Recipes

Quick and easy dinners are my jam. Quick and easy dinners that are healthy & super tasty? Even bigger jam. This one is a family favourite where extra veggies can easily be added. Double up the recipe for a family size! Whip this puppy up in 20 minutes and be extremely satisfied with this flavour bomb!   Crispy Roasted Gnocchi with Garlic Mushrooms Author: www.biancazapatka.com Serves: 2 Ingredients: 300g of Gnocci 1 red onion 1 clove of garlic 250g of mushrooms 2 tbsp olive oil salt & pepper Topping: Pine nuts Pesto  Fresh basil Nutritional yeast Feta cheese Instructions: Prepare homemade gnocchi or store bought gnocchi Peel onion and cut into strips Peel garlic and chop Clean mushrooms and slice Heat up oil in the pan and roast the gnocchi for 5 minutes on each side Add garlic, onions & mushrooms and roast for another 5-10 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Season with salt and pepper Toast pine nuts in another pan without any oil Serve the gnocchi with your toppings of choice and enjoy!

This Caesar salad is so tasty, filling and just perfect for entertaining. Easy enough to whip up in a hurry and it keeps for 3-4 days in the fridge. Perfect for leftovers for lunch!    Chickpea Caesar Salad Author: Minimalist Baker   Ingredients: SALAD 1 batch Tandoori Spiced Chickpeas 2 large bundles curly kale, chopped or torn  1 Tbsp olive oil 1 Tbsp lemon juice 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (optional) 2 Tbsp hemp seeds (optional) DRESSING 1 cup raw cashews (option to soak overnight in cool water, or in hot water for 1 hour) 1 tsp dijon mustard 1/2 tsp each sea salt and black pepper, plus more to taste 8-12 medium cloves fresh garlic, chopped 4 tsp capers in brine 2 tsp brine juice from capers 6 Tbsp lemon juice (2 large lemons yield ~6 Tbsp or 90 ml) 3-4 Tbsp olive oil 1/2 cup hot water (plus more to thin) 1 tsp chickpea (or soy) miso paste 1 tsp pure maple syrup (or sub Stevia to taste)   Instructions If serving with crispy chickpeas, prepare at this time (see link above). To prepare dressing, add raw cashews, dijon mustard, salt, pepper, garlic, capers, brine juice (from capers), lemon juice, olive oil, hot water, miso paste, and maple syrup to a small or high-speed blender. Blend until creamy and smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Add enough water to thin until pourable. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more lemon or mustard for zing, salt or capers for saltiness, olive oil for creaminess, maple syrup to sweeten, or miso for more depth of flavor. Set aside. Add kale to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp (15 ml) each olive oil and lemon juice as recipe is written. Massage by hand to remove some of the bitterness and soften the texture (see photo). Add desired amount of dressing, plus vegan parmesan cheese and hemp seeds (both optional). Toss to coat and top with crispy chickpeas. Serve immediately. There may be leftover dressing, which will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 7-10 days. Not freezer friendly.

These cold mornings make it hard to get out of bed. It’s cold, it’s dark and we’re so warm and toasty under our doonas. So how about a warm Nutella porridge to entice you out of bed? How about a decadent porridge that’s sugar free and full of antioxidants, fiber and protein? Surely that’ll do the trick.  Read on, friends.    Warm Nutella Porridge Author: www.FitFoodieNutter.com Ingredients: 1/2 cup (gluten free) oats 1 cup hazelnut or any other plant milk 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 2 tbsp raw cacao powder 2 tbsp maple syrup (use more if needed) A handful of roasted hazelnuts (chopped in half) 1 tsp almond or hazelnut butter 1/2 banana for garnish Optional: 2 tbsp puffed amaranth Instructions: 1. In a small pan bring the milk to a boil. Once boiling, add the oats and puffed amaranth (if using) and turn the heat down to gentle simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 2. Add cinnamon and cacao powder and cook for another 5 minutes or so until most of the liquid is absorbed (if the porridge is too thick at this stage, add a little water to get to the desired consistency). 3. Take the porridge off the heat. Add maple syrup and almond/hazelnut butter and mix well. Transfer into a serving bowl, sprinkle with roasted hazelnuts and garnish with banana.

You guys, this Mac and cheese is seriously divine. It’s creamy, warm and tasty and it ticks all the boxes for a quick and easy dinner. It has veggies, protein, belly-filling pasta and it pleases all the fussy eaters in your house too! What a winner.   Creamy Vegan Mac & Cheese Author: Veganyumminess.com   Ingredients: 2 2/3 cups of dried macaroni 1 cup of diced potato  1/4 cup of peeled and diced carrot 1/3 cup of chopped onion  3/4 cup of water  1/2 cup of raw cashews  1/4 cup of coconut milk  2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast flakes  1 tablespoon of lemon juice  1 teaspoon of salt  1/4 teaspoon garlic powder A pinch of paprika    Instructions: Cook macaroni al dente, according to package instructions (usually requires boiling for 6-8 minutes in salted water), drain, and set aside. Bring several cups of water to boil in a small pot. Place chopped potatoes, carrots, and onion in the boiling water, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and soft enough to blend. Cooking time will vary slightly, based on how small you have chopped your veggies. When veggies are soft enough to blend, use a slotted spoon to remove them from cooking water, and place them in your blender. Add 3/4 cup of that cooking water to your blender, along with your remaining ingredients (including cashews). Blend until smooth. Pour sauce over your cooked macaroni noodles in a dish of your choice, taste for salt, and serve immediately. Or, place macaroni mixture in a baking dish, sprinkle with bread crumbs, and bake at 175 degrees for 15 minutes, or until crumbs are turning golden brown

There’s nothing quite like sitting around the campfire on chilly winter nights. Whether it be camping or in your own backyard.  We grew up on marshmallows toasted on the fire, but these days we love a healthier alternative. So save yourself some processed sugar intake, try one of these campfire muesli & banana boats. They’re warm, soft & gooey with that crunch on top. No one will even notice the marshmallows are missing!    Campfire Muesli & Banana Boats Author: Meraki Mother    Ingredients: Bananas Muesli (2 tablespoons for each banana) Maple syrup (1-2 tablespoons for each banana)  Cacao powder (1 teaspoon for each banana) Dark chocolate chips if you want a melty chocolate hit  Aluminium foil Aluminium tray   Directions: To prepare the bananas, first slice the length of each banana curve with a knife. You should be basically cutting off the skin and not so much the fruit inside. Scoop a little bit of the banana with a spoon. We are not going to use the scooped banana for this recipe so you can eat it. Place your bananas on a aluminium disposable bbq tray with the cut laying upright resembling a boat. Fill the middle of the banana with your handmade or shop bought muesli. Sprinkle the cacao powder on top and drizzle the whole mixture with one spoon of maple syrup for each banana. Wrap the entire aluminium tray in foil to seal the dish and bring it to your campfire. Set it above the fire on a rack or on the side around and close the fire, not directly on the fire. The bananas will cook slowly for 15 minutes or until the banana is soft and cooked. Their skins will turn dark. Check your bananas frequently because depending on the how strong your fire is they might take less time to be ready. Once ready, take the aluminium tray out of the rack and serve the bananas immediately.

We're all about a bar or slice prepped in the fridge for the week. It keeps us from reaching for the not-so-healthy option when we're hungry and in a jam. Its another way to pack some nutrients into our diet, and if we make sure it has some protein on board, its great for a breakfast on the run and/or to smash that 3pm slump. This tasty little number does all of the above. Its also economical, quick & easy AND its gluten free. Read on friends, read on.    Puffed Quinoa, Date & Peanut Butter Bars Author: Choosing Chia   Ingredients: 3/4 cup pitted dates, soaked in warm water until soft, then strained. 1 cup peanut butter 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 tsp cinnamon pinch of salt 1 cup puffed quinoa 1/4 cup pepitas 1/4 cup sunflower seeds 1/4 cup chopped almonds   Instructions: Blend the dates in a food processor until they form a paste. Melt the peanut butter in a small saucepan or microwave and add it to the food processor, along with the vanilla extract, cinnamon and salt. Pulse until well combined. Add the puffed quinoa, pepitas, sunflower seeds and chopped almonds and pulse just until everything is combined. (Do not overmix!) Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper and transfer the bar mixture into the pan. Use your hands to press the mixture down evenly into the pan. Place in the fridge to set for 2 hours. Remove and cut into bars.  

Sweet potato fries are a family favorite around here. An easy way of packing in more nutrients and tasty enough to fool even the pickiest of eaters. But how do we get them perfect and crispy every.single.time?   Perfectly Crispy Sweet Potato Fries Author: The Greedy Vegan Serves: Two   Ingredients: 1 large sweet potato 500g 2 tsp arrowroot starch½ tsp black pepper½ tsp smoked paprika1 pinch of cayenne pepper2 tbsp olive oilsalt to taste   Instructions: Peel and cut the sweet potato into strips. Place them in a cold bowl of water and let them sit for 45-60minutes. Discard the water, give them a very quick rinse with cold water and pat them dry with a kitchen towel. Place them in a bowl and add 2 tsp of corn starch. Gently mix them until they are evenly covered. Place them on a baking tray that is lined with baking paper and make sure they touch each other as little as possible. Drizzle your fries with olive oil and season them with the spices. Do NOT add any salt at this stage. If you do that it will turn the fries soggy. Add the salt after they are baked, just before you eat them.Bake your fries in a preheated, fan assisted oven for a total of about 30-45 minutes at 200°C (390°F). The duration depends on how thickly you cut your fries. Once the sweet potatoes started cooking and the oil is bubbling, open the oven door just a tiny bit. Just enough to let all the steam out that gathered in the oven at this point and close it quickly again. It should suffice to just open it for a few seconds, do not overdo it or the temperature will drop too much.Turn the oven off once your fries are done and let them sit in the oven for another 5-10 minutes. Just before serving season them with salt and serve them with whatever you prefer.

Soup season has officially arrived! We at Naturally Hooked couldn't be more excited. Warm foods during winter are good for our digestion, our immune system and they make one heck of a tasty meal. They're generally cost effective and you can get a few meals out of them. Pumpkin soup is household favourite around ours. Its warm and nourishing and is even better with a fresh piece of sourdough. This recipe is one of our favs!   Thai Curry Carrot & Pumpkin Soup Author: www.seasonsandsuppers.ca   Ingredients: 1 Tbsp coconut oil 2 cups carrots peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice 1 1/2 cups pumpkin peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice  1 can of coconut milk 4 cups vegetable or chicken, or bone broth 1 Tbsp. Thai red curry paste 2 cloves garlic minced 1 Tbsp. freshly grated ginger 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. pepper 1/4 tsp. cumin 1/4 cup shredded coconut run through a food processor or 2 Tbsp desiccated coconut Coconut yogurt or dairy yogurt for garnish   Instructions: In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add diced carrots and diced pumpkin and stir to coat. Cover pot, reduce heat to medium low and allow to cook for about 10 minutes, stirring a few times to make sure they don't stick. You don't want them to brown. Reduce heat if necessary.  Remove lid. Add garlic, Thai curry, salt, pepper, cumin and ginger to the pot. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add stock, coconut milk and coconut. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 35 minutes or until carrots are tender. Puree with an immersion blender or in small batches in a blender.  Taste, and season with more salt and pepper, as necessary. Serve, garnished with a dollop of yogurt and crusty bread.

These cold winter mornings have us looking for something warm, something delicious & something nutritious to start our day the right way.  So winter calls for porridge and we don’t do basic porridge around here. This recipe by TheFeedFeed warms us up, fills our bellies with protein & nutrients while satisfying those taste buds.    Chocolate, Banana & Peanut Butter Porridge   Ingredients: 1 cup rolled oats or uncontaminated oats 2 tablespoons chia seeds 11/2 cups water 1 cup plant based milk Pinch of salt 2 tablespoons cacao powder 2 tablespoons peanut butter 2 banana, sliced Drizzle of honey Desiccated coconut, as garnish Stewed berries, as garnish   Instructions: 1. Bring oats, chia seeds, water and milk to a boil in a medium pot. Mix in a pinch of salt. 2. Turn the heat down to a simmer, and mix in 1 mashed banana. Stir through. Simmer for 5 minutes, while stirring, until creamy and thick. 3. Mix in cacao powder and 1 tablespoon of peanut butter. Mix in 1-2 tablespoons more milk if needed. Transfer the porridge into two serving bowls. 4. To each bowl, stir through some peanut butter, a drizzle of honey, sliced banana, stewed berries, and dessicated​ coconut.  * Top with our Primal Chocolate Granola for an extra hit of flavor and crunch. 

Warm up on these cool winter nights with a delicious hot cacao full of the good stuff. Make it vegan, keep it creamy and enjoy!   Velvety & Supercharged Hot Chocolate 2 servings Ingredients: 1/4 cup of raw cacao 2 teaspoons of arrowroot starch Pinch of salt 4 cups of unsweetened almond milk 1 teaspoon of vanilla coconut sugar or maple syrup to taste 1 teaspoon of MCT oil   Instructions: Whisk together the cacao powder, starch, and salt in a small bowl or measuring cup. Heat the milk & vanilla in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat until steaming. Add a couple tablespoons of the hot milk to the cacao mixture and whisk until smooth. This will help you avoid clumps of cocoa in your hot chocolate. Pour the cacao mixture into the milk pan, and bring to a boil for 5 minutes. It will thicken slightly in this time. Remove from heat, stir in MCT oil and let sit for 5-10 minutes so it lowers to a drinkable temperature. Add in coconut sugar or maple syrup to reach desired taste. Sit back & enjoy!

We all love a decadent fudgy brownie. We love a healthy fudgy brownie even more! We found this recipe recently and are big fans. It’s gluten free and vegan (depending on your chocolate chips). The assembly time is only 5 minutes and 20 minutes later you’re enjoying those fudgy, delicious brownies straight out of the oven.    Super Fudgy Chickpea Brownies Author: www.erinliveswhole.com   Ingredients: 1 – 15oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed. 1/2 cup nut butter (I like almond or peanut) 1/2 cup maple syrup 1 Tbsp melted coconut oil 1 tsp. vanilla 1/4 cup almond flour 1/4 cup cacao powder 1/4 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 cup chocolate chips and more for sprinkling on top!   Instructions: Preheat oven to 180 degrees. In a food processor, blend chickpeas, nut butter, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla. Once blended, add in almond flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Continue to process, scraping down sides as necessary until smooth. Once creamy and smooth, take off lid (I also remove blade) and stir in chocolate chips. Do not process the chips. Pour into greased 8×8 pan and sprinkle with extra chocolate if desired. ** see note for extra thickness Bake for 21-23 minutes.

Immune boosters are the name of the game this time of year. As always, we're looking for more creative ways to get the goods in our bodies to help fight the bad guys. Sometimes its hard getting it all into our little people, and sometimes us too. Especially if we've been hit with something too.  So never fear, Lemon Tumeric Jellies are here! Quick and easy to make and our friends at Well Nourished have even provided a thermomix version for all you thermies out there!   Lemon Tumeric Jellies Author: Well Nourished, www.wellnourished.com.au   Ingredients: 250 ml water (1 cup) 2 cm ginger root -peeled and roughly sliced 1 cm turmeric root -peeled and roughly sliced 1-4 tbsp raw honey *(depending upon the level of sweetness you like) 250 ml coconut water (1 cup) or kombucha or water kefir 1 large lemon -juice 1 tsp Camu powder (optional) 2-3 tbsp organic gelatin   Instructions: Place the water, ginger and turmeric root into a small pot and bring to the boil, reducing to a simmer for approx. 5 minutes. Take off the heat off, mix in the honey or rice malt syrup and stir to dissolve. Allow to cool for 5 minutes or so, remove the solids and stir in the coconut water, kombucha or water kefir, lemon and optional Camu powder. Taste to check that you are happy with the flavour (sour/sweet balance). I should be luke warm before adding your gelatin. Now sprinkle the gelatin over the liquid, allow it to sit and bloom (go wrinkly) for a few minutes. For a traditional jelly set use 2 tablespoons, for a firmer, more gummy-lolly-like consistency, add 3 tablespoons. If the gelatin doesn't completely dissolve, you can pop your pot back on the heat for only 1 minute (only heat to luke warm), stirring well. Pour into a lined slice tray or moulds, and set in the fridge.   Thermomix: Place the water, ginger and turmeric root into the bowl heat 5 mins, varoma, speed 1. Add the honey or rice malt syrup, mix 30 seconds speed 3. Remove the solids and add the coconut water, kombucha or water kefir (and optional camu camu).  Mix 10 seconds, speed 3.  Now add your gelatin, mix 1 minute, temp 37, speed 3-4 or until the gelatin is dissolved.

Italian recipes are a go-to in this household. Their warming, delicious and can be as healthy or as unhealthy as you'd like. They're even better in these cooler months! This eggplant parmesan is a real winner. Its easy to put together and a real crowd pleaser. Fussy eater approved and possible leftovers for lunch the next day!    Baked Eggplant Parmesan Author: www.gimmesomeoven.com   Ingredients: 2 medium eggplants, sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds salt 1 1/2 cups of breadcrumbs 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning 2 eggs  1 750ml jar of tomato sauce or homemade (even better)  2 cups of grated mozzarella cheese 2/3 cup of finely grated parmesan cheese 1/2 cup of loosely-packed chopped fresh basil Directions: Optional first step: If you have extra time and would like to remove some of the bitterness of the eggplant, sprinkle each round with a pinch of salt.  Then place the rounds in a colander in the sink to drain, or place them on a few paper towels for about 30 minutes.  Rinse the salt off with water, then proceed with the recipe. 1) Preheat oven to 425°F.  Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper, and set aside. 2) In a shallow bowl, whisk together Panko breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning and 1 teaspoon salt until combined.   3) In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth.  Dip an eggplant round on both sides in the whisked egg mixture, then immediately dip it in the breadcrumb mixture until the eggplant is completely coated, then set on a parchment-covered baking sheet.  Repeat with the remaining eggplant rounds until they are all evenly spaced on the baking sheets.   4) Bake for 20 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until the breadcrumbs are toasted and slightly golden.  Remove from the oven and set aside. 5) Spread 1/2 cup tomato sauce evenly over the bottom of an 11 x 8-inch baking dish.  Place half of the eggplant in a (mostly) even layer along the bottom of the baking dish.  Spread an additional 1 cup of tomato sauce evenly over the eggplant.  Then sprinkle 1 cup Mozzarella cheese evenly over the sauce, followed by 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, followed by 1/4 cup of the fresh basil.  Repeat with another layer of the remaining eggplant, then tomato sauce, then Mozzarella, then Parmesan cheese. 6) Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted and starts to turn slightly golden around the edges, and the sauce is bubbly.  Remove and sprinkle with the remaining basil.  Serve immediately. Enjoy!!

We're pretty passionate about health around here, and no more so than brain health. Its a pretty vital organ in terms of quality of life. Our mental health affects our physical health, so nurturing both has never been more important. We're always looking for more information and tips on how to feed the brain, so this article from Mind Body Green on a Brain Boosting Tonic tickled our fancy! Brain Boosting Tonic Ingredients: One whole lemon (peel cut off) One whole cucumber with peel 2 inch root of ginger 2 x 3-4 inch pieces of turmeric One pear One beetroot Blend up with or without coconut water and enjoy those benefits!  

All hail the hemp seed! We all know by now how healthy this tiny little seed is. In fact, hemp is considered a complete protein from a plant source. The health benefits are plenty so we're all trying to get more hemp in our diets. This super simple recipe is another way to consume hemp and is a taste bud pleaser!   Chocolate Hemp Seed Butter Author: www.avlfoodie.com   Ingredients: 1 1/4 cup of hemp seeds 3 tbsp cacao powder 4-5 tbsp cashew milk (you can substitute for almond) 1/2 tsp vanilla Pinch of salt 3 tbsp maple syrup or honey   Instructions: Place all ingredients into a food processor. Blend on high for 2-3 minutes until it becomes nice and buttery. Store in air tight container. Enjoy!

The crisp air at night is here and it’s glorious! A change in season is the perfect time to warm up our diet and bring out those special dishes that are loved the most in the cooler months. That brings us to one of our childhood favorites- Apple Crisp! This recipe is guilt free and can be enjoyed as dessert, a snack or even breakfast with a dollop of yogurt. With the warm spices, Apple and oat crunch, it’s sure to be a winner for all!   Guilt Free Apple Crisp  Author: www.hedonisit.com   Ingredients: For the Apples 6 apples (granny smith for a less sweeter option) chopped into cubes. 2 tablespoons of maple syrup 3 tablespoons of water 1 tablespoon of cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg For the Crisp: 1 cup of oats 1/2 cup of almond meal 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts 1 teaspoon of cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon of salt 1 teaspoon of vanilla 1/4 cup of coconut oil 1/4 cup of maple syrup   Instructions : 1. Heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. 2. Mix the apple cubes, maple syrup, water, cinnamon and nutmeg. 3. Move the mixture to a mold greased with a little coconut oil. 4. Mix the crisp ingredients together in a bowl and create crisp. 5. Create a uniform layer of the crisp on the apples. 6. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, cover the crisp with foil and continue baking for another 20 minutes. 7. Serve the dish with ice cream or yogurt. Enjoy!!

Hands up if you love a salted caramel slice! I know we've just come off a chocolate filled holiday, but this recipe up our sleeve is always handy. Its the perfect entertainer being delicious, easy and gluten free and vegan friendly. Did we also mention its delicious?    Raw Salted Caramel Slice Author: www.betterwithcake.com   Ingredients: The Base: 1/4 cup of raw almonds 1/4 cup of raw cashews 1 Tablespoon of hemp seeds – optional 1 teaspoon of vanilla 1 tsp of water 1 pinch of cinnamon  1 pinch of salt   The Filling: 1/2 cup of almond butter 2 Tablespoons of coconut butter/oil 1 Tablespoon of maple syrup 1 Tablespoon of vanilla 1/4 teaspoon of flaky sea salt – omit if using salted almond butter The Topping: 1/4 cup of dark chocolate 1 Tablespoon of coconut oil – optional Flaky sea salt   Instructions: 1 – Optional – lightly toast cashews and almonds – either on a lined baking tray at 175’C/350’F for 5-10 mins or just throw them into a dry fry-pan/skillet (make sure you toss them around occasionally so they don’t catch and burn on one side)  until lightly golden and deliciously fragrant. 2 – Place almonds and cashews into your food processor or blender and process until they break down into a fine, sandy looking crumb. 3 – Add hemp seeds, if using, along with your vanilla, water, cinnamon and salt and process again until a sticky “dough” forms. 4 – Press base mixture into a lined loaf pan then pop it into the freezer while you make your filling. Note – I have a little 13x8cm pan and it was the perfect size) – or, if you don’t want to have to bother with cutting your slice you could just spoon it into little chocolate moulds or even line a mini muffin tin with paper cupcake cakes – either will work just fine. 5 – Place all filling ingredients into your food processor /blender and process until deliciously creamy and well combined. 6 – Spoon/pour/spread salted caramel filling onto your base and pop it back into the freezer to set while you make you dark and delicious chocolate topping. 7 – Melt chocolate and coconut butter/oil by your preferred method – I like to do mine over the stove, double broiler style. 8 – Once your chocolate topping is melted, pour over salted caramel/base, sprinkle with sea salt and return the the freezer for 20-30 minutes to set.   Enjoy!!

Happy Easter Monday, friends! We hope you had a fantastic weekend with friends and family and indulged (guilt free) to your hearts content. Holidays are meant for enjoying yourself, not beating yourself up over a few (or a few dozen) chocolate eggs.  So this meatless Monday is dedicated to nourishing that body in one of the easiest, most delicious ways possible- a buddha bowl! We're big fans in this household. The little people like to build their own bowls from the ingredients and if you double the recipe, you'll get some pretty tasty lunches out of the deal too.  Enjoy! xx   Buddha Bowl with Tahini Dressing Author: www.spinach4breakfast.com   Ingredients: 1 package of kale, rinsed and stems removed 3 sweet potato, peeled and chopped extra virgin olive oil 2 cans of chickpeas, rinsed and drained 1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained 1/2 cup of tahini (stirred well before measuring) 2/3 cup of water 1 tablespoon of olive oil 4 scallions, chopped 1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice (or more to taste) 2 cloves of garlic, minced a few dashes of sea salt and pepper   Directions: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Add the chopped sweet potato to a baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and toss until evenly coated. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper and bake for 30-35 minutes until tender. toss once or twice throughout baking. Pour the chickpeas onto a paper towel, and use a second paper towel to dry them very well. Place the dried chickpeas onto a separate baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons of olive oil, and season with sea salt and pepper. toss with your hands to combine. Bake for 35-40 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes. (*you can bake these at the same time as the sweet potato). In a sauté pan, add a small amount of olive oil over medium heat. Add kale, with a sprinkle of sea salt and pepper. Toss until wilted. Add the tahini, water, olive oil, scallions, lemon juice, garlic, sea salt and pepper to a blender and blend until smooth. Add additional lemon juice, sea salt or pepper to taste. Arrange bowl with sweet potato, kale, black beans and roasted chickpeas. Drizzle with tahini dressing. Serve and enjoy!