Spicy Roasted Chickpeas

I am always looking for new healthy snacks to bring to work. I recently discovered roasted chickpeas and instantly fell in love. They are crispy, and crunchy and incredibly good for you.

This is the first time I have ever made them at home, and let me tell you- they are SO easy to make. I made a spicy, savory version, but I think next time I will try a cinnamon sugar variation.  Feel free to customize this recipe and make it your own!

Chickpeas are packed with nutrients. To read about the health benefits click on one of my other recipes here.

Ingredients:

2 cans chick peas- rinsed and drained

2 tsp. smoked paprika

2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. sweet paprika

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tsp. sea salt

1/2 tbsp. olive oil

Directions:

1. Pour drained chick peas into a bowl lined with paper towels. Lie more paper towels on top and sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. 

2. While the chickpeas drain, preheat oven to 400 degrees.

3. Prepare spice mix by mixing paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, and sea salt into a small bowl.

4. Add chick peas onto a large baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes- stirring halfway through.

5. Add chickpeas to the same bowl you used earlier and coat with olive oil. Add spice mix and stir to combine.

6. Place back on baking sheet and bake for another 20-25 minutes or until crispy, stirring halfway through again.

7. Allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before eating.

*Note- I wound up re-crisping mine the next day as I did not let them cook enough the first time. Make sure when you take them out of the oven that they are very crunchy!

Spring Asparagus Soup

I don't know about you, but I am SO ready for spring weather! I guess it's fair to say we New Englanders had a pretty easy winter, but I just am ready for it to be over! I'm ready for flowers to bloom, for the sun to be out, and to not have to wear my wool coat every day. I think my mindset with cooking has completely shifted to spring as well.

When I think of the "springiest" vegetable, asparagus comes to mind. Prior to this recipe I had never made asparagus soup, but I had been wanting to for a while. When I browsed some recipe ideas many of them called for milk or sour cream, but I opted to keep mine low-cal and dairy free and it still came out super creamy and delicious.

Funny enough, I was watching Food Network this morning and Trisha Yearwood was making asparagus soup. She suggested adding spinach to the asparagus to ensure the soup has a bright green color at the end. She said without it it'd be a very muted, non-appetizing green. Well, I followed her directions and the color came out gorgeous!

This is a SUPER easy recipe so feel free to get creative with the toppings. I served mine with some lemon zest and truffle oil, but you could add herbs, Parmesan or whatever you'd like.

Asparagus is such a healthy vegetable. It is known to prevent against certain types of cancer because it contains the detoxifying compound, glutathione which breaks down harmful free radicals. Asparagus is also a great source of Vitamin C which can ward off illness and Vitamin B which can promote brain health. Lastly, asparagus is a natural diuretic as it contains asparagine which is an amino acid that helps cleanse the body of excess salt.

Ingredients:

2 bunches of asparagus- chopped into 1 inch pieces

1 small yellow onion- diced

2 gloves garlic- minced

2.5 cups low sodium chicken or veggie stock

2 cups spinach

1 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 tbsp lemon zest for topping (optional)

1 tbsp truffle oil for topping (optional)

Directions:

1) Heat olive oil in a dutch oven over medium high heat.

2) Add asparagus pieces and onion and saute for 4-5 minutes.

3) Add garlic and cook for another minute or two until all vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4) Turn off the heat and add the spinach. Stir until spinach is slightly wilted- about 1 minute.

5) Add mixture and 2 cups of chicken stock to a blender. Blend on high until smooth. (You can also use an immersion blender as well- I unfortunately don't have one yet!)

6) Pour back into dutch oven with remaining 1/2 cup of chicken stock. Bring to a slight boil, then turn heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.

7) Serve in bowls with desired toppings.

*Recipe makes roughly 4-5 servings

Guest Blogger- Homemade Sauerkraut

Hi! My name is Mark and I am happy to be guest blogging this week on TheSuperFoodsGirl blog! I have always enjoyed cooking and trying new foods. I also enjoy gardening and have been growing foods organically for close to 30 years. 

I have been making my own sauerkraut for quite some time now, not only because I like it but also because it's such a healthy food- a real superfood! 

Because sauerkraut is a fermented food it has quite a few health benefits. First it is a great source of probiotics which can aid in rebuilding and maintaining healthy gut bacteria levels. It is also a great source of Vitamin C and is thought to have cancer fighting properties. 

Ingredients:

1 3 lb. head of cabbage

1.5 tbsp. kosher salt (add 1/2 tbsp per pound of cabbage.)

Directions.

1) Wash the cabbage.

2) Remove and reserve outer leaves. 

3) Slice into 8 wedges and remove the core. Slice across each wedge to form thin ribbons of cabbage.

4) Place into a mixing bowl and add kosher salt.

5) Mix the salt and cabbage by squeezing and massaging it for 5-10 minutes. This will begin to release liquid from the cabbage and create a brine.

6) Place the cabbage and brine in a large glass bowl or container pressing as you go to compact the mixture.

7) Place reserved outer leaves on top of the sliced cabbage. Fill a small mason jar with water and secure with a lid. Place the jar on top of the cabbage mixture to act as a weight to compact the cabbage. This is done to ensure the cabbage is submerged in the brine. 

8) Place a towel over the large bowl/container and fasten with a rubber band. This covers it but still allows the air to circulate. Place in a cool dark spot. (If after 24 hours there is not enough liquid to cover the cabbage, add more brine by combining 1 tsp kosher salt into 1 cup of water and adding it to the mixture. 

9) Let the mixture stand covered for 3-10 days. You can taste it to see how long you want it to ferment. I like it after about a week.

10) Store in the fridge and enjoy!

Superfood Miso Soup

I love making soup in the winter. I've recently discovered how easy it is to make a big bowl of soup on a Sunday afternoon and eat it all week long for lunch at work. This particular recipe is my take on miso soup and it couldn't be any easier or any more delicious. I load it with tofu, shitake mushrooms, carrots, seaweed and soba noodles for a healthy and hearty meal.

My secret ingredient is Trader Joe's Miso ginger broth which I recently discovered. It's so flavorful and very low in calories. It makes the perfect base for this soup, and I highly recommend it. If you for some reason do not live near a Trader Joe's, you can use vegetarian broth with a tablespoon or two of miso paste.

For veggies in this soup I used carrots and shitake mushrooms, but you could really use anything you like. For the tofu I would recommend using extra firm so it doesn't crumble in your soup.

Miso is an incredible superfood. To check out its health benefits click here.

Ingredients:

1 package of extra firm tofu

16 oz. shitake mushrooms- sliced

1 cup chopped carrots

2 cartons of ginger miso broth

8 oz. soba noodles- cooked to package instructions and set aside

1 tbsp. liquid aminos or soy sauce

4 sheets of nori seaweed- torn (I like the Emerald Cove brand from Whole Foods)

1 tbsp. olive oil

Directions:

1) Wrap tofu in several paper towels to drain excess water. Let sit in paper towels for about 10 minutes. 

2) Add 1/2 tbsp. olive oil to a dutch oven over medium high heat.

3) Unwrap tofu and cut lengthwise into planks and then again in half. (Should get 8 pieces)

4) Add to dutch oven and cook about 3 minutes one each side or until golden brown. Remove from dutch oven and set aside.

5) Add remaining olive oil to dutch oven and add carrots and mushrooms. Cook for about 5-8 minutes or until tender. Add liquid aminos and cook another minute. 

6) Add broth to dutch oven along with tofu and seaweed. Bring to a boil and then return heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes.

7) To serve place a handful of noodles in a bowl and add soup. Enjoy!

Easy Crispy Lemon Cod

I don't know about you,  but I find it challenging to cook anything elaborate during the week. I've discovered what works best for me are easy 30 minutes (or less) meals and then having enough for leftovers for the next day.

This fish recipe takes no more than 15 minutes to prepare and cook, and it tastes absolutely delicious. You can use whatever white fish you happen to have on hand. I used cod, but haddock, striped bass, sole or tilapia would all work fine as well. 

Fish freezes really well too. My advice to you is to buy a few pounds of it when it's on sale (always opt for wild caught fish) and package it into portions. You can then freeze the individual portions and use them whenever you need an easy weeknight meal. 

I served this with roasted cauliflower and butternut squash, but it truly goes well with anything.

Cold water fish (cod in particular) is said to reduce the risk of heart disease and heart attack due to its omega 3 acids. Cod also provides a good amount of Vitamin B12 and Selenium which are known to reduce the risk of developing certain cancers. Lastly, cod is a great source of lean protein which can aid in weight loss.

Ingredients:

1 pound white flaky fish- such as cod

1/2 cup whole wheat panko bread crumbs

zest from 1 lemon

1/8 cup grated parmesan

1 egg- beaten

salt/pepper to taste

parsley- chopped (optional)

lemon slices (optional)

Directions:

1) Pat fish dry with paper towels. Sprinkle each side with salt and pepper.

2) Combine bread crumbs, lemon zest, Parmesan, and salt/pepper in one bowl.

3) Dredge fish in beaten egg then in bread crumb mixture. 

4) Heat a pan over medium high heat. 

5) Cook fish on each side for 3-4 minutes or until cooked through.

6) To serve top with lemon slices and parsley.

Clean Eating Cashew Butter Fudge Cups

I mentioned in my last post that I am currently partaking in a clean eating challenge through the end of this month. I find this challenge to be pretty easy except for the fact that I miss chocolate so much. I am a definite chocoholic and crave at least a small piece of dark chocolate on a daily basis. Because this challenge refrains from eating processed sugar, it's been hard to find my fix.

I saw a recipe for clean eating almond butter cups that I decided to recreate using cashew butter because it's what I had in my house. The result is AMAZING. These cashew cups are creamy and decadent and best of all clean and free of anything processed. They are also vegan, paleo and gluten free so they can be enjoyed by almost anyone.

I'm pretty sure they would be delicious with any kind of nut butter so play around and use whatever you have on hand. I would however, recommend the salted variety as it creates that delicious salty/sweet thing that we all love. I hope you enjoy these as much as I did!

Coconut oil is my superfood of the week. To find out about its health benefits click here!

Ingredients: 

2/3 cup coconut oil- melted

2/3 cup cocoa powder

1 cup cashew butter (or whatever nut butter you want)

1/3 cup maple syrup

3/4 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

1) Combine all of the above ingredients in a food processor.

2) Line a mini muffin tin with 12 liners.

3) Pour "batter" into the liners and place tray in freezer for an hour.

4) Store in the refrigerator for up to a month!

Balsamic Chicken Caprese Salad

Happy New Year everyone! It is hard to believe it's January already! For the start of the new year I decided to challenge myself to do a 4 week clean eating cleanse. I definitely overindulged this holiday season, and I needed a push to get back on the healthy eating wagon. 

This "cleanse" is really safe, healthy, and actually pretty easy. The main rules are to avoid processed food, white sugars and white flours. Other than that you can pretty much eat whatever wholesome foods you want. 

My husband agreed to do this challenge with me. That being said I knew I needed to come up with something delicious for him to take to work this week. His typical lunch consists of a turkey and cheese sandwich which does not fit into this clean eating challenge. I came up with this salad because it's light and flavorful but also extremely hearty, so I knew it would satisfy him.

My favorite part about this meal is the dressing- it's a creamy balsamic vinaigrette made with Greek Yogurt. Not only is it delicious, but it also provides an extra dose of protein!

My superfood of the week is tomatoes. Check out the health benefits here.

Ingredients for Chicken:

1 lb. chicken breasts

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

Ingredients for Salad:

Cooked balsamic chicken (above)- sliced

4 cups arugula

2 cups spring mix

1 pint cherry tomatoes- sliced

8 oz. fresh mozzarella- cubed

1 avocado- sliced

Ingredients for Dressing:

1/4 cup Greek Yogurt

1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar

1/8 cup olive oil

salt/pepper to taste

Directions:

1) Place chicken breasts in a zip-top bag and add olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Marinate overnight.

2) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a piece of foil sprayed with non-stick cooking spray in a 9x13 pan. Place chicken on the pan and bake for 25-35 minutes or until cooked through.

3) When chicken is finished cooking let it cool for 10 minutes. Then place on cutting board and slice into thin pieces.

4) While chicken is cooling, add dressing ingredients to a mason jar and shake vigorously until well blended.

5) Assemble salad by combining all of the salad ingredients together along with the chicken slices. Add into individual bowls and top with dressing.

*This recipe makes about 4 salads