Satisfyingly crunchy, deliciously cheesy, and ready in about 30 minutes. Can you think of a better way to eat your greens? These Kale Chips are super easy, and vegan & gluten free.
This recipe uses Tuscan Kale, formally known as Lacinato Kale, which is the dark green, fiborous kale in the super market. It’s also sometimes known as Dinosaur Kale, due to it’s rough bumpy leaves which presumably look like dinosaur skin.
Curly kale is a lighter, less dense, relative of Tuscan Kale. It’s ideal for salads and eating raw, as it’s texture is closer to a hearty green like spinach.
Curly kale or Tuscan kale work for this recipe. I’d recommend using Tuscan kale as it’s heartiness makes a sturdier chip!
Yes, kale is nutritious — but it’s also delicious! The trick to kale is to treat it differently than other leafy greens. It can be sautéed like spinach with olive oil and spices, but unlike spinach, it won’t release a whole bunch of liquid.
Massage kale in a citrus-based dressing to make it the perfect salad green. The acid in the citrus breaks down the fibrous texture of the kale, making it less dense and chewy when you eat it.
I’ll admit I was skeptical of how good kale chips would actually be. After all, they don’t seem like the best contender for a crunchy delicious chip. Thankfully, these exceeded my expectations.
They aren’t as sturdy as your typical potato chip, but do pack a satisfying crisp. The nutritional yeast gives them an irresistibly cheesy flavor. Yum.
Satisfyingly crunchy, deliciously cheesy, and ready in less than 30 minutes. Use your own seasoning blend to spice it up, or make as directed for an easy, nutritious snack!Vegan & gluten free.
This recipe is great for meal prep! It makes a large batch and keeps well throughout the week.
Versatile & Meal Prep Friendly
This is a meal prep recipe that can easily be adapted to supplement different proteins and side dishes throughout the week, or to be used as is for a delicious and healthy meal prep lunch!
It’s flavor profile is flexible and truly can be made into a side dish or entrée with anything. Similar to Spanish Rice, Spring Harvest Rice uses fresh tomatoes and a plethora of vegetables and spices.
Make as is and it will yield about 10 cups of rice.
Make the recipe as written, or substitute ingredients you prefer.
Swap It Out
Not everyone likes peas and bell peppers, and that’s a-okay with me! Here’s a few substitution ideas to suit your tastes.
Instead of PEAS try edamame or sliced snap peas
Instead of BELL PEPPERS try carrots and celery
Instead of RICE try farro, barley, quinoa or couscous. Cook according to package directions and follow the rest of the recipe as written.
When swapping vegetables in this recipe, keep the measurements the same. This will ensure your rice comes out as tasty as possible!
Additionally, I encourage you to use simply whatever you have on hand. Even if it’s a combination of the vegetables in your fridge to match the measurements in the recipe – that’s great! You’ll prep a delicious rice dish and cut down on food waste. Win-win.
See recipe for a full list of substitutions.
Use this spring harvest rice as the base for a delicious burrito! Add roasted sweet potatoes, black beans and cheese of your choosing for an easy meal.
Spring Harvest Rice Meal Ideas
Here’s a few ways you can make Spring Harvest Rice a meal.
Wrap rice with black or refried beans in a flour tortilla topped with shredded cheese for an easy vegetarian burrito.
Omnivores
Serve with rotisserie chicken for an easy weeknight dinner.
Spring Harvest Rice — look at all those veggies!
The Cooking Process
To make this rice the best it can be, the vegetables need time to simmer. Put the pot on while you’re doing other things around the house, and check it periodically. You won’t need to watch it the entire time it cooks, so it’s good to cook when you’re already at home and can peek in on it every once in a while.
Browse through the photos below to see different phases of the cooking process and the final product.
There’s no replacement for time when cooking. Each step of the recipe builds a layer of flavor, toasting the spices, sautéing the aromatics, and then adding the fresh tomatoes and allowing them to cook down. The result is a lightly spiced, flavorful rice packed with vegetables. It’s a hearty, flavorful dish.
Spring Harvest Rice (Meal Prep Recipe – Vegan)
Lauren Harvey
This is a meal prep recipe that can easily be adapted to supplement different proteins and side dishes throughout the week, or to be used as is for a delicious and healthy meal prep lunch! It's flavor profile is flexible and truly can be made into a side dish or entrée with anything. Similar to Spanish Rice, Spring Harvest Rice uses fresh tomatoes and a plethora of vegetables and spices. Make as is and this will yield about 10 cups of nutrient-rich rice.
1tablespooneach of the following herbs: oregano, parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cumin
1green bell pepperdiced
1yellow oniondiced
3clovesgarlicminced
4cupsfresh tomatodiced (subsitute canned)
½red bell pepperdiced
1lbfrozen peas
1tablespoonsalt
2tspblack pepper
Instructions
First, cook your rice. I prefer using an Instant Pot, or Rice Cooker, but you are welcome to use any method you'd like, including microwaved steamed rice (no shame in shortcuts). Substitute couscous, farro, or barley and cook according to package directions. Set aside for now.
In a large, heavy bottomed pot, or dutch oven over medium/medium high heat add oregano, parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika and cumin. Toast briefly (a minute or less) to bolster their flavors. Next, add in 3 tablespoons of olive oil, or preferred cooking oil, and heat until shimmering.
Add diced onion, garlic, and bell peppers. Sauté until tender, about 10 minutes.
Add tomatoes and simmer uncovered over medium heat about 30-40 minutes, until tomatoes are cooked down and there is minimal liquid left in the pot. Simply put, it should look less like tomato sauce and more like a big pot of sautéed vegetables.
Incorporate the bag of frozen peas and salt and pepper. Mix well to combine and defrost the peas.When using frozen peas, it's best to add them at the last minute. If they cook too long, they turn mushy!
Add the rice 1-2 cups at a time, mixing well. Be sure to break up the chunks of rice to blend with the vegetables. Repeat the process until all of the cooked rice is incorporated. Done!
Notes
Substitute rice for farro, barley, quinoa, or couscous. Cook according to package directions.
Combine any of your preferred spices for a custom blend. Add some cayenne if you enjoy heat, or swap basil for paprika if you prefer things more mild.
Substitute sliced snap peas or edamame for frozen peas, if preferred.
Substitute carrots and celery for bell peppers, maintaining measurements.
A quick and easy recipe for hearty, delicious chickpea salad. Think of it like chicken salad, but with chickpeas and bell peppers instead of chicken and celery! Enjoy on toasted bread, over leafy greens, or on your favorite crackers.
Chickpeas are a great source of protein with a whopping 14 grams in 1 cup. They’re also a substantial source of fiber, with 12 grams per cup. For more on chickpea nutrition, click here.
In addition to their enviable nutritional value, chickpeas are simply delicious! They are (in my humble opinion) the legume of all legumes. Their creamy texture lends itself well to dips like hummus. Alternatively, they make a delicious addition to any dish pan fried with some olive oil and spices, my favorite way to eat them.
Canned chickpeas are affordable and accessible, making them a must have pantry item.
Ways to Eat
Enjoy this chickpea salad on some toasted bread with spinach as a sandwich, or spooned over leafy greens for a hearty salad. Or spread over crackers for a quick snack!
This chickpea salad can be made in a large batch ahead of time and enjoyed throughout the week. It’s a great meal prep item because it lasts well in the fridge and can be enjoyed in a variety of ways.
A quick and easy recipe for hearty, delicious chickpea salad. Think of it like chicken salad, but with chickpeas and bell peppers instead of chicken and celery! Enjoy on toasted bread, over leafy greens, or on your favorite crackers.
2cupschickpeas (garbanzo beans)drained and rinsed if using canned
3tablespoonsmayouse vegan mayo if preferred
1tablespoonmustarddijon, spicy brown and whole grain all work well
¼cupchopped green onionscan substitute celery if preferred
¼cupchopped bell peppersany color you'd like
1teaspoonsalt
1 teaspoonpepper
1 teaspooneach of spices – paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and chili powdersubstitute your preferred spices as desired
1tablespoonhorseradishoptional
Drizzle of olive oiloptional
Instructions
Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Chop onions, and bell peppers. Set aside.
In a medium-sized bowl, add the chickpeas. Use a pastry cutter or potato masher to mash the chickpeas in a bowl. Consistency should be a bit chunky, but mashed enough to add easily to a sandwich.
Add mayo, mustard, horseradish (optional), salt, pepper, spices, onions, bell peppers and a drizzle of olive oil. Mix well to combine.
Taste chickpea salad and adjust seasonings if desired.
This applesauce recipe provides a guideline to make easy, homemade applesauce. Adjust sugar and spices to your own tastes. Cut the apples according to how long you have to cook it, and how chunky (or smooth) you’d like your applesauce. Tastes great, simple to prepare and way better than store bought!
Cook the apples low and slow in a covered sauce pan. This eliminates the need to add water to the applesauce, which dilutes the flavor, and often facilitates the need for more sugar.
As Sweet As You Like It
Feel free to adjust the recipe to your tastes. Add more sugar if you’d like, or eliminate it completely for a delicious sugar-free treat.
Use any apples that you prefer. I prefer a gala or fuji for best flavor and sweetness. Taste a slice of the apples you will use. This will help determine how much sweetness will need to be added to the applesauce.
Chunky or Smooth
Just like peanut butter, everyone has their own preferences when it comes to applesauce. Whether you like it smooth or chunky, this recipe has you covered. Slice your apples into large chunks and forgo the mashing for a satisfyingly chunky applesauce. Or dice smaller apple pieces and mash (or blend/food process) well at the end for a silky smooth applesauce treat.
So Versatile You Can Eat It At Every Meal
Here’s a few ideas to serve and enjoy your tasty homemade applesauce:
Spooned over some oatmeal, topped with sliced almonds
Mixed with savory spices and served with pork chop
Layered with yogurt and granola for a filling parfait
Sealed in puff pastry for easy, flaky hand pies
On the side with some hot, fresh potato pancakes
Enjoyed straight from the jar as a midnight snack
Decadent yogurt, granola, and applesauce parfait.
Stovetop Apple Sauce
Lauren Harvey
This applesauce recipe provides a guideline to make easy, homemade applesauce. Adjust sugar and spices to your own tastes. Cut the apples according to how long you have to cook it, and how chunky (or smooth) you'd like your applesauce. Tastes great, simple to prepare and way better than store bought!
1tablespoonyour favorite sugargranulated, brown or monkfruit (optional)
1-2teaspoonsground cinnamon
1-2teaspoonsground nutmeg
Instructions
Peel and core the apples. Slice and dice into medium-sized chunks. The smaller the chunks, the faster the applesauce will cook down.
Add apples to a saucepan over medium heat. Add lemon juice. Cover pan with lid and let cook 10-15 minutes. The heat will release the apple's natural juices. This eliminates the need to add water to the pan. Just ensure the pan is not too hot so the apples don't burn. Stir occasionally.
Once the apples begin to release their juices and start to soften, add in sugar (optional), cinnamon and nutmeg. Cover pan again and let cook down another 10-15 minutes.
Test the apple's doneness by poking with a fork. If the fork slides easily, they are ready. If not recover and cook an additional 5-10 minutes until ready. The cooking time of the apples depends on the type of apple and how large the pieces were cut.
To mash or not to mash. If you prefer a smoother applesauce consistency, you can now mash the applesauce into a smooth paste or use an immersion blender. If you prefer chunkier applesauce, no need to mash.
Taste the applesauce and adjust spices if desired. If it needs a touch of sweetness, add agave or honey. Feel free to add more spices if desired.
Let cool and store in an airtight jar in the fridge.
Notes
Use a six-section apple slicer to make coring the apples a breeze. Leave slices in their larger size or cut in half for faster cooking time.
The smaller the apple slices, the faster they will cook.
Add additional spices like all-spice or ginger if you’d like.
Use honey or agave in place of sugar, or go sugar-free!
If not using sugar, start with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and increase if desired.
Today we explore an elusive root vegetable: the Jerusalem Artichoke! Learn what it is, how it tastes, and how to cook it with this quick and easy recipe.
A Jerusalem Artichoke, also called a sunchoke, is the root of a species of Sunflower. It’s an ingredient I’ve seen used in restaurants and on cooking shows, all the while thinking, “Where do I even buy that?” Turns out, at a local farm stand. When I saw them for sale at Rutiz Farms, I knew I had to seize the opportunity.
What does a Jerusalem Artichoke taste like?
Though a root vegetable related to the sunflower, the Jerusalem Artichoke tastes like its name – an artichoke! With a mild flavor, the sunchoke tastes how I imagine a cross between a potato and an artichoke would taste. Hearty and starchy with a hint of artichoke heart.
The inside of a sunchoke.
How do I cook Jerusalem Artichoke?
Bake it, boil it, stick it in a stew! But really, I’d suggest roasting Jerusalem Artichokes in the oven, like you would any other vegetable. It’d be great as chips, but true to form I chose to make them into fries, complete with a nice garlic aioli.
We found that, in cooking the sunchoke or eating it, our brains kept trying to tell us it was a potato. If you’re tempted to cook it as long as you would a potato, watch out. Taste test along the way to monitor progress and make adjustments as needed.
Baked Jerusalem Artichoke Fries (Sunchoke Fries)
Lauren Harvey
Sunchokes (aka jerusalem artichokes) are a root vegetable that tastes like a cross between a potato and an artichoke. They make great fries, as in this recipe, but can be boiled and pan fried too! Try your sunchoke fries with a nice aoili for the perfect treat.
Scrub the Jerusalem Artichokes clean. You can peel if you prefer, but scrubbing the dirt off will work just fine.
Slice the Jerusalem Artichokes into matchsticks.
In a clean bowl, toss the Jerusalem Artichokes with olive oil and seasonings. Adjust the seasonings to your preference or taste. Remember you can always add more after baking.
Spread parchment on a baking sheet. Lay out the Jerusalem Artichokes in a single layer, making them overlap as little as possible.
Bake in a 350° oven for 40-45 minutes until tender.
Taste and adjust seasonings to your preference.
Serve warm with a side of garlic aioli or your favorite fry dipping sauce!
This recipe uses a common method of cashew cream. Soak the cashews, add some select seasonings and blend away! Once soaked, the cashews are softened and blend beautifully into a creamy sauce. It’s cashew magic!
Creamed spinach – an easy way to eat your veggies!
Really, you could make the cashew garlic cream sauce and use it on anything you’d like — as a pasta sauce; stirred in with some sautéed mushrooms; or even ladled over sliced potatoes for a vegan potatoes au gratin!
How to Soak the Cashews
For soaking the cashews, you have two options:
Measure cashews and put in a glass jar or container. Cover with hot water and let soak, refrigerated, overnight.
Measure cashews and cover with boiling water. Let stand for at least four hours.
Either option works, the important thing is to make sure they are well-soaked and softened so they will blend smoothly into a creamy sauce.
I prefer using the overnight method, as it really ensures the cashews are soft enough to blend smoothly into a sauce.
When draining the cashews, you can save the liquid they soaked in to use as the 1 cup of water in the recipe. (It’s not a necessity, but its always worked well for me.)
Truly a magical nut!
Sauté for extra flavor
For best flavor, sauté the onion and garlic and let cool before adding to blender to make the sauce. The alternative is to leave them whole and add them into the sauce after its blended, but I found its best when smooth and blended all together.
Sauté the garlic and onions for best results!
Vegan Creamed Spinach
Lauren Harvey
Easy to make, this cashew cream-based spinach is sure to impress!This recipe utilizes soaked cashews blended into an impossibly creamy sauce. Follow the recipe as is for a delightful, vegan, dairy-free creamed spinach. Save the cashew cream sauce recipe for later and serve over pasta for an easy vegan alfredo!
4clovesgarlic, minced or sliced depending on preference.
1cupwater.
1teaspoonlemon juice
1teaspoonapple cider vinegar
1 ½teaspoonsalt
½teaspoonblack pepper
¼teaspoonground nutmeg
½teaspoongarlic powder
Instructions
Boil some water. In a heat-safe glass bowl or jar, add cashews. Soak cashews. If soaking overnight, allow to come to room temperature before covering and placing in refrigerator. Soak at minimum 4 hours.
If using fresh spinach – Remove spinach stems and roughly chop the leaves. Bring a large pot of water to a boil with pinch of salt. Add the spinach. Cook for two minutes. If using frozen spinach – cook an additional two minutes to allow for defrosting.
Using a colander, drain the spinach. Rinse with cool water in the sink. Gently squeeze all excess water from the spinach. Make sure the spinach has as little water in it as possible, or it will cook in the sauce and make it watery.
Heat olive oil over medium heat in a fry pan. Add onions and garlic. Sauté for five minutes, until soft and remove from heat.
Drain cashews. Add cashews, water, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, salt, garlic powder and nutmeg to blender. Add cooled garlic and onions. Blend until smooth.
In the pan, add drained spinach and pour sauce over the top. Warm until heated through. Serve!
The name may be misleading, as chia pudding consists of gelled chia seeds that expand about 2-3x their normal size after absorbing liquids. The seeds remain whole but do soften. They also have a particularly fascinating ability to attract one another and tend to bead together on the back of a spoon, say, a bit like water droplets. You’ll see what I mean when you make this.
No dairy is involved in this pudding. Of course, unless you chose to add it. If you replace the non-dairy milk with dairy milk, I’d recommend omitting leaving the pudding on the counter for an hour to set. Give it a good whisk and stick it straight in the fridge. During the first hour of setting time, pull it out intermittently, stirring to discourage clumping and adding more milk if liquid is needed, about a tablespoon or two at a time.
Breakfast sans Sugar Rush
Store-bought granola typically contains high amounts of sugar — be it high fructose corn syrup, pure cane, or molasses. Being sensitive to processed sugar (it’s a migraine trigger for me hooray) I’ve begun to pay particularly close attention to what I eat first thing in the morning. This may be personal, but I believe what I eat for breakfast stays with me all day. It can affect my mood, energy levels and how I feel physically.
That being said, this granola gains its sweetness from small amounts of honey, fruit jam and dried berries (such as cranberry or raisin). Customization is always encouraged, but for the cleanest breakfast, I’d recommend following the recipe as written. Together with some fresh fruit, this Chia Pudding & Granola Parfait becomes an enjoyably sweet breakfast without inviting a massive carb-loaded sugar crash mid-morning.
As always, feel free to add your own twist and enjoy!
Chia Pudding and Granola Parfait
Lauren Harvey
Make this recipe on a Sunday evening and enjoy throughout the week as a delicious, low sugar breakfast!
½cupcrushed nutspecans, almonds, walnuts or peanuts
2tspcinnamon
2TBagave or brown sugar
2TBjam of choice
¼cupdried berriescranberry, raisin or blueberry
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Whisk coconut milk, non-dairy milk, ginger, vanilla and sweetener of choice in a large bowl. Once smooth, add in chia seeds and mix well.
Let chia pudding sit on counter for about an hour, whisking intermittently and adding liquid as needed. This helps the chia seeds to expand without clumping together. While chia pudding sets, prepare the granola.
Mix all granola ingredients in a large bowl. Cover a sheet pan with parchment paper and press granola into pan.
Bake granola for 20 minutes, until crisp.
Let granola cool on the counter. Once cool, store in an airtight jar on the counter.
Store chia pudding in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
To serve, spoon chia pudding into a bowl. Add chopped fruit, peanut butter or preserves and top with granola. Enjoy!
Nice Cream! Its a no lactose, no sugar, no animal product ice cream you can make in about 5 minutes. It’s virtually fool proof and all over the internet right now.
Here is a quick step-by-step of a Blueberry nice cream I threw together after our blueberry picking adventure. I had some bananas sliced and frozen in the freezer already, but if you don’t never fear! Next time you have brown bananas ready to turn, peel, slice and stick them in the freezer. They’ll be ready to turn into nice cream when the craving strikes!
I use a food processor to make my nice cream, simply because it’s easier than using the nutribullet. If you have a high powered blender that can handle pureeing frozen fruit, feel free to use it.
INGREDIENTS
2 sliced frozen bananas.
1/2 cup fresh blueberries.
1/4 cup coconut cream.
1 tsp vanilla extract.
Pinch salt.
DIRECTIONS
1. Blend frozen bananas, blueberries and coconut cream in food processor or high-powered blender until smooth.
2. Add vanilla extract and pinch of salt. Process until combined.
3. Taste. Add more blueberries or a dash of coconut cream if desired, and blend to combine.
4. Pour into freezer-safe pan or container. Top with more fresh blueberries and coconut flakes if desired. Freeze overnight. (I used parchment in my pan only because this is also my garlic roasting pan and I wanted to ensure there was no transfer of flavor. It also makes it very easy to lift the nice cream out of the pan for serving, but it is totally optional!)
Serving Suggestion: About two hours before consuming nice cream, move from freezer to refrigerator. This allows the nice cream to slowly soften without melting.
This creamy, tart salad dressing is packed with flavor and nutrient-rich ingredients. Here we’ll take a closer look at three key ingredients in this recipe: parsley, lemon, and garlic.
Parsley is one of my favorite herbs because it is affordable, accessible, and an easy way to add freshness to any dish. This nutrient-rich herb is packed with Vitamins A, C and K. Parsley also contains minerals like magnesium and potassium, essential to a balanced diet.
This recipe utilizes a cup of parsley, which serves to balance out the heaviness of the tahini and rich olive oil.
When shopping for parsley, look for the flat leaf Italian parsley. This varietal provides much better flavor than the curly parsley, commonly used for garnish in restaurants.
Lemon is a citrus fruit, and as a citrus, contains notable amounts of Vitamin C. Additionally, it is cleansing to your gut and supports digestion. In this recipe I use whole lemon, mostly skinned but including some peel.
Additionally, lemons contain a high amount of soluble fiber, which can have a detoxifying effect in cleansing out your system (if you know what I mean).
The peel and white part of the lemon (called the pith) contains the highest concentration of nutrients, therefore I make an effort to include it wherever possible! However, it can be quite bitter, so adjust the amount of pith used to your preference.
Gotta have that Garlic
We all love garlic right? Garlic breath not so much. However! Consuming garlic raw provides the highest concentration of nutritional benefits. Some have even claimed that it reduces blood pressure, lowers cholesterol and reduces the risk of heart disease. I’d say garlic breath is a small price to pay for all those benefits!
If you are still wary of consuming raw garlic at lunch time, never fear. You can easily swap roasted garlic for the raw garlic in the recipe.
Tahini is ground sesame seed paste. Tahini is one of the key ingredients in hummus. On it’s own, tahini can be quite bitter, which is why it makes for a dynamic ingredient to incorporate in sauces, dips, and in this instance, a salad dressing!
Some tahini is made with hulled sesame seeds, some aren’t; similarly, some are made with raw sesame seeds, and others with roasted. If this is your first tahini encounter, I’d recommend starting with the Organic Tahini from Trader Joe’s and venturing out from there.
Big batch does it best
This recipe yields approximately 20 ounces of salad dressing, or about 10 servings. That’s enough for two people to eat a salad five days in a row, which makes this an ideal meal prep salad dressing recipe!
With about 15 minutes of prep time, this Garlic Tahini Salad Dressing is easy to put together and can be made in a pinch. Drizzle over your favorite salad and enjoy!
Garlic Tahini Salad Dressing – V, GF, Raw
Lauren Harvey
This creamy, tart salad dressing is packed with three key ingredients for maximum flavor and for improving your health. Recipe yields enough for 10 servings (approximately 20 ounces). This will keep well in the refrigerator.
8clovesfresh garlicpeeled. (substitute roasted garlic if desired)
3tablespoonstahini
2 tablespoonsmustarddijon preferred
⅓cupsunflower or avocado oil
⅓cupextra virgin olive oil
⅔cupcold water
⅓cupwhite balsamic vinegar
1teaspoonsalt(add more to taste)
1½teaspoonblack pepper(add more to taste)
½wholelemonskinned, small in size. incorporate a small amount of peel if desired.
drizzle of agave syrup or honeyif desired.
Instructions
Stir tahini well. It's common for tahini to become separated in the jar, with the oil settling on top and solids on the bottom. Stir well before measuring.
Cut lemon in half. Remove seeds from the half you plan on using in the recipe. To skin the lemon, place the cut (flat) side of the lemon on a cutting board and gently cut the skin off, making sure you are cutting down and away from your fingers. Leave as much (or as little) skin on the lemon as you'd like.
Add all ingredients to a blender or large food processor. Blend until smooth. To make the dressing without a blender: Finely mince the garlic, parsley and lemon. Combine all ingredients into a large jar and shake well until combined.
Taste and adjust the seasoning. If you find it bitter, add a pinch of sugar or drizzle of honey.
Notes
If you prefer a thicker dressing, omit the water. You can always add more later to reach your desired consistency.
For a less pungent garlic flavor, roast the garlic before adding it to the blender.
Light and refreshing, Chickpea & Kale Pasta contains no dairy OR tomato sauce (only a dab or two of tomato paste). Olive oil and seasonings allow the pan-fried chickpeas and kale to shine in this dish.
Chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans) contain a plethora of nutritional benefits. In one cup (200 grams) of chickpeas you’ll get:
Protein – 39 grams (78% Daily Value)
Dietary Fiber – 35 grams (140% Daily Value)
Magnesium – 57% Daily Value
Vitamin B-6 – 55% Daily Value
Iron – 69% Daily Value
Chickpeas are particularly desirable in that they contain carbohydrates, protein and fiber — which means they actually fill you up while giving your body a boost of nutrients.
Such an impressive, versatile bean seems worthy of two names. Garbanzo comes from the Spanish name for the bean; while chickpea has Latin roots in the word “cicer.”
Kale is often associated as being a “superfood,” simply meaning it contains a slew of nutrients and vitamins essential to our diets. One cup (67 grams) of chopped kale packs quite the punch:
Vitamin A – 206% Daily Value
Vitamin C – 134% Daily Value
Vitamin K – 684% Daily Value
Magnese – 26% Daily Value
Previous iterations of kale blended in a smoothie or served as a salad may have deterred you from enjoying this leafy green powerhouse. Fortunately, this recipe serves the kale up sauteed in spices, which helps to break down its fibrous tough texture and allows it to absorb the flavors of the dish.
This Chickpea & Kale pasta is nearly a one pot meal. Sauté the kale and chickpeas in a cast iron skillet (or stainless steel pan) to cultivate the flavors and begin the simple sauce. The pasta boils in a separate pot, and is added directly to the skillet with the vegetables.
The dish comes together easily and makes enough to serve 2 people as a main course. I recommend serving with a side of mixed greens for a complete meal!
Though dairy-free, this pasta does not lack flavor. Nutritional Yeast (parmesan cheese can be used as a dairy-ful substitute) lends its cheesy flavor and chickpeas their creamy texture balanced by the brightness of lemon zest and the fresh green of kale.
2tablespoonsNutritional Yeast substitute ¼ cup parmesan cheese
3cupstightly packed kale, trimmed and de-ribbed
2teaspoonstomato paste
1heaping teaspooncapers
1teaspoonhot sauce (optional)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, as needed.
Zest of one small lemon.
Instructions
Peel and chop the garlic. Wash and derib the kale and roughly chop. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Zest the lemon. Set aside all ingredients until ready to use.
Fill a pot with water for the paste. Add 2 tablespoons of salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Have your pasta ready to add to the water once it boils. While waiting for the water to boil, proceed with the steps below. Once water is boiling, add pasta and cook according to package directions.
Drain and rinse the chickpeas. In a large heavy-bottomed skillet (preferably cast iron, but stainless steel also works) over medium heat coat with olive oil. Add rosemary. Sauté for 3 minutes, then add tomato paste and chopped garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add chickpeas to the pan, along with salt, pepper, kale, capers, optional hot sauce and ¼ cup water. Lower heat and cover, allowing to simmer for 10 minutes and stirring occassionally. The kale should wilt and get brighter in color.
Add pasta to the pan with kale and chickpeas. Sprinkle Nutritional Yeast, or parmesan cheese, depending on your preference. Add lemon zest. Drizzle with olive oil and mix until well-combined.
Serve with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, if desired.
Notes
*KALE: I used Kale for Cooking from Trader Joe’s. I like using this because it’s prechopped and prepackaged. It requires minimal effort, just some picking out of larger stems. However, you are welcome to use any kale you choose, just don’t forget to wash and derib before adding to recipe. *TOMATO PASTE: You definitely won’t use an entire can of tomato paste in this recipe. I recommend buying the tomato paste that comes in a tube, since it’s easier to store and use as needed. Or, use this simple hack: Empty out an ice cube tray. Scoop tomato paste into ice cube tray. Freeze overnight. Break tomato paste out of ice cube tray and store in a plastic bag in the freezer until ready to use. You’ll never waste your tomato paste again!
Keyword chickpeas, dairy free pasta, easy pasta recipe, easy weeknight dinner, garbanzo beans, kale, pasta recipe, vegetarian pasta
