Hummus

If you don't love hummus, perhaps it is because you haven't had good, homemade hummus.  Now is your chance!

If you find the chickpea (garbanzo) measurements annoying, I'm sorry.  This recipe has been customized for one of my pots and my food processor size (7c).

Ingredients:
1 1/8c Dried Chickpeas (equiv of 1.5 cans)
1/4c Tahini (I hear you can use Peanut Butter in a pinch)
3 Garlic Cloves, chopped/minced
1/2c Lemon Juice, freshly squeezed
2T Olive Oil
2T Dried Parsley
1/2t Crushed Red Pepper
1/2t Black Pepper
1 1/2 - 2t Salt

Directions:
Cover chickpeas with water and simmer until tender (approx 90 minutes).  Drain, reserving a bit of liquid.  Place all ingredients in food processor and puree.  Add reserved liquid to achieve desired consistency.

Uses:
Vegetable Dip
Sandwich Spread

Hot Cereal

I mentioned that I've been eating a lot of non-oatmeal hot cereal lately.  I have a new recipe you might like to try.  It is a very high fiber recipe.  I've been eating it while on an elimination diet where I'm not eating gluten (and a bunch of other things).  Oatmeal is technically gluten free, but there is a high risk of cross contamination and oatmeal has another protein that can affect people with gluten sensitivity. 

Anyway.  It is yummy.  Mix up a big batch and enjoy!

1c brown Basmati rice (Basmati really is worth it)
1/2c quinoa
1/2c millet
1/2c buckwheat groats
1/2c sesame seeds
1/2c flaxseed

Use the food processor to partially grind the rice and buckwheat.  Mix all together and store in the fridge or freezer. 

Bring 4c of water to a boil.  Add 1c of the cereal and simmer for 20 minutes.  See my post about oatmeal flavors for some different ideas on how to flavor your cereal. 

Oatmeal Flavors

I've been eating a lot of oatmeal and other hot cereal lately.  I thought I would document some of my favorite flavors and sweetening methods.

Sweetening Methods:

• Mashed bananas
• Dates, chopped (approximately one per serving)
• Fruit juice concentrate (apple or orange)

Of course, you can always use honey, maple syrup or brown sugar.  Over time I have tried to reduce the amount of sugar, especially refined sugar.  You can also gain quite a bit of sweet flavor by spicing your cereal well. In the falling "recipes" be sure to use enough spice!

Favorite Flavors:

• Orange Walnut: Replace 1/4 of water with orange juice concentrate.  Add cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.  Serve with walnuts.
• Apple Pecan: Add 1/2c peeled, chopped (sweet) apples per serving.  Reduce water by 1/4.  Add cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.  Serve with pecans.
• Cinnamon Raisin:  Add healthy amounts of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.  Add chopped dates at a rate of 1 per serving.  Stir in raisins after cooking (scant 1/4c per serving).
• Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter: Mash bananas (1/2 per serving) with cocoa powder (1T per serving).  Add after cooking.  Serve with a spoon of crunchy peanut butter.
• Pumpkin Walnut:  Reduce water by 1/4.  Add twice as much pumpkin.  When in season, add 1/4c  (fresh) cranberries per serving.  Add chopped dates at a rate of 1-2 per serving.  Add cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.  Serve with walnuts and craisins (if no fresh are available).
• Strawberries and cream:  Replace 1/4 of water with coconut milk.  Add chopped dates at a rate of 1-2 per serving. Stir in 1/4-1/2c chopped strawberries per serving after cooking.

I have to be honest.  Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter is my FAVORITE, but it makes my man gag.  You can't win them all.  More for me.

Soft Flour Tortillas

I went shopping for tortillas last night, but I made the mistake of turning over the package and looking at the ingredient list. Wowsers.  23+ ingredients, depending on how you count them.  Needless to say, I left the store without the tortillas and decided to make my own.

The only problem with my plan is that I'm allergic to pork and the traditional recipe contains lard. Pork shows up in the darndest places.  I scoured the Internet, but most recipes called for vegetable shortening. Ha. The only time I splurge and cook with that load of chemistry is when I make Holly's Cookies.  That happens almost never.

Some recipes call for olive oil, but I kept thinking there was something to the traditional use of a fat that is solid at room temperature. Finally I found a recipe that used coconut oil, which is solid at room temperature, and it worked marvelously.  There are only 4 ingredients and it didn't take long to make.  One of the leftover tortillas even doubled as peanut butter chocolate banana crepe this afternoon.

Check it out.

Written here in case the website ever disappears.

Ingredients:
2c. AP flour
1t salt
4T (1/4c) Coconut Oil (solid)
3/4c warm milk, water or whey

Begin heating cast iron skillet or electric griddle.  Mix flour and salt.  Cut in oil.  Add liquid until it comes together.  Kneed 2 minutes and then rest for 20 (or don't).  Divide into 8 balls.  Roll them out thinly.  Cook about 30 seconds on each side.  Place in a folded towel.

Stuffed Peppers

Original here. 

My version:

Ingredients

• 6 red bell peppers, tops removed and seeded
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 white onion, diced
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 2 teaspoons freshly chopped garlic
• 2 zucchini, diced
• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 1 (14-ounce can) tomatoes, undrained
• 1 cup diced red and green peppers (you can use the tops)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 lb ground, browned, turkey (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Boil peppers for about 7 minutes, or until they yeild to a squeeze of the tongs.  While water is coming to a boil and peppers are cooking, do the following. 

In a large skillet  (or 2) over medium heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions, mushrooms and garlic and saute until the mushrooms are golden brown. Add in the zucchini, rice, tomatoes, red and green peppers and continue to cook until the vegetables are tender. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste. Place peppers in muffin trays to keep them upright.  Spoon the vegetable mixture into the peppers. Bake until the peppers are fully cooked, about 15-20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and serve.