Herb you were hungry ! It was a toss-up between toast or salad, so we made Buffalo Salad Toast with a Kefir Ranch. It’s a spread of chopped lettuce tossed with farmer cheese and garlic powder on toasted sourdough bread and topped with dill, buffalo-flavored chickpeas, and the creamiest kefir ranch. Chickpeas are part of the legume family. They have a nutty flavor and are high in protein and fiber, which makes them an excellent meat replacement for vegans and vegetarians. Farmer cheese is a tart and tangy soft cheese with a texture similar to ricotta. It has 13 grams of protein per serving and 12 live and active probiotic cultures. Kefir may support a balanced gut microbiome and strong immune system with its high content of protein, vitamin D, and probiotics. Alright enough chatter, lettuce eat!
Cultured Dairy: The Nutrition Benefits You Actually Need to Know
With increasing research linking the correlation between probiotics, gut health, and immunity, it’s no secret that the integrity of our gut is vital to our health. Although additional factors such as stress, antibiotic usage, and individual health conditions can contribute to the condition of our gut, a focus on healthy food choices is one of the easiest ways to support the microbiome.
Several studies have shown a strong association between the gut-brain-microbiota. Probiotics introduced to the gut have been found to support immunity, improve allergies, and improve digestion.
Studies have shown that reduced diversity of healthy gut bacteria during early years is associated with an increase in food allergies during school-age years. In addition, kefir made from whole fat milk helps absorb key nutrients such as Vitamins A, D, E, and K. Vitamin K is important because it helps your bones absorb calcium. It’s important to know that kefir contains a special trio: vitamin D, K, and calcium – all three crucial elements to support bone health.
Servings: 2-4Ingredients
Buffalo Chickpeas
- 1 can of rinsed chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika powder
- 5 tbsp hot sauce
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast (for thickening)
- 1 tsp chipotle powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp olive oil
Kefir Ranch
- 1 ½ cups Organic Plain Whole Milk Kefir
- 1 clove fresh garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped (save some for garnish)
- 1 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Additional Ingredients
- 4 tbsp Farmer Cheese
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 2+ cups chopped romaine lettuce
- toasted sourdough baguette
Directions
- In a small pot on low heat, lightly warm chickpeas with the spice mixture.
- Ranch: mix everything together and set in the refrigerator to cool.
- Toss lettuce with garlic powder + farmer cheese. Top cheesy lettuce onto toasted sourdough bread then add buffalo chickpeas and drizzle with ranch + dill leaf.
