White Bean Pesto Hummus

I made this White Bean Basil Hummus or as we renamed it White Bean Pesto Hummus tonight. I didn't have fresh basil on hand so I used 2 cubes of the frozen basil. I am not 100% sure what the measurment is for the cubes as they are not fresh however 2 cubes added a lot of basil flavor so I wouldn't use more. Rather than use fresh lemon juice I used the equivilant of lemon juice from the bottle. Everyone loved this and ate fresh veggies with it. The picture isn't so pretty but trust me, this is a keeper. I don't see why you can't make this exact recipe with chickpeas...perhaps I will do that next time.

1 Can Cannelini or Northern White Beans, rinsed and drained
2 cubes Frozen Basil
1 Small Garlic Clove
1 1/2 Tbls. Lemon Juice
2 Tbls. Tahini
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/4 C. Olive Oil

Place all ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth letting it go for a few minutes. Enjoy!

Oatmeal Blueberry Muffins

Well I finally found a good cereal alternative that everyone in my house likes. The question is can I keep up with demand? I made Oatmeal Blueberry Muffins based on this recipe. I changed the flour so it uses mostly whole wheat flour. I also switched the brown sugar to silan and used a little less oil although in retrospect I am not sure why I didn't just use applesauce. I guess I was having a bad day as I also forgot to throw in a teaspoon or 2 of ground flax seed, both of which I would do next time.

1 C. Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 C. Flour
3/4 C. Oatmeal
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/4 tsp. Salt
1 Egg, beaten
3/4 C. Skim Milk
1/2 C. Silan
1/8 C. Oil
1/2 tsp. Vanilla
3/4 C. Blueberries, fresh or frozen

Combine flours, oatmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl combine egg, milk, silan, oil and vanilla. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add wet ingredients mixing until just combined and lumpy. Fold in berries. Line a muffin pan with paper liners or spray with pam. Fill cups 3/4 the way full. Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes testing if they are done with a toothpick.

Another Baked Fries Recipe

I had a few potatoes left over and was thinking I should find something to do with them and I was at my computer reading the Chicago Tribune when I saw this recipe.

I decided to give it a shot. The results were good however mine were a bit well done. Next time I would watch them closer or cook them less or at a lower temperature. Consider yourself forewarned.

2 pounds potatoes
2 Tbls. Olive Oil
1 tsp. Paprika
1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp. Onion Powder
1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
1/4 tsp. Pepper
Red Pepper Flakes, to taste

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut each potato into eight long wedges. Place potatoes in a large saucepan with salted water to cover. Heat over high heat to a simmer. Reduce heat to low; cook 5 minutes. Drain. Place the wedges on a baking sheet. Mix the oil and spices in a small bowl. Brush the oil mixture over the potatoes to evenly coat. Bake 10 minutes, turn wedges. Bake 10 minutes. Turn broiler on and broil until potatoes are crisp on top about 5 minutes but keep your eye on it as it goes fast. Turn potatoes and broil second side about 5 minutes.

Cauliflower Popcorn

This recipe was adapted from a recipe by the same name from the Kosher By Design Entertains cookbook. I have only made 3 changes in this recipe. First is I use frozen cauliflower, not because it is better but because I can't always get fresh and when I can I am too lazy to clean and cut it. But if you have fresh cauliflower and aren't lazy like me then I encourage you to use it as it is better. Secondly, I have cut the oil from 6-8 Tablespoons(yikes!) to 2 Tablespoons and it still seems excessive. Lastly I substituted splenda for the sugar. I often double or triple this recipe as we munch on it from the minute it comes out of the oven and my kids like it.

2 Heads cauliflower, cut into medium sized florets OR 1 bag frozen cauliflower(can be frozen or defrosted)
1 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Splenda
1/4 tsp. Onion Powder
1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp. Paprika
1/4-1/2 tsp. Turmeric
2 Tbls. Olive Oil

Combine all spices and oil in a large bowl or in a ziploc bag. Add in the cauliflower and toss to coat evenly. Place in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast at 450 for 35-45 minutes until cooked and slightly browned. If the cauliflower is getting too brown for your liking you can mix it in the middle of cooking.

Quinoa Edamame Salad With A Twist

I got this recipe for Quinoa Edamame Salad from my sister. I believe it originated as a rice recipe which she converted to quinoa, which you can do with most rice recipes. I have made it many time with edamame and love it however my husband isn't an edamame fan so I substituted chickpeas and now he eats it too. Either way you can't go wrong.

1 C. Quinoa, rinsed
2 C. Chicken Broth
2 Carrots, shredded
1 Can Chickpeas, drained OR cooked edamame
1/8 C. Soy Sauce
1/2 Tbls. Sesame Oil

Place quinoa and broth in a pot. Bring to boil. Simmer 15 minutes. Allow to cool. Mix in carrots, chickpeas or edamame, soy sauce and sesame oil. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Curried Chickpea Salad

Isn't it pretty??? Well it is tasty too! This recipe for Curried Chickpea Salad is simple and easy.

2 cans Chickpeas, rinsed well and drained
4 tsp. Olive Oil
1-2 small onions, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2-4 Tbls. Cilantro, chopped
1-2 T Lemon Juice
Sea Salt to taste

Drain chickpeas into a colander placed in the sink, then rinse well with cold water until no more foam appears and let chickpeas drain while you cook the onions.

Heat the olive oil in a pan, add the onion, turn heat to medium-high and saute onions until they are lightly browned and starting to get crisp, about 6-8 minutes. Stir frequently while the onions cook, and don't let them get too browned. When onions are lightly browned, stir in the turmeric, cumin, coriander, and cayenne pepper and cook 2-3 minutes more, until the spices are fragrant and slightly toasted.

Add the drained chickpeas and cook 2-3 minutes more, stirring so the spices and onions are well-distributed in the chickpeas. Then stir in chopped cilantro and lemon juice and cook 3-4 minutes more. Turn off heat and season to taste with sea salt.

Let the mixture cool, then transfer to a plastic container with a snap-on lid and let salad chill in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve cold or at room temperature, tasting and adjusting the flavor with more lemon juice and sea salt before serving if desired.

Cabbage Salad With Red Pepper, Cilantro, Peanuts and Dijon-Ginger Dressing

I found this recipe for Napa Cabbage Salad with Red Bell Pepper, Cilantro, Peanuts, and Dijon-Ginger Dressing on one of my favorite websites- Kalyn's Kitchen.
Right off the bat I used regular cabbage rather than Napa. Otherwise I pretty much stuck with the recipe and it was wonderful.

5-6 C. Chopped Cabbage
1 Red Pepper, very thinly sliced into same-length slices
1/4 C. Green Onions, thinly sliced
1/2 C. Cilantro, chopped
1/3 C Dry Roasted Peanuts, chopped

Dressing:
2 Tbls. Rice Vinegar (use unseasoned vinegar without added sugar)
1 frozen ginger cube OR 2 tsp. grated ginger puree
2 tsp. Dijon Mustard
1 tsp. Sesame Oil
1 Tbls. Splenda
salt and black pepper to taste
3 Tbls. Canola Oil

Stir together all dressing ingredients. Let the dressing sit to develop flavor while you chop the salad ingredients.

Toss together the chopped cabbage, red bell pepper strips, sliced green onions, and chopped cilantro in a medium-sized salad bowl. Add desired amount dressing and toss to coat the salad. (You may not need all the dressing if you like your salads on the dry side.) Put salad in individual serving dishes and top each serving with chopped peanuts or toss peanuts into salad before serving.