This crisp pairs tart cranberries with sweet-tart apples for a balance of bright and warm flavors. The topping uses pulverized oats instead of flour, adding hearty texture while leveling up the nutritional value because oats bring fiber, minerals, and slow-digesting carbs to keep you satisfied.
Enjoy this hearty and nutritious vegan split pea soup as a main course or a satisfying starter. The smoky flavor adds a delicious twist that even non-vegans will love!
Split pea soup is a classic comfort dish, known for its rich, hearty flavor and creamy texture. This vegan version skips the bacon and uses liquid smoke or smoked paprika instead to impart a delicious smoky taste. Packed with protein, fiber, and nutrients, this soup is both satisfying and nutritious. Perfect for a cozy dinner, it’s also great for meal prepping and enjoying throughout the week.
This is a fun and flavorful salad that is so easy to make, loaded with marinated tomatoes, quinoa, fresh spinach, and crunchy roasted almonds! Add more plants and fiber with optional additions like artichoke hearts, Kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes.
This warm, smoky and slightly spicy soup is a welcome addition to any meal rotation, especially during the cooler fall and winter months. The sweet potato gives this soup body, while the spicy smokiness of the chipotle adds to the depth of flavor. Top the soup with crunchy toasted pumpkin seeds and sliced green onions.
Learn how to make a pureed soup.
If the traditional method of dunking an entire cabbage into and out of hot, boiling water doesn’t appeal to you, there is a much easier method. With the help of your freezer, you can put the boiling pot away and have soften cabbage leaves as soon as you defrost the frozen head. The downside is that you must plan to allow time for the cabbage to freeze. For best results, freeze the cabbage overnight and remove it from the freezer the morning before making the cabbage rolls. Save any leftover cabbage for a soup or stir-fry.
Learn how to make cabbage rolls.
Add 2 cups spinach leaves and/or chopped parsley.
Substitute white rice for brown rice or any cooked whole grain. You can also use a jar of premade pasta sauce for the sauce.
Bulgur is a common ingredient in the traditional Middle Eastern salad known as tabbouleh, where it is mixed with lemon juice, olive oil, chopped parsley and tomatoes. This bulgur and red grape salad is high in fiber but low in phosphorus and potassium, making this a welcome addition to a kidney healthy diet. To make your bulgur on the stovetop, simply combine with water, bring to a boil, cover, simmer and cook until tender (about 12 minutes). You can also pre-soak your bulgur by placing it in a bowl and adding 1 cup boiling water. Stir it once to incorporate the water, and then let stand for 1 hour. Drain off any excess liquid.
Learn how to cook bulgur wheat and how to add flavor using herbs and zest.
Add diced roasted, cold vegetables and/or extra chopped herbs.
Add diced roasted, cold vegetables and/or extra chopped herbs.
Instead of the usual greens, black beans and sweet potatoes are the stars of this salad! Both fiber and protein rich, enjoy this salad as a hearty side dish or a main meal.
Learn a recipe for a salad centered around beans and sweet potatoes.
For more depth of flavor, grill ½ inch whole onion slices and dice after cooling them. Spice this salad up with sliced jalapeno or a little hot sauce in the dressing.
Substitute the lime juice with apple cider vinegar + ½ tsp grated lime zest.
Whole grain salads are a catch-all for nutritious and flavorful ingredients such as herbs, spices, nuts, vegetables and fruit. Preserved lemon adds a briny, citrus note while the abundance of herbs and greens add not only a lovely visual, but add fiber and texture to this powerhouse of a salad.
Learn how to add texture and flavor to whole grain recipes.
Add shredded red cabbage, sliced green onions and/or extra herbs.
Substitute 1 Tbsp grated lemon zest for the preserved lemon. Substitute dried cherries or raisons for the apricots.
Greek eggplant dip, known as Melitzanosalata, is a simple yet tasty dish of fiber-rich roasted eggplant, garlic, oil, and lemon juice. It is a perfect spread on toasted bread, or as an addition to larger Greek-style small plates or “mezze” spread.
Learn how to roast eggplant and make a dip.
Grill eggplant slices instead of baking them. Add a teaspoon of smoked paprika for some smokiness.
Sometimes it’s fun to make a meal from an array of light bites, and these flavorful chicken skewers are always a fun addition. Dark chicken meat has more iron and flavor than the white and takes to the herbaceous marinade quite well. Do not marinate the chicken for more than 2 hours as it will dry out. Serve these skewers with a creamy, garlicky Tzatziki sauce.
Learn how to marinate chicken.
Use 8 inch skewers and thread chunks of zucchini, summer squash, bell peppers and/or red onions between the pieces of chicken. For a smokier flavor, grill the skewers.
You can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead of thighs.
Dip these skewers in our Minted Yogurt Tzatziki Sauce. Click here for the recipe.