Babaghanoush-Dip
Vegan
Serves 4-6
Nutrition Bits
You might have noticed my Lebanese side coming through a fewtimes, here’s another one of my favorites! Babaghanoush is an ancient recipethat has been handed down for generations in the Middle East, and I think Imight have one of the best out there! It’s super simple to make and tastes likeyou spent days perfecting. The smoked flavors of eggplant roasted on an openflame marry beautifully with the tartness of lemon, and savory hints of garlicaccentuated by sea-salt and cayenne pepper, enveloped in the rich and nuttycreaminess of tahini. I love eating it with Ezekiel bread, which you can toastin the oven to create Ezekiel chips! Let’s look at some of the benefits ofeggplants; they are low in calories, and high in V. C, K, and B vitamins. Theyare a great source of dietary fiber and contain minerals such as potassium andmanganese. Tahini is made out of ground sesame seeds which are loaded with mineralsthat support bone strength and is known as one of the best sources of calciumout there. Whenever I can I try to use fresh garlic, it is one of the mostbeautiful of onion genus with its aromatic flavors loaded with cancer fightingantioxidants and sulfur. I don’t hesitate to close my eyes and picture myselfsitting on the patio of a gorgeous restaurant overlooking the Mediterraneanwith every bite of homemade Babaghahoush àalong with the added joys of knowing it’s doing my body some amazing good!
Ingredients
- 2 large eggplants
- 4 Tbsp. of tahini
- Juice of half a lemon
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 tsp of salt
- a few dashes of cayenne pepper
Pita chips:
- Pita bread (recommend Ezekiel bread)
Garnish:
- Kalamata olives
- Tomatoes
- Parsley
- Olive oil
Directions
Roast eggplant on an open flame until chard on the outsideand soft on the inside. Set aside to cool for a few minutes, remove skin. Placein food processor, add tahini, lemon, garlic and salt, and blend until chunkyor smooth. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Pita: cut pita bread into small triangles,separate joined pieces, bake at 350 for 10-15 min until crispy. Set aside tocool. Remove babaghanoush from fridge, spread on to plate, drizzle olive oiland style as desired, dip, and enjoy!
Real-Deal Tabule
Vegan
Serves 4
Tabule has made it on to the EZPZ section! This refreshing, tasty, and antioxidant packed dish is the real deal and prepared as it would have been by an authentic Lebanese chef in a beautiful restaurant sitting on the edge of the Mediterranean. Parsley is oneof those surprising green leafy herbs that packs quite the nutrient punch. Justtwo tablespoons can provide 2 % of your daily calcium, iron, and folate needs;12 % of your vitamin A; over 150 % of your vitamin K, and 16 % of your V. C.Not bad for what you’d normally use as a plate embellishment! V. K is importantfor bone health, and V. C is great for boosting your immunity. Parsley wouldeven be recommended as part of the diet therapy for anemia since it’s high iniron. Also, parsley is rich in cancer fighting compounds, like myristicin,which is a volatile oil. Animal studies using myristicin have been shown toinhibit tumor formation, particularly tumors in the lungs. We haven’t eventalked about the antioxidant benefits, but I think you get the idea! I loveenjoying amazing tasting food with the knowledge that it is going to do my bodygood!
Ingredients
- 2 heads fresh parsley
- 3 medium tomatoes
- 1 medium onion
- blades of one green onion
- ½ C dried bulgur
- 1 C warm water
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- Juice of one medium lemon
- 1 tsp of sea salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, ¼ tsp cinnamon
Directions: Chop up parsley, tomato, onion, green onion, and toss in a large bowl. Microwave a cup of water for 1 min. Place bulgur in a bowl and pour hot water over it and let sit for 5-7 min. Burgle will absorb the water and expand. Strain excess water and add to parsley mix. Add lemon, olive oil, salt, pepper, and cinnamon, toss well. Enjoy!
Quinoa Yam-Bam Prep
Preps for 5 days - Prep time: 1 hour
Vegan
So you're a university student on a tight budget and very little time on your hands, but you're still interested in tasty food, taking care of your health, watching your calories, AND maximizing your academic performance with nutrient dense options? Then you'll be impressed with the below recipe. This has quickly (as in just today, lol) become my favorite food prep dish of all time. You can literally prep this awesome 5-day-lunch combo all for under $7-8, yep, that's what you might pay for single Starbucks salad or Sandwich. Prep time is only 1 hour and will save you time on your go-days, requires no heating or microwave, and will give you a good dose and ratio of carbs, proteins and fats. Stay tuned for more Student/Time/Pocket friendly recipes!
Quinoa
- 2 Cups Quinoa + 4 C water
- 2 cans black beans
- 1/4 C Lemon juice
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 1 small bunch parsley, chopped
- 2 Tbsp Olive oil
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp black pepper
Yams
- 2 medium yams
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- salt, cayenne pepper & black pepper to taste
Optional: Add slices of avocado
Directions: Cut up yams into 1/2 inch squares, toss with vegetable oils and seasoning, spread on to non-stick baking pan, bake in oven at 350 degrees for 20 min, broil for 5 min, set aside to cool. Rinse quinoa, boil with water, then simmer for 10-15 min with lid on. Set aside to cool. Chop up veggies, add bean, quinoa, and seasoning, mix, distribute into prep containers. Happy Week!
Hummus Done Right
Vegan . Serves 6-8
Let's get hummus right, every time!
Hummus
- 2 Cans BPA-FreeChickpeas
- 1/3rd CTahini
- ¼ C water
- Juice of 1 wholelemon
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp salt
Top with
- Chopped parsley
- ½ tsp cayennepepper
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
Quick Tip:
Spread into Ezekiel pita bread with
- Baby arugula
- Cherry tomatoes
- Kalamata olives
Directions
Vitamix contents of hummus thoroughly, if too thick continue to add a little wateruntil desired consistency is reached. Spread into pita bread and add cherrytomatoes, Kalamata olives, and arugula, or use as a dip with pita chips ortortilla chips. Top with olive oil and cayenne pepper. Enjoy!
Fruity Chia Seed Pudding
Vegan . Fills 1 large mason jar
On my rush days sometimes simple, quick, and nourishing is what I'll need to get my morning started.
Chia seed pudding, nuts and fresh fruit is my go to on rush days (which is usually most days lol)
Recipe:
- 1 C soy or almond milk
- 1 handful walnuts
- 3 Tbsp chia seed pudding
- 1 tsp of honey
- 1 tsp of shredded coconut
- 1 tsp blossom water
+ fresh fruit of your choice!
Mix milk, chia seed, crushed nuts, honey, and coconut thoroughly until thickened, place in fridge over night, layer with fresh fruit, nuts and coconut!