My Go-to Chickpea Salad

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I try to eat a little lighter at lunch and this is definitely my go-to salad. I actually eat this salad a few times a week.

My favourite foods are the ones that are easy to make, which is why I love this recipe. This salad literally takes no more than 5 minutes to make.

It is full of flavour, thanks to the whole grain mustard. 

You may read the list of ingredients and say “mustard??” Don't get me wrong, this is not the yellow mustard you put on your hot dog or hamburger. This mustard is the actual mustard seeds pickled in vinegar to give it a tangy taste - and taste amazing!! There is no need for a dressing or vinaigrette - the whole grain mustard is the dressing.

The whole grain mustard goes so well with chickpeas and tomatoes - trust me!

This salad is perfect on its own or as a side to your favourite meal. The protein packed chickpeas will keep you feeling full for a while - which means less mid-afternoon snacking on candy or chips!

I also love to  make this salad when the girls come over. It's fresh and so healthy! Trust me, once you try this, it will be heavy on your rotation.

My Go-To Chickpea Salad
 

Makes: 4 servings

Preptime: 5 minutes

Cook time:0 minutes

 

Ingredients:

1 can of chickpeas, rinsed well

2 vine tomatoes, diced

1/2 cucumber, diced

2 tbsp whole grain mustard

1 tsp italian seasoning

black pepper to taste

  

 

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, toss chickpeas and cucumber together
2. Add tomatoes, mustard, italian seasoning and blackpepper and toss again.
  

Vegan Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Over the past few weeks, I have been eating way too much junk food. And while I still crave sugar, I've tried to curb the cravings by finding low sugar, healthy options. 

I've been trying to get back to basics in a lot of my recipes when I came up with this recipe for banana oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. I am  in love with this recipe as it is completely vegan (not that I am vegan, but all things in moderation, right?).  It's also gluten free and has no additional sugar besides the chocolate chips.  And you don't even notice - especially if you are using very ripe bananas (the more black spots, the sweeter they are!).

These cookies are great as breakfast cookies. While they don't contain nuts as you find in traditional breakfast cookies, these ones are quite filling. Plus, you can definitely add nuts to the recipe if you prefer - go ahead, make it your own!

Because of the bananas, these cookies are quite soft and chewy. (Just the way I like them!)

      Easy Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies    

 

Makes: 16 servings

Preptime: 10 minutes

Cook time:20 minutes

 

Ingredients:

2 very ripe bananas

2/3 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup chocolate chips

1/4 cup peanut butter chips

dash of cinnamon

dash of nutmeg

  

 

Instructions:

1. pre-heat oven to 350
2. In a bowl, mash the 2 bananas until smooth
3. add rolled oats and mix well
4. add cinnamon, nutmeg, chocolate and peanut butter chip. mix well
5. place a small ball of mixture on a greased cookie sheet or cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Flatter mixture a bit.
6. Bake cookies for 20 minutes or until golden

Chicken with Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

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Chicken teriyaki is definitely one of my go-to take out foods! After all, it is probably one of the most healthiest choices you can get at your local food court.

Of course, I tried making this at home with some of the bottled teriyaki sauces in my local grocery store, but it never seems to taste like the restaurant version.

And then I learned to make it at home.

Let me tell you, it is so much better than what we are used to from our average takeout restaurants. It's lighted, has so much more flavour and you can put as little, or in my case, as much as you want.

The mirin in this recipe is what makes all the difference! Mirin is a sweet Japanese rice wine (with less alcohol). I have played with different proportions of mirin and soy sauce and found that equal amounts of both work best. If you prefer a sweeter teriyaki sauce, add as much brown sugar as you like but be careful with it on the stove as too much brown sugar may burn.

I personally like the sauce to thicken up not not too sticky as I can easily eat just the teriyaki sauce with rice any time of day!

I served my teriyaki with chicken, but you can easily change the recipe to beef, salmon, shrimp, or, of course, veggies. 

      Chicken with Homemade Teriyaki Sauce    
 

Makes: 2 servings

Preptime: 10 minutes

Cook time:20 minutes

 

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, sliced into strips

2 cups brown rice, cooked

2 cups broccoli florets

2 tablespoons oil

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup mirin

brown sugar to taste

  

 

Instructions:

1. In a skillet, saute chicken strips in the hot oil onmedium-high heat until browned and cooked through. Set aside 
2. In the same skillet, saute the broccoli florets, careful not to overcook.
3. In a separate saucepan, combine soy sauce, mirin and sugar to taste over medium-high heat, stirring often.
4. Bring to a boil and lower heat to medium. Simmer until the sauce reaches desired consistency. 
5. On a plate or bowl of rice, add the chicken, broccoli and pour over the teriyaki sauce. Serve and devour.

Harissa Spiced Chickpeas

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When I come home late from work after a hard day, I try to make something quick and satisfying. This usually translates into something simple like pasta. But I am also trying to limit my pasta intake and making leaner choices.

This one has quickly become one of my go to recipes as of late. It is so easy to make and the flavours are so different from what I typically make - which just makes me crave more!

Before trying the Knorr Harissa spice mix, I really wasn't sure what to expect. But it is a delicious blend of earthy spices, with a bit of a kick to it! I'll be honest, my pepper tolerance isn't very high, (I usually don't order anything over medium spice level!) so if you do want more of a kick to it, feel free to add chili flakes or more hot sauce!

I love this recipe even more because you can easily omit the meatballs if you are vegetarian or making this as a "meatless Monday" meal. Because of the chickpeas, the protein levels are already really high in this recipe. It's also perfect for those post-workout meals when you are looking for an extra dose of protein!

To make this healthier, I personally like to serve this recipe over brown rice for dinners, but you can easily swap the brown rice for white rice, couscous or even quinoa .

I personally love this recipe because it’s full of protein and has tons of flavour! You can also take leftovers into work as part of a bowl - just add some vegetables and you're ready to go!

      Harissa Spiced Chickpeas and Meatballs  

Makes: 4 servings

Preptime: 10 minutes

Cook time:20 minutes

 

Ingredients:

2 lbs lean ground beef

1 can chickpeas, drained and washed

2 tbsp Knorr  Harissa seasoning (divided)

2 tablespoons oil

250 ml (2 cups)  beef broth or vegetable stock

1 teaspoon tomato paste

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, finely diced

1 tsp italian seasoning

1 egg

1 tbsp worcester sauce

salt to taste

black pepper to taste

  

 

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, mix the ground beef, egg, worcester sauce, 1 tsp Knorr Harissa seasoning, onions, garlic, salt, pepper  and Italian seasoning together. Mix well and form 1 inch diameter balls
2. In a skillet with 1 tbsp of oil, and place onmedium-high heat
3. Once hot, place meatballs in the skillet, browning on all sides for 8-10 minutes. Set aside. 
4. In the same skillet add chicken or vegetable stock, tomato paste. Simmer for approximately 8 minutes or until it reduces to about half. 
5. add 1 tsp Knorr Harissa seasoning and stir well. 
6. add 1 can of drained and washed chickpeas to the sauce and let simmer for 2-3 minutes.