Monthly Archives: May 2012

Pizza Hummus

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I’ve been trying to make a new hummus flavor each week since we eat so much of it, the plain version gets a little old after awhile. I wanted to try a pizza flavored hummus since we loved the Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil “Cheese” so much. This turned out pretty good! I may use sun-dried tomatoes next time, just to see how that turns out.

Pizza Hummus

Pizza Hummus

* 2 cups garbanzo beans – I used cooked beans but I think you could use about 2 cans worth, drained and rinsed

* 1/2 cup tomato sauce

* 2-3 cloves garlic

* 2 T bean liquid – I use this instead of using oil. Try water instead if you don’t have bean liquid leftover from cooking or canned

* 4-6 Tbsp nutritional yeast

* 1 1/2 – 2  tsp dried oregano

* 1 tsp dried basil

* 1/8 – 1/4 cup fresh basil – I used a little under 1/4 but just add to your liking

* pinch of salt

– Blend all ingredients in food processor until smooth, taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. 

Combine all ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth

First taste…

I think it’s good now!

Ready to eat!

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Creamy Broccoli & Kale Soup

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5

Our 9 month old son is now walking along furniture, my how time flies! He’s still not sleeping well at night which means I am not sleeping well either so fast meals are my thing lately. I’ve been making dinner during nap time which means break time doesn’t really happen for me until both kids go to bed. I’m not always good about going to bed early because geez… that’s my only free time! It’s a vicious cycle but hey, it works.

I received a large bunch of broccoli in my CSA box this week and decided to make one of the broccoli soups I have bookmarked in my 1357 list of recipes I want to try. This turned out really good! It’s so easy to make and super healthy too. Our toddler loved it! First time we had it, I served it with brown rice mixed in to add in a serving of grain. The second time I added brown rice and a hunk of sweet potato I had leftover, that was a great combo! Both times I added a squeeze of lemon on top. So good!

Creamy Broccoli & Kale Soup

This recipe is from a unprocessed food blog For the Love of Food. I really like this blog and I’ve bookmarked several recipes to try. I like her unprocessed approach, so nice to be able to make a recipe without changing it a ton.

Creamy Broccoli and Kale Soup
Water, broth or bean liquid for sautéing
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups vegetable stock – I used low sodium
1 bunch broccoli, chopped (6 cups)
1/2 bunch kale, chopped (4 cups) – I added extra because I LOVE my kale!
2 Tablespoons tahini
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Heat water, broth or bean liquid in a medium pot over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic and sauté about 3 minutes.  Add stock and bring to a boil.  Add the broccoli and kale, turn heat to low, and let simmer for five minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in tahini.  Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
Blend the soup by using an immersion blender or transfering it to a regular blender. (If using a regular blender, be very careful as the steam can sometimes cause the lid to blow off.  I recommend allowing the soup to cool for a few minutes, then blending small batches on medium speed while holding the lid down with a large pot holder or towel in my hand).
Squeeze lemon wedge over soup.  Serve hot.

Saute onions and garlic in water, bean cooking liquid or broth

Add broth and bring to boil. Add chopped broccoli and kale and simmer.

Add tahini. I used my immersion blender to puree this soup

 

Serve with lemon

Day 2: Served with brown rice and sweet potato

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Juice Pulp Crackers

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I’ve always been curious about the raw food world and I recently discovered an awesome recipe website called Choosing Raw. She has a recipe for “crackers” using leftover juicing pulp… GENIUS!!! I made another batch before this one with just pulp, chia seeds and water… turned out pretty good but this recipe is much better. I’ve made them both in my dehydrator and the oven and the results were very close in texture and dryness. I spread a thin layer of Sun Dried Tomato Basil Pizza Cheese on these and WOW was that good!! Our toddler loves these “crackers” too!!

If you find that you have too much leftover pulp, freeze it and make these at a later date! These are great with salads, as flatbreads with hummus or any other favorite topping or just as a simple snack!

Juice Pulp Crackers

Chia Juice Pulp Crackers (raw, vegan, GF)

2 cups juice pulp, tightly packed

1/2 cup ground chia seed – I ground mine in the Magic Bullet
2-3 tbsp tamari
2 tsps ground coriander
black pepper to taste
1/3-1/2 cup water
1/3 cup chia seeds, whole

1) Place pulp, ground chia, tamari, coriander, and black pepper in a food processor fitted with the S blade. Pulse to combine well.

2) Add the water and let the motor run, till mixture is right consistency (start by adding 1/4 of a cup and move up: how much you need will depend on how much liquid was in the pulp already). You want your mixture to be thick and sticky, but spreadable.

3) Add whole chia seeds and pulse to combine.

4) Spread on a Teflex lined dehydrator sheet, score into cracker shapes and dehydrate at 115 for about 5-6 hours. Flip the sheet over (you may want to put another sheet on top and then flip them both), and then dehydrate till very dry, about 4-5 more hours.

5) OVEN DIRECTIONS:

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the “dough” onto it evenly. I made mine pretty thin, about 1/2 inch or so. Bake at 350 degrees until crispy. My oven batch took about an hour and I flipped them after about 40 minutes.

Juicing done… don’t waste that pulp!

This was my first recipe with chia seeds and water…

Spread mixture out onto cookie sheet or use your dehydrator

Don’t forget to cut your “crackers” before baking/drying!

Ready to eat!

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Quick Black Bean & Sweet Potato Chili

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Our son is now 9 months old and almost walking, needless to say my life is getting crazier by the second! I’ve been cooking dinner at nap time when my hubby is at work for 24 hours, that’s the only way I can feed both kids and have any chance at a meal myself. I save the complicated recipes for when my hubby is home, he watches the kids while I dice and chop in the kitchen for what feels like hours (to him! LOL!)

Quick Black Bean & Sweet Potato Chili

I just LOVE Veg Kitchen with Nava Atlas!! If you’ve never been on her site, you need to set aside some time to bookmark recipes soon! I’ve made so many of her recipes and I’m never disappointed. This is another winner and it’s super easy to make with tons of leftovers for the next few days. What more can I ask for!?! Our toddler loves this chili and my hubby and I often fight over the leftovers 😉

Quick Black Bean & Sweet Potato Chili

Serves: 8 or more

  • 3 medium-large sweet potatoes
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
  • Two 28- to 32-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed – I used fresh cooked beans
  • One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes (I used no-salt added fire roasted flavor!)
  • One 16-ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 or 2 small fresh hot chiles, minced, or one 8-ounce can chopped mild green chiles – I used green chiles
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin, or more, to taste – I used 4 tsps
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley or cilantro, or more, to taste – I used cilantro
  • 2 to 3 scallions, thinly sliced, optional – I used 2
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Bake or microwave the sweet potatoes until just firm. When cool enough to handle, peel and cut into 3/4-inch dice. Set aside until needed.

Water sauté the onion and garlic and sauté over medium heat until the onion is golden. Add the remaining ingredients except the last three. Bring to a simmer, then simmer gently, covered for 15 minutes.

Add the sweet potato dice and continue to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes longer, or until the vegetables are tender.

Stir in the parsley or cilantro and optional scallions, then season gently with salt (or not). If time allows, let stand off the heat for an hour or two, then heat through as needed. Top each serving with extra parsley or cilantro, if desired.

Water sautee onion and garlic

Add remaining ingredients, except the last three and bring to simmer and cover

Add sweet potato

Stir in parsley and optional scallions

Let sit if possible or enjoy immediately!

California Quinoa Salad (Whole Foods Copycat!)

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You have no idea how happy I am that I can make this at home now. I’ve been dreaming about this oil-free quinoa salad from Whole Foods ever since I brought a tiny little container of it home and devoured it in two seconds. I searched the internet for a copycat recipe but no luck… I saved the label from the container and decided to figure it out on my own!

Copycat Whole Foods “California Quinoa Salad”

This recipe makes plenty of leftovers to last you for a few (or more) days. Perfect for busy people who enjoy quick and easy leftovers. All of these measurements were estimations, just throw in the ingredients to suit your tastes. I really don’t think you could mess this up!

I’ve been eating this so fast, I haven’t had a chance to put it in a bowl and take a proper picture so please forgive me! Just trust me, you don’t need a fancy picture of this one… I PROMISE you will love it!!!

California Quinoa Salad

1 cup mixed quinoa from Trader Joe’s – regular quinoa or red quinoa would work well here too

2 cups water (for cooking quinoa)

1 cup lentil sprouts (optional but adds a yummy crunch!)

1/2 package frozen mango from Trader Joe’s, thawed OR 1-2 diced fresh mango, diced)

1/4 large red onion, diced

1/2 medium to large red pepper, diced

1/2 small bunch cilantro, chopped 

1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut (optional but good!)

1/3 cup unsalted, dry-toasted slivered almonds

3/4 cup raisins (currents and cranberries will work too!)

1 1/2 cups frozen edamame, thawed

Juice of 2-3 limes

2-3 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar (I like to use fig balsamic vinegar)

Instructions:

1. Rinse quinoa well, cook as directed.

2. Fluff quinoa well when done, spread out and let cool.

3. Add all other ingredients and toss.

4. Enjoy cold!!

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Sweet Potato Curry with Kale & Chickpeas

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5

I love any excuse to use curry! I go though phases where I cook with it all week, then I forget about it for awhile. I always come back to it though, I just ordered a few new curries from World Spice Merchant and I can’t wait to try them!

I made this one at my in-law’s house, it was a huge hit! I served this over quinoa but it would be great over brown rice or any other tasty grain! My toddler really enjoyed this as well!!

Sweet Potato Curry with Kale & Chickpeas

Serves: 4 to 6

  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 large sweet potatoes or 4 medium garnet yams, peeled and cut into large dice
  • One 16- to 20-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed OR 2 – 2 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
  • One 16-ounce can diced tomatoes (I used no-salt added fire roasted flavor!)
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 2 teaspoons good-quality curry powder, or more, to taste (I used Kashmiri Curry)
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger, more or less to taste
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin, or more, to taste
  • 8 to 12 ounces chard, any variety, or a combination of chard and beet greens – I used kale
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro or parsley, or more or less to taste – I used cilantro
  • 1/4 cup raisins, optional (but HIGHLY recommended)
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Water sauté onion and garlic in a large pan until golden. Add the sweet potato dice and  cup and a half or so of water; bring to a simmer and cook until just tender, adding just enough additional water if needed, as they cook, to keep the mixture moist.

Stir in the chickpeas, tomatoes, scallions, curry powder, ginger, and cumin and bring the mixture to a simmer again; cook over low heat for 10 minutes or so, until the sweet potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, strip or cut the kale/chard leaves (and beet greens, if using) away from the stems. Slice the stems thinly, and cut the leaves into strips.

Add the kale/chard to the skillet, in batches if necessary, and cover. Cook briefly, just until the chard wilts, then stir in. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes, or until the chard is tender but not overdone. Stir in the cilantro and optional raisins. Season with salt and pepper, then serve.