Broccoli with Millet and Chickpeas

As of recent, my life has been a bit crazy with work, so I haven’t felt a whole lot like cooking. There has been a lot of pre-made salads and random left-over meals instead of thought-out dinners. A nice cooked dinner with time and effort is a pleasure of mine, though it is not happening at the moment. Well, I’m hoping it gets better as a new routine settles in eventually. I basically make a big batch of different salads on the weekend and have it straight out of fridge during the week. Legumes, grains and rice are great in cold salads and last long in the fridge. This salad is nice and clean. Crunchy raw broccoli, protein-packed chickpeas, creamy and fluffy millet with a simple mustard-vinegar dressing. I used raw broccoli here, but feel free to steam or boil if you wish.
broccoli millet saladIngredients (serves 2)

1 head of broccoli
1 cup of cooked millet
1 cup of cooked chickpeas
1 bunch of parsley
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Combine cooked millet, chickpeas, chopped broccoli and parsley in a large bowl. Mix all dressing ingredients in a separate bowl or a jar with lid. Pour the dressing over salad and toss together. Serve as main or sides.

Vanilla Coconut Chia Pudding

Chia puddingAnother chia recipe. I know I use quite a lot of chia seeds in baking, but this pudding really shines these little awesome guys. All you need to do is mix all ingredients in a jar, shake shake 🙂 and refrigerate it overnight. It is gorgeous and creamy next morning, perfect for on-the-go breakfast. If you don’t like the gel texture, you can mix with oats and fresh fruits like meshed banana. I also like a variety of healthy desserts with chia pudding for example make parfaits instead of using whipped cream, simply freeze in a mold and make yummy popsicles and add into your smoothie to make it thick and creamy. Be creative and play with flavour combinations and exciting toppings. Vanilla-coconut is my favorite!

Ingredients

25g chia seeds
100g coconut milk
1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla powder
goji berries and bee pollen for topping
Chia pudding1

Savoury Roasted Nuts + Chickpea Salad

savoury nutsIf you are bored of chewing on plain raw nuts, try roasted nuts dressed in either savoury or sweet flavour. I’ve made vanilla and cinnamon roasted nuts earlier. This time it is salty and spicy savoury nuts 🙂 I used a coconut amino sauce, which is gluten-free and soy-free sauce containing 17 amino acids. If you don’t have it, don’t worry! You can replace with tamari or sodium reduced soy sauce. It is great on its own as a snack, but I also use as salad toppings (as below in chickpea salad) and a sprinkle on soup for extra flavour and crunch. Enjoy x

Savoury Roasted Nuts

100g raw almonds
100g raw pepitas
100g raw sunflower seeds
2 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp coconut amino sauce
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp Himalayan salt

Soak all nuts in water overnight. Drain and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Melt coconut oil for 30 seconds in microwave. Then combine with coconut amino sauce, cayenne pepper and salt in a large bowl. Pour the nuts into a bowl and mix well with a spatula making sure all nuts are coated with the sauce. Transfer the nuts onto a baking tray and spread evenly in a single layer. Place in the preheated (170) oven for 20-30 minutes or more until nuts are fragrant and crispy, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool completely before storing in an air-tight container. Store in the fridge or freezer.
Chickpea saladSo this is the salad I made after roasting some nuts. Chickpeas are a great base for salads and also add the buttery texture and hearty element. Sweet caramelised onion, rich blue cheese, salty roasted nuts and bitter greens are a match made in heaven. Delicious! It can be a complete dish on its own as well as a great accompaniment to any protein of your choice.

Chickpea Salad with Caramelised Balsamic Onion and Blue Cheese
(serves 2)

100g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight
1 cup of salad leaves
1 white onion
1 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp honey
50g blue cheese
2 tbsp savoury roasted nuts
1 tbsp e.v.o.o
salt and pepper to taste

Put soaked chickpeas in a pot and cover with water. Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes or until cooked. Drain and set aside. In the meantime, thinly slice onion and cook in a pan with coconut oil, balsamic vinegar and honey until caramelised. Season with salt and pepper. To assemble the salad, put cooked chickpeas, salad leaves, caramelised onion and crumbled blue cheese in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle olive oil and extra balsamic vinegar into a bowl. Gently toss to combine. Transfer to a serving plate and sprinkle savoury roasted nuts on top.