Chickpea Pear Salad

pear chickpea saladDon’t you love the meals that can be thrown together with seasonal bits and pantry stock and also makes you feel healthier and happier. I get stumped on what to cook every single day that is easy to prepare but super nourishing. This salad is exactly like that – easy everyday salad. Good crunchy pear mixed with greens and creamy chickpeas. The dressing I used here is really basic mustard-ey, sweet and sour taste that embraces all the ingredients and lighten up a little bit.

Ingredients

1 cup of chickpeas, soaked overnight
1/2 cup beetroot, grated
1 pear, cored and thinly sliced
1 cup of baby spinach
1 cup of cos lettuce, chopped
30g crumbled feta cheese
handful of walnuts, crushed

Dressing

1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp maple syrup or honey
3 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

To make a dressing, mix all dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning. Place in the fridge until using. Rinse the soaked chickpeas and cover with cold water in a pot. Bring it up to a boil and simmer over medium heat for 15-20 minutes until cooked. In the mean time, prepare veggies and place in a large mixing bowl. When chickpeas are cooked, drain and transfer into a mixing bowl. Pour about half of the dressing over salad and toss to combine. Transfer to a serving plate, drizzle with more dressing and sprinkle crushed walnuts on top.

Healthy Banana Peanut Butter Fudge

peanut butter fudgeThere is only one thing I can think of after a stressful day at work. Sweets! fudge, bliss ball, brownie, ice cream.. You name it, my body just calls for sugar. Though you don’t want to go overboard and sit with a dinner spoon and a tub of ice cream because you will end up feeling horrible and guilty afterwards. I try to make healthy snacks and keep in the freezer all the time, which not only helps me with cravings but also makes me feel totally repleted. Fudge is on the menu today 🙂

The first fudge I’ve ever had was back in Margaret river, WA. I walked into a fudge/ sweet shop and they offered a bite size for tasting. OMG it was sickeningly sweet and my stomach couldn’t handle it. I was expecting more like Korean fudge, which is normally made of chest nuts or adzuki beans that are natural ingredients and not-so-sweet. Anyway sadly, I never had any fudge since that experience. I wanted to make a simple and healthy fudge at home. You know making raw desserts can take time from soaking nuts and all that. But this  freezer fudge is not only super quick and easy to make but also decadent and devine.

Only one thing I want to point out is that you need to use a good quality peanut butter. If you are buying at the shops, read the labels before you put it in your basket. Ingredients should be organic peanuts, no added sugar, salt or oil. Alternatively, you can make your own healthy peanut butter using a high speed blender. On another note, the star of this fudge is peanut butter. However, you can simply replace it with other nut butters if you have peanut allergy. Who needs ice cream in hot summer days when you have this beautiful frozen fudge?
peanut butter fudge1Ingredients

Base

1 tbsp flaxmeal
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup dates
1 tsp cacao powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
a pinch of salt
a bit of water

Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend until it comes together. Add a bit of water if the mixture is too dry. Pour the mixture into a prepared tin lined with a cling film or baking paper. Press firmly and evenly and place in freezer while making filling.

Filling

1/2 cup organic peanut butter
1 large ripe banana
2 tbsp coconut butter or coconut oil
1 tbsp raw honey
1 tsp maca powder (optional)
1/2 tsp vanilla powder
a pinch of sea salt

Combine all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Pour the mixture onto the base and spread evenly with a spatula. Place in the freezer at least 4-5 hours or overnight until set. Cut into little bite sizes and keep in the freezer.