Snacks & Sides

Roasted Garlicky Chickpeas (garbanzo beans!)

February 18, 2018 By Elena Leave a Comment

The first time I prepared these I made them thinking I would eat them on their own as a crunchy salty snack. As I’m one that’s always craving a good crunch, one day I added some of these chickpeas to a simple salad and I have being hooked in eating them in this way ever since. I love adding them to salads or to Buddha Bowls as a way to add crunchiness, lots of flavor, and lots of protein in the healthiest way. They will take any salad or Buddha bowl to another level of deliciousness! Either if you choose to eat them alone as a healthy snack, or to add them to salads or buddha bowls, I hope that you try them out! Here’s the super easy recipe:

Roasted Garlicky Chickpeas (garbanzo beans!)

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

35 mins

A crunchy salty and savory snack to eat alone or as an add-on for salads and/or Buddha Bowls.

Author: Elena's Healthy Ways

Recipe type: Salty snack, salad or Buddha Bowl add-on

Cuisine: Healthy, gluten free, sugar free, dairy free.

Serves: 15.5 ounces

Ingredients

1 can (approximately 15.5 ounces) of chickpeas (garbanzo beans).
1 tablespoon of olive or avocado oil.
¼ tsp of sea salt.
½ tsp garlic.
½ tsp onion powder.
A dash of paprika.

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 400 F (204 C).
Rinse and drain chickpeas.
Towel dry them.
Put the dry chickpeas in a metal pan or cookie sheet for 15 minutes (without oil or any of the ingredients).
Take them out of the oven, add all ingredients, and toss them around making sure all chickpeas are covered evenly.
Spread the chickpeas evenly on a single layer (not on top of each other).
Bake them for 10 additional minutes or until golden and crunchy.
Keep an eye on them towards the end to make sure they don't burn.

Notes

Bear in mind that different brands of spices have a stronger or milder flavor. You can use the measurements that I provided and then, adjust to your taste for the next time you prepare it. Organic spices tend to have a stronger flavor than non organic spices so you'll need to adjust accordingly.

Foods like chickpeas and garlic make this recipe one that is full of benefits for your health. Here are some of the benefits:

Helps to get rid of constipation.
Helps to keep blood sugar levels stable.
Helps to reduce cholesterol.
Protects your body from chronic diseases caused by free radicals.
Improves bone density.
Promotes cardiovascular health.
Helps to loose weight.
Strengthens your inmune system.

I love to see your creations. Use the hashtag #TeamEHW on Instagram or tag me @ElenasHealthyWays on FB or IG so I can see your version of this or other recipes!

Healthy Wishes!

Elena

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Dairy Free Cheesy Kale Chips

November 1, 2017 By Elena Leave a Comment

Hello friends! Today I’m sharing my favorite recipe for incredulous people who tell me that green leaves can’t be yummy. My first requisite when making food recommendations to my clients is that they have to like it. I don’t care how healthy something is, if you don’t like it, you are not going to eat it. It’s not sustainable in the long term. Life is too short to be torturing ourselves with foods we don’t like. The challenge is to find creative ways to include healthy foods in a way that you enjoy them. I love it when someone thinks they don’t like a particular veggie and I prepare it or include it in their diet in a way they actually end up craving. Well this is one of those recipes. Everyone thinks they will not like it until they try it and then, they are hooked. The only negative about these kale chips is that you will want to eat kale in amounts you thought were not possible.

They are cheesy (but free of dairy), crunchy and filled with nutritious ingredients your body needs. Here’s the easy recipe:

Dairy Free Cheesy Kale Chips

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

30 mins

This is the type of snack that everyone thinks they will hate until they try it. Its highly nutritious, low in calories, and highly addictive! If you crave crunchy snacks, these will make you forget about unhealthy fried potato chips.

Author: Elena's Healthy Ways

Recipe type: Dairy free, gluten free.

Cuisine: Healthy vegan

Ingredients

250 grs (aprox. 9 oz) of kale leaves (washed, dried, and stems removed).
3 Tbsp. avocado oil.
2 Tbsp unsalted sunflower seeds.
¼ cup unsalted raw cashews.
6 Tbsp of nutritional yeast.
¼ tsp salt.
¼ tsp pepper.
1 tsp garlic powder.

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees F (148 C).
Tear Kale leaves into byte size pieces.
Put kale on baking sheet and drizzle with oil.
Massage kale leaves with your hands to spread the oil and make the leaves softer.
Add all dry ingredients (cashews, garlic, salt, pepper, and nutritional yeast) to a food processor or blender.
Pulse until the mixture looks like breading.
Sprinkle this mixture into the kale that you previously placed on the baking sheet.
Use your hands to rub the mixture into the kale. Most of the mixture should stick to the kale.You can add a little more oil if it needs it to stick better.
Bake for 15 minutes.
Take the tray out of the oven and move the kale around.
Bake it for another 10 minutes.
Every oven heats differently so you should check at the end to make sure the kale is not getting brown. It should be crispy but maintain its green color.
After it cools down, you can store it in an air tight container or ziplock bag.
Enjoy!

I will love to hear your thoughts after making this recipe.

Healthy wishes!

Elena

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Healthy Homemade Hummus

April 7, 2017 By Elena Leave a Comment

Here’s the easy recipe for the basic homemade hummus that I talked about in my Instagram account! Hummus is kind of a chickpea puree that’s very nutritious and popular in many cultures. It’s so easy and yummy, and great to have in the fridge to have as a snack or even as a plant based meal.

Healthy Homemade Hummus

Prep time

30 mins

Total time

30 mins

This easy and nutritious hummus recipe will be your next guilt free addiction!

Author: Elena's Healthy Ways

Recipe type: Snack, dip, light meal

Cuisine: Healthy, gluten free, sugar free.

Ingredients

5 cups of cooked and drained garbanzo beans.
The juice of half a lemon.
½ cup of tahini or sesame seed oil.
2 cloves of garlic.
1 tsp of cumin.
⅔ cups of water (you can use the water from the canned beans, or if you prepared the beans, the water where the beans cooked).
Salt to taste.

Instructions

Mix all ingredients together. The easiest way to blend everything together is by using a food processor. If you don’t have one, you can us a blender. I used to make hummus in a blender all the time. The only difference is that when using a food processor I dump everything at once and when using a blender, I do smaller batches at a time and blend it all together at the end with a spoon. You can also make it with a potato smasher. It will take longer to make, but it’s perfectly doable.

Next time you go to the supermarket, take a look at the ingredients list in the ready to eat hummus that they sell. I guarantee you that there will be fillers, chemicals, and cheaper lower quality oils that are full of calories but lack in nutrients. Every time I make this recipe I’m really happy to have a healthy and snack or light lunch option available for a couple of days. My kids love it with carrot and celery sticks. It’s also great over your favorite crackers. I love to have it as a plant based lunch with a salad and it is so creamy you can use it instead of the salad dressing. So delicious and guilt free! Today I had it at lunch as a wrap. I just filled a sprouted grain tortilla with the hummus and some crunchy sprouts.

Let me know when you make it! I’d love to hear form you! You can also post a picture in social media with the hashtag #EHWrecipes so we can all see your healthy creations!

Healthy wishes!

Elena

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Overnight Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

September 22, 2016 By Elena Leave a Comment

Cacao Chia Pudding

This Chia Pudding is great for breakfast, dessert or as a healthy snack. It’s free of dairy, gluten, refined sugars, eggs, and any chemicals. Just unsweetened almond milk, chia seeds, unsweetened cacao powder, honey (or maple syrup), sea salt, vanilla extract and banana. Made with natural and very nutritious ingredients that are very easy to always have on hand. These chia puddings are great to satisfy cravings for sweets or chocolate in a very guiltless way. I have never met someone (either grown ups or kids) that did not enjoy these easy to make sweet treats. I can never make enough!

Cacao Chia Pudding

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

4 hours

Total time

4 hours 20 mins

Delicious and easy to make cacao puddings that will satisfy chocolate and sweet cravings while nurturing your body. Great for breakfast, snack or dessert!

Author: ElenasHealthyWays.com

Recipe type: Breakfast, Snack, Sweet treat

Cuisine: Healthy, gluten free, dairy free, egg free, sugar free.

Serves: 2 to 4

Ingredients

1½ cups of unsweetened almond milk (you can also use unsweetened vanilla almond milk).
⅓ cup of chia seeds.
2 tbsp of unsweetened cacao powder.
4 tbsp of honey or maple syrup.
A pinch of sea salt.
6 drops of vanilla extract.
1 ripe big banana.

Instructions

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
Refrigerate overnight (or at least for 4 hours).
You can add banana and strawberry slices on top of you pudding right before eating.
You can use less honey if you don't like it too sweet.
Yields two 8 ounces servings or four 4 ounces servings.

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Cacao-Buckwheat Energy Balls

August 29, 2016 By Elena Leave a Comment

Cacao-Buckwheat Energy balls

These energy balls are perfect to satisfy anyone’s sweet cravings but with a healthy alternative that’s gluten free, dairy free, sugar free, and egg free. This recipe requires no baking. The only equipment it requires is a food processor, although you can still make it without it if you are willing to spend a little more time chopping everything really well so it all blends well together.

I love to use wax paper to wrap these energy balls as if they were candy so I can easily carry some in my handbag and to include in my kids’ and husband’s lunchboxes. You can keep them in the fridge for around two weeks and use them as a sweet treat after a meal.

The star ingredients that make these energy balls so healthy are the buckwheat and the cacao. Buckwheat is a gluten free seed that adds important amounts of dietary fiber, protein and antioxidants that will help stop cravings for unhealthy refined carbs like pastries and cookies. Aside from being delicious, cacao is considered a super food because of its high content of nutrients. It’s full of healthy antioxidants, magnesium, iron and calcium.

The sweetness in these energy balls come from Medjool dates instead of from refined sugars. Dates are one of my favorite ways to sweeten smoothies, baked goods and other sweet treats. They are loaded with fiber and amino acids that help fight constipation. They also contain plenty of minerals and vitamins and are a natural energy booster. A few of these energy balls will satisfy your cravings while giving your body healthy energy and many nutrients it needs.

Let me know if you make these.

Healthy wishes!

Elena

Cacao-Buckwheat Energy Balls

Prep time

20 mins

Total time

20 mins

This delicious bite size energy balls will satisfy sweet cravings in a healthy way that will keep your energy levels up without any guilt!

Author: Elena's Healthy Ways

Recipe type: Snack, sweet treat.

Cuisine: Healthy, sugar free, gluten free, dairy free, egg free.

Serves: 15-20

Ingredients

1 Cup Medjool* dates.
¼ cup of unsweetened cacao powder.
⅔ cups of raw buckwheat** or buckinis**.
6 drops of vanilla extract.
1 cup of dry shredded coconut or coconut flakes.
½ tsp. of cinnamon powder.

Instructions

Sprinkle the shredded coconut with the cinnamon and lightly toast it in a skillet over low heat. If you are using coconut flakes instead of shredded coconut, use the blender or the food processor to make the coconut pieces smaller.
Toast it just for a few minutes, moving it around until you can smell the aroma and until the coconut starts turning light golden.
Set aside on a plate so it cools down for later use.
Add the dates, cacao, and vanilla into a food processor and pulse until the mixture becomes fully blended. It should look like a thick paste.
Add the buckwheat and pulse only a couple of times. You want to blend the buckwheat just a little but you still want to be able to see and feel the buckwheat grains.
Use a teaspoon to scoop out some mixture and form a ball using your hands, in the same way you would make a ball if using Play-Doh. I like to make small bite size balls about 1 inch in diameter.
Roll the balls on top of the toasted coconut until they are fully covered.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge or use wax paper to wrap each ball individually as if it was a piece of candy.
Enjoy!

Notes

*Medjool dates are softer and have more moisture than other types of dates. If you are not using Medjool dates, just cut the dates in half, place them in a bowl, cover them with water, and let them soak for at least half an hour. Then, drain the water and follow the recipe.
**Make sure you use raw buckwheat or buckinis instead of toasted buckwheat. Raw buckwheat has a mild taste and it’s softer than toasted buckwheat. Toasted buckwheat (also called kasha) can sometimes taste a little bitter and it is much harder. Buckinis are also a great choice to use, as they are raw buckwheat that has been previously soaked in water (to make its nutrients more easily available to our bodies) and then dehydrated.

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Healthy Mango-Banana Ice Cream

July 7, 2016 By Elena Leave a Comment

MangoBananafinal

This Mango–Banana Nice-Cream is so easy to make and so delicious that you will more than likely want to double the recipe to keep some in your freezer. I can never make enough. It is also great for cooling down on a hot summer day with a sweet treat that has no refined sugars, gluten, or dairy.

You will need a food processor to blend everything together. Once it’s ready and served you can sprinkle it with chia seeds and shredded coconut as toppings for a good crunch and for additional fiber, protein and nutrients.

MangoBananaIngredients

Healthy Mango Banana Ice Cream

Prep time

20 mins

Total time

20 mins

A refreshing, sweet, and healthy treat easy to make for everyone to enjoy!

Author: Elena's Healthy Ways

Recipe type: Dessert, snack.

Cuisine: Healthy, gluten free, dairy free, sugar free.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

3 cups frozen mango.
1 cup frozen banana (about 1 banana).
A pinch of sea salt.
Optional: Chia seeds and coconut flakes as toppings for extra fiber and protein.
Equipment needed: High power blender or food processor.

Instructions

Leave the frozen fruit outside of the freezer so it softens a little.
Take a big knife and cut the frozen fruit into smaller pieces to make it easier on the blender or food processor.
Blend all ingredients until smooth.
You can use a spatula to move the fruit around so they all blend together evenly.
Serve and sprinkle with chia seeds and coconut flakes for additional nutrients and texture.

Notes

If you are like me and want to make a bigger batch and store it in the freezer, just add a teaspoon of vodka when you are blending it so your ice cream stays creamy (instead of icy).
You don't need to add this if you are eating it right away.

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Amazing Kale Chips

June 12, 2016 By Elena Leave a Comment

Snacking is usually a synonym for junk food. At least that’s how it was for me for a long time. Conventional snacks usually have too much salt, too much sugar, and are filled with unhealthy oils and flours. If you buy highly processed snacks, they are usually high in preservatives, artificial flavors and coloring, and other chemicals. This is why I get so excited about healthy snacks. I see them as an opportunity to get extra nutrients while satisfying cravings in a healthy way. I constantly crave crunchy food and kale chips are irresistibly crunchy. If you haven’t tried kale chips before, you are probably thinking there is no way a baked green leaf could taste good. I understand because I used to think the same. Believe me, these chips are so easy to make they are worth a try! With only 3 ingredients, these kale chips are low in calories, high in fiber, filled with calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamin C, and many other nutrients. I can never make enough! My kids devour them as soon as they see them.