Hi there!
I was just reading some health news on ABC News that I wanted to share. Apparently America is no longer the world’s fattest developed nation, as we’ve been surpassed by Mexico – who has a 32.8% adult obesity rate verses our 31.8%. This is hardly something to be proud of huh? A new 
report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicts that by the year 2030, U.S. obesity rates will be at 42%. The article also notes that the “heavyweight title of the world” goes to the island of American Somoa, where 75% of adults are obese. SEVENTY FIVE! Apparently an additional 20 percent of citizens there are merely overweight, which means that only 5% are a healthy weight. It’s a small island, but that stat just blows my mind.
Obviously there’s a proven correlation between weight and disease, resulting in skyrocketing medical bills and a system that treats everything with medication instead of getting to the root of the problem. In this news clip, they stated that 25% of Americans get no exercise whatsoever – meaning that they don’t go for walks, garden, or do low-impact movements…like ever. In 1980, 5% of U.S. children were overweight. Now, that number is at about 20%. I find it so sad and I can go and on, but I’ll spare you any extensive preaching about what we need to do to stop being so unhealthy. The solution in a nutshell: Move more, exercise daily, eat less crap, and eat a hell of a lot more real food.
And speaking of real food, I have a recipe to share with you today that revolves around it. I decided to get a little creative in the kitchen yesterday and put together a new recipe at lunchtime. A lone red bell pepper was calling to me, and this is what I came up with…
Using some chickpeas, I wanted to create a potato salad-like feel, minus the actual potatoes and any mayo since I do not like it in the least bit. I decided to pulse chickpeas with artichoke hearts, light cream cheese, minced garlic, and mixed-up salt in my food processor, slice a bell pepper and stuff it with my chickpea creation, top it with celery and cracked pepper, and pop it into the oven to bake. It came out really yummy and provided me with a bunch of servings of veggies – win win!
I felt all fancy eating lunch with a fork and knife, verses the usual smoothie meal or something that requires just my hands or perhaps a spoon.
Chickpea Salad-Stuffed Red Bell Pepper
Ingredients
- 1 large red bell pepper
- 1/2 cup chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 oz light cream cheese
- 1/4 TSP minced garlic
- 1/4 TSP mixed-up salt
- 1/4 cup marinated artichoke hearts
- 1 celery stalk chopped
- Cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Remove the core and seeds from the pepper, and slice it in half lengthwise.
- In a food processor, combine chickpeas, cream cheese, garlic, salt and artichoke hearts. Pulse just 10-15 times, or until the mixture is combined well but not completely pureed.
- Spoon the chickpea mixture into the pepper. Top with celery and pepper.
- Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the pepper is tender.
Nutrition
And now I’m off to the gym for a (hopefully good) workout!
Move more, exercise daily, eat less crap, and eat a hell of a lot more real food <– Amen to that!!
Chickpea salad sounds interesting!
YEA! It is, you should try making chickpea salad – it’s tasty!