Kohlrabi Chickpea Salad

What is kohl-rabi? Kohl...rabi? Is that how you say it?

What does kohl-rabi taste like? Can you eat the leaves?

That's a funny looking vegetable! 

I've seen kohlrabi at the store, but I don't know what to do with it. How do you prepare it?


In my life away from this computer, I spend a lot of time talking to people about vegetables and encouraging kids and adults to eat outside of their comfort zones. Fall and winter brings us many vegetables that we are already familiar with and love, including: winter squashes, a variety of greens, and beautiful root vegetables. I've found that kohlrabi is one of the most unfamiliar veggies this season and most people have questions about how to prepare it and what to do with it.

Today I have a special treat for you... Check out the video below to learn how easy it is to prepare kohlrabi and see the cooking demo for this delicious recipe!

This recipe can be easily assembled in under ten minutes and is the perfect make-ahead dish for weekday lunches. The ingredients are very flexible so if you don't have broccoli stalks, you can sub more kohlrabi or cabbage.  And, if a sweeter version is desired, simply add some shredded carrots or apples to the mix!

Kohlrabi Chickpea Salad
Serves 6 - 8

Ingredients:
2 medium or 3 small kohlrabi
five medium broccoli stalks (one pound)
one small head (one pound) red cabbage
grated zest of 1 lemon
lemon juice from two lemons (6 tablespoons)
large bunch of dill, roughly chopped (about 6 heaping tablespoons)
1/3 cup olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
2 cups cooked chickpeas/garbanzo beans
freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:
Peel the kohlrabi and broccoli stalks and grate or process in food processor, until finely shredded. Slice the cabbage finely into 1/4-inch thick strips. Put kohlrabi, broccoli, and cabbage into a large mixing bowl.

Mix the lemon zest, lemon juice, dill, olive oil, and garlic clove together and pour over kohlrabi mixture. Add sea salt.  Use your hands to massage everything together for about a minute so the flavors will mix and the cabbage will soften.  Add the chickpeas and mix. Let sit for about ten minutes.

Top with freshly-ground black pepper and serve. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Recipe shared at Wellness Weekend

Raw Sprouted Hummus

Sometimes my mental image of myself just doesn't match up to reality.  In my head I picture myself as a complete badass.  You'd probably find my imaginary-self decked out in a pleather jacket on a motorcycle riding off into the night.  The truth of the matter is that I that I drive a hand-me-down mini van and I spent most of last night talking to my cats in a high-pitched voice before going to bed at 8:30 pm.  This is not badass behavior.

In my defense, however, I did learn how to sprout chickpeas this week and turn them into an incredible raw hummus.  If you ask me, it's pretty badass.

Now, before we begin, I have to be honest with you.  If you don't like sprouts, then this is not the recipe for you.  I actually think this raw version tastes better than traditional hummus that uses cooked chickpeas, but it definitely has the flavor of sprouts so I don't want that to be a surprise.  But, if you love sprouts like I do, badass or not, you'll love this recipe.



We start with dried chickpeas/garbanzo beans.  Once they are soaked in water overnight, they are drained, rinsed, and left out to sprout. (Note: you cannot use canned beans in this recipe because they have already been cooked and will not sprout.)

Be sure to rinse your chickpeas every 8 hours or so and drain them thoroughly.  At the end of two days, they will have little tails like this. Then we're ready for hummus!



Everything will get thrown into a food processor and your creamy, raw dip will emerge.

Raw Sprouted Hummus

Makes about 3 cups

1 cup raw chickpeas, sprouted for 2.5 days
1/2 cup tahini
Juice from 1 medium lemon
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup fresh herbs (I used cilantro and parsley)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 Tablespoons (cold-pressed) extra-virgin olive oil

Soak the chickpeas for at least 8 hours or overnight.  Drain and rinse thoroughly.  Let them sit at room temperature, rinsing and draining every 8 hours for about 2 days, until the chickpeas have sprouted.

Add the sprouted chickpeas to a food processor along with the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, herbs, and sea salt.  With motor running, add the olive oil.  Process until smooth and serve.

Spicy Sweet Potato Hummus

I think this world would be a much brighter place if we could spend all our time doing what we love most. And if you are anything like me, that means you would spend your evening dancing around your kitchen to Colbie Caillat with your cats while eating your own weight in sweet potato hummus. Not a bad life.

It might also mean that you *accidentally* ate all of the pita chips that were intended for this photo.  Whoops.  I guess you'll just have to live with a picture of carrot sticks instead. 

This week, besides eating way too much sweet potato hummus, I decided it was time to get my Big Girl pants on and spend some time doing things that I have been putting off for far too long.  Like deep cleaning my fridge, filing my taxes, updating my finances, opening an IRA, and switching to an online bank (with a much better interest rate).  Sigh.  Sometimes we can't spend all our time doing what we love.  But we can still eat pita chips. 

This hummus starts off sweet and mellow, but if you like a bit of spice, sprinkle in some red chili pepper flakes before serving for a little kick.  I tend to make my hummus on the thicker side because it holds better in veggie wraps, but if you like yours a little thinner, you can easily play with the ratio of liquid and add more tahini, oil, or a bit of water.  This recipe makes 3 cups, which is perfect if you plan to use this all week, but if that sounds like way too much hummus for you then you can easily cut the recipe in half. 

And if sweet potato hummus doesn't sound like the best thing that's ever happened then I just don't know how to please you.

Spicy Sweet Potato Hummus
Makes 3 cups

1 sweet potato, chopped
2.5 cups cooked garbanzo beans
2 cloves garlic
3 Tablespoons tahini
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
juice from 1/2 lemon
2 - 3 Tbs water
3 Tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes (optional)

Steam or boil sweet potato until tender.  Set aside. 

Add garbanzo beans, sweet potato, garlic, tahini, cumin, paprika, salt, and lemon juice to food processor.  While motor is running, add olive oil and water.  Process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the food processor as necessary.  Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of red chili pepper flakes.

Chickpea Nibbles

Let me be honest with you for a minute.  Sometimes it's not easy to find the time to blog.  I mean, come on?  There's a bathroom that wants to be cleaned, a movie that's not going to watch itself, and some nails that are badly in need of a little TLC.  There's also a sleepy, cuddly monster guarding my computer.  I wouldn't wanna mess with that guy.

Somehow I braved the scary monster and found my way to this blog because I have to tell you about these chickpea nibbles.  Do crunchy chickpeas intrigue you?  Because they intrigue me.  

I'll admit that at first they sounded a little weird.  A roasted bean?  It sounds overcooked, not delicious.  But I promise they will get you too.

For some reason these remind me a little of the corn nuts I used to eat during the summer as a kid, but these are definitely better.  The chickpeas should have a definite crunch and bite to them with a lot of flavor.   If you find that yours taste dry or starchy then they need a few more minutes in the oven.   A few of mine didn't get roasted enough in the full batch so I threw them in for an extra ten minutes and they were fabulous.  Serve these as a snack at your next dinner party or picnic and they're definitely a must for an extra protein boost on your next hike.

Chickpea Nibbles
Adapted from Power Foods
Makes 1 cup

2 cups chickpeas, cooked
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
sprinkle of cayenne pepper
sea salt to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Pat chickpeas dry, then toss in a bowl with oil, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, and sea salt.  Spread in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until crunchy, stirring occasionally, 40 to 45 minutes.  Sprinkle with extra paprika and salt if necessary.  Let cool before serving.  Chickpeas may be kept in an airtight container for 3 days at room temperature.

Perfect Protein Salad

If it wasn't for the PCC Deli, sometimes I wouldn't eat.  And if it wasn't for the PCC Deli, sometimes I wouldn't eat so much.... Yesterday's lunch and dinner came from their deli case and I am always grateful to know that I can walk into any one of their stores and find something vegan, delicious, and healthy in a snap.  

If it's possible to request food now for the afterlife I'd like to place my order.  In fact, it would be great if it could look just the PCC Deli, but be more of a buffet situation if possible.  Please let there be vegan pesto pizza, Emerald City Salad, and Spicy Tofu and Spelt Berries. Oh, and some fresh marinated beets please?  Glad we settled that. 

This delicious little salad originally came from the PCC Deli and is loaded with hearty chickpeas, chewy spelt berries, and fresh veggies.  They use a vegan mayo in their dressing, but I opted for using cashews instead.  Blending soaked cashews creates a creamy, rich dressing and since I only blended them for a few seconds, there's still a bit of texture.  I also added in some fresh basil since I happen to have a ton of it growing at the moment, but you could also leave it out and add in some extra parsley if desired. 

Perfect Protein Salad

Adapted from PCC Natural Markets

Serves 6 - 8

1 cup spelt berries, raw

3 cups water

2 cups garbanzo beans, cooked

1 English cucumber, seeded and diced (I didn't peel mine)

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

3 stalks celery, diced

2 carrots, diced

1/4 red onion, diced

3 green onions, diced

1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped

1/4 cup fresh basil, chiffonade

Dressing:

3/4 cup raw cashews, soaked in water overnight

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon dried dill

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon minced garlic

Boil spelt berries in water until tender, about 45 minutes.  Drain and cool.

In a medium bowl, mix together the cooked spelt, garbanzo beans, diced cucumber, bell pepper, celery, carrots, red onion, green onion, parsley and basil.  

For the dressing: drain the cashews and add to a food processor with the lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, dill, salt, and garlic.  Process until creamy, but with a bit of texture (the consistency should be similar to ricotta cheese). 

Mix the dressing with the salad and let sit in the refrigerator until serving. 

Green Bean, Tomato, and Chickpea Salad

Last week I had the opportunity to attend the Access to Healthy Foods Summit organized by the Access to Healthy Foods Coalition.  It was really refreshing to see all of the different ways that organizations, institutuions, and individuals are working together to improve access to healthy foods in Washington State.  In Washington state alone, 15% of our residents do not have consistent access to healthy foods.

It's pretty obvious that I think about food a lot... but I also think about how much access I have to food.  In my neighborhood, I am within walking distance to two different grocery stores and within biking distance to about five.  I have a stable income that allows me to purchase fresh foods and I only work one job so I have the time to prepare the majority of my meals myself.  Additionally, I have access to information about healthy cooking  and have the abilty to prepare healthy foods from scratch, understand what healthy foods are, and read nutritional labels. 

Some of these factors could be said to be my personal choice.  For instance, I choose to purchase healthy foods.  It's true, I do make that choice.  But, there are many factors out of my control that influence my decision.  If I had a limited income, relied solely on public transportation, and my corner "grocery store" did not carry fresh produce, and the next closest store was two bus rides away... how much choice would I have in deciding what I eat?

It's been really exciting to see the ways that more people are becoming aware of "food deserts" (an area where healthy and fresh foods are difficult to find) in our country and working to improve everyone's access to fresh foods.  It's also great to see that EBT cards (food stamps) are now being accepted at various farmer's markets in King County.  Super cool!

How much access do you have to fresh and healthy foods?  What barriers have you seen, for yourself or others, to being able to eat healthfully?  What are some of the ways that you or others could (or may already have) make an impact on these challenges?

I'm not really sure how to transition from talking about food access and scarcity to wowing you with this beautiful salad... So, let's just wow you with this beautiful salad. 

My favorite thing about summer foods are all the colors. It's true that we eat first with our eyes and everything always manages to look more appealing and delicious in summertime. This is a beautiful salad that anyone would be proud to serve up at their next dinner or get-together.  The recipe originally called for red onions and feta cheese, but I switched up the feta for kalamata olives and used green onions instead.  Fresh herbs like parsley are a must on this one, but fresh mint leaves would be good as well. 

Green Bean, Tomato, and Chickpea Salad
Slightly adapted from Everyday Food magazine, June 2011 issue
Serves 4

1.5 pounds green beans, trimmed
3 wide strips lemon zest, cut into thin matchstick, plus 3 Tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
2 green onions, chopped
2 cups cooked chickpeas (or 1 can)
1/4 cup kalamata olives, halved
1/3 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley leaves

In a large pot of boiling water, cook green beans until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes.  Drain and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking process.  Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together lemon juice and oil.  Stir in tomatoes, onions, chickpeas, and lemon zest.  Add olives and parsley and stir to combine.  Season with salt and pepper.  Arrange green beans on a serving platter and top with tomato mixture.

Spelt Berry & Bean Salad

Being on crutches for the last couple of days has been an interesting experience. At first, I felt awkward being out in public. Slowing people down on the sidewalk. Strangers constantly rushing to open doors for me. But, the beauty of this experience is that I got to have many conversations with different people that I would not have normally talked to. I had the opportunity to hear stories of others' injuries, crutches advice (if you wrap a towel around the top it keeps your armpits from getting sore), and answer the casual question of "what happened to your foot?"

Maybe all we need to form true community is an icebreaker - a sprained ankle to ask about, a water cooler to gather around, or a big bowl of spelt berry and bean salad to share at a picnic. I hope this recipe will spark a new conversation for you.


This is perfect as a side dish with another salad, a cold sandwich, or maybe some tempeh. Serves 4.

1/2 cup uncooked spelt berries
1 cup water

1 cup cooked chickpeas
1 cup cooked black beans
1/2 red onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1 carrot, shredded

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried dill
salt and pepper to taste

First, cook the beans (unless you are using canned). I usually cook mine the night before and let them sit in the fridge so they're already cold.

Next, cook the spelt berries. Add the spelt berries and water to a small pot. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. Cover, and cook them until they are tender (but not mushy). If necessary, add a little more water during the cooking process. They usually take about 30-45 minutes. Ideally for a salad, you want them to be soft, but still chewy. When they are finished, drain out any excess water (if necessary), and set aside to cool.

Mix the vegetables and beans together in a bowl. When the spelt berries have cooled, add them in. Next, mix the apple cider vingear, olive oil, basil, dill, and salt and pepper together. Pour this dressing in the bowl and mix everything together. Garnish with some more dried dill or fresh herbs.

Chickpea "Tuna" Salad

I know this is going to sound like a weird question, but here it goes. Do you ever crave foods that you dislike? Well, let me rephrase it. Do you ever find yourself craving something that you have already tried and know that you hate? Hmm, maybe it's just me then.

I have always disliked the taste of fish -- even back in my pre-vegetarian days -- and the smell doesn't help either. My mom used to tell me a story about when I was little. Apparently we went into a store that sold fresh fish and as soon as I entered the door, I threw up.

I used to work at a sandwich bar back in my college dorm and I would have to smell the tuna salad all day. The weird thing is I started to want it, even though I knew I would think it tasted bad. I finally gave in and tried a bite, and sure enough, I thought it was gross. However, the next day, there I was again... wanting more.

The same weird experience happened to me the first time I tried Kombucha. I didn't like the vinegary taste and thought it smelled weird. But, by later that day all I wanted was more Kombucha. Ashley thought I was crazy. "Didn't you say that was the stuff that tasted like &%*$? You want more of it? Really?" Well, Kombucha won me over, but the tuna never did.

Yet, here I am making a mock tuna salad. I came across this recipe on Compassionate Action for Animals. I really liked this salad, but it's probably because this was very different from real tuna salad. I'm not sure if that will excite you or disappoint you. Either way, this was satisfying on sandwiches and on top of salads as well. I only used about 1/3 of the vegan mayonnaise that they recommended, but I thought this was plenty. Feel free to add a bit more in.

• 2(15oz.) cans chick-peas, drained (or 3c. cooked)
• ¼ cup vegan mayonnaise
• 2/3 cup minced celery
• 1/3 cup minced dill pickle (you can also use sweet relish)
  
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast flakes
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 2 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon kelp powder (optional -- I didn't use this in my version)
• 1 tablespoon miso (optional)
  
• salt & pepper, to taste

To mash the chickpeas, you can either use a potato masher and do it by hand, or you can use a food processor or blender and blend for a couple of seconds. The consistency should be well mashed, but not creamy. Mix in the remaining ingredients, using ¼ cup mayonnaise at first, and then adding more as needed. Cover and refrigerate. Use on sandwiches or on a bed of salad greens.