Directive to recompile a template if data does change and the one-time binding doesn't do this for you.

controller.js

$scope.things = [];

$scope.hasChanged = {
    mySuperAwesomeStuff: false,
};

$scope.$watch('things', function () {
    $scope.hasChanged.mySuperAwesomeStuff = true;
});

directive.js

app.directive('recompileMeWhen', function($compile, $parse) {
        'use strict';
        function getElementAsHtml(el) {
            // http://jsperf.com/jquery-div-vs-span
            return angular.element('<a></a>').append(el.clone()).html();
        }
        return {
            compile: function(el) {
                var template = getElementAsHtml(el);
                return function link(scope, $el, attrs) {
                    scope.$watch(attrs.recompileMeWhen, function(val) {
                        if (!val || val === 'false') {
                            return;
                        }
                        // recompile
                        var newEl = $compile(template)(scope);
                        $el.replaceWith(newEl);
                        $el = newEl;
                        // reset recompileMeWhen to false
                        $parse(attrs.recompileMeWhen).assign(scope, false);
                    });
                };
            }
        };
    });

example.html

<div recompile-me-when="hasChanged.mySuperAwesomeStuff">
    <some-super-awesome-directive repeat='thing in things'/>
</div>