Celebrating Global Pulse Day: 26 Top Pulse Recipes

January 18, 2017

Back when I started this blog, I could never have imagined the satisfaction of looking back on 5 years (yes, it's been 5 years!) of work, all spread out through the many pages of this blog, and through changes of all kinds - both internal and external (of course!). Searching through the archives here can be at times just a tad painful, as those early years of taking pictures remind me of how far I've come with this project in the look and feel of the posts, mostly the photos. Sure, I've definitely put some effort into improving the finishing touches on presentation, but the underlying motivation has always stayed the same since those early days of 'authentic' looking iphone shots: to help anyone who is keen to eat better, with sound nutritional options that require less cost, less time, and less hassle to prepare. I just don't believe food needs to be complicated to be good, ever.

I always try to keep the ingredient lists tight, even if at times the spice needs for a recipe rack up and my eyes start to go blurry just looking at them. I always try to include every day foods that are affordable and accessible. I've always believed at my core that eating well is a basic human right, and whether you have the means or not, there's just no need to be spending unnecessary dollars just to feel good (save that extra money for the spa, or travel, or whatever else feeds your soul). Thankfully, there are many nutritious ways to do this, starting with one of my all time faves: the wonderful world of pulses. Pulses are another word for legumes, or in more basic terms, beans. Those of you who know my recipes, and know my company, will already know these foods form the backbone of my diet ~ and always have since I was a kid growing up in a vegetarian family of modest means. Today, we have access to better quality products than ever, with Canada achieving remarkable success as being one of the world's largest producers of pulses (and grains), thanks to the over 22,000 pulse growers that reside in our country. Canadian soil is ideal for growing these crops, and because of this require little to no irrigation to produce them, which translates to water we can save for precious use elsewhere ~ a commodity we need to protect and use as efficiently as possible. I've long hoped to see more folks enjoying more pulses, for their affordability and versatility, and am happy to see it become a reality more and more every day.

Celebrating Global Pulse Day:26 Top Pulse Recipes

Today's post is in honour of #GlobalPulseDay, and coming to you in partnership with Pulse Canada. I've rounded up 26 of my favourite pulse recipes, which lean heavily on chickpeas and lentils, my two absolute favourites. From the list below you'll see the different ways I love to prepare mine, from soups to stews, to dips, to salads, to an authentic chickpea flatbread (for my new readers this is my site's top recipe). There is no shortage of creative ways to include them in your meals, whether you are fully vegetarian or not. I'd love to hear from you if you see any of your top picks here!

To learn more about Pulse Canada and their initiatives, visit their website here. You can also follow them on Instagram, and see other posts in celebration of #GlobalPulseDay by searching the hashtag on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

This post is sponsored by Pulse Canada in celebration of #GlobalPulseDay. All opinions shared are my own.