Naraya Cooking Health Recipe

Prepare your vegetables and gather your cranberries and seeds. 

Mix kale, carrots, bell peppers and dressing together. Let set for about an hour at room temp or in the refrigerator (this will soften the kale nicely and reduce the bitterness). Serve in individual bowls topped with cranberries and seeds. If you don't have time to let the kale marinate with the dressing, the salad will still be great! 

Serves 2

Summer in California is setting in, the temperatures are rising and salads are always welcome. I've been on an olive loving kick lately, as well as a chickpea kick (I'll tell you why soon), so this salad hit the spot with some salty olives, fresh sweet grape tomatoes & red bell peppers, refreshing cucumbers, red onion and fresh cooked chickpeas. All dressed up with a light vinaigrette and nice dollop of hummus. This salad didn't start with a dollop of hummus, but half way through eating I added a scoop and decided it needed to be included in the recipe (and photo), although I list it as optional. It adds such nice creaminess and rounds it out the salad well. If you find raw kale too hard to eat, even after letting it relax in lemon juice, a dollop of hummus will definitely do a world of good for you. It adds a nice creaminess to the overall salad while masking some of kale's bitterness. Similar to the Every Day Nourish Bowl, we now have another option of whole hearted goodness to choose from when a craving for salads occur! It's simple, accessible, not too expensive and good for you. Cheers to all of those things! :)

I have some fun news to share! I'm going to be immersed in all things chickpeas the next few months. I figured this post is a great place to introduce a project I've been working so hard on called, CHICKPEA: THE CHICKPEA HANDBOOK/COOKBOOK. It's all you need to know about chickpeas, with chapters containing information on nutrition, history, types, sprouting, growing (gardening), storing & selecting, flour, cooking and a few other relevant chapters. Plus, it will include upwards of 100+ recipes (not sure where to stop since there's so many good ones I want to add), including pictures of each one. It will include all of the favorite chickpea recipes from the blog and a ton of new ones. I'm excited out of my mind for this project! I was asked a few months ago what was the one ingredient that was important in my kitchen and my answer was chickpeas. They are so versatile and I use them often, especially for my hummus which is so much more than just a dip. After toying around with a couple cookbook ideas, doing a chickpea cookbook seemed so right. I want to celebrate the chickpea in all its glory and showcase its versatility, all the way from breakfast to desserts. It's a perfect fit for me and I know it will be a useful addition to any kitchen library! It's meant to be used often and will have my signature simplicity with a few recipes to kick it up a notch. I'm shooting for the end of the year but am really in no hurry as I want this book to be amazing. I ♥ chickpeas and think we should all eat more of them!

Enjoy the salad, and of course, this will be in the book! :)

Ingredients 

Enjoy!

Wraps have been my thing lately! They're easy, economical and travel well. And let's not forget how versatile they are. Change up the spread using flavored hummus of your choice. Vary up the veggies, add spices and herbs to suit your taste. Layer and roll. Done and done!



I used kale, plain hummus, bell peppers, carrots, cucumber, mineral salt and red pepper flakes. All on top of lavash bread. You could easily use shredded cabbage (green or purple) in place of the kale, or any other leafy greens you prefer. I think these are a good combination of veggies here. You could try adding in some sliced avocado to the mix if you like. This just gives you an idea, you can take it from here and make it your own, or use this one...it was delicious!



Layer and roll...



Take it with you for a brown bag lunch! In this case, a blue bag since I like to recycle, reduce and reuse my paper shopping bags. It's kind of girly, so guys you can tote around your usual uni-sex lunch bag. It fits perfectly in this little reusable plastic container, they usually come in a set of four so you could make a few and tuck them away in the refrigerator for later. I paired my wrap with some mixed nuts & dried fruits along with a fresh apple. I eat at least one apple everyday, sometimes two or three and I always carry one with me. My favorite is the sweet, juicy Fuji apples. They are convenient, fit right in my purse along with my Nalgene water bottle. Next time I share a brown bag lunch I'll break it out for you. And if you doubt that I always carry an apple with me, I swear just look in my purse!



HUMMUS VEGGIE WRAP

Just simple, colorful ingredients that come together in the best way. If you're lucky enough, you may even find a prepared fajita mix where you just add your spice and protein. That's exactly what I have here, 2 packages, but the ingredients will reflect buying and slices your own bell peppers and onion. The tortillas I used are homemade tortillas from Trader Joe's. They are thick and can withstand a large helping.



Start with your guacamole. This is a very simple, classic chunky guacamole. I added chopped cilantro just before serving. Feel free to omit/add anything you like!



Cook up your fajita mix and warm up the tortillas...



  Layer your tacos and serve you & yours some hearty black bean fajita tacos!

Ingredients

Guacamole

Start with your guacamole. Cut avocados in half lengthwise, remove seed and using a spoon scoop out the flesh, place in medium size bowl. Using a fork cut the halves into large chunks and mash about 1/3 - 1/2. Add diced jalapeno, onion, tomatoes, mineral salt and lime juice. Mix to incorporate. Add in chopped cilantro and mix again gently. TIP: To keep your guacamole from browning, pack your guacamole well, add about 1/4 - 1/2 inch water over top and place in the fridge. When ready to serve, drain water, mix and serve. This will keep air away preventing oxidation. 

In a large wok/skillet, heat oil or water over medium high heat. Add bell peppers, onions, and spices, cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add black beans and cook until heated through, about 3 more minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste adding anything extra you like.

Warm your tortillas. I like to heat mine carefully over the open flame of the stove top.

Serve layering the fajita mix on top of each tortilla, then add cabbage and a nice helping of guacamole. Add a squeeze of lime to each taco if you like.

Serves 3 generously.

These can easily double as burritos by simply using large flour tortillas. Layer just as you would the taco leaving about 2 inches at one end, fold up the end over the mixture, take one side of the burrito, fold over and roll. This style will leave you with one open end at the top. It's the way I usually make my burritos. For a completely closed burrito, take a look at this tutorial from the Kitchn: How To Wrap A Burrito (So It Doesn't Fall Apart When You Eat It!)

I read about the water trick for the guacamole from an article at Huff Post Taste: How To Make The Best Guacamole: Tips and Mistakes To Avoid

Enjoy!

Chop and shred your lettuce and cabbages, add to large bowl.

Ingredients

Enjoy the lighter side!

Enjoy!

This recipe was inspired by a recent post on BuzzFeed for 27 Awesome Easy Lunches To Bring To Work. I'm thrilled to have been included in the roundup with the Mashed Chickpea Salad Sandwich! There is also a few other great vegan options as well so be sure to take a look. In it I saw a Pan Bagnat from Food 52 and had to recreate it for us plant powered lovers. I love Food 52, and have always been inspired by the simplicity and beauty of their photography. And of course the recipes are great too! I have a few in my collection that were inspired from there like this Mushroom Bourguignon and these Gluten Free Banana Flap Jacks. It's a great community if you haven't heard of it yet! In fact, they have a vegan column called The New Veganism with Gena Hamshaw of Choosing Raw as the recipe creator. Be sure to take a look and be inspired by both the recipes and photography!

The pan bagnat (meaning 'bathed bread') is a classic specialty sandwich served in and around the region of Nice, France. It's a sandwich version of the salade niçoise which is a combination of tuna, anchovies and/or sliced hard boiled egg mixed with raw vegetables like red bell pepper, green beans, radishes, olives and onion. You will also find there to be olive oil and possibly vinegar, salt and pepper. Here we'll be using a few of these traditional ingredients but veganizing this classic using white beans as our protein. And I can guarantee you this is just as delicious if not better than the traditional version! Not only does the salad make for a great sandwich filler but it would be just as good on a bed of leafy greens as well. This recipe may give you leftovers, and that's a good thing because it only gets better in the next day. One day make a sandwich for work, home or a picnic and the next top it on some leafy greens or just eat as is. It's pretty amazing on its own!

I love the saltiness from the olives here, you can add a tablespoon of capers if you like. The fresh bell pepper and blanched green beans add a nice crunch and sweetness while the onion and artichokes add another layer of flavor. Tie the vegetables together with the white beans, dressing made of olive oil, lemon and mustard, add a good sprinkling of mineral salt & plenty of cracked pepper and this salad will be another favorite to come back to time and time again!

Wrap your sandwich tightly in saran wrap, fold ends under and press with a few heavy books or pots. This is an important part or your sandwich will be very messy and fall all over. Trust me, I know this from first hand experience. Plus, this helps the bread soak up the moisture of the salad dressing making for 'bathing the bread'. So be sure to press your sandwich, even if just for an hour, it will make all the difference...although overnight is even better. This makes a perfect grab and go sandwich for lunches and picnics, once pressed it's ready to go!

Cut bread in half lengthwise. Remove some of the insides of each half making a trough for the filling (this will help keep the filling inside the sandwich when eating). Brush both halves with extra virgin olive oil.

In a small bowl, mix the dressing ingredients together until dijon has emulsified. Set aside to let the flavors develop.
In a medium/large mixing bowl, add beans and roughly mash leaving about 2/3 whole beans. Add in dressing to the beans and mix well. Add in the bell pepper, green beans, artichokes, red onion, olives, parsley, optional pepperoncini and salt & pepper. Mix to combine.

Layer your bottom half of bread with a good serving of the mixed salad. Add tomatoes across the top, then top with basil leaves and salt & pepper. Top with other slice of bread. (You can also vice versa this layer order starting with the basil and tomato on the bottom and salad on top.)

Wrap sandwich tightly in saran wrap and press with a few heavy books/pots for at least an hour to overnight. If overnight, be sure to press in the refrigerator.

When ready to serve, slice in half or make as many slices as you like. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Store any leftover salad mixture covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. 

Notes:

The cannellini beans have more protein and fiber than chickpeas so if that is a priority use them. Otherwise use your preferred white bean.

Try adding a splash of red or white wine vinegar to the dressing if you like.

As with all my recipes, add/subtract ingredients to your liking. Try adding a tablespoon or so of capers. I've had someone sub in asparagus for the green beans. Add sliced radishes along the top.

I edited this recipe on 11/10/13 at 12:15pm so it wouldn't make so much leftovers. The old recipe called for 2 cans white beans, 1 red bell pepper, 1/2 cup French green beans, 1 cup kalamata olives and 4 tablespoons olive oil. The old recipe was delicious, it just made a bit too much but of course feel free to use the old version instead so you'll have plenty of leftovers!