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. 

BLACK RICE SUSHI BOWL + DYNAMITE SAUCE

Sushi roll, in a bowl!

I've had a bag of black rice in my pantry for far too long. It's one of those items I use on occasion and thought it would be perfect for this a sushi dish. Black rice (aka purple, fortune, Emperor's or forbidden rice) is highly nutritious and a grain that we could all benefit from adding to our meal rotation. It's slightly more nutritious than brown rice and can be used in place of other colored rices, even in dessert recipes. Its main attribution over brown rice is the concentration of anthocyanin anti-oxidants in its dark color. The power of these anti-oxidants can be compared to that of blueberries and other dark colored fruits and vegetables. Its flavor and texture is about the same as brown rice and the nutritional profile is similar as well. After having it here, I can see myself grabbing for the black rice more often...its nutty texture and softly sweet undertone is delicious!

Sometimes it's just easier to throw your sushi ingredients into a bowl, which was just the case for me here. I started out by attempting to make sushi rolls. My knives were not sharp enough making it hard to cut the roll properly. I ended up simply eating it as a hand roll and decided to create a sushi bowl to share with you. I'll sharpen my knives and save the sushi roll for later. I kept the vegetables simple but you can make your sushi bowl your own by changing up the vegetables to whatever you have accessible in your area or on hand. Use julienned bell peppers, enoki mushrooms or pan seared sliced shitake mushrooms, shredded purple or green cabbage, pea shoots, etc. Add in some cubed tofu or edamame for added protein. Whatever vegetables you use, the creamy spicy sauce will finish it off and make it all come together beautifully!  I've been into creamy sauces lately, they're something so satisfying to me, and this was another dressing that hit the spot. As well as being so simple to put together, the dressing can double as a dip or dressing making it versatile. Altogether, this is an easy to throw together sushi bowl that you can enjoy whenever the craving strikes!

BLACK RICE SUSHI BOWL + DYNAMITE SAUCE

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup black rice 
• just under 1 cup water or vegetable broth
• 1 - 2 carrots, julienned
• 1/2 cucumber, julienned
• 1 avocado
• 1/2 cup alfalfa sprouts, or sprouts of choice
• 3 radishes, sliced
• nori sheet, cut into strips
• sesame seeds, to garnish

Dynamite Sauce

• 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) tahini
• 6-7 tablespoons water
• juice of 1/2 small lemon or splash of apple cider vinegar
• 2 - 3 teaspoons sriracha, sambal oelek or chili garlic (or your favorite hot sauce)
• pinch of salt

Rinse rice well under cool running water using a fine mesh sieve. In a small sauce pan, bring rice and water to a boil, cover, reduce heat to simmer and cook for 25 minutes without disturbing. When done remove lid and let rest about 10 minutes, fluff with fork. Please check your package for cooking directions just in case, this was mine.

In a small bowl, mix all the dressing ingredients together, cover and set aside. Add more water to thin your dressing, add more tahini to make it thicker.

To serve, add 1/2 of the rice (about 1/2 cup) into your serving dish and arrange the prepared vegetables over top or to the side. Drizzle with dynamite sauce and add a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Enjoy your deconstructed sushi bowl in all its creamy gloriousness!

Serves 2.

Notes: 

If you don't have tahini on hand, use any vegan mayo of choice, about 1/2 cup + a tablespoon or so of water to thin if needed. Omit the lemon/vinegar juice.

Change up the vegetables using colored bell peppers, pan seared julienned shitake mushrooms, shredded purple or green cabbage,  peas shoots, etc. 

Add in some cubed tofu or edamame for added protein.

I'd love to see what you've created!

#thesimpleveganista

BLACK BEAN, BROCCOLI & AVOCADO SALAD + CUMIN LIME TAHINI DRESSING

Hello September! The weather here is still in the upper 90's so I have another salad to share with you. Not much cooking going on here. I've been opting for throw together salads that meet my needs and keep me coming back for more. The inspiration for this salad came about by a recent visit to El Pollo Loco, a local fast food chain. I'm the only vegan in the house and can usually find suitable meals for myself when dining out. Fast food is a little more difficult than sit down dining but I can rework a menu item most of the time. In this case, I ordered their Avocado Salad, omitting the cheese and replacing the chicken with extra black beans (it already came with some). Instead of using their dairy based creamy cilantro dressing, I ordered a couple extra sides of pico de gallo and had myself a great meal. I enjoyed it enough that I wanted to recreate it at home using a creamy cumin lime tahini dressing and it's really quite wonderful! I love the tender steamed broccoli and the creaminess the avocado adds along with the cool crisp romaine lettuce. Black beans complete the salad adding a nice dose of protein. I used my beans at room temperature but you can heat them if you prefer. The salad is easy to throw together and is full of great flavor and texture. A great lunch or dinner salad that's nutrient dense and will fill you up perfectly!

Need a salad inspiration, this is it!

BLACK BEAN, BROCCOLI & AVOCADO SALAD + CUMIN LIME TAHINI DRESSING

Ingredients

• 2 romaine hearts, chopped
• 1 can (15oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/4 cup broccoli florets, steamed
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1/3 cup pico de gallo
• cilantro sprigs
• 1 jalapeno or serrano chili, sliced and most seeds removed

Dressing

• 3 heaping tablespoons tahini
• 1/3 cup water
• juice of 1 lime
• 1/8 teaspoon cumin 
• pinch of salt
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped cilantro

In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients, except for the cilantro. Use a tad more water as needed to thin. If dressing is too thin, add more tahini. Once blended to your liking, taste for flavor, stir in cilantro and set aside.

Steam your broccoli just until al dente and bright green using a bamboo steamer, double broiler or preferred method.

Add romaine to your serving dishes, top with black beans, broccoli, avocado, pico de gallo, a few sprigs cilantro and slices of chili peppers. Top with dressing and enjoy!

Serves 2.

Notes:

This is a great place to add a sprinkle of seeds. Try using pepito's (pumpkin seeds), sunflower seeds or hemp hearts.

If you don't have tahini on hand, try using extra pico de gallo and a squeeze of lime. I find it works great! You may even opt to use a dollop of hummus.

Use spinach or any leafy green of choice.

LENTIL & SUN-DRIED TOMATO HUMMUS WRAP

I'm all about quick and easy when it comes to eating. Sometimes I don't mind more intensive recipes in the kitchen but for the most part, I like to keep it simple. Today's recipe is just that. About as simple as it gets while satisfying my hunger and leaving my taste buds happy. I simply used pre-cooked steamed lentils like the ones Trader Joe's carries (Melissa's also carries steamed lentils if you can find them in your grocery store). They have tons of flavor and don't need much of anything. I'll even top them on a big bed of leafy greens, drizzle on something spicy and be happy as can be. Done and done! Here the lentils worked well with this sun-dried tomato hummus. I imagine plain, garlic or red pepper hummus would be delicious! Hummus is a great spread that lends creaminess to the wrap. You won't miss that there isn't any cheese.  Adding some leafy greens to the wrap gives some freshness, and of course a little spice from the red pepper flakes completes my wrap. I'm a sucker for red pepper flakes and most things spicy. Plenty of protein and flavor in this wrap. I hope it inspires you to gather your ingredients and roll up your own. They also make for great brown bag lunches!

If you're interested in a few quick sweet treat ideas, I just updated my Raw Hemp Bites and Raw Ginger Snaps. They are both no bake, no added sugars and amazingly delicious!



Start by making your hummus...



Layer everything as you see here and roll, gently but tightly, starting from the fullest side (in this case I rolled from left to right).



LENTIL & SUN-DRIED TOMATO HUMMUS WRAP

Ingredients

• lavash bread (whole grain pref.) or flour tortillas
• 1/2 cup cooked lentils, per wrap
• leafy greens (I used romaine)
• red pepper flakes
• mineral salt

Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus

• 1 1/2 cups fresh cooked garbanzo beans (chickpeas) or 1 can (15oz) garbanzo beans
• 2 - 3 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika (I used smoked)
• 1/2  teaspoon mineral salt, or to taste
• juice of 1 lemon or 1 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 - 1/3 cup water, as needed

For the hummus:

If using packaged sun-dried tomatoes, soak your tomatoes in water for about 15 minutes to soften, reserve water. Use the remaining water as needed when adding it to the hummus. If using bottled in oil sun-dried tomatoes, use as is.

Place all ingredients into food processor/blender, except for the water. Blend until creamy, about 3 minutes or so, adding water as needed to thin. I used about 1/3 cup water as I like my hummus on the moist, thin side.

Assemble your wrap:

Lay your lavash bread on a flat surface. Spread a nice layer of hummus over 3/4, top with about 1/2 cup lentils over top, sprinkle with red pepper flakes and mineral salt, add leafy greens over top, roll gently but tightly as you can. Slice in half and enjoy!

Notes: 

Feel free to play around with the tahini and olive oil adjusting to suit your taste. You may like more tahini, or you may not have any on hand and can use olive oil in its place.

If you're looking to make this virtually fat free, use water in place of the tahini and olive oil.

Store hummus tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to six days. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Try this hummus with warmed corn tortillas or fresh sliced cucumbers, zucchini, carrots, bell peppers, etc. Thin a little more and use as a crema for tacos, enchiladas, and burritos. You can even use it in your salads! Hummus is so versatile and my new nut based cream replacements whenever possible!

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!

Spicy Coleslaw + Tahini Dijon Dressing

I've always loved coleslaw's. I'm pretty particular about my slaw's though and don't like them to be overly dripping with dressing. For me the perfect coleslaw has just the right amount of dressing to lightly coat each and every piece. I like it to keep some crunch and texture even after sitting in the refrigerator overnight. A dressing should enhance the slaw's ingredients rather than drown them out. Here we have a perfect balance of ingredients making for a slaw that I can easily enjoy often. Instead of reaching for a salad I can whip this up and enjoy for an easy lunch or dinner. A head of cabbage holds up well in the fridge and has plenty of health benefits. It would also be great as a side to a veggie burger or falafel. If you're up for a variation on slaw's you can try this one from the recipe collection: Asian Slaw Salad + Miso Ginger Dressing...it's bright and zesty!

This recipe was inspired by a wonderful blog I came across called, Tea With Me, you can find the original recipe here. I loved everything about this recipe (especially the pepperoncinis!), I just veganized it using a tahini blend instead of sour cream. I also added a bit more veggies, upped a few minor ingredients in the dressing and it came out beautifully. By using a tahini and water blend you're cutting some of the fat and calories without losing any creaminess making this a very healthy meal. Feel free to use more tahini instead of the water if you prefer. This recipe can easily be cut in half if needed but I will assure you that you'll be glad you made the whole recipe. This recipe is raw, nut free, soy free and gluten free. 

  

So easy, simple and delicious!

Spicy Coleslaw + Tahini Dijon Dressing

Ingredients

• 1 head green cabbage, shredded 
• 1 1/2 cups carrots, julienned
• 4 scallions (green onions), sliced
• 12 pepperoncini or banana peppers, julienned or diced
• himilayan salt & fresh cracked pepper, to taste
• sesame seeds, to serve

Dressing

• 3 tablespoons tahini
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons pure cane sugar or pure maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar or juice of 1/2 lemon
• pinch of fresh cracked pepper

Start by mixing your dressing. In a small bowl combine dressing ingredients. Set aside. After five minutes or so, taste for flavor adding anything extra you might like. (You may also consider mixing the dressing on the bottom of the bowl you will be mixing your coleslaw in leaving one less dish to wash.)

In a large mixing bowl, add cabbage, carrots, scallions, pepperoncinis. Drizzle with dressing and mix to combine. Add salt & fresh cracked pepper to taste. Serve at room temp or chilled. This is a great salad to make ahead and let set covered an hour or so on the counter or in the refrigerator for longer.

Serve with a sprinkle of white sesame seeds over top.

Serves 2 - 4

Notes:

If using pure cane sugar or other granulated sugar, you may consider mixing with 1 tablespoon warm water so the granules will dissolve completely.

I like spicy foods but feel free to adjust the amount of peppers to taste.

I tend to keep my tahini in the refrigerator so mine is always a bit thicker due to being cold, if using room temp tahini you may need less water. Keep in mind: If dressing is too thin, add more tahini. If dressing it too thick, add a tad more water until desired consistency.

A note on the dressing: I found it was a bit sweet as I was mixing and tasting it. I worried that even 2 teaspoons was too much sugar but once the salad was completed it was perfect and not sweet at all. Keep that in mind when tasting the dressing and adjusting, you may feel something is off but once it all comes together the results are delicious! Add more vinegar for extra tang.

Recipe can easily be cut in half.

Enjoy!

Cranberry Walnut Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Chickpeas are just about the most versatile bean I've ever come across. They pair well with so many flavors making them the ultimate bean in my book. No wonder they are loved by so many! They may not have as much protein or fiber as black beans and cannellini beans, but chickpeas come in close enough with 15 grams of protein and 12 grams of fiber per 1 cup. They are a nutrient dense food with good carbohydrates the body needs and are low in fat with only 4 grams of fat per 1 cup. And the other beans are not nearly as versatile as the chickpea. You can make savory chickpea pancakes with the flour, add them to ratatouille, stews, salads, make hummus, falafels, roast them as a snack and the list goes on and on. They are the greatest bean ever and I can't wait to put them into new recipes here in the future. I have lots of ideas for these little guys!

And we'll start by adding this super awesome Cranberry Walnut Chickpea Salad Sandwich to the collection. If you didn't already know, chickpeas make for great sandwich fillers too!

You may already be familiar with my 'Chickpea of the Sea' Salad and my other classic Mashed Chickpea Salad. This one is just as delicious but with a sweet flair that I just know you'll fall in love with! I assure you that this will hit the spot and satisfy your craving for a chunky, sweet, peppery, crunchy style sandwich. Full of texture and flavor this has become my new favorite. It's a hearty salad that will comfort you and leave you feeling completely satisfied. This can be served as a traditional or open faced sandwich. Or simply serve on a bed of lettuce and skip the bread. You may even find that you love the salad all by itself without any accompaniment! I can easily eat this straight from the bowl all day long. :)

Slice your celery, feel free to add in some celery leaves if you can. For the scallions, when slicing use both the green and white parts. Roughly chop your walnuts. When buying cranberries, use organic whenever possible (I like the ones from Trader Joe's, they're so brightly colored too!). You can also use fresh chopped cranberries!

Roughly mash your chickpeas. I decided to double this batch using 3 cups of chickpeas instead of 1 1/2 so you'll have plenty of leftovers. And you'll be glad you have them! Add in the remaining ingredients and mix. About as simple as it gets, which is why I love chickpea salads!

There you have it...serve on your favorite bread. I have it paired here with a fruit, nut and seed loaf.

Cranberry Walnut Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Ingredients

• 3 cups cooked or 2 cans (15oz) garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
• 1 cup celery, diced 
• 1/2 cup organic dried cranberries (chopped fresh would be great too)
• 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup scallions (green onions), thinly sliced, white & green parts
• mineral salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste (I used about 1/2 teaspoon each)

Dressing

• 6 tablespoons (1/3 cup) tahini or vegan mayo
• 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) champagne, white wine or cider vinegar (I used Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar)
• 2 tablespoons water (only needed if using tahini)
• 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup

To serve

• leafy lettuce of choice
• bread of choice

Start by mixing your dressing. In a small bowl combine tahini/mayo, vinegar, water and maple syrup. Set aside so the flavors come together. This can be made a day or two ahead and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use. Add a tad more water, or vinegar if you're a vinegar lover, to thin out dressing as desired. If using vegan mayo, you may like to add 2 more tablespoons.

In a medium to large bowl, add your garbanzo beans and roughly mash with a strong fork or potato masher. Add in celery, cranberries, nuts, scallions, salt, pepper and dressing, mix well. Serve at room temp or let chill in the refrigerator for an hour before serving.

Serve on your favorite bread as a closed or open faced sandwich, or on a bed of leafy greens. You may even opt to simply enjoy the salad as is.

Serves 6 - 8.

Notes:

Add extra of anything you like, and vice versa, if you're not keen on an ingredient use less or omit! One particular ingredient may be the vinegar. I'm not much of a vinegar fan but I loved the orange muscat champagne vinegar and found I used quite a bit and loved it!

Change up the walnuts, using pecans, almonds, sunflower seeds, etc. If using sunflower seeds, use half the amount called for.

For the dressing, I have only made this using tahini since I do not use any kind of store bought vegan mayos. If using vegan mayo, adjust accordingly adding more mayo as needed, maybe 1/2 cup instead of 1/3. I do recommend trying this recipe with tahini...it is seriously so good that you would never know and it is much better/cleaner for you than the store bought mayos!

Enjoy!

APPLE HARVEST QUINOA SALAD + SWEET TAHINI DRESSING

A little sweet, a little tart and a then a little more sweet...this quinoa salad is a wonderful mix of flavors and sensations. 

And then if it couldn't get any better, in comes the sweet tahini dressing...

Without the dressing this salad can stand alone, especially with a nice hint of the cinnamon. But let me tell you, a good drizzle of this dressing adds whole new layer of yum factor. This is my first time having this sweet tahini dressing and I was amazed at how good it tasted. It's a wonderful creamy sweet dressing that so easy to make. The sesame paste isn't bitter here at all and mixes very well with sweetness. It would make for a nice twist on the Waldorf Salad. Yes, more ways to use tahini! I am now officially addicted to this new find. I also found myself using it as a dip for sliced apples. So good...better than caramel with apples I think! It has a unique flavor that I cannot explain, it is something you must experience for yourself if you haven't already. 

As for the salad, you can make it in one pot and uses common ingredients so you can whip this up anytime. You can also add/subtract ingredients to suit what you have on hand or to suit your taste. I love versatility and this salad allows for that. I know you will be fond of this combination and hope you put it on your must try list. It's a nice fruit fall salad...and a keeper! 

Lot's of flavor, texture and simple deliciousness in every bite. And, it's 100% percent good for you!

APPLE HARVEST QUINOA SALAD + SWEET TAHINI DRESSING

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa (I used tri-color)
• 1 3/4 cup water
• 1 lemon, juice of
• 2 large apples, cored and diced (1 green + 1 red pref.)
• 1 1/2 cup grapes, sliced in half (I used red & green)
• 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup raisins
• handful chopped almonds
• a few large mint leaves, julienned
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, or to taste

Sweet Tahini Dressing

• 1/3 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar, or to taste (optional)

Rinse your quinoa in a fine mesh sieve. In a medium size pot, add water and quinoa, bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove cover and let set 15 minutes, fluff with a fork.

While quinoa is cooking, prepare your dressing by combining ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside to let the flavors relax into each other. Add more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, to thin as needed. To thicken add more tahini. It should be thin enough to drizzle. Dressing serves four.

Core and dice apples, top with lemon juice and toss gently (I did this right on the cutting board to not dirty up another bowl). Prepare the remaining ingredients. Add the apples, grapes, celery, raisins, almonds, mint leaves and cinnamon to the quinoa, mix well. Taste for flavor adding more cinnamon if you like.

Spoon into serving dishes and serve with a good drizzle of the sweet tahini dressing. Serves 4 - 6

Notes: 

I used 1 granny smith and 1 fuji apple. Feel free to use your favorite apples.

This recipe is just a template...feel free to sub in unsweetened cranberries for the raisins (I use raisins because they contain no added sugars and I can find organic ones easily). Opt to leave the celery or grapes out using just apples (or use any combo you like). Add in a grated carrot for more color. Add more cinnamon if you like. Try using pecans instead of almonds. Try serving with some leafy greens. Have fun playing around with this making it your own.

Store at room temperature if eating within a few hours or store in the refrigerator until ready.

Enjoy!

Did you make any changes or have suggestions that others might find helpful? 

Please share your experience with us. :)

Green Salad + Chickpeas + Lemon-Tahini Dressing

Summer is still here and salads are my go to meals this time of year. For the last few weeks I've been trading between all my salad posts from the last month and have come back to this one here that I shared on Instagram not too long ago. It's such a simple salad and needed to be added to the recipe collection. This is just one of those salads that I threw together in a pinch while cleaning the fridge and it tasted delicious. So, here it is for you to play with as is or make it your own by adding anything that sounds good to you! It's really a great little salad...easy breezy vegan!

Green Salad + Chickpeas + Lemon-Tahini Dressing

Salad

• 1 can (15oz) garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
• spring salad mix, or any salad mix you prefer
• handful grape or cherry tomatoes, halved 
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• micro greens, optional
• mineral salt & fresh cracked pepper, to taste

 Lemon-Tahini Dressing

• 4 tablespoons tahini
• juice of one large lemon
• dash of mineral salt
• dash of garlic salt
• dash of cayenne pepper
• 2-3 tablespoons water or lemon juice, as needed to thin

Start with your dressing by combing all the ingredients except for the water. Taste for flavor adding any extra you might like. Add the water or lemon juice one tablespoon at a time as needed to thin to desired consistency. 

Prepare your salad, layer as you like adding half the chickpeas and top with dressing. Serves two.

As with most salad recipes, use however much you like of each salad ingredient!

Enjoy!

Raw Sprouted Hummus

Yes, another chickpea recipe. I've wanted to do a raw hummus for awhile and thought it was time. Raw chickpeas have a much different flavor than the cooked ones I'm used too and at first I wasn't sure if I would like this. But you know what? It came out really well. Will I make this again...absolutely! They have a nice flavor alone but in a hummus they are spectacular! I've also been playing around with my juice pulp making crackers and this raw hummus was a perfect complement to my new obsession! I made this hummus about the same as I would regular hummus, except I added extra of everything to really get a good and flavorful raw sprouted chickpea hummus. 

We know cooked chickpeas are good for us but they are even better after sprouting. Sprouting unleashes their full potential. Water is the key to unlocking their rich source of nutrition. Germination is a life force and we can benefit by adding sprouted nuts and seeds into our daily lives. Once sprouted the protein content will increase by as much as 20%, nucliec acids by 30% and many vitamins by as much as 500% ...yes 500%. Pretty amazing! 

Best of all, it's really easy to sprout...it just takes a couple days of patience but it's worth watching your little seeds come to life and do their magic. You don't really need any special tools to sprout your chickpeas. I used a mason jar with a sprouting lid but any bowl or jar will do. Cheesecloth rubber banded around the top of a jar will work too if you don't have a sprouting lid. I've also sprouted without any lids and did just fine using my hand & fingers as a strainer. You could just as well use a simple colander after the initial soaking process; this will ensure maximum air flow and allow you to really rinse them well. The main points to sprouting is the initial overnight soaking, then rinsing thoroughly 2 - 3 times a day with purified water for two days. 

Once sprouted the beans will be at their highest potential and will give you excellent nutrition along with a wonderful hummus once everything is put together. The above picture is two days after the initial soak. Most of my beans sprouted very well, some only had little sprouts and some had none. You can expect various stages of sprouting and that is perfectly fine.

Raw Sprouted Hummus

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried garbanzo beans or 2 cups sprouted chickpeas 
• 2 heaping tablespoons tahini
• 2 heaping tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 large cloves garlic
• juice of 2 medium lemons
• 1/4 cup purified water, + more as needed to thin
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 2 teaspoons coriander
• dash or two cayenne pepper, optional
• himalayan salt to taste

If starting with dried beans, place your beans in a large bowl and fill with purified water. The beans will double in size so be sure to cover and leave plenty of extra water for them to soak up, about 2 to 3 times as much water. Soak for 8 -12 hours. Rinse and drain thoroughly. Leave your beans anywhere at room temp and rinse and drain once every 8 - 12 hours for two days. Here is a great guide to sprouting garbanzo beans from the Sprout People for reference.

Place all your ingredients into your food processor/blender and blend until creamy. Taste for flavor adding anything extra you like. If adding more water, add 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency.

Enjoy however you like!