BUFF CHICKS

Chickpeas are hearty and comforting (besides being reeeally good for you) and when they’re paired with crisp cool kale and cabbage, it checks all the texture boxes.  Not to mention pairing hot spice with the soft creaminess of a good plant based cheese.

I never thought I’d say that I CRAVE a salad, but here we are.

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Servings: 2

Calories: 220 Per Serving (varies depending on the type of ‘meat’ used, etc.)

Macronutrients: Protein 10g/Fat 5g/Good Carbs 38g

1 can (or 1.5 cups cooked) chickpeas or garbanzo beans

1 cup chopped kale (massaged-yes, that’s a thing) or fresh spinach

1 cup chopped romaine or cabbage

1 ounce tempeh or chicken tender substitute (Gardein, Lightlife, etc.) – tempeh is healthier

Big squeeze o’ lemon juice

1 oz vegan feta cheese (I like Violife and Follow Your Heart) OR homemade cashew cheese (homemade is preferred)

About 10 Mary’s Gone Crackers crackers (for croutons), dried edamame (soybeans) OR find croutons with no milk

Salt, pepper

ALWAYS garlic fresh or powdered

ALWAYS parsley fresh or dried

ALWAYS ground flax seed

FOR THE BUFFALO SAUCE:

1 cup cayenne pepper hot sauce (like Franks)

1/2 cup filtered water

1/4 cup cashews

Juice from 1 lemon

1 tbs garlic powder

1/2 tbs smoked paprika

1 tbs vinegar (if you have it-white or apple cider)

1 medjool date or 1 tsp maple syrup

(blend it all up and you’ve got sauce)

1)  Rinse and drain the chickpeas (this isn’t necessary if you’re preparing them from dried beans).

2)  Cook the tempeh or the chicken tender substitute to the package directions.  I like to cook my chicken tenders in the toaster oven and brown my tempeh on the stove with salt/pepper and smoked paprika.

3)  While the mock meat is cooking, rinse the kale and place it onto a clean kitchen towel.  Roll it up and twist it to massage the kale.  This dries it off and helps take away the bitterness all in one step!  DO NOT do this for romaine/spinach or you’ll have a big mess!

4)  Place the chopped lettuces into the two bowls (or one bowl if you’re me, I can eat this whole thing blindfolded).

5)  Load it up!  Pile on the chickpeas, the tempeh or ‘chicken,’ give it a good squeeze of lemon juice, as much buffalo sauce as you like, add the vegan feta and spices/flax, finish it off with the ‘croutons.’

*If you’re scared of chickpeas maybe do brown rice, quinoa or just the mock meats.  If you’re scared of mock meats, don’t be.  Just don’t go overboard, use the Meatless Maindays idea and keep the ‘meat’ portion small.

*Tempeh is a power house of cancer fighting, cholesterol lowering protein.  Pronounced “TEM-pay.”  Unless you have a soy allergy or you’re on thyroid medication, try it!

*You can make this as spicy as you like!  I like to add sriracha, red pepper flakes, Montreal seasoning, and sometimes cayenne pepper.  But I’m from Texas.