My recipe today, Vegan Kung Pao Chickpea Stir-Fry is my submission for this month’s theme for The Recipe Redux:
“June Theme: Celebrate a ReDuxer! – For ReDux’s birthday month, let’s celebrate each other! Pick a fellow ReDuxer, go to their blog and either make one of their recipes or create one of your own inspired by theirs. In your post, give your readers a little intro to this blogger, what you like about this blogger/their blog and either link to their recipe you made or share your brand new “inspired” creation.”
I really enjoy participating with my fellow healthy food bloggers in The Recipe Redux each month because there is so much talent and inspiration in the group.
The recipe I chose to make was inspired by one of my favorite bloggers in the group, Jeanette, from “Jeanette’s Healthy Living“.
One of the reasons I love her blog so much is because not only does she post healthy recipes, but her background is very similar to mine.
Jeanette left a corporate job to stay home with her four boys and started creating recipes to accommodate everyone in her home with different dietary requirements.
I, too, left a corporate job of 16 years as an Operations Manager of a mortgage division to stay home with my two boys after they were born and started my website to share the healthy foods I was making after walking away from the Standard American Diet after many, many years.
I’m sure if I were to have a chat with Jeanette, she would agree with me that although we don’t work outside the home anymore, staying home with our boys is the hardest job we’ve ever had!
I chose to “vegan-ize” her beautiful Kung Pao Chicken recipe and substituted it with a vegan protein…chickpeas. I also substituted a few of the ingredients based on what I had on hand.
This is a really easy meal to pull together in less than 30 minutes, and it’s vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free.
Thanks Jeanette for sharing this delicious recipe!
5 Fast Facts About Chickpeas:*
- excellent source of fiber
- good source of protein
- can help lower cholesterol
- provides better regulation of blood sugar
- can help decrease cardiovascular risks
5 Fast Facts About Red Bell Peppers:*
- high in anti-oxidants
- 1 cup contains 195.8% DV of vitamin C
- excellent source of carotenoids
- contains potential anti-cancer benefits
- helps reduce inflammation
5 Fast Facts About Garlic:*
- regulates blood sugar levels
- lowers high blood pressure
- contains anti-bacterial and analgesic properties
- anti-viral
- helps to lower cholesterol levels
5 Fast Facts About Shallots:*
- 1 cup contains 24% dv of iron
- good source of fiber
- 1 cup contains 11% potassium
- contains more antioxidants than onions
- contains 10% dv of folate
5 Fast Facts About Avocado Oil:*
- healthier cooking with smoke point of 500 degrees
- may help reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome
- helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels
- provides protection from cardiovascular disease
- good source of vitamin E
5 Fast Facts About Habanero Peppers:*
- provides anti-inflammatory benefits
- helps decrease cancer risk
- contains capsaicin to help prevent obesity
- helps to lower cholesterol and blood pressure
- excellent anti-oxidant
Tip #1: I made several ingredient substitutions in this recipe. Please visit Jeanette’s website (link provided at the bottom of the recipe) to see the ingredients used in the original recipe to see if you would prefer to use those instead.
For example, the original recipe called for 1/4 cup of peanuts. All I had on hand was organic, raw wild jungle peanuts which have a very different taste than regular roasted peanuts. When I originally added them to my adapted recipe, I didn’t like the taste because the flavor was too strong, but regular roasted peanuts would have been really good. So just look over both recipes and use what you like best.
Vegan Kung Pao Chickpea Stir-Fry (Vegan, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
Print recipe
| www.thehealthyfamilyandhome.com | The Healthy Family and Home |
Ingredients
For the sauce
- 4 teaspoons organic liquid coconut aminos
- 2 teaspoons organic coconut sugar
- 3 - 4 teaspoons non-GMO cornstarch
- 1/4 cup purified / filtered water
- 1 - 2 habanero peppers
- 1 teaspoon 100% pure avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon organic white wine vinegar
- 1 - 2 pinch Himalayan pink salt
For the stir-fry
- 1 can organic chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
- 2 teaspoons 100% pure avocado oil
- 1 organic red bell pepper (diced)
- 3 cloves organic garlic (freshly crushed)
- 2 tablespoons organic green onions (diced)
- 3 tablespoons organic shallots (diced)
- 1/2 teaspoon organic red pepper flakes
- 1 - 2 pinch Himalayan pink salt
Directions
| Prepare the sauce | |
| Step 1 | Add all ingredients to a Vitamix and blend until everything is well combined. Take extra care when handling the habanero pepper(s). Use gloves and/or do not touch your eyes after handling them; wash hands thoroughly when finished. Adjust seasonings to your preference (ex. add an extra habanero pepper, extra coconut sugar, extra Himalayan salt, etc.) Set aside. |
| Prepare the stir-fry | |
| Step 2 | Prepare the veggies: cut and dice the red bell pepper, dice the green onions and shallots, crush the garlic. Add the avocado oil, garlic, shallots, red pepper flakes, Himalayan pink salt to a skillet and lightly saute. Add the chickpeas (drained and rinsed) and lightly saute for approximately 3 - 5 minutes. Adjust seasonings if preferred. Add the red bell pepper and lightly saute just long enough until they begin to get soft. Remove from heat and add the sauce; stirring it in so it is evenly distributed. Garnish with additional chopped green onions. Best when served warm/hot. Enjoy! |
Note
This recipe will make approximately (2) larger or (4) smaller servings.
Recipe inspired by and slightly adapted from: http://jeanetteshealthyliving.com/kung-pao-chicken-with-peanuts/
The photographs for "Vegan Kung Pao Chickpea Stir-Fry" by Karielyn Tillman of "The Healthy Family and Home" are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial 4.0 International License and cannot be used without my written permission.