Plant-Chat: Nancy Kalish, Founder of Rule Breaker Snacks

It’s wonderful that Nancy Kalish, founder of Rule Breaker Snacks, stopped by my Plant Chat today. Nancy is a former health journalist, certified health coach, and healthy menu consultant for restaurants.  When she couldn’t find a healthy treat that satisfied her raging sweet tooth, she got to work and turned her Brooklyn kitchen into a mad cooking laboratory, experimenting with beans in brownies.  A year later in January 2015, after perfecting the recipe, she decided to start a food company (after all, how hard could that be?). So she took the leap, and has never looked back. Turns out, starting a food company IS hard.  But also very gratifying when you can make people happy with healthy treats. Continue reading to learn more about Nancy’s plant-based company.

What was the inspiration behind creating Rule Breaker Snacks? How did you decide to bring this idea to the marketplace?

As a former health journalist, I knew exactly what to eat to be healthy. But I have a terrible sweet tooth!  And it was always fighting with my aspiration to be healthy. In addition, all the healthy snacks in the health food store tasted, well, too healthy, and didn’t satisfy me. Plus, most of them had too much sugar or other ingredients I wasn’t crazy about. So I decided to get busy in the kitchen and see what I could create myself.

What makes your products unique from other snacks on the market?

They are made from more than 40% beans–whole chickpeas! And I wanted to create something that everyone could eat. So they’re 100% plant-based, gluten-free, top 8 allergen-free (including nuts), even kosher.

What is your own nutrition philosophy for wellness and health?

I want to be healthy and I also want to enjoy my life. So I try to eat healthfully 80 percent of the time, and I don’t feel guilty about the other 20 percent. I feel the same way about exercise. I hate running and weight training. But I love taking my dog Oscar on long walks and doing pilates. So I do the things I love, and I end up getting a lot of exercise.

What are the benefits people can gain from eating more pulses, such as beans, in their diets?

Beans have lots of fiber, protein, healthy fats, and lots of vitamins and minerals including B6 and calcium. That means beans are good for your digestive system, your heart, even your bones.

Do you think the idea that beans can be included in even snacks and desserts catching on? Why?

There’s been an explosion in bean-based snacks, although most of them are still savory such as roasted chickpeas and lentil chips. People love being able to eat the kinds of snacks and treats they love without feeling that they’re hurting their health.

What does a typical day of healthy eating for you look like?

I try to eat differently every day since I believe it’s important to get a variety of nutrients from a variety of foods. But typically, I start the day with oatmeal and nuts. I like to add less water than usual, make it into a cake, and pan fry it briefly to crisp it up. Delicious! Lunch is coconut yogurt and fruit, bell pepper slices with hummus or nut butter (try it!), and a bottle of Suja drinking vinegar. Dinner could be zucchini noodles with pan roasted tomatoes. I love my Spiralizer–it turns almost any vegetable into amazing “pasta.” And I always have dessert–usually one of my brownies or some dark chocolate.

What are your five favorite plant-based foods that you simply can’t live without?

Olive oil, coconut milk yogurt, NutPods vegan creamer, any kind of vegetable, and Rule Breaker Brownies, of course!

What is your favorite plant-based meal?

Pan-Roasted tomatoes make a quick, delicious, healthy pasta sauce or side dish. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add one pint of organic cherry or grape tomatoes in a single layer. Resist the impulse to stir until they are blistered and softened, then stir and let them blister on the other side. The tomatoes release their juices which caramelize. Yum! I’m also pretty fond of ice cream sandwiches made with vegan ice cream slathered between two of Rule Breaker brownies or with a brownie on the bottom and a blondie on the top.