Roasted Sweet Potato + Quinoa Kale Slaw

I am such a sucker for a hearty salad bowl. I love salad bowls made with rice, quinoa, noodles or just greens. I find them so much more interesting, satisfying and enjoyable than a regular salad. Plus, you can add so many nutrient dense ingredients, complete proteins, complex carbohydrates and fun flavour combinations!

This particular salad came together simply because I had too many sweet potatoes in the house. I wasn’t sure the best way to prepare them so that I would actually eat them. Especially considering the fact that my family won’t eat them. I knew if I made a bunch of sweet potato fries in the air fryer I would eat them…but was that the healthiest option for me? Probably not. My goal with my meals is mainly a large variety of whole foods to increase the amount of nutrients consumed with each meal, so eating a sweet potato alone is not going to help me reach that goal. And so, this craving satisfying salad was born! I hope you love it as much as I do!

Now, the mix of quinoa and chickpeas in this salad is important for your health. Together, these grains and legumes form a complete protein. So if you were to eat this salad without chicken, it would be vegan and also check off some boxes for a balanced meal! You may choose to leave some of these ingredients out, of course, as you’ll notice the carb content is quite high. But let me reassure you that the synergy between grains and legumes is an important one especially if you are not eating meat.

But, of course, the choice is yours! That’s what I love about salad bowls - choose your grain, your greens, your nuts/seeds, your dressing, your legumes and any additional protein and you have a recipe matrix that never fails! The variety and versatility and health benefits of this type of a meal make it a must-have in my diet. Enjoy!

Crispy Chickpeas

These Crispy Chickpeas are a favourite at my house!

Every time I make a batch, I’ll find little hands trying to steal them before I even get to put them in the fridge. With four young boys in the house, I’m so grateful for healthy, protein filled snacks that they truly enjoy.

For myself, I love these crispy chickpeas as a “crouton” for many salads. Some of which include a Kale Caesar, a Roasted Sweet Potato Kale Slaw or a crunchy treat in an Asian Chicken Salad. (Recipes to come!)

And, bonus, while I’m whipping up my salad for lunch, I will often snack on a few extra chickpeas. They are especially delicious when they are fresh out of the air fryer!

Enjoy!

Zucchini Fries (with gluten free/dairy free vegan option!)

Zucchini Fries.

These may not satisfy your french fry craving, but they are absolutely delicious in their own category! I eat these for lunch, or for snack or as a side dish with dinner. Honestly, I could eat the entire recipe by myself. And I have. My family doesn’t love zucchini and I’m a total fanatic. And this recipe is so easy!

This recipe is absolutely best in the air fryer. Yes, you can make it in the oven, but I find they just don’t get as crispy. One way to remedy this is to bake them on a wire rack or basket instead of a sheet pan. If you do use a sheet pan, you’ll notice that the bottom is always a little bit soggy, even if you flip them half way through. So do yourself a favour and find an air fryer basket to use in the air fryer or in the oven.

Enjoy!

Butter Chicken

Comfort food.

One of those phrases that means something entirely different to every single person who utters the phrase. And, while comfort food may not reveal exactly which food you are savouring, it certainly reveals the feelings that those foods evoke. Sometimes comfort food brings you physical nourishment and healing that makes you feel better when you are physically or mentally unwell. It’s packed with nutrients and give you that “good for you” vibe. Sometimes comfort food is for the sole purpose of nostalgia and illuminating precious memories, where healthy qualities are not high on the list of importance.

In this case, you can make some simple swaps to make this recipe both healthy and delicious if you so choose. The biggest swaps would be the cream (no need to replace it, just leave it out) and the honey (swap for your favourite sweetener of choice).

Either way, I hope this recipe leaves you feeling well fed and full of love!