Spicy Roasted Red Pepper & Protein Toast- Wholefood Plant based
Toast is timeless fix for busy mornings breakfast. Most toast combinations involve base of fruits or nuts, as in jams or nut butter. Often the jams have more processed sugar than intended and the nut butters may contain added oils. This toast uses lots of veggies, greens and legumes. So, without a debate, this combination is super healthy to begin with, then let me add the truth that, it is more delicious than any other toast that I have eaten so far.
The red pepper spread is inspired by Muhammara, a savory dip that originated in Syria, made with roasted red bell peppers, walnuts, breadcrumbs, and a hint of sweetness. To keep it simple, oil free and tasty I used red peppers, a few cherry tomatoes, garlic and for extra creaminess – a good dose of hemp hearts and the spice comes with red pepper flakes. The good thing about this red pepper spread is that it can be used in a taco, or eaten with pita bread. It can be stored in fridge to last a week.
Then for the nutritional upgrade, we bring the greens and beans- the power combo. Plant protein is the best way to meet your protein needs, with out the baggage of cholesterol, saturated fat. I choose chickpeas, but you can use any beans for your toast. Sauté and season the legumes with greens and you are almost ready to eat this crunchy toast.
Increase the veggie quotient by adding some more favorite veggies that are more crunchy like asparagus or shishito peppers. Then add pickled onions- a definite flavor and crunch booster. It takes under 15 min to make pickled onions. Find the easy recipe here –https://myfoodbliss.com/simple-pickled-red-onions/
Add more hemp hearts or red pepper flakes and fuel your body for the rush hours of the day.
Spicy Roasted Pepper and protein toast
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
Roasted red pepper spread
- 1 red pepper chopped into 6-8 pieces- can roast in oven on on stove top
- 1/4 cup walnuts
- 1/4 cup hemp hearts
- 2 cherry tomatoes
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 lime – squeezed
- 1-2 tsp red pepper flakes- adjust per your tolerance of heat
- salt to taste
Chickpea and greens mixture
- 1 can chickpeas drained- rinsed well , can use fresh cooked ones too can substitute with any beans
- 2 cups chopped kale can use spinach or chard as well
- 8 basil leaves chopped finely
- 1 tsp salt to taste
- 1 tsp black pepper powder
- 1 tsp lime juice
- 1 tsp garlic powder
Other toppings
- 1 asparagus roasted on stove top with sprinkle of sea salt
- 1 cup shishito peppers roasted on stove top with sprinkle of sea salt
- hemp hearts
- red pepper flakes
- pickled red onions
- sliced cherry tomatoes
Instructions
Roasted red pepper spread
- Start off with roasting your red pepper. You can just quarter the pepper and put it in the oven for 15 min at 400 F. This method is preferable if you plan on doing a large batch of them. Otherwise, on a saute pan at medium heat, add the cut red peppers and cherry tomatoes and wait till they soften. Then add 2-3 tbsp water and garlic cloves. The skin of the pepper and tomato will start to brown a bit. Then take the contents into a blender. Add the walnuts, hemp hearts, lime juice, salt and blend into a smooth paste.
Chickpea green mixture
- Rinse the drained canned chickpeas well. On medium heat in the same pan used to roast red peppers, add the chickpeas and chopped kale. You can use any greens instead of kale. Saute them till the leaves wilt. Add the seasonings with salt, pepper, lime juice, garlic powder. Then add chopped basil. Cover for 1 min and take the mixture to a serving bowl.
Other toppings
- Pick your favorite crunchy veggies. I like asparagus and shishito peppers. Which ever one you pick, just roast them in the same pan used above with a sprinkle of sea salt. Add 1-2 tbsp water to help the veggies slightly soften without loosing the crunch. Slice them to top your toast.