plant based
Episode #2: Why you don’t need to obsess about protein (or carbs)
Coming soon!
How to make spicy sriracha hummus
This week’s recipe and video features a yummy Spicy Sriracha Hummus.
I made this delicious recipe, step-by-step, as part of my healthy eating segment on the More Good Day Oregon show. For the video, just click below!
Spicy Sriracha Hummus — Watch the video
Why Make Your Own Hummus?
You may be wondering why anyone would make their own hummus. After all, it’s easily found in most supermarkets — and you’ll even find it in snack packs on airplanes.
But here’s one of my pet peeves: when you get hooked on a certain store-bought product — like sriracha hummus — and then you take a closer look at the label.
That’s when you find out the store-bought variety can be full of unhealthy, refined fats. Or it’s too high in sodium — which isn’t good, especially if you have high blood pressure.
So that’s when you figure out you can make your own damn hummus! With ingredients that are probably in your pantry right now.
And WOW! Who knew homemade would taste that much better?
How to Make a Healthier Hummus
First, we need to talk about beans. So. Healthy. For. You.
As. Dr. Oz says in his article, After-40 Nutrition: The Surprising Health Benefits of Beans, “Beans are a super healthy, super versatile and super affordable food. Beans are high in antioxidants, fiber, protein, B vitamins, iron, magnesium, potassium, copper and zinc. Eating beans regularly may decrease the risk of diabetes, heart disease, colorectal cancer, and helps with weight management. Beans are hearty, helping you feel full so you will tend to eat less.”
As healthy as beans are, however, some people worry about gas. If you avoid these health-promoting gems because of fear-of-flatulence, you might want to check out Dr. Michael Greger’s post on this topic. You can also check try the tips in Pass On The Gas: 7 Ways to Avoid Bean Flatulence on Huffington Post.
This healthy hummus recipe includes the classic garbanzo beans, and I’ve also added some hemp seeds for extra plant-based protein. For a dose of healthy fats, we’re using the traditional tahini. Tahini is made from ground sesame seeds, which are a good source of calcium.
I’ve also added oregano for classic middle eastern flavor — and also because oregano is a powerful antibacterial and antiviral. Add some chopped herbs, smoked paprika and toasted pine nuts for garnish, and you have a pretty and tasty potluck treat.
This savory Spicy Sriracha Hummus would be perfect for your next party — or for lunch or snack time at home. It’s great on rice crackers, or spread inside a wrap (or lettuce wrap) or veggie sandwich.
For this recipe, you’ll need a food processor or blender. I prefer using a food processor for this one because I like to leave my hummus a tad chunky. Plus, sometimes using a blender means that you need to do a little extra work to scoop out the hummus out from under the blades.
Either way, though, this recipe comes together very quickly. Fast and easy — and healthy — my favorite kind of recipe!
Spicy Sriracha Hummus — Get the Recipe
Ready to get started? Great! Just click here for the recipe.
Family-friendly meals: how to build a better bowl
Why We All Need to Master the Simple Meal
Today we’re exploring a principle I find so important when trying to eat healthy: master the simple meal.
When it comes to getting healthy meals onto the table, simplicity rules. As in, the simpler the better.
Because if dinner becomes complicated, you won’t cook.
And if you don’t cook, then there’s a good chance you’ll end up with unhealthy take-out, pizza, or cereal for dinner. And that kind of food isn’t going to give you the energy, positive mood, and feel-good-in-your-clothes vibe we’re all looking for.
So let’s talk about one of my favorite — and simplest — meals. Bowls! Bonus points: bowls are super family friendly.
Step-by-step process for getting healthy meals onto the table
Here’s something that might surprise you: I don’t believe in cooking a from-scratch meal every night. Not that it’s bad, of course, but I find it’s simply unrealistic for most people to pull that off every night.
That’s why I’m a big fan of batch prep and cooking. This means setting aside time on one day to do the prep that will yield leftovers, as well as easy meals, for the next few days.
Here’s what my batching system looks like: I recommend shopping on Saturday, and then setting aside an hour or so for meal prep on Sunday.
During your meal prep session, you rinse and chop your veggies, so you can store them in the fridge for quick weeknight stir-fries and salads. This is also a great time to make a salad dressing or sauce for the week. I also recommend making a batch of brown rice or whole grains for the week ahead.
If you have some extra time, even better — make a soup or chili that you can enjoy for dinner on Sunday night, and then as leftovers for another dinner or lunches throughout the week.
Now that you have a fridge full of prepped ingredients, simple meals come together very quickly during the week.
One of my favorite meals for busy weeknights is what I call the One Bowl Wonder.
How to make bowl-style meals yummy for the whole family
Bowl-style meals are great because you can prepare a simple sauté, and then each family member can customize their meal to taste with an assortment of condiments.
To make it a more substantial meal, make a batch of brown rice or quinoa on the weekend, and reheat it for quick bowls during the week.
The trick to a yummy bowl is to add lots of fun garnishes: scallions or chopped onion, nuts or seeds, avocado, and fresh herbs. Plus, a killer sauce is key. I also like to add flavor and nutrients with my plant-based “parmesan” made from seeds and nutritional yeast.
For my segment on More Good Day Oregon this week, I prepared the One Bowl Wonder and drizzled it with Vegan Ranch Dressing, made with tahini and fresh herbs.
Tahini is great in salad dressing, veggie dip, sauces for rice bowls, and to give soup a creamy, rich texture. You can even add it to a smoothie for a dose of healthy fats! Made from ground sesame seeds, tahini is a good source of minerals such as manganese and copper (anti-inflammatory effects); magnesium (can lower high blood pressure and support healthy sleep); calcium and zinc (bone health); and important phytosterols that can reduce cholesterol.
Download your free “Build a Better Bowl” Action Plan + Recipes
Here’s the deal — I want to make this super easy for you.
That’s why I created the “Build a Better Bowl” Action Plan. Inside this special PDF, you’ll find:
- Special cheat sheet so you can mix-and-match ideas for bowls
- Recipe 1: One Bowl Wonder with Beans and Greens
- Recipe 2: Vegan Ranch Dressing with Fresh Herbs
- Recipe 3: Garlic Tahini Dressing
- Recipe 4: Plant-based Parmesan Sprinkle
- Shopping list
All of these resources are available — for free — in one super convenient PDF.