Baked Sweet Potatoes with Chili Lime Chickpeas 

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This is probably one of the simplest, easiest recipes I’ve ever made. It doesn’t require much prep or constant attention and clean up is a breeze. This is a great weeknight meal especially after a long cardio workout. I love comfort food that comes with minimal guilt. Chickpeas and sweet potatoes are two of my favorite foods, so combining them sounded like a great idea! What I like about this dish is that the spice, salt, and garlic in the chickpeas balance out the sweetness of the potato. The lime adds the perfect amount of acid and freshness. The mint, lime, and sweet potato go really well together. This is a hearty dish that will keep you satisfied long after you’re done eating. It’s healthy because it’s minimally processed and the chickpeas add protein and fiber. Chickpeas are also a great source of  folate and iron. Sweet potatoes are high in Vitamin A and are lower in calories vs. white potatoes. There are lots of variations to this recipes that would work as well. You could try adding avocado, vegan sour cream, or cilantro as toppings. Chili lime chickpeas are great as a salad topping, snack, or in your Buddha Bowl. If you make this recipe make sure to tag me on social media @thefriendlyepicurean or Pin It on Pinterest!

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Baked Sweet Potatoes with Chili Lime Chickpeas

  • Servings: 2
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 large sweet potatoes
  • 1 (15oz) can of chickpeas
  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • juice of 1/2 lime (about 2 tbs)
  • 1 tbs chopped, fresh mint

Directions


Preheat oven to 400F. Wash and dry sweet potatoes and place them on a baking sheet. In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, chili powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and lime juice. Add drained and rinsed chickpeas to lime juice mixture and stir well to coat evenly. Spread chickpeas in a single layer on a separate baking sheet. Bake chickpeas and sweet potatoes for about 40 minutes. Flip chickpeas halfway through cooking time. Allow sweet potatoes and chickpeas to cool before handling. Slit potato and scoop out about a 1/4 of it. Stuff each potato with about 1/2 of chickpea mixture and top with fresh, chopped mint. Serve immediately. May store in the fridge for up to one day.

Nutrition Information:

  • Approximate calories for 1 baked sweet potato plus 1/2 chickpeas: 496 cal

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Cherry Chocolate Chip Nice Cream

It’s ‘nice’ cream season! Long, hot summer days are always better with a cold, sweet treat. In case you haven’t heard of it, ‘nice cream’ is a plant based frozen dessert made primarily from bananas. It tastes a lot like ice cream but the texture is somewhat different. It’s a little harder to scoop, not super creamy, and should be thawed for a few minutes before serving. It’s typically vegan and gluten free depending on the toppings. I love fresh cherries but bought way too many this season! Since I hate wasting food, I pitted and froze the cherries to use later in desserts like nice cream or in smoothie bowls (I made cherry pie filling with the rest of my cherries). This dessert reminds me of Ben and Jerry’s ‘Cherry Garcia’ ice cream. I love cherry with chocolate together but walnuts would also be great in this recipe. It takes only 15 minutes to prepare and can conveniently be made ahead. I froze mine in a loaf pan but you can use any freezer safe container. This nice cream is bursting with fresh flavors and isn’t too sweet. I used dark chocolate chips to complement the banana and cherry and also add some antioxidants. Cherry and dark chocolate are SO good together. If you’re looking for a recipe to use up your cherries, this one is perfect! If you make it, make sure to tag @thefriendlyepicurean or Pin It!

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Cherry Chocolate Chip Nice Cream

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 cups pitted cherries (fresh or frozen)
  • 3 bananas, peeled and cut into 1 inch slices
  • 1/2 cup almond milk
  • 1/4 cup agave syrup
  • 1/2 cup mini, vegan chocolate chips (such as Enjoy Life brand)
  • 1 tbs coconut oil
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

Place all ingredients except chocolate chips in a high powered blender (such as Vitamix) or a food processor and blend until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into a freezer safe container and freeze for at least 4 to 6 hours or overnight. Let thaw for 5-10 minutes before serving. May store in the freezer for up to 5 days.

Nutrition Information:

  • Approximate calories per 1/6 recipe: 260 cal

 

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Tofu Chorizo Breakfast Tacos

When I first decided to start eating plant based food, many of my friends asked me what I ate for breakfast in lieu of eggs. I told them I had discovered a world of breakfast food that was delicious and didn’t include any eggs or milk products! Crumbled tofu is my favorite egg substitute for breakfast in the morning. Crumbling it gives it an egg-like texture and allows it to absorb more flavor. Crumbled tofu is also great as a taco or lettuce wrap filling. I like to get my protein from various sources including lentils, beans, vegan protein powder, tofu, and seitan. Chickpea flour also makes a great vegan substitute for eggs. Now you can find an egg substitute by a company called Follow Your Heart, made of algal protein. It’s called Vegan Egg and it’s a plant based, yellow powder that you mix with water and cook just like an egg. The Vegan Egg doesn’t have much protein so I don’t eat it often but sometimes it’s fun to experiment with new vegan food products. For this recipe, I used extra firm tofu along with seitan chorizo. My favorite brand of seitan chorizo is by Upton’s brand but there are tons of delicious vegan chorizo options these days. I also like the chorizo by Field Roast. These tacos have 25 grams of plant based protein. They’re easy, delicious, and a really healthy way to start the day! They’re full of flavor and quite filling. You can substitute any type of tortillas but I used corn tortillas because they’re lower in calories. Tofu chorizo tacos are also great for a quick lunch or dinner. Make sure you tag @thefriendlyepicurean or Pin this recipe if you make it!

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Tofu Chorizo Breakfast Tacos

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1 (8oz) package of seitan chorizo (such as Upton’s Brand)
  • 1 (14oz) package of extra firm tofu, excess water drained and crumbled
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 1 tbs olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp cumin powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 8 small corn tortillas
  • juice of 1/2 lime (cut other half into wedges for garnish)
  • Hot sauce to serve (such as Cholula brand)

Directions

Wrap tofu in a clean towel for about 5 minutes to drain excess water. Crumble tofu with your fingers or mash with a fork in a small mixing bowl. Next, heat olive oil in a medium sized skillet on medium heat. Add onions and saute until translucent – about 4-5 minutes. Next add garlic and cumin powder and saute for about 2-3 minutes. Add bell pepper and cook until soft – about 3-4 minutes. Add crumbled tofu and cook for about 8 minutes. Add seitan chorizo and cook for another 6 minutes. Add chili powder, salt, and lime juice and saute for about 2-3 more minutes. Serve on corn tortillas with diced avocado, lime wedges, and hot sauce.

Nutrition Information:

  • Approximate protein per 1/4 tofu chorizo mixture: 25 grams
  • Approximate calories per 1/4 tofu chorizo mixture: 220 cal
  • Approximate calories per 2 corn tortillas: 87 cal (calories for corn tortillas may vary)

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