Black Bean Hummus

Hummus is a staple in our household.  (If you didn’t already figure that out from my Garlic Hummus recipe.)  We eat it with pita chips & vegetables, and also use it as a spread on sandwiches or tortilla wraps.  Hummus is so versatile you can make it fit with whatever flavor food you’re preparing.  I make black bean hummus a lot because I always have black beans in the pantry and we eat Spanish food so much, that this is perfect!  I love this recipe because it can be made in less than 10 minutes.  Plus, with all the Puerto Ricans we know who are a little shy of chick peas, this is a great gateway hummus.

I call this my Latin Hummus!  For the first six months of marriage, my husband didn’t know what to cook in the kitchen because I didn’t have Adobo – a Latin staple.  I learned to change it, and learned why all the Puerto Rican and Dominican cooks that I know love it!  So for all you Latin food lovers and hummus lovers alike, here you have it:

Black Bean Hummus

makes about 1 cup

1 C cooked black beans (if using canned, drain and rinse well)

1/8 C tahini

3T water

1T lemon juice, or about half a lemon

2 cloves garlic

1/4t salt

1/4t Adobo

1 small handful of either parsley or cilantro

Put all ingredients in a food processor.  I started with the beans, parsley, and garlic.

Then added the lemon juice, water, seasonings, and tahini.

Process until smooth and at a consistency you like.  To get it more thin you can add more water, lemon juice, or a small amount of olive oil.

Viola! Delicious, healthy snack.  I like to refrigerate mine before serving.  Enjoy!

Guacamole

Chips are a staple in our house.  The first time I crumbled them up and sprinkled them over my husband’s breakfast omelet, he nearly fainted in joy.  To accompany chips, you need something good.  Guacamole fits the bill.

I did not like avocados or guacamole for the longest time.  Perhaps I just had bad experiences with both.  The first time I tried guacamole and loved it was in Manhattan at Mama Mexico.  They made it fresh right in front of you, and you got to pick the ingredients that went in.  I had an aha moment: Guacamole is only great fresh!  The canned, tubbed, bagged stuff you can buy at the store does not hold a candle to homemade guac.  This converted me to be an avocado lover as well.  I’m grateful that food buds evolve as adults!

Homemade Guacamole

Makes 4 cups

4-5 ripe avocados

2-3 tomatoes

½ C scallions I’ve also used Spanish onion & red onion before

3-5 cloves of garlic

1 jalapeno

1 lime

Salt to taste

Because avocados brown quickly after air exposure, I saved those for the end and diced all my ingredients.  A note on the tomatoes: remove the seeds and liquid parts- they will water down and discolor the guacamole.  Thankfully, guacamole doesn’t require precise measurements, so if you like yours more spicy or garlicky or whatever, you can adjust as necessary.

Roll the lime under your palm before cutting it open to release the juices.

Then cut your avocados open.  Ripe avocados should be soft to the touch, but not mushy.  It’s ok if the skin is black, so long as there isn’t mold growing out of the peel.  I cut them in half first,

then slice squares without puncturing the peel behind it.

Then scooped the flesh into the bowl.  This can be done with a spoon or fingers.  To get the pit out, you can scoop it out with your fingers as well, or smack a knife into it and wiggle it out of the avocado flesh.

Toss avocado into a bowl.  You can mash with a large spoon or potato masher, but I usually use a fork so I can get the guacamole to the exact consistency I like.  If you’re in a hurry, or don’t mind really smooth guacamole, you could always toss the ingredients into a food processor.

Add the remaining ingredients and mash until it is a consistency you like.  I usually keep a pit or two in the guacamole mix – it keeps the guacamole from browning!  (I learned this at a party, thanks Kim!)

Refrigerate (either with the pit in and/or in an air tight container with parchment paper pressed down onto the guacamole to remove all air) for 30 minutes and serve!  This guacamole is great for dipping, topping quesadillas, or stuffing in burritos!  You can always store extra guacamole the same way you refrigerated it, though in our house there are rarely leftovers.

Israeli Tahina

Here’s a basic recipe composed of what I could remember from my Israeli cookbook that got lost in one of my house moves.  This thin, white sauce is a tart/tangy condiment that is designed to be paired with falafel.  Though many people use it to accompany hummus and other dishes, I love to pair this with falafel.  Bonus, it is vegan and gluten free, which in my book means you can have as much of it as you want!

Most recipes you’ll find entitle this “Tahini Sauce” to differentiate it from “tahini paste” (ground sesame seeds,) but I distinctly remember it being referred to in Israel as “Tahina” (pronounced tuh-(c)hee-na with a little back of the throat action on the hee part.)

Tahina Sauce

makes 1 Cup

1/2C Tahini paste

2/3C Water

Juice of 1 lemon

2-3 Garlic cloves

Handful of parsley

Salt to taste

1/2t Dill, optional

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until smooth.

At this point, taste and adjust as necessary. Mine needed more salt to bring out the flavor, and more water to reach the desired consistency. Tahina sauce should be thicker than water, but thinner than tahini paste.

Enjoy with some yummy falafel!

Crispy Oven Fries & Bistro Sauce

This is the sequel to last week’s post!  The delicious, crispy, herb drenched fries and the sauce that cannot be described, only consumed.  This sauce is inspired by Nordstrom’s Cafe Bistro, who serves it with their own crispy, herb drenched fries.  My husband and I were introduced to Cafe Bistro years ago and have fallen in love with it.  They have great salads, sandwiches, pizzas, and desserts!  We seriously refer to this pink dip as “Heaven Sauce” in our household, and it has caught on with friends who love the Cafe as much as we do.

I loved this sauce so much I once asked for the recipe and though they sell cookbooks with their recipes, they so generously jotted it down for me.  Now, that was quite a while ago, so I’ve long forgotten where that little receipt has ended up.  Thankfully, my somewhat functional memory and my culinary instincts could reproduce it!  It’s amazing!  Also, I’ve learned a lot about baking fries since my last fry post.  From soaking the potatoes in water to cooking them on a rack with air circulation, it’s all good things I’ve learned.  I’m excited to share this recipe with you!

Crispy Oven Fries & Heaven Bistro Sauce

Serves 2-3, Fries inspired by thetalkingkitchen.com

3 small/medium potatoes

1/2 t garlic powder

1/4 t onion powder

1 small bunch of parsley, I used Italian flat leaf

4-6T mayonnaise, I used Vegenaise

2-3T Greek yogurt (optional)

2-3 cloves fresh garlic

8-12 Kalamata olives

Juice from 1/2 a lemon

4T olive oil

Salt & Pepper to taste

First, I washed and cut the potatoes to desired fry size.  I wanted skinny fries in the attempt to make them nice and crispy.  I also left the skin on and was not disappointed.

Then soaked them in ice water for about 5 minutes to let some starch out.  At this point, I pre-heated the oven to 400 degrees.

I then rinsed and drained the potatoes, and dried them out on a towel.  I rubbed the towel back & forth over them to ensure they were fully dry.

I then mixed the powders, salt, & pepper together.

Side note: I used a chimichurri sea salt that I picked up at a farmer’s market recently.  Bless the Lord, it’s good!  Recipes like this are a fun time to experiment with new seasonings or different flavored salt & peppers.  Also, if you’ve never had chimichurri sauce…get on that.  It will change your world.

Then added the olive oil.

And added the fries.  At first I tried to toss them with a spatula, but they weren’t getting sufficiently coated, so prepare to get your hands a little dirty.

I lined a cookie sheet with aluminum foil, just to make clean up a little easier.  And since I don’t own a cooking rack, I used an all metal cookie cooling rack to put the fries on.  Apparently, air circulation makes the fries crispier, and you don’t need to flip them half way through the cook time.  I’m not sure how I feel about that since I got some crispy fries, and some softer ones.  Good thing I like both kinds.

I made so many I had to cook them in two batches because they didn’t all fit on the pan!

I baked them for 30-35 minutes, or until nicely browned.  Meanwhile, time to roll up your sleeves, bust out the food processor and make the sauce of Heaven!!!

I first tossed in 4T mayo.  I subbed out some mayo for Greek yogurt to cut down the fat and up the protein in this dip.  This is optional of course.  You could go mayo all the way if you’re not as vain as I am.  I use Greek yogurt as a sub for mayo and sour cream often in recipes.  The kind I buy by Fage has 0 fat and 20ish grams of protein per serving.  This is fantastic news to my heart!

Then added the garlic.

Oh, yes, I used my mini food processor since I’m not making but 1.5 cups of this goodness.

Then added the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and some salt & pepper.

Add the olives.

And blend it!  This would be the time to adjust seasonings to taste.  You’ll know when it’s right for your taste buds.  The consistency you’re looking for will be slightly more runny than mayonnaise.  Place in the fridge until the fries are ready.

While the fries are finishing in the oven, chop the parsley finely.

When the fries are ready, pull them out of the oven and allow to cool for 1-2 minutes.

Toss with parsley, and serve with Heaven sauce immediately.  So delicious!!!  Enjoy!

I used the sauce throughout the week as a sandwich spread and dip for pita chips.  It’s just that good.

Pesto

This diverse little spread is wonderful!  I love making it myself so I know exactly what’s in it.  You can also alter the flavor profile depending upon which herbs are highlighted, and what seasonings are added in.  It can be used as a sandwich spread, pasta sauce, or pizza sauce and I’m sure all you creative types out there can think of more culinary ways to use pesto.

Pesto 

makes 1 Cup

1 C fresh basil leaves

1/2 C fresh Italian parsley leaves

1/4 C pine nuts, toasted if you’d like

1/4 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 C olive oil

Juice from 1/4 lemon (about 1t)

1T water

1/4 t xanthan gum optional

Salt & Pepper to taste

I really like basil to be the predominant flavor in pesto, so I did a 2:1 ratio of basil to parsley.  Also, shredded or shaved Parmesan from the store is fine, there’s just something in me that tries to go as fresh as possible.  Finally, the xanthan gum isn’t necessary if you don’t have it.  Though it’s about $14 a bag right now it will last forever because you use so little in each recipe that calls for it.  I still don’t totally understand the mysteries of all that xanthan gum can do because it acts as a binder in gluten free foods, but as a food separator in things like blended coffee drinks and pesto.  The things you learn from the internet and reading labels in the aisles of Wholefoods.

Anyway, I first tore off the leaves and tossed them into my food processor.

Then, I freshly pressed some garlic.  I love fresh garlic!  And I love my garlic press!  I discovered a garlic press a couple years ago and absolutely adore it.  You don’t even have to peel the skin off the garlic!  It makes cooking that much easier.  Look at it!  It’s stunning!

This one is by Calphalon and you can get one here.  Use it to press some garlic into the food processor.

Shred the Parmesan cheese.  Feel free to shred liberally.

Toss it in!

Then add the pine nuts.  If you’ve never toasted nuts before for a recipe, I highly recommend it.  It brings out a lovely flavor!  Go here for a good tutorial on how to toast nuts.

Then add the remaining ingredients.

And blend away.  You may want to add more oil or water to thin it out, depending on what you will be using the pesto for.  I was using it as a sandwich spread, so this came out as the perfect consistency.

And that’s it.  Perfect pesto!  This will last covered and refrigerated for up to 3 weeks.  Enjoy!

To make these lovely sandwiches, see my post here.

Sweet Potato Fries with Nutayo (Vegan Mayo)

So first, you can’t steal my word, nutayo. Ok, you can. But I just made it up and I’m super proud of myself. And aside from the oober cool name, they are amazing! This is the perfect celebration of the coming end of winter vegetables.

You’ll need:

Sweet potatoes (I only used 1 huge one and it served 4 side item portions)

1 cup pine nuts

Olive oil

1 lime

½ clove of garlic

¼ cup water or coconut water

½ cup fresh coconut flesh

Chili powder

Sea salt

If you have a dehydrator, you could try that, (it would take hours) or if you’re using an oven, preheat it to 375. Cut the potatoes into whatever shape you’d like, cover in olive oil, and sprinkle with sea salt and just a bit of chili powder. Cook for about 15-20 minutes, depending on your oven.

While the potatoes are baking, have some fun cracking open a fresh coconut. I say fun because my husband took it outside with a hammer, then so graciously scooped out the flesh for me.

Combine the coconut flesh, water, garlic, 2 T olive oil, and pine nuts in a food processor or vitamix. Squeeze half the lime juice into the mix and process until smooth.

After the baking process, if you want the fries a bit crispier, either heat a dry saucepan and cook the fries a little longer or turn up the broiler for a few minutes on the oven. Proceed with caution on the broiler, though.  You don’t want to burn the fries! When you’re finished crisping, lay the fries on a paper towel to dry it a bit, and serve!

Mango Pesto

Here’s an easy freebie.  I whipped this up as an accompaniment to some fresh nectarines.  This sauce is incredible and surprisingly yummy.  It goes well with fruit, and I could totally see it as a topping to some vegan ice cream, as a spread on a sandwich, or as a dip for fruit and crackers.

So, technically it’s not a “pesto” since it not crushed with nuts and herbs by a mortar and pestle, but that was the closest thing I could come up with.  Come to think of it, some almonds or walnuts would thicken it up a bit and I bet some parsley wouldn’t taste bad with it either.  Feel free to experiment!

All you need is:

1/4 cup of ice

1 ripe mango

1 1/2 cups fresh spinach

(You can also substitute the ice and fresh mango for a cup of frozen mango.)

Cut up the mango into chunks. And make sure its a soft, fresh mango. You should be able to smell the sweetness before you even cut it.

Throw it all into a blender or food processor and process!

Viola! Sweet, mango pesto. Eat liberally.

Garlic Hummus

Hummus.  It’s so delicious and in my mind it’s so healthy.  That’s probably why my husband and I will eat the whole batch within a day or two of it being made.  Yes, stores sell hummus, but you can make your own just as good and totally fresh so you know everything that’s in it.  And it’s super easy!

This recipe is one that I actually created by accident.  Back in my early days of cooking, I didn’t know if “cloves” of garlic meant the individual pieces or if a whole bulb of garlic was considered a clove.  This misunderstanding led me to put a TON of garlic cloves (now I know better) into my first hummus recipe and it was so garlicky that it was spicy.  And surprisingly delicious.  In my own mind this recipe is legend.  So legend a friend has asked for it during her last two pregnancies.  What?!  Craving my crazy garlic hummus?!  So garlic haters be ware.  This is only for the brave…and maybe the pregnant.

You’ll need:

1 can chickpeas (or garbanzo beans, same thing)

3 T tahini paste (ground sesame seeds, found near peanut butter)

4-6 T extra virgin olive oil

1-5 garlic cloves (your preference)

1 lemon

½ t ground cumin

salt & pepper

paprika for garnish

Drain and rinse the chickpeas

and put in a food processor along with the garlic and tahini paste. I didn’t have a big enough food processor, so I used a blender. It worked perfectly. Blend until it is very smooth. Add the salt, pepper, juice from the lemon, and cumin.

Be careful with the cumin! I let a little too much fall in, and it was way too kickin’! I had to mellow it with more tahini since I didn’t have any more chickpeas. So, don’t do that. Blend the mixture for another 2-3 minutes.

Taste to see if it needs more salt. Mine did, so we threw a bit more in, then blended once again.  And if you like it a little thinner, add 1T water at a time until it’s a good consistency for you.

Plate and garnish with the paprika. We used blue corn chips, but you could also eat it with vegetables, or crackers – or use it as a spread! However you eat it, enjoy!