Marinated Chickpea Salad

One of the most popular legumes in the world, chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) were one of the first crops to be cultivated. They are one of the tastiest and most versatile of the pulses. Chickpeas are also high in fiber and contain the phytonutrient isoflavone, which may help to prevent cancer. Chickpeas belong to the family of legumes, also known as pulses. A study of 10,000 men and women in the USA found that those who ate pulses at least four times a week had a significantly lower risk of coronary heart disease.

This tasty marinated chickpea salad can be put together quickly, stored overnight in the fridge and eaten for lunch the next day.

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained
2 T extra virgin olive oil or hempseed oil
1 teas toasted sesame oil
1 T wheat-free tamari
lemon juice to taste
1 teas agave syrup (optional)
1/2 cup red, orange or yellow bell pepper (capsicum)
1 med carrot
9 baby spinach leaves
couple sprigs each fresh parsley and mint

Instructions:
Add the chickpeas to a plastic container with a tight-fitting lid. Pour the oils, tamari, lemon juice and agave syrup over the chickpeas.

Finely slice the bell pepper and spinach leaves. Grate the carrot. Finely dice the fresh herbs. Add to the container and toss everything until thoroughly mixed.

Put on the lid, and turn the container upside down until the oil mixture reaches the lid. Refrigerate for at least one hour. Shake and invert the container occasionally to coat all the ingredients with marinade.

Served chilled this is a great refreshing summer salad, but it’s also delicious served warm.

Where to Find High Quality Oils and Agave Syrup

• Organic Hempseed Oil 16oz
• Organic Olive Oil, 375ml - Unheated, Unfiltered, UNPRESSED
• Agave (Amber) Nectar 16 oz
• Agave (Dark) Nectar 16 oz
• "Real Raw" Organic Agave Nectar (Platinum), 13.25oz

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Creamy Guacamole

Besides being delicious, avocados are very high in potassium, Vitamin A and fiber. One avocado contains 1230 IU of Vitamin A and 1204 mg of potassium, as well as 4 grams of protein and 10 grams of dietary fiber. They are packed full of other vitamins and minerals, such as Vitamin C, B1, B2, Niacin, Folate, Pantothenic Acid, B6, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Calcium, Sodium and Iron.

I find this guacamole the perfect way to incorporate hempseed (or flaxseed) oil into my diet. Both types of oil contain high amounts of the essential Omega-3 oils, and since it’s important that you don’t heat the oils, this recipe is perfect. I noticed a marked improvement in my skin and hair health when I started taking hempseed oil. In addition to skin conditions, omega-3 helps with heart disease, depression and fatigue. Flaxseed or hempseed oil is highly recommended for women 35 and older because they are very rich in phytoestrogens.

Ingredients:
1-2 ripe avocados
1 lime, juiced
1/2 lemon, juiced (to taste)
1 T flaxseed oil (can substitute hempseed oil or cold-pressed, virgin olive oil)
1 clove garlic, very finely chopped or crushed
1/4 cup kefir or natural acidophilus yogurt (optional, leave out for raw food & vegan versions)
1/2 teas ground cumin
dash of sea salt or Himalayan pink salt to taste

Instructions:
Cut avocados in half and scoop the fruit out into a bowl. Remove any bits that are brown or black. Using a fork mash the avocado against the sides of the bowl to break up any big pieces.

Add the lime juice, lemon juice, oil, salt and cumin. Mash with a fork some more until the avocado is creamy.

Add yogurt and garlic and mix in thoroughly.

Serve with wheat-free corn chips or carrot and celery sticks if you’re on a low-carb or raw food diet.

Cooks Tip:
You can store the leftovers in the fridge overnight, the lemon/lime juice ensure that the guacamole will keep it’s color, and the garlic will keep it from going off. The flavor is even better the next day.

About Flaxseed Oil:
Flaxseed oil is one of the superfoods that I consider essential in a healthy diet. But it’s important that you use really high quality flaxseed oil, even though it may cost a bit more than the low quality products, this is one case where buying cheaper is definitely false economy. So when you are shopping for flaxseed oil, sometimes just called flax oil, look for brands that are organic, cold-pressed and stored in the refrigerator rather than on a shop shelf. You should always keep your flax oil in the fridge as well.

If you can’t find high-quality flaxseed oil locally, or you prefer to shop online (saves your fuel and time) here is my recommendation for a good-quality flaxseed oil: Nature’s Bounty Organic Flax Seed Oil, Cold Pressed , 8-Ounce Bottles (Pack of 2)

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Cheesy Egg Muffins with Mushroom, Courgette, & Spinach

I’ve been waiting and waiting, but our chickens aren’t laying much at the moment – either that or they’ve set up yet another secret nest for us to discover (either that or someone will come back with a bunch of chicks in a few weeks). We went to the local vegie shop yesterday and I got a tray of free range eggs, in anticipation of making this recipe. Well, today was the day! Let me tell you, they don’t disappoint!

Here’s my version of these delicious egg muffins…

Ingredients:
6 eggs
2 T water
1 teas Herbamare ® Herb Seasoning Salt
1 medium courgette, deseeded
3-4 large spinach leaves
1 large mushroom
1 cup finely grated cheese (approx)
12 cup silicone muffin tray

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375F/190C. Spray muffin tray with olive oil spray.

How to deseed a courgette

Deseed the courgette. This is a trick I learned from Suzi who writes The Cook’s Cupboard, I love courgette raw but I didn’t fancy cooked courgette much until I tasted it prepared this way. You know how the seeds and the bit in the center goes all mushy and tastes a bit sour? That’s the part I didn’t like. Here’s how you avoid it. Cut the courgette in quarters lengthwise. Draw a paring knife down the length of each quarter, slicing off the ridge of seeds. You don’t have to get all the seeds, just slice off about the first 5mm (1/4 inch) and that should be enough. Make adjustments if you have really big seeds.

Cut the quarters of courgette into thin slices. Finely dice the spinach and mushroom.

Distribute the vegetables evenly into the muffin cups. Add grated cheese into each muffin cups. You want to aim to just about fill the muffin cups slightly below the top.

In a 2-cup measuring cup with pour spout, break the eggs, add the herb salt and 2 T water. Beat well.

Egg Muffins Ready to Cook

Carefully pour the egg mixture into the muffin tins, until it nearly fills each cup. It may look like there’s not going to be enough room for the egg, but don’t worry it will flow into all the spaces between the other ingredients.

Put into the oven with plenty of room above them, the muffins will rise up out of the cups while cooking. Bake for 25-35 minutes, until golden brown. The muffins will drop down to the size of the muffin cups when you take them out.

These cheesy vegetable egg muffins are delicious eaten warm or cold. Kalyn says they freeze well too, just wait until they cool, put them in bags and pop them into your freezer.

Makes 12 muffins.

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Ingredients:
4 T light soy sauce
1/2 teas Chinese 5-spice powder
600 gram block firm tofu

Directions:
Put the soy sauce and 5-spice powder in a bowl just big enough to fit the tofu. I find that rectangular plastic containers designed for freezing foods work well.

Add tofu and turn it on all sides until coated with the marinade.

Cover with plastic wrap, or use lid if you are using a plastic food storage container with lid.

Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, overnight if possible, turning the tofu often. Drain well and slice the tofu into thin strips.

Fried Cabbage & Garlic with Pistachio

Ingredients:
3 cups red & green cabbage, finely sliced
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
4 T olive oil
1 T water
1 T soy sauce
2 teas parsley, chopped
salt & pepper to taste
garnish with pistachio nuts

Put all the ingredients into a large saucepan on a medium heat and cover. Once you hear the cabbage start to fry, shake the pan while holding the lid on.

Continue to cook over medium heat for 5-6 minutes giving the saucepan a good shake every minute or so.

When done the cabbage should be wilted but glistening.

This dish should take less than 30 minutes to prepare and will serve 4.

Variations:

• use Savoy cabbage, or a combination of red and green cabbage
• after cooking and before serving sprinkle with roasted cashew nuts or pine nuts
• add thinly sliced strips of fried tofu

Wheat free & Gluten Free
Soy sauce is the one item in this recipe that might contain wheat. So if your soy sauce is wheat or gluten free – the recipe will be too.

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