Winter Cobb Salad

Winter Cobb Salad

Topped with cinnamon maple chickpeas, pears, pecans, avocado, pomegranate seeds and roasted butternut squash…

 Winter Cobb Salad with cinnamon maple chickpeas, pears, pecans, avocado, pomegranate seeds and roasted butternut squash. ~vegan, gluten free~

Okay, so I realize this isn’t truly a cobb salad because it doesn’t have bacon, cheese and eggs…but you get the idea!  A true “dinner” salad that combines protein, healthy fats, fiber, green leafy lettuce and much, much more!  I would love to see the antioxidant content of this salad, just look at those bright colors!

Winter Cobb Salad with cinnamon maple chickpeas, pears, pecans, avocado, pomegranate seeds and roasted butternut squash. ~vegan, gluten free~

Pomegranates have been said to be the most powerful antioxidant rich fruit around.  They contain high levels of polyphenols and flavonoids, which are responsible for improving heart health and protecting against cancer.  When cut down the middle the bright red fruit exposes hundreds of juicy and crunchy seeds.  It’s such a fun fruit to eat.  Kids love them and it’s a great way to incorporate fruit into your little one’s day!

The chickpeas were roasted with a dash of cinnamon and maple syrup to give this salad a seasonal taste.  I added roasted butternut squash, but sweet potato wedges would work nicely as well.  All the cooked ingredients in this salad can be made ahead of time and thrown together at the last minute for a healthy and quick weeknight meal.

Winter Cobb Salad with cinnamon maple chickpeas, pears, pecans, avocado, pomegranate seeds and roasted butternut squash. ~vegan, gluten free~

Winter Cobb Salad
 
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Winter Cobb Salad with cinnamon maple chickpeas, pears, pecans, avocado, pomegranate seeds and roasted butternut squash. ~vegan, gluten free~
Author:
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Vegan
Serves: 4
Ingredients
For the butternut squash:
  • 3 cups butternut squash, cubed
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • sea salt to taste
For the cinnamon maple chickpeas:
  • 1 can chickpeas drained, rinsed and dried (or 1.5 cups cooked)
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • sea salt to taste
  • For the Dijon Vinaigrette:
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • sea salt and pepper to taste
For the salad:
  • 2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 1 pear, sliced
  • ⅓ cup pomegranate seeds
  • ⅓ cup pecans
Instructions
For the butternut squash:
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Place cubed butternut squash in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil, toss to coat. Transfer to a baking sheet and add sea salt to taste. Bake until tender when pierced with a fork, around 20-30 minutes.
For the cinnamon maple chickpeas:
  1. Turn heat down to 350 degrees.
  2. Place dried chickpeas in a bowl, add olive oil, maple syrup, cinnamon and sea salt. Toss to coat. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake until lightly golden, around 20-30 minutes.
For the Dijon Vinaigrette:
  1. Whisk all ingredients together until well combined.
For the salad:
  1. Arrange romaine lettuce on plates and evenly divide toppings to place on top. Drizzle with vinaigrette and enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 Calories: 479 Fat: 33 Carbohydrates: 45 Sugar: 12 Fiber: 12 Protein: 7

 Winter Cobb Salad with cinnamon maple chickpeas, pears, pecans, avocado, pomegranate seeds and roasted butternut squash. ~vegan, gluten free~

crock pot 3 bean pumpkin chili

Crock Pot 3 Bean Pumpkin Chili, a true fix it and forget it meal!

Crock Pot 3 Bean Pumpkin Chili, a true fix it and forget it meal!

I used to be baffled by people who said they were too busy to eat.  What do you mean you don’t have time to eat?  My life revolved around food and leisurely trips to the grocery store.  Preparing meals was fun…and relaxing.  That was before I had kids!  Nowadays, I’m lucky if I can manage avocado toast let alone prepare a whole meal!  I’m starting to realize dinnertime turns into total chaos if I don’t have a thought out meal plan in place with ingredients already prepped.

Here’s what I’ve been doing each week to make life easier!

~Choose recipes for dinners Monday-Friday, buy groceries on the weekend

(Online shopping and pick-up helps with this!  If I have to take the kids to the grocery store we open at least 3 snacks, take 2 potty breaks and I can’t get out of the store without buying a balloon!)

~Cook a large batch of quinoa and short-grain brown rice

~Bake sweet potatoes and/or roast veggies

~Keep a basket full of bananas, apples and pears out on counter

~Cut melon, wash berries and grapes

~Have hummus and  whole wheat wraps handy for roll-ups

~Saute spicy chickpeas and tofu scramble

~Stock the pantry with broth and beans for soup

~Stash lara bars in the diaper bag

~Keep ripe avocados and rice crackers available for avocado smash (avocado mashed and topped with sea salt, tastes amazing!)

~Cook one large pot of soup to have for lunch a few days during the week (this week was 3 bean pumpkin chili, see recipe below!)

Crock Pot 3 Bean Pumpkin Chili, a true fix it and forget it meal!

crock pot 3 bean pumpkin chili
 
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Crock Pot 3 Bean Pumpkin Chili ~vegan, gluten free~
Author:
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Vegan
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup onion, chopped
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (15 oz.) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin
  • 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1.5 teaspoons cumin
  • 1.5 teaspoons oregano
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 2.5 cups vegetable broth
  • Toppings:
  • Fresh cilantro
  • Avocado
  • Scallions
Instructions
  1. Add oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and pepper, sauté until tender. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant. Transfer to a crock pot.
  2. Add remaining ingredients to crock pot and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4 hours.
  3. Top with fresh cilantro, avocado and scallions.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 Calories: 256 Carbohydrates: 43 Sugar: 7 Fiber: 12 Protein: 13

Crock Pot 3 Bean Pumpkin Chili, a true fix it and forget it meal!

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home

You may want to alter the amount of chili powder added.  I kept it on the mild side for a kid-friendly version.  I threw this in the crock pot at night to have lunch ready and waiting the next day.  At ~250 calories, 13 grams protein and 12 grams of fiber you can’t go wrong!  A nutritious meal that will keep you feeling full!

Crock Pot 3 Bean Pumpkin Chili, a true fix it and forget it meal!

savory grits with bbq tempeh and collard greens

Serve up a warm bowl of Savory Grits with BBQ Tempeh and Collard Greens for a hearty meat-free meal!

Savory Grits with BBQ Tempeh and Collard Greens ~vegan, gluten free~

Born and raised in the North East I never heard of grits until I did a quick stint of schooling down in Virginia my freshman year of college.  I was instantly hooked on this standard southern soul food!  Traditionally, grits are prepared with butter and often times they are served with cheese and sausage or bacon.  Grits are made from ground corn and are also referred to as hominy.  They are gluten-free and contain vitamins and minerals including B vitamins, iron and selenium.  You can also eat them for breakfast swirled with maple syrup, walnuts and sliced bananas!

(Note: Not all brands of grits are gluten free due to cross-contamination.  However, Bob’s Red Mill and Arrowhead Mills are labeled gluten free.)

Savory Grits with BBQ Tempeh and Collard Greens ~vegan, gluten free~

savory grits with bbq tempeh and collard greens
 
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Serve up a warm bowl of Savory Grits with BBQ Tempeh and Collard Greens for a hearty meat free meal!
Author:
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Vegan
Serves: 4
Ingredients
For Tempeh:
  • 8 oz. tempeh, cubed
  • ¾ cup BBQ sauce
For Collard Greens:
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 bunch collard greens, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • pinch sea salt
  • splash balsamic vinegar
For Grits:
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup onion, chopped
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 cup grits
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
For Tempeh
  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  2. In a shallow baking dish mix tempeh and bbq sauce. Marinate for 30-45 minutes. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
For Collard Greens:
  1. In a large skillet over medium-low heat add olive oil and garlic. Sauté until fragrant. Add collard greens and sauté until wilted. Add sea salt and splash of balsamic vinegar.
For Grits:
  1. In a medium sauce pan heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Sauté onion until golden. Add broth and bring to a boil. Lower heat and slowly whisk in grits to prevent clumping. Add sea salt. Cover and cook until grits are soft and fluffy, around 10 minutes.
Serve BBQ tempeh and collard greens on top of grits, enjoy!

     Savory Grits with BBQ Tempeh and Collard Greens ~vegan, gluten free~