Taco Hummus

We love hummus. Taco hummus is hummus on an entirely different level. This recipe is GREAT! And I didn't even have all of the ingredients on hand. As I was eating some of this, I was thinking that it would even be a great replacement for meat in tacos! The kids really liked this too. The original recipe is from Savory, Spicy, Sweet, I have altered it a bit because I was out of tahini, paprika and onion powder---but I didn't miss those things. I did have to add a little more olive oil and some water to get to the right consistency.

Taco Hummus

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups drained well-cooked or canned chickpeas, liquid reserved
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus oil for drizzling
Juice of 1 lemon, plus more as needed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
water (as needed to get the right consistency)

Combine all ingredients in food processor and blend until creamy. Serve with pita chips, veggies, corn chips or even on toasted bread.

Chocolate Chip-Chick pea Cookies!

Jessica Seinfeld is a genius! I have been wanting to try this recipe for months, but kept chickening out! Her cookbook Deceptively Delicious is definitely a keeper. I have had much success with this cookbook. This recipe might just be the best yet! I did make one minor change---instead of 2 cups of chocolate chips, I did 1 cup mini-chocolate chips and 1 cup butterscotch chips. The butterscotch and chocolate flavors work perfectly with the nutty quality of the chick-peas. You must try this!!

Chocolate Chip Cookies (with chick-peas)
1 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. margarine
2 large egg whites
2 t. vanilla
1 can chick-peas, drained and rinsed
2 c. chocolate chips (I highly recommend 1 c. mini-choc. chips, and 1. c. butterscotch chips)
2 c. flour
1/2 c. oats
1 t. soda
1/4 t. salt

Preheat oven to 350. Cream sugar and margarine. Beat in egg whites and vanilla. Add chick-peas and chips. Stir well. Add remaining dry ingredients and stir well. Drop dough onto pan and flatten slightly with spoon or fork. Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until golden.

White Bean Dip with Pita chips

Another great recipe from the Everyday Italian book! The chips were especially good.

White Bean Dip with Pita Chips
4 pita breads, split horizontally in half (I used whole wheat)
2 T. plus 1/3 c. olive oil
1 t. dried oregano
1 1/2 t. salt
1 1/4 t. pepper
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 c. loosely packed, fresh flat-leaf parsley (I used 1 T. dried)
2 T. fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove

Preheat oven to 400. Cut or tear pita into wedges and arrange over baking sheet. Brush with 2 T. oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and oregano. Bake 8 minutes turn over and then bake an additional 8 minutes or until crispy and golden.
Meanwhile combine beans, parsley, lemon juice, garlic 1/2 t. salt, 1/4 t. pepper in bowl of food processor aand pulse. Gradually add remaining oil. Pulse and serve with chips.

White Bean and Tuna Salad

I am working my way through the cook book, Everyday Italian, by Giada DeLaureniis. This recipe was great because it was all ingredients most people will have on hand. This would be great alone, on salad greens or even in a wrap or sandwich.

White Bean and Tuna Salad
2 (6 oz.) cans tuna packed in olive oil
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium red onion, sliced
6 T. red wine vinegar
*optional-grape tomatoes and fresh basil leaves

Combine ingredients in bowl and serve!

Greta and Miles rating: They both really liked this.

Veggie Burgers

After having an amazing veggie burger at a local restaurant- I've decided to try to recreate it! Here is what I came up with I think next time I will use less rice and more veggies. This made 6 burgers.

Veggie Burgers

1 cup vegetables of your choice (I used zucchini, carrots and red pepper), diced
1/4 c. onion
1 clove garlic
1 cup cooked rice
1 cup cooked black beans
2 T. peanut butter
a few drops of liquid smoke
1 egg
bread crumbs
salt and pepper
oil for cooking

Cook onion, pepper and garlic in a little oil. Add carrots- cook until just tender then add zucchini. In bowl, mix rice and beans, mashing them as you mix. Mix in vegetables, egg, peanut butter and spices. Use your hands to shape the mixture into balls. Roll the balls in bread crumbs, then flatten against your palms. Fry for 2-3 minutes per side, until crispy. Serve open faced on whole wheat rolls. These would be great with garlic-lemon mayo.

Greta's rating: She loved these and so did baby Miles.

Seven Flavor Beef

I made this meal for friends and everyone loved it! The cook time was about 10-15 minutes and it tasted amazing. I will definitely be adding this one to our list of regulars. The recipe is from the Food Network.

Seven Flavor Beef

8 oz. sliced flank steak
1 T. minced lemongrass
1/2 t. minced fresh ginger
1/2 t. minced garlic
1/2 t. fish sauce
1/2 t. sesame oil
1/2 t. honey
1 t. dried chili flakes
1 t. Chinese five-spice powder
1 t. salt

1/4 c. sliced red onion
1/2 bunch sliced green onion
1 c. bean sprouts
2 T. hoisin sauce
1 T. ground peanuts
20 Thai basil leaves

Combine all marinade ingredients in a nonreactive baking dish for 1 hour. Marinade will not be runny, but more like a rub.

Heat oil in a wok and heat over high heat. When oil is hot, add red onion, green onion, and bean sprouts and sear for 1 minute, stirring. Set aside on serving platter. Add beef to very hot wok and sear until rare. Add hoisin sauce and toss until coated. Add ground peanuts and basil and cook until meat is medium rare. Serve meat over onions and bean sprouts. We ended up quadrupling the recipe for 4 adults and had very little left over. This meal is also great served over cellophane noodles.

Greta's rating: I didn't let her try this. It was way too spicy!

Sausage and Chick-peas over Couscous

Couscous is something I prepare often with meals. Joe and I both love it and kids adore couscous. It can be used in place of rice or pasta or even on its own as a side dish. Greta loves couscous so much that she specifically asks for it at the grocery store and she always asks for a second helping! Our favorite cous cous is Hodgson-Mills whole wheat. Last night we had a version of franks and beans with couscous.

Sausage and Chick-peas over Couscous

1 pkg. sausage of your choice (I use low sodium)

1 can chick-peas, drained and rinsed

1 can Italian style stewed tomatoes

1/2 onion, sliced

1/2 c. water

Cut sausage into slices or chunks and brown. Add onion, chick-peas, tomatoes and water and cook until sauce thickens. Serve over prepared couscous. Recipe based on Progresso brand recipe.

Greta's rating: She LOVED this and asked for more!

Lentil-Goat Cheese Burgers

What a fabulous dinner! The flavor in these little burgers is fantastic. I found this recipe on the blog Cara's Cravings. I served these on a bun with spinach and raspberry vinaigrette dressing. The original recipe has a lemon vinaigrette that sounds amazing, but I was feeling a little lazy :) I will definitely make these again!

Lentil Goat Cheese Burgers

1 1/4 cups water
1/2 cup dried lentils
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 ounces goat cheese
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 large egg white, lightly beaten

Place first 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until tender; drain. Discard bay leaf. Place lentils in a large bowl; partially mash with a fork. Cool slightly. Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; saute 5 minutes or until tender. Cool slightly. Add onion mixture, cheese, and remaining ingredients to lentils; stir well to combine. Cover and chill 45 minutes.

Divide mixture into 3-4 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty.Heat a grill pan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Cook patties 5 minutes on each side or until done.
Greta's rating: She ate a little of this. I might melt some cheese on top of hers next time.

Lentil Stew

Wow! It's been awhile since I've posted. I started a new job in November and have not had near as much time to try new recipes. This meal has become a regular at our house. It is easy, cheap and every one likes it. It's also a great meal to warm you up in the dead of winter.

Lentil Stew

6 c. water

3 vegetable bullion cubes

1 lb. lentils

1 1/2 lb. stew meat (optional)

10 sun dried tomatoes, chopped

4 large carrots, chopped

1 onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1 T. dried basil

Combine all ingredients in crock pot and cook on low all day (5-6 hours) or until meat is done. Season with salt and pepper as desired.

Snobby Joes

I don't like sloppy joes. I don't like ground beef. It dawned on me that maybe I don't like sloppy joes because I don't like ground beef. I was right. I loved these! I found this recipe at Gillian's Goodies. If you like lentils, you should definitely give these a try!


Snobby Joes

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked lentils
4 cups water
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 small red onion, cut into small dice
1/2 green bell pepper, cut into small dice
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into small dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. sea salt
1 (14 1/2 oz.) diced (no salt added) tomatoes
1/4 c. tomato paste
2 tbsp. maple syrup
1 tbsp. prepared Dijon mustard
4-6 rolls, sliced in half

1. Pour the lentils and water into a saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Once the mixture is boiling, lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until the lentils are soft. Drain and set aside.
2. When the lentils have about 10 minutes left, preheat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Saute the onion and pepper in the oil for 7 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic and saute another minute.
3. Stir in the cooked lentils, chili powder, oregano, and salt. Add the tomatoes (I diced mine up a little more prior to adding them). Cook 10 minutes. Add the maple syrup and mustard; heat through.
4. Turn off the heat and let the pot sit for about 10 minutes. Serve open-faced with a scoop of the lentil mixture on each slice of a roll.

Greta's rating: She wasn't wild about these. I think I'll add cheese to hers next time!

Tamale Pie

This is my first time trying a recipe from a Moosewood Restaurant cookbook. This Tamale Pie comes from the Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites. This was absolutely delicious! I will be making it again.

TAMALE PIE
2 t. Olive oil
1 c. chopped onion
3 T. minced garlic
1 T. cumin
2 t. coriander (I omitted)
1 t. oregano
1-2 T. water
1 c. peeled diced carrots
1 c. diced bell pepper
1 c. diced zucchini
1 small chile seeds removed (I omitted)
1 c. crushed canned tomatoes (15oz can) (I used fresh, crushed tomatoes)
1 ½ c. kidney or black beans
4 oz. grated cheddar
¾ c. cornmeal
1 T. flour
½ t. salt
1 t. powder
¼ t. soda
2 egg whites
½ c. buttermilk
2 T. oil
Scallions
sour cream

Warm oil in saucepan add onion and garlic. Cover and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes. Add cumin, coriander, oregano and water to prevent sticking. Add carrots, cover and cook 5 minutes. Add peppers, zucchini, and chile cover and cook 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and beans, cover and simmer 5-10 minutes remove from heat add salt and pepper to taste. Preheat oven to 400.
Prepare 2 qt casserole dish with cooking spray. Spread mixture in bottom of dish. Sprinkle with cheese.
In bowl combine flour, meal, salt powder and soda. In separate bowl combine egg, milk and oil gently fold wed ingredients into dry . Pour on top of veggies bake 30-35 minutes. Garnish with sour cream and scallions.

Greta's Rating: Greta really liked this- she enjoyed every element of it.

Tortilla and Black Bean Pie

This is a great dinner! I found this recipe at Liz's Cooking Blog. I will definitely be making this again. I really appreciate it when I'm reading a food blog and recipe ratings are included in the post. I have decided to include my 2 year old's rating of each recipe from now on. I realize that finding meals for children can be tricky- so hopefully this will be helpful to some. I will start including Greta's rating at the end of each post :)


Tortilla and Black Bean Pie

Ingredients:

• 4 (10-inch) whole wheat tortillas
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 jalapeno chile, minced (I used about 1/4 c. canned chilies)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 12 ounces beer, or 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish (I used fresh chives instead)
  
• 2 1/2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
• sour cream and salsa, for serving
  

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using a paring knife, trim tortillas to fit a 9-inch springform pan, using the bottom of the pan as a guide. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion, jalapeno, garlic, and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Add beans and beer to skillet, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until liquid has almost evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in corn and scallions, and remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Fit a trimmed tortilla in bottom of springform pan; layer with 1/4 of the beans and 1/2 cup cheese. Repeat three times, using 1 cup cheese on top layer. Bake until hot and cheese is melted, 20 to 25 minutes. Unmold pie; sprinkle with scallions. To serve, slice into wedges and serve with sour cream and salsa.
   

Greta's rating: She loved this! She did pick out a few of the onions, but ate a ton of it!

My Favorite Falafel

I love falafel and this recipe is awesome. It is the first falafel recipe I've tried and I think I really lucked out and found a great one! The recipe is from The Foods of Israel Today, by Joan Nathan. The recipe says that it makes about 20 walnut sized falafel, but I have found that in order to get that amount, I need to double the recipe.

My Favorite Falafel
1 cup dried chickpeas
1/2 large onion, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro (I skipped this, Joe is allergic!)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2-1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper
4 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon baking powder
4-6 tablespoons flour
Soybean or vegetable oil for frying
Chopped tomato for garnish
Diced onion for garnish
Diced green bell pepper for garnish
Tahina sauce
Pita bread (I used whole wheat pita bread)

1. Put the chickpeas in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover them by at least 2 inches. Let soak overnight, then drain. Or use canned chickpeas, drained. I have tried this recipe with canned chickpeas and with dried- tastes great both ways.

2. Place the drained, uncooked chickpeas and the onions in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the parsley, cilantro, salt, hot pepper, garlic, and cumin. Process until blended but not pureed.

3. Sprinkle in the baking powder and 4 tablespoons of the flour, and pulse. You want to add enough bulgur or flour so that the dough forms a small ball and no longer sticks to your hands. Turn into a bowl and refrigerate, covered, for several hours.

4. Form the chickpea mixture into balls about the size of walnuts, or use a falafel scoop, available in Middle-Eastern markets.

5. Heat 3 inches of oil to 375 degrees in a deep pot or wok and fry 1 ball to test. If it falls apart, add a little flour. Then fry about 6 balls at once for a few minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Stuff half a pita with falafel balls, chopped tomatoes, onion, green pepper, and pickled turnips. Drizzle with tahina thinned with water.

NOTE: Egyptians omit the cilantro and substitute fava beans for the chickpeas.

Mapo Tofu

This fabulous (but spicy) recipe is from Gaga in the kitchen.
My husband and I both loved this and it was a snap to throw together. I made a few changes from the original recipe, but the flavor is intense and wonderful! And good news, my husband is officially a tofu fan!

Ingredients:
- 1 block of soft tofu cut into cubes
- 1 pound of ground turkey
- 2 cloves of minced garlic
- 2 tbsp of chili paste(original recipe calls for hot bean paste)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- cornstarch slurry (~1-2 tsp cornstarch mixed in a tiny bit of cold water until dissolved)*I did not need this*
- 1 c. shelled edamame
- 1 tsp ground szechuan peppercorns (optional)
- 1 scallion sliced for garnish (optional)

Directions:
- Heat up your wok/pan and put enough oil in to coat the bottom
- Put the ground meat and the minced garlic and the soy sauce and cook until most of the pink in the meat is gone.
- Add in the tofu, chili paste and peppercorns. Stir gently to avoid breaking the tofu. Taste and adjust accordingly. Sometimes I'll add a bit more chili, salt, or even some sugar, depending on how it tastes.
- The tofu should release some water. If it's pretty dry, feel free to add a bit of water or chicken stock. Then add the cornstarch slurry to thicken the liquid. If it doesn't thicken up immediately, don't worry, it will thicken more after you turn off the heat. Or you can always add more cornstarch slurry. This step is actually completely optional, you'll just get a more watery sauce.
- Add the scallion
- Eat over rice!

Moroccan Sweet Potato Stew

This is a great recipe, perfect for a cold fall evening. I definitely consider this healthy comfort food. I used broth to cook my cous cous instead of water and it made a huge difference. Mmmmmm! I love sweet potatoes, but I think the chickpeas are the "meat" of this dish and will probably double the amount next time. This is a Good Housekeeping recipe.

Moroccan Sweet Potato Stew
2 t. olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, pressed
1.5 t. cumin
1.5 t. curry powder
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can chicken broth (or vegetable to make this vegetarian)
1 c. chick peas, rinsed and drained
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
2 small zucchini's cut into chunks

Whole grain couscous prepared as packaging recommends.

In large non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until begins to brown. Stir in garlic and spices. Cook 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients except for zucchini. Cover and heat to boiling on medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium. Cover, cook for 10 minutes. Add zucchini and cook for additional 10 minutes. Serve over cous cous and garnish with mint if desired.

Indian Lentil Soup

This is another recipe from one of my favorite blogs, Gillian's Goodies. I love Indian spices and was in the mood for lentils at lunchtime today. This soup is quick to put together and I already had all of the ingredients on hand. The finished product was delicious. This would also be great over rice.

Indian Lentil Soup

Ingredients:
2/3 cup green lentils
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. curry powder
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1/4 cup carrot, diced
3 T. oatmeal
1 tsp. tomato paste
4 cups water or vegetable broth(this was even awesome using water)
Vegetable oil (I used olive)
Juice of 1 lemon
Method:
1. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven, heat 2 tbsp. olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the cumin, coriander, curry powder, and garlic. Stir for 1 minute until the flavours bloom/become fragrant. Add the onion and saute until translucent. Stir in the tomato paste.

2. Add 4 cups water or broth, carrots, lentils, and oatmeal. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the lentils are soft. You can add salt and pepper to taste if desired.(I added the lemon right before the lentils were done)

**Note, the original recipe also called for 1/3 cup diced potato.**

Reference:
This recipe is from "Fresh Mama's: Whole Cooking for Our Whole Families"

Hummus

mmmmm! Homemade hummus! I've made homemade hummus before, but have always used canned chickpeas. This time I spent the extra time to soak dried chickpeas, then cook them. I must say, it made a huge difference.

Hummus
2 c. dried chickpeas, soaked then cooked, then chilled
1T. olive oil
2T. lemon juice
1 T. Tahini
2 cloves garlic
1/8 T. cayenne pepper
1 t. salt
black pepper to taste
water to reach desired consistency, I used 2 T.

Combine all ingredients in food processor and blend until creamy. Serve with extra olive oil drizzled on top. Serve with veggies and pita chips.