Studies show that losing weight may help lower your risk of sleep apnea and multiple sclerosis. It may also reduce the frequency of migraine attacks. As these recipes demonstrate, you don’t have to sacrifice taste or variety to lose weight.
Fattoush Salad
Serves 4 to 6
Dressing:
- 3 tbsp. lemon juice
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ⅛ tsp. ground black pepper
Salad:
- 1 8-inch whole wheat pita
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- 1 cup roughly chopped mint leaves
- 1 cup roughly chopped parsley leaves
- 1 cup sliced red radishes
- 2 cups halved grape tomatoes
- 2 cups diced Persian cucumbers
- 6 cups roughly chopped romaine lettuce
- 2 tsp. ground sumac
- 1 cup pomegranate seeds
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Put dressing ingredients in small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
Place pita on baking tray and toast in oven for 5 minutes each side until pita is dry and crispy. Once cool, cut pita into 1-inch pieces and toss with olive oil to keep from getting soggy in the salad. Set aside.
In large bowl, combine mint, parsley, radishes, tomatoes, cucumbers, and lettuce. Sprinkle in sumac and toss to distribute spices evenly. Add dressing, pomegranate seeds, and toasted pita. Toss to combine.
Serve immediately.
Eggplant Tagine with Chickpeas
Serves 6
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp. minced fresh ginger
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. ground black pepper
- 1 cup diced red bell pepper
- 1 (28-oz.) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 7 cups diced eggplant
- 2 tsp. harissa paste
- 1 tbsp. maple syrup
- 1 (15-oz.) can low-sodium chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ⅓ cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves
In large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high. Add onion, garlic, and ginger and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cumin, cinnamon, paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir continually until spices are fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Lower heat to medium-low and add bell pepper and canned tomatoes. Cook until peppers begin to soften. Add broth and eggplant. Stir to combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes over medium heat.
Uncover pot and add harissa paste, maple syrup, and chickpeas. Continue cooking for 5 minutes. Turn off heat.
Divide evenly among 6 bowls and garnish with cilantro.
Spiced Farro and Roasted Root Vegetable Pilaf
Serves 4 to 6
- 1½ cups whole-grain farro
- ½ cup diced red radishes
- ¾ cup diced turnip
- 1 cup diced peeled carrots
- 1 cup diced peeled red beets
- ⅓ cup chopped shallot
- 3 tbsp. olive oil, divided
- ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp. ground cumin
- ¼ tsp. ground cardamom
- ¼ tsp. ground black pepper
- ¾ tsp. salt, divided
- 1 tsp. lemon zest
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice
- ¼ cup diced dried apricots (unsulfured)
- ¼ cup roughly chopped unsalted roasted pistachios
- ¼ cup roughly chopped mint
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Bring farro and 6 cups water to boil in large saucepan; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain.
While farro is cooking, prepare roasted vegetables. In large bowl, combine vegetables, 1 tbsp. olive oil, spices, and ½ tsp. salt. Spread vegetables on baking tray and roast until just tender, about 20 minutes.
In large bowl, stir together cooked farro, 2 tbsp. olive oil, ¼ tsp. salt, and lemon zest and juice. Add roasted vegetables, dried apricots, pistachios, and mint and stir to combine.
Serve immediately.
Chickpea Burgers with Tomato Salsa
Serves 6
Burgers:
- 1 (15 oz.) can low-sodium chickpeas, liquid reserved
- 1½ tbsp. olive oil, divided
- ½ cup diced yellow onion
- ⅓ cup grated carrots
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. ground coriander
- ¾ tsp. salt, divided
- ⅓ cup rolled oats
- ¼ cup roughly chopped parsley
- ½ tsp. ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 tsp. lemon zest
- 12 large pieces of romaine lettuce
Salsa:
- 1½ cup diced tomatoes
- ⅓ cup diced red bell pepper
- 2 tbsp. roughly chopped mint leaves
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
- ⅛ tsp. cayenne
Drain chickpeas and reserve liquid from can. Rinse chickpeas and place in separate bowl from reserved liquid.
In small skillet, heat 1½ tsp. olive oil over medium-high. Add onion and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, until onion begins to soften. Lower heat to medium and add carrots, garlic, cumin, coriander, and ¼ tsp. salt. Stir to combine and cook until carrots and garlic soften and spices are fragrant, about 2 minutes. Turn off heat.
Pulse rolled oats in food processor until they are mostly broken down. Add parsley, black pepper, lemon juice and zest, and cooked onion, garlic, and carrots. Pulse 2 or 3 times to combine ingredients. Add chickpeas and 1 tbsp. of reserved chickpea liquid. Pulse until combined but not smooth, so burgers retain a bit of texture. If mixture seems dry, add additional reserved liquid 1 tsp. at a time until mixture holds together. Refrigerate mixture for 30 to 45 minutes.
To make salsa, combine ingredients in small bowl and set aside.
Once burger mixture has chilled, divide and shape into 6 patties. In large skillet, heat 1 tbsp. olive oil over medium-high. Place burgers, one at a time. Cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or until golden on both sides and cooked through, turning halfway. Remove from heat.
Place 2 romaine lettuce leaves on each plate, put burger on leaves, and top with salsa.
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