vegan chow mein noodles. The chuka soba and chow mein noodles can be found in the Asian section of your grocery store, at your local Asian grocery stores or purchased online.

The vegetables here can vary to suit your taste. You can add in bean sprouts, sliced shitake mushrooms, green onions, broccoli florets, etc. Lots of cabbage is a must for me. I could just as well use a whole head of cabbage in this recipe but decided to only call for 1/2 head. Feel free to adjust any of the ingredients to your liking. 

Super easy to put together! Cook your noodles, rinse and set aside.

 Next, start your stir fry by first adding the tempeh, celery, onion and some of the sauce. Cook a few minutes. Then add the carrots and cabbage, cook until everything is softened, add the noodles, remaining sauce and toss well. Continue cooking until noodles are warmed through amd serve.

Once served, I topped with sliced scallions, red pepper flakes and cilantro. I'm a huge fan of these last ingredients but feel free to omit anything you don't care for. Toasted sesame seeds would be a great topper too! 

Tempeh Chow Mein

Ingredients

• 8 oz. package chow mein noodles or thin spaghetti noodles
• 2 (8oz.) packages tempeh
• 1 tablespoon sesame or grapeseed oil
• 1/2 head green cabbage (about 4 cups), shredded
• 1 large celery stalk, sliced diagonally
• 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced diagonally
• 1/2 onion, sliced

Sauce

• 1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar, optional
• 1- 2 cloves garlic, minced or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 inch knob of ginger, grated or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• mineral salt and pepper to taste (white pepper would be great here)

If using chuka soba or chow mein noodles, bring a pot of water to a boil, add noodles, reduce heat to medium and cook for 4 minutes. Drain, rinse and set aside. If using other noodles, cook as directed on package.

In a small bowl, whisk together the sauce, set aside.

In a large wok, heat olive oil over medium to medium-high heat, add tempeh, crumbling it between your fingers, onion and celery, cook 1 minute. Add a couple tablespoons of sauce mixture, continue to cook for another 2 -3 minutes. Add in cabbage and carrot, stir to mix, cover and cook another 5 - 7minutes, stirring occasionally until cabbage has shrunk down and softened. Add in noodles and remaining sauce, toss to coat, continue cooking until noodles are warmed through. Add additional tamari or other seasoning to taste.

Serve warm topped with scallions, red pepper flakes and cilantro. Sesame seeds and/or chili sauce would also be great!

Serves four.

Notes:

Feel free to use only one package of tempeh instead of two. The two packages does serve four but one package will still add a fair amount of protein to each serving.

I love the added sweet from the maple syrup using 2 tablespoons. Feel free to use 1 tablespoon instead of 2 and add more vinegar or tamari in its place.

Enjoy!

Spicy Lentil & Quinoa Wraps with Spicy Tahini Sauce

You may be familiar with the Spicy Lentil Wraps from Trader Joe's. They are one of four vegan wraps available at the moment, the other's being a Veggie Wrap, Falafel Wrap and Eggplant Wrap. I love all of these wraps with the Spicy Lentil Wrap and Falafel Wrap being my favorites. Out of them all the Spicy Lentil Wrap has the highest protein amount with 14 grams and is the one I usually grab for. Lentils are an excellent addition to your diet. Not only are they a great source of protein but also fiber, vitamin B and a few essential trace minerals your body needs to function well, all of this with very low fat. If you have a local Trader Joe's near you, check out the lentil wrap and the other wraps too. Also, take a look at this list of vegan products they have to offer. Items do change from time to time but this is a great list to get you started. A few other favorite grab-n-go items I love at Trader Joe's are the Lentil Soup with Ancient Grains, Black Bean and Corn Enchilada's, Tofu Spring Rolls and a few various salads.

I've wanted to do my own version of their Spicy Lentil Wrap and finally got around to it. I started with the ingredient list using lentils and bulgur wheat but really wanted to create a recipe that was gluten free. I was going to try an all lentil mix but once I shared my testing on Instagram, someone suggested that I use quinoa. Brilliant idea! Why didn't I think of that? ;) After trying a few batches with and without the quinoa, the quinoa was a keeper as it had the preferred texture. The mix is super versatile, easy to put together and can be stored in the fridge for up to a week or frozen if needed. I'm very happy to say that even my 'picky eater' daughter loved this. I actually made her a wrap using flour tortillas with no greens, only avocado, which she ate with no complaints. That is something of a miracle around here as we tend to be very different eaters!

As for the tahini sauce and chili paste, the sauce is pretty straight forward and is meant to be on the thin side. It can be used as a drizzle for each bite. It can also double as a salad dressing, or drizzled on steamed or roasted vegetables! The Trader Joe's chili paste uses a recipe that is made up of red pepper flakes that I just didn't get around to recreating, maybe I'll come back to it later, but rather decided to use ready made chili paste that I've been loving lately. I use the Huy Fong, Garlic Chili Paste or their plain Chili Paste. I love this stuff and have been steaming vegetables topping it with either of the chili paste as all the flavoring I need, maybe a dash of pink salt too. I definitely love my spicy food! If you haven't given it a try, I highly recommend it. It can be found in the Asian section of your grocery store or bought online. There's more to love about chili peppers than just the flavor, they are good for clearing congestion, fighting inflammation, boosting immunity, act as a topical pain reliever, help with weight loss and can stop cancer cells. If you can take the heat, get your spicy on!

Make yourself a wrap using lavash bread or go gluten free using warmed corn tortillas for tacos.

 Both are super hearty and filling!

Spicy Lentil & Quinoa Wraps with Spicy Tahini Sauce

Ingredients

Lentil & Quinoa Mix

• 3/4 cup red lentils, sorted and rinsed 
• 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 2 1/2 cups water, + more as needed
• 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil, optional
• 2 heaping teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon pink salt, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 scallion, sliced

Spicy Tahini Sauce

• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1/2 cup water, + more as needed 
• juice of 1/2 lemon or 1 tablespoon
• pinch of pink salt
• pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

to serve

• shredded cabbage or micro greens
• lavash bread or corn tortillas (flour tortillas work too)
• chili paste or sriracha (may fav chili paste)
• sliced avocado, for tacos (optional)

In a medium sauce pan, bring water, lentils, quinoa and oil to a boil, reduce heat to low, add in cumin, garlic & onion powder, salt and optional red pepper flakes, stir to combine, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, add in chopped parsley and scallions, let rest for 10 minutes. If you feel it's too dry, add a couple tablespoons of water. Mixture should be creamy, not dry. Add extra spices to taste.

While lentil & quinoa mix is cooking, combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl. Set aside.

For the wrap, lay your lavash bread on a flat surface. Spread a tablespoon or so of chili paste about 1 1/2 inches from the edge on the first 1/3 portion from top to bottom, leaving an inch on both ends. Layer with about 1/4 cup lentil & quinoa mix and cabbage, fold over and roll. Slice in half and serve with a drizzle of tahini sauce on each bite.

For tacos, warm your tortillas, layer with lentil & quinoa mix, micro greens or cabbage, add chili paste and tahini dressing to taste and sliced avocado.

Notes:

Feel free to use all cabbage, or any greens that you like. I have used micro greens here because I had them on hand and for variation.

Lentil & quinoa mix makes about 3 cups. Refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for longer.

Tahini sauce makes about 3/4 cup. Store in refrigerator for up to a week. Great on salads, steamed or roasted vegetables too! If you prefer it to be thicker, use less water.

If you don't have quinoa available you can still pull this together using all lentils. 1 cup lentils to 2 1/4 cups water. If using brown/green lentils, cook at least 40-45 minutes.

Enjoy!

Collard Greens & Cannellini Beans

This is my first time ever having collard greens. I know I'm not alone in this and if you haven't yet tried these leafy greens, I think it's high time you do. This dish may not look super exciting but let me tell you it is a very welcome addition to the recipe collection! I surely have been missing out and am happy to share with you this very easy collard dish that will win your heart! I most definitely prefer my collards lightly cooked versus raw. They are far too bitter for me raw but once lightly sautéed they lend a beautiful smoky flavor that I find myself craving. The lemon is essential in this recipe so please be sure to have a couple lemons on hand, or bottled lemon juice if need be. This is a super simple, full of flavor dish that can easily act as a meal. Pair it with some warmed corn tortillas, naan or a slice of artisan bread and you're good to go. I've chosen to use cannellini beans here as they are mild, creamy and pair well with the other ingredients. Feel free to use another white bean of choice. Adding a tomato or two lends a bit more juices and color rounding out the dish perfectly.

Collard greens in a recent study outshined steamed kale, broccoli, brussels sprouts & mustard greens in its ability to aid the digestive tract helping to reduce the body's cholesterol levels. There is not a lot of scientific literature on collards themselves, they are usually lumped together with other cruciferous vegetables, but they hold many benefits to your health as the world is finding out. Three of the major benefits include: detox support, antioxidant powers and anti-inflammatory benefits. They are an excellent source of vitamin K, A, C, manganese, fiber and calcium. If you haven't given these leafy greens a try, this recipe is a great way to add them into your diet.

Ultra simple and super delicious...

I promise! ♥

Collard Greens & Cannellini Beans

Ingredients

• 1 bunch collard greens, stems removed and chopped
• 1 1/2 cups cooked or 1 can (15 oz.) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 small heirloom tomatoes, sliced or diced
• 1 shallot, sliced or 1/2 onion, sliced
• 1 tablespoon grapeseed or olive oil
• 2 - 3 tablespoons lemon juice (1 large or 2 small lemons)
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• salt & pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large wok over medium heat, add shallots and sauté 4 minutes or so, just until softened. Add collards, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt & pepper, cook another 4 minutes. Add tomatoes and beans, cook, stirring occasionally, until collards are lightly wilted or until beans and tomatoes are heated through. I like my collards al dente if you will and cooked for about 5 extra minutes. Ending cooking time will vary depending on how soft you like your collards. 

Serve in individual bowls. Top with a squeeze of lemon and lemon-pepper seasoning if on hand. IF not using lemon pepper, try adding a light dusting of almond parmesan on top. Pair with warmed corn tortillas, naan or crusty bread and a tall glass of lemon water. 

Serves 2.

Notes:

If your bunch of collard greens is on the larger side, you may consider adding another can of beans.

Feel free to use sliced grape tomatoes, or sliced tomatoes on the vine. Whatever tomatoes you prefer or have on hand.

Add more garlic powder if you like, I didn't measure and am guessing this is about how much I used.

Enjoy this simple and flavorful dish!