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fabulous flavor to boot. Consumption of kimchi has

been linked to health benefits such as improved

immunity and cardiovascular disease, as well as anti-

aging effects. There are countless varieties of kimchi,

all with their own spice and heat profiles, and even

under the same label, jars will vary slightly. As a

result, I highly recommend trying several brands

until you fall in love with one (and I’m sure you will).

But what every kimchi I’ve eaten shares is a signature

sour-savoriness and crunch that pairs beautifully

with eggs, soup, meat, seafood, vegetables, and even

peanut butter. Kimchi is one of my absolute favorite

ways to douse my inner ecosystem with bioavailable

“good” bugs, and I encourage you to keep a jar in the

fridge at all times.

Unsweetened Almond Milk

Most of you are probably familiar with the concept

of nut “milks,” and almond milk seems to be the

most popular among them. Simply put, nut milks

are the milky-looking and -tasting liquid created

by blending nuts with water, and then straining

out the resulting pulp. They’re delicious, relatively

affordable, and make for a fantastic smoothie or

latte base. So why didn’t I include nut milk in any

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.