of my recipes in my first cookbook? Because when
I wrote it, I couldn’t find brands that didn’t include
a whole host of gums, oils, and preservatives in
the ingredient list. In fact, it seemed that the “nut”
component was the least prevalent in these dairy-
substitute liquids. Thankfully, in the last few years,
several companies have started making nut milks
with much shorter and cleaner ingredient lists,
and I feel good about recommending them to you.
When purchasing an almond or other nut milk, look
for ingredients you recognize and can pronounce.
Ideally, you want to see “almonds (or whatever nut),
Himalayan salt, filtered water.” Another brand I can
easily find contains “organic almond milk (water,
organic almonds), organic acacia gum, sea salt.”
Acacia gum is a natural source of soluble fiber, so I
don’t mind consuming it in this particular brand. In
addition, almonds contain antioxidants, which play a
crucial role in combating free-radical damage. I still
absolutely love canned coconut milk, and I continue
to use it throughout this book. But variety is the spice
of life, and I’m glad to be able to offer more options!
You might be wondering about dairy milk, so please
see the “Dairy” section for details. Overall, I approve
of consuming high-quality cow’s milk (from pasture-
raised cows with no added sugar) in moderation, if it
doesn’t cause allergic or food-sensitivity reactions.
If you’re not sure how you respond to cow’s milk, I
suggest working with a doctor or dietitian.
Chickpea or Garbanzo Bean Flour
Ohhh, I was so happy to add a new flour to the
LL Balanced pantry for this book, and I knew
immediately that chickpea/garbanzo bean flour
would be the winner. Also known as “besan” or
“gram” flour, chickpea flour is made from ground
chickpeas, usually raw, but sometimes roasted. It
is used to make a thin flatbread, known as socca in
French cooking and farinata in Italian. Chickpea
flour is also a staple in Indian cooking, where it
is used to make pakoras, papadums, and more. It
is naturally gluten-free and rich in plant protein,
fiber, iron, vitamin B-6, and magnesium. Research
indicates that compared to wheat-based flour,
chickpea-based flour results in less of a glucose and
insulin response. I have found that chickpea flour
recipes are very satiating, keeping me full for quite
a long time. That said, the main reason I fell hard
for chickpea flour is its texture. Using it creates
a dense and moist but still light crumb, and it is
simply delightful to consume. This is why I chose to
include chickpea flour in recipes such as my Double
Chocolate Avocado Blender Muffins (page 107) and my Lemon Almond Pound Cake (page 309). As the British would say, recipes with chickpea flour are just “moreish.” In addition, chickpea flour has a natural binding property, so it tends to hold baked goods together well.
Macadamia Nuts
I really try live in the present. And yet, I often regret
not including macadamia nuts in my life much
earlier. They are ridiculously delicious. They offer
a satisfying crunch that quickly turns into creamy
liquid gold, with a mildly sweet, nutty flavor. Forget
about it! As with cashews, macadamia nuts are
notably versatile. They can be soaked and blended
to mimic dairy products, but they’re equally at home
as a crust for tuna steaks or a crouton replacement
for salads. Macadamia nuts contain more fat than
most nuts and seeds, 80 percent of which is high-
quality monounsaturated fats (think: energy).
Indeed, moderate consumption of macadamia nuts
can favorably alter one’s fatty acid profile, potentially
improving cardiovascular health. A source of
calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, potassium, fiber,
and phytochemicals, macadamia nuts also have a
particularly low carbohydrate content. Thus, they
are a great nutrient-dense snacking option for
someone pursuing a lower-carbohydrate lifestyle.
Whenever you’re purchasing nuts or seeds, keep
them tightly sealed in a cool, dark place; otherwise
they may oxidize and go rancid quickly (although
macadamia nuts never last long enough in my pantry
for that to happen). I also recommend freezing to
extend shelf life. I know that these little beauties are
on the pricier side, so I buy mine online at Thrive
Market (www.thrivemarket.com), which makes them much more affordable.
Dairy
Now for the elephant in the room—okay, maybe not
for y’all, but for me. When I wrote my first cookbook,
I stayed away from almost all dairy. I used butter and
yogurt in a few recipes, but otherwise, I came up
with dairy-free substitutions. The reasons for this
were twofold: 1) I wanted to offer creative, dairy-free
solutions to some of your favorite cheesy, creamy
dishes, and 2) I didn’t feel that the pros of dairy
consumption outweighed possible downsides. I
noted the following: