grown-up food: aka savoury chickpea flatbread with kale basil pesto

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Gabby @ the veggie nook

Eating this scrumptious treat made me feel really fancy.

Fancy like I was at a cocktail party where people dress up in slinky dresses and suits, drink expensive liquors and wines in all the appropriate glasses and mill around discussing the latest political scandal or economic situation. Where there is undoubtedly trays of delicate bite-sized morsels being circulated among the crowd by waiters dressed in silly catering outfits. I imagine these would be happily at home on one of those trays.

And as I was eating these, feeling all fancy and grown-up like and in a gloriously good mood because of it, I had a startling realization- I AM a grown-up.

Should I be eating things like this on a regular basis? Why am I not attending more cocktail parties? When was the last time I wore a dress?

When exactly did I forget I was all grown-up?

Oh life crises.

All in a days work over here.

Oh well, at least I have these delicious bites to savour and just maybe help me forget I’m supposed to be an adult just a little while longer ;)

While these remind me of appetizers found at cocktail parties, I assure you, these are much healthier than the traditional fare! The “bread” is made with almonds and chickpea flour, loading them with fiber, protein and healthy fats and the pesto packs a superfood punch with kale, lemon, garlic, walnuts and hemp oil. But don’t worry, taste was not sacrificed! The flatbread is deliciously spiced with garlic and herbs and the pesto is extremely flavourful thanks to basil, lemon and garlic. These are delicious served warm or cold and make a great snack or accompaniment to a meal. This recipe makes more pesto than you need so use leftovers as a dip, spread or sauce for your favourite grain or protein!

Savoury Chickpea Flatbreads with Kale Basil Pesto (Vegan, Gluten-free, Sugar-free)

Ingredients (9 squares)

Flatbread

1 cup chickpea flour
1/4 cup almond meal
1 cup water
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp sea salt

Pesto

1 1/2 cup kale, torn into shreds
1 cup fresh basil
1/4 cup walnuts
2-3 cloves garlic
2 tbsp hemp oil (or more olive oil)
2 tbsp olive oil
juice of 1/2 a lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Flatbread

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Grease a 9×9 square baking pan and pour in the batter. Bake at 400F for 23 min. Allow to cool in the pan.

Pesto

Add all ingredients to a food processor and process until smooth.

Assemble

Cut the flatbread into 9 squares and top with 1 1/2 tsp of the pesto. Serve warm or cold!

Save leftover pesto for a dip, spread or to top your favourite grain or protein!

I'm sharing this on Allergy-Free Wednesday and Nourishing Recipes @ Lifeologia!

I have been on such a pesto kick lately! Anything you are all obsessed with at the moment?

What’s your favourite pesto combination? How do you serve it?

Have a lovely Tuesday!

One Year Ago: Hemp Seed Fudge Bites

raw coconut avocado fries with sweet chilli sauce

Posted on September 13, 2012 by Gabby @ the veggie nook

Hello friends!

Wow this week is flying by, I can hardly believe it’s Thursday! This past week has been so full of new things, I feel like I’m stumbling through it, barely aware of what I’m doing!

School has started and I have to say I love it so far! My classes are so interesting and totally right up my alley. And while they’re awesome, they move so fast and cover so much, my head is reeling and I have no idea where I’m going to find the time to study and learn it all! I already have two tests next week, gah! Needless to say between school, work, catching up with old friends and exploring the city, I haven’t been cooking very much, at least nothing interesting. Luckily I have a couple recipes on reserve to share with you all.

This recipe is one I’ve been trying to get right for a while and I’m so pleased I finally got it just right. Not that I minded endless trials of it. Because let’s face it, anything with avocado in it is sure to be good.

Today I’m going to share with you my raw coconut avocado fries with sweet chilli dipping sauce!

If you’ve never had avocado fries before, you’re in for a treat. They get all crispy on the outside and stay rich and creamy on the inside. These are coated with a coconut-flax “breading” that brings a bit of tropical sweetness to them and dipping them in the sweet chilli sauce adds some heat. These fries with their sweet and heat really pack a flavour punch!

The sauce on it’s own is amazing too. I found myself putting this sauce on everything! Raw zucchini noodles, pasta, rice, raw veggies, steamed veggies, in wraps, you name it! It’s a great alternative to your store bought chilli sauce being unprocessed and completely sugar-free not to mention it’s raw, meaning all those precious food enzymes are preserved.

this sauce is amazing with sweet potato wedges!

I used a coconut-flax breading on these, which is a great way to get lots of healthy fats in your diet. Omega-3s from the flax, medium-chain triglycerides form the coconut and mono-unsaturated fats from the avocado! Lots of anti-inflammatory bases covered here!

If you don’t have a dehydrator you can definitely try these in your oven on it’s lowest setting, but I wouldn’t recommend using the breading if you are going to bake them at a higher heat. The omega-3s in the flax are very susceptible to high heat, so if you bake them you increase the risk of free radicals forming. Free radicals are nasty little things that act on cancer cells and not in the way we want! So lets all be safe and keep these raw yes?

These would be great as an appetizer or side dish, or you could go really crazy and make them your main meal, I won’t tell anyone ;)

Raw Coconut Avocado Fries with Sweet Chilli Sauce (Vegan, Gluten-free, Sugar-free, Raw)

Ingredients (Serves 4)

Avocado Fries

3 small avocados or 2 medium
1/4 cup coconut flour
almond milk
1/3 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
1/3 cup ground flax seed

Raw Sweet Chilli Sauce (adapted from this recipe)

1/2 cup chopped red pepper
2 tbsp chopped sundried tomato
1/4 cup minced onion
1 clove garlic
1 tsp grated ginger
1/2 a red chilli pepper, with seeds
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
15-20 drops stevia (or to taste)

Instructions

Avocado Fries

First slice each avocado into wedges. I got about 4 wedges per each half of a small avocado.

Set up you dipping stations! You want to mix the flax seed and coconut flakes and pour onto a plate, a bowl of almond milk (I didn't measure this but a small one is fine) and a small plate with the coconut flour on top.

Now comes the messy part! It's really helpful here to have a "wet" hand and a "dry hand. First coat each wedge in the coconut flour, the dip into the almond milk, then coat in the flax and coconut mixture until the surface is completely covered. Place on a teflex-lined dehydrator tray and repeat for all remaining wedges.

Dehydrate at 105 F for 5-6 hours, until the outsides are crispy. Serve warm, straight from the dehydrator with the sweet chilli sauce.

Raw Sweet Chilli Sauce

Blend all ingredients together. Keeps well refrigerated for about a week.

Serve with the avocado fries and enjoy!

…

Hope you all enjoy this recipe! I’ll see you all tomorrow for Healthy Vegan Friday!

I'm sharing this recipe on Slightly-Indulgent Tuesdays, Allergy-Free Wednesday, Real Food Wednesday, Keepin' it Real Thursday, Raw Foods Thursdays, Foodie Friends Friday, Gluten-Free Friday and Wellness Weekend!

creamy chickpea tomato sauce

Posted on August 16, 2012 by Gabby @ the veggie nook

Do you every feel like you’re fumbling around in the darkness that is life- not really sure where you’re going or what you’re doing, but just hoping that your decisions lead you somewhere positive, new and to a place of happiness?

Since I graduated from Queen’s just over 2 years ago, my life has felt much like this. Every decision I make is laced with uncertainty. One question and decision simply leads to another. Should I travel? Should I move across the ocean? Should I start a blog? Should I go back to school? In reality, all of these questions can be reduced down to a much more simple, or more complicated question, depending on how you look at it:

Should I test myself?

With the prospect of moving to a new city to pursue my passion looming before me, I am facing another personal test. To rise above the anxiety, fears and personal pressure and fully embrace this change.

All of my “personal tests” up until this point have had results that were so amazing, I can hardly imagine who I would be without them. By travelling I was exposed to new cultures and traditions and got to experience just what “living in the moment” meant.. When I moved to Ireland I gained a sense of independence and assurance in myself, confidence in my abilities to be self-reliant and well as self-respect. Starting this blog has allowed me to connect with so many fantastic bloggers and readers, that I no longer feel alone in my crazy little food world.

While all of these have been stunning successes, I can’t help but be wary of this move, of going back to school and revamping my life again. With every new decision and experience comes uncertainty and risk. I only hope I can find it in me dive in without reservations, so I can meet what’s coming to learn and grow.

Chickpea Cashew Tomato Sauce (Vegan, Gluten-free, Sugar-free)

Ingredients (Serves 3-4 generously)

3/4 cup red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cup chickpeas
1 28 oz. can tomatoes
3 handfuls baby spinach, torn
1/3 cup raw cashews, ground
2 tbsp fresh basil, 2 tbsp fresh oregano
pinch sea salt

Instructions

In a large saucepan, saute the onion for a couple minutes in oil (I used coconut) until it is starting to become translucent. Add garlic and saute a couple minutes more. Add in the chickpeas and cook until onions are completely translucent and are beginning to brown.

Add in the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Reduce the liquid by about 1/2. Cover and turn the heat down to a low simmer and keep cooking until most of the liquid is gone. Add in the spinach and cook until wilted, then stir in the ground cashews. Stir in the fresh herbs, add salt to taste. Serve immediately on top of small chunky pasta such as fusilli or penne.

Don't forget to come back tomorrow for Healthy Vegan Friday!

P.S. Sorry about the poor quality pictures- the lighting when I took them was terrible so i decided to play with some editing features

quickie recipe: quinoa, kidney bean and walnut burgers with super easy, sugar-free ketchup

Posted on May 25, 2012 by Gabby @ the veggie nook

Hello all! Is it really Friday already? Nothing like a long weekend to make the week go in the blink of an eye. A few things for today :) First, I’m going to share the recipe for the burgers I … Continue reading →