Stephanie McKercher is on a mission to end calorie counting. Instead, this food lover and registered dietitian from Denver, Colorado, believes in eating mindfully, cooking, enjoying produce straight from the market, and incorporating whole foods such as beans, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.
She encourages her clients to eat beans because they are nutrient dense, affordable, and delicious, making them a natural choice for anyone looking to eat healthier. Stephanie recommends beans to her clients — especially those who are vegan and vegetarian — because they are rich in protein and essential micronutrients along with energizing nutrients, complex carbohydrates, and satisfying fiber.
Pairing beans with lots of colorful vegetables and whole grains such as brown rice and sliced avocados makes for a perfectly balanced meal. Her website, The Grateful Grazer, is full of wonderful recipes, lifestyle tips and much more! Check out these recipes and other great bean dishes on her website.
Mushroom and Cannellini Loaded Sweet Potatoes with Lemon Herb Pesto
African Spiced Chickpeas and Greens
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Green Goddess Pasta Salad
Recipe courtesy of Stephanie McKercher, RDN
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
- 3 cups dry whole wheat fusilli (or pasta of choice)
- 2 tbsp. grape seed oil
- ½ onion, diced
- 2 cups broccoli, chopped into florets
- 2 cups sugar snap peas
- 2 tbsp. tahini (you may need to add more water to reach a dressing-like consistency)
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
- 2 tbsp. water
- 1-15 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling (optional)
Instructions
- Add pasta to pot of boiling water and cook until al dente, 9-10 minutes. Once cooked, drain and set aside until ready to mix.
- In the meantime, heat oil in wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, 4-5 minutes. Add broccoli and snap peas and cook an additional 6-8 minutes.
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk together tahini, lemon, garlic, cayenne, and water.
- Add cooked pasta, chickpeas, spinach, parsley, nutritional yeast, and tahini sauce to wok and stir until mixed. Add salt to taste. Transfer to serving bowl, top with black pepper, and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil if desired.
- Serve hot, room temperature, or cold.