Happy Monday, dear foodie! What are you looking forward to this week?
I’ve got a pretty full workload this week so I’m looking forward to getting it all done without running myself too ragged. Do you have this problem, having a full schedule and adding stuff to it because it has to get done? Anyway, between all that productivity I hope to get my workouts done and some delicious meals in my belly.
Simple enough, right?
Olive You?
Let’s talk about olives. They are delicious and full of flavor, right? Whether you like plain black or green olives, or the Kalamatas or even my personal favorite, castelvetrano olives, they’re not just good.
They’re good for you too.
Olives are known to reduce inflammation, improve heart health and even regulate blood sugar, all things we all could use in our pursuit of good health.
So, yeah let’s give olives some love.
But, we must eat them with a bit of moderation because they range from 115 to about 170 calories per 100 grams and if you’ve ever measured out 100 grams of olives, well you know it’s not much.
That means we’ll have to find creative ways to use them without going nuts.
And this crispy chickpea & orzo salad recipe gives you a great way to use olives and give it a distinctive olive-y flavor.
Kitchen Tools:
Mixing bowl
Wooden spoon
Pot
Cutting board
Ingredients:
Orzo
Lettuce
Olives (whatever you have)
Sundried tomatoes
Pumpkin seeds
Chickpeas
Spicy mustard
Agave syrup
Herbs & spices
Instructions:
Cook orzo according to package instructions. I went with the boil method because I wanted to keep this an oil free vegan recipe. Note: after draining orzo, fluff/separate with a fork to separate and let sit until mostly cool.
Rinse & spin lettuce
Preheat oven to 200C/400F
Drain & rinse chickpeas and let sit for a few minutes until they’re mostly dry. Toss in herbs & spices until fully coated and lay out on a baking sheet before placing in the oven for 15 minutes, tossing at the halfway point.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together mustard and agave along with seasonings and set aside.
Chop or slice sundried tomatoes, cut olives in half and place in the large mixing bowl.
Add remaining ingredients to the mixing bowl and use a wooden spoon to toss with the mustard sauce until coated.
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