Chickpea Salad

Ahh, spring. A time when there's that extra spring in your step and when good food just tastes better. There is no denying that le printemps brings on the need to try fresh, new recipes. Well, it does for me anyway, and I have to say that I have developed a taste for chickpea salad. I have seen it at restaurants, in grocery stores and even on my Facebook feed, so I have decided to make a batch of my own! And all I can say is that it is SO GOOD.

The nice thing about this type of salad is that it is so so so nutrient-dense. In my recipe, I combine things like chickpeas (obvious), kidney beans, lemon, garlic and avocado. And by only mentioning these five ingredients, I can confidently say that you will be consuming lots of protein, fibre, vitamins (C, D, B, E, K, etc), iron, folic acid, omega-3 fatty acid and more. It is a good option for vegetarians/vegans who are looking for meat alternatives and for those who enjoy tangy foods.

Bonus: In a rush? This salad does not take much time to make! But I suggest letting it sit in the fridge for at least half an hour before serving to allow all the flavours to blend.

Ready? Read below for the recipe!

Chickpea Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 can who chickpeas (750g), drained;
• 1 can kidney beans (450g), drained;
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed;
• ½ small red onion, finely chopped;
• 1½ ripe avocados, diced;
• 1½ lemons, juiced (add pulp);
• 3-4 tbsp olive oil;
• 1 heaping tbsp dried parsley; and
• salt to taste (~2 to 3 tsps)*.

Directions:

1. Start by crushing your garlic and use that bowl to make your salad.
2. Combine all ingredients together.
3. Mix well.
4. Cover with saran wrap and let sit in fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.
5. Enjoy!

*For the salt, you should not only be focussing on your preference, but also for an amount that helps balance out the bitterness of the lemon juice. Too little, and your salad will taste too lemony; too much, and your salad with taste very salty.

Thanks for following my recipe! Make sure to leave a comment below if you made this, telling me what you think!

-Alesia D.

Kale-Quinoa Salad

So I tried this salad out at +Moxies last week while out for lunch with a girlfriend and totally thought it would be perfect to make at home: The ingredients are nothing crazy, prep time seems short, the flavour is awesome, it is packed with nutrients and you end up with a huge batch that will last you a few days. Sounds incredible, right? RIGHT?!

Last Saturday, we invited friends over for dinner, and since one of them has several types of food intolerances, I thought we could have an ultra-healthy dinner. That way, she could still enjoy her meal, and I could continue ensuring that my baby receives the best womb service possible (get it?). The meal consisted of: baked salmon, baked sweet potatoes and kale-quinoa salad. Truthfully, it was a very yummy and filling meal.

If I could describe the taste of the salad to you, I would not know how to articulate it. It has a very unique flavour, definitely not what I have been used to in terms of a salad. It is lemony, salty, sweet and nutty all at the same time. And best of all, it makes for a yummy treat for those who eat gluten-free foods and who are vegetarian! Quinoa is a great source of protein, kale is low in calories and high in fibre, sunflower seeds are the richest seed source in Vitamin E, raisins are high in iron... Should I continue? Nahh, it is okay, I'll pass. :P 

So here is the recipe I came up with!

Kale-Quinoa Salad

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups quinoa, cooked with beef or chicken broth;
• 1 bunch kale, chopped;
• ¾ cup sunflower seeds;
• ¾ cup raisins;
• 3-4 tbs olive oil;
• 1 full lemon, juiced;
• ¹/4 cup tahini;
• 1-2 garlic cloves, diced;
• salt;
• pepper; and
• drizzle Italian dressing.

Mix everything together. Adjust quantity of ingredients to fit your own personal flavour. Once finished, place in the fridge and let chill for about 20 minutes to let all the flavours set in.

I would recommend making extra quinoa in case you wanted to add more to the salad or even to have some extra for another meal, it never hurts :). I added the tahini in there because I really did not know what type of vinaigrette Moxies adds to their salad, so I experimented, and no one complained!

Enjoy the yumminess and tell me what you think!!!

Thanks,

-Alesia D.

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Tabouleh Recipe

Middle Eastern Tabouleh

So, this salad is a dish I grew up eating very often as a child. It is extremely refreshing, tasty and good for you—plus the health benefits are endless! And did I forget to mention that vegetarians would love this?

My parents love their fresh veggie garden. And I am so glad to say that we have a common interest. I think it's so great to be able to walk out into your own backyard, pick what you need to pick, come back into the house and cook. There's something so organic about picking your own vegetables and knowing exactly where they came from.

The main ingredient here is parsley. This herb puts your immune system at such an advantage, that you just can't go wrong! It is rich in Vitamin A (beta-carotene), B-12, C and K, meaning that it cleans your immune system and flushes the excess fluid from your body. And let me tell you from experience, if you're pregnant, flushed out excess fluid can have you feeling pretty darn nice, and light, and not huge, and not bloated. Did you know that this leafy green stuff also contributes to anemia prevention, bad breath treatment, blood tonic and purifying and indigestion soothing? So yeah, you can say it's pretty high up there along with kale.

Before you start making this salad though, keep in mind that that it is quite time-consuming, as all the big ingredients must be finely chopped... No big pieces allowed if you plan on doing it the traditional way!

Alright folks, time to roll those sleeves up and get crackin'!

Ingredients:

• 3 parsley bunches;
• 3-4 small to medium tomatoes;
• 2 green onions;
• 2 lemons with pulp, squeezed;
• 1 handful bulgur, soaked first;
• ~⅓ cup olive oil;
• 2 tbsp dried or fresh mint, finely chopped if fresh;
• ~1 tbsp salt (or more to taste... you want it to complement the lemon juice);
• ~1½ tbsp sumac spice.

Directions:

1. Wash your parsley very extremely well. Especially when they are coming straight from the garden, you want to make sure ALL the dirt is washed out, because failing to do so can eventually lead to developing kidney stones. What I do is thoroughly wash my two sinks with soap and hot water, drain, then fill with cold water only to the point where the parsley leaves are completely submerged. I swish each bunch around in sink #1 until I feel it is time to place them in sink #2 and start the swishing/cleaning process all over again. I usually do this process 6 to 9 times, depending on how dirty my bunches are.

 2. Next, dry your bunches very well using a kitchen towel. And wash your tomatoes and green onions. This is easy enough! Tip: If you bought your parsley today but aren't ready to make your tabouleh just yet, wrap it in that same towel and place it in an air-tight ziploc bag that will go in your fridge. It will stay fresh and crunchy for 1 to 2 days.

3. Chop each bunch, one at a time. You want to make sure each is being chopped as finely as possible. Same thing with the tomatoes and onions.

 4. Next, squeeze your lemons, remove the seeds from the squeezer and pour all contents into your bowl.

 5.Add the bulgur, sumac, mint, olive oil and salt, et voilà! Mix everything very well, add anything you think should be added and enjoy! I personally like tabouleh with potato wedges and a nice BBQ.

Thanks for reading,

-Alesia D.