Tuesday Recipe: Hummus

Hummus is all the tasty rage and has as many variations as it does ways to eat it! Interestingly, many think it is made either from nuts or from some exotic ingredient. Nope! It's made from stuff you can toss in the buggy-basket from your local grocer. The key is to have a food processor.

Cilantro & Jalapeño / Chilis Hummus

1-2 cans of Chickpeas (a.k.a. garbanzo beans), drained & rinsed.
2-3 cloves Garlic
Fresh Cilantro, coarsely chopped (including stems) the chopping of the stems prevents them wrapping around the center of your processing blade.
4 oz can Green Chiles or 1 Jalapeño, chopped with seeds
Olive Oil
1-2 Limes, zest and juice
Salt
Water

• Toss all ingredients except oil and water into processor and click on high speed.
• While it is processing, pour olive oil and some water down shoot until the hummus starts to look creamy. Alternately, scrape down the sides.
• Taste, add salt. Does it need more oil or water for a creamy texture?
• Store in lidded container in fridge! 
• Serve with tortilla chips or veggie sticks!

Suggested Variations: 

• Hummus with Sun Dried Tomatoes & Pine Nuts, omitting cilantro and jalapeño. Make sure your pine nuts are fresh; otherwise, you may get a metallic taste...for days.
• Hummus with Cilantro, Sriracha & Pepperdews, one of my faves, but it looks kinda gross.
• What about Hummus with Walnut Oil? Truffle Oil? 
• Hummus with Lemon & Basil -- It's next on my #playwithyourfood list!

Go #playwithyourfood to create your own hummus and let me know how it turns out!

Tuesday Recipe: Shrapnel Dip

When good friends get together, there's good food to go with the fun. Why bother with the plates when the party can happen standing around the kitchen island loaded with fare that brings us together? 

"Mmmm!"
"That is sooo yummy!"
"Oh my goodness!"
"I gotta have this recipe!"

One dish that had us hanging over the bowl scooping with tortilla chips was texted to me while hanging over the bowl scooping with tortilla chips! Thanks, Gabs! Now, you can hang over the bowl scooping with tortilla chips laughing it up with friends!

Shrapnel Dip

1 can White Beans (like navy beans)
1 can Black Beans
2 cans Green Giant Steam Crisp Corn! (Trust me on this!)
1-2 Avocados, diced
1-2 Red or Orange Bell Peppers, diced (Because they're pretty!)
Grape or Cherry Tomatoes, halved & quartered
Cilantro, leaves only chopped
Fresh Lime Zest & Juice
Salt & Pepper, to taste
optional: 2 Tablespoons Red Onion, finely chopped (None for me.)


Choose the sauce... What brings it all together depends on your tastebuds. I experimented with 4 different options, all to taste and texture:
(1) 3-4 Limes, zest and juice (My fave!); or
(2) Italian Dressing; or
(3) Wish-Bone Balsamic Vinaigrette; or
(4) NEW! Wish-Bone E.V.O.O. Dressing Lemon Herb (What I went with for an after party!)

• Drain AND Rinse beans and corn together in colander. Then, PAT DRY to remove excess liquid. Ain't nobody got time for soggy chip.
• Gently mix all veggies, cilantro and lime zest together.
• Squeeze lime juice over the veggie mixture.
• Decide which sauce choice to gently fold into the veggie mixture.
• Serve with tortilla chips!

Here's an idea... add a finely chopped jalapeño for some heat!

Go #playwithyourfood!

Tuesday Recipe: Tangerines with Lime Essence

Summer are here! Grilling and backyard parties are on! You need a quick, nutritious dessert that doesn't leave you feeling heavy. Sunday's newspaper probably has a coupon for Cuties or Halo Oranges. Or is it Tangerines? Or is it Clementines? Or is it Mandarines?

There really is a difference. Basically, it comes right down to the harvest season, being seedless and easy-to-peel for young eaters. These little sweeties ward off the munchies and are a source of fiber and vitamin C.





Tangerines with Lime Essence
(adopted from eMeals)

1 Tangerine per person (peeled and sectioned)
2-3 large Limes (grate and reserve rind before juicing)

1-3 tablespoonsHoney
optional: Cilantro, coarse chopped

• Place orange sections in a serving bowl.
• Whisk together: lime juice, honey and lime rind.
• Pour lime mixture over orange sections and toss to coat.
• Taste. Adjust the lime mixture for a sweeter or more tart flavor.
• Serve cold!

#goplaywithyourfood

Tuesday Recipe: Cabbage Salsa

Whether or not "salsa" is the correct word is purely subjective. It tastes good on a tortilla, a tortilla chip and will top tonight's grilled shrimp taco. See? Salsa.

Actually, the basic recipe came from a healthy food blogger, Lindsay, over at Pinch of Yum where she created a "slaw." Of course, she realizes people like herself tend to adapt recipes to their specific taste. And, of course, I just gotta go play with my food to change it up ever so slightly.

A food processor is not required, but greatly cuts down the preppin' time and gets ya to the eatin' time! So fresh!

Cabbage Salsa

1/2 cup Olive Oil
2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup Water
Lime Zest & Juice (How big are your limes?)
Green Onions
Garlic
Jalapeño (How hot do ya like it?)
Cilantro
Green Cabbage, shredded or finely sliced
Salt, to taste

• Toss all ingredients, with the exception of the cabbage, into the food processor and zip it down! I zipped the cabbage down, earlier.
• Taste. Does it need more of your fave flavor? Get it to tasting like you like it. Then...
• Pour over 2+ cups of shredded or finely sliced cabbage and toss it around to coat the cabbage.
• Um...no more steps. Go eat it and...

Play with Your Food!

2-on-Tuesday: Lime and Cilantro Cauliflower

On #MeatlessMonday, Olena at ifoodreal.com had me at "lime and cilantro." 

Whether as a side or a vegetarian entree, this is a low calorie, high flavor dish and pairs well with homemade salsa and oven-baked tortilla chips!

Ditch the cheese and you've got a totally plant-based, vegan meal!




Lime & Cilantro Cauliflower

1 large cauliflower head, chopped into bite size pieces
2-3 Limes, zest & juice
4 (or more!) Garlic Cloves, crushed or coarse chopped
1/2 to 1 cup Cilantro, rough chopped or snipped with kitchen shears (save some for the garnish)
1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground Black Pepper
1+ cup Colby Jack or Fiesta Blend Cheese, shredded
**optional: 1/2 to whole Avocado, diced
**optional: drizzle of olive oil

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In large bowl, toss cauliflower with lime zest and juice, garlic, cilantro, cumin, salt, pepper and olive oil, if using. 
• Let sit to marinate from 10 minutes to overnight.
• Transfer cauliflower into baking dish (no need to oil). I used a small casserole, 8x11, but a 9x11 would work just fine.
• The bits of marinate clinging to the bowl will be used, as additional fresh garnish.
• Bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven and top with the clingy bits of marinate and cheese.
• As cheese melts, top with additional cilantro ...and avocado.
• Serve immediately!

Mmmm! Go #playwithyourfood!

2-on-Tuesday: Roasted Pepper & Corn with Quinoa

I needed a quick vegetarian, Tex-Mex-tasting, protein-packed filling for a tortilla or topping for a salad or I was gonna blow my nutrition budget!

To truly get the roasted effect I was craving, there should be gas in the grill. I didn't have time...I WAS HAWNGRY! I turned the oven up to 400 degrees at a medium broil, placed the orange bell pepper in the little cast iron skillet and monitored the roasting while occasionally turning the pepper with tongs.

Attempting to achieve a fire-roasted effect on the corn didn't pan out, too well. Will try, again, when the grill is fired up! I used what I cooked, but should have gone with fresh corn. Live and learn!

What I wanted was Chuy's Creamy Jalapeno Dip. What I opted for was a very ripe avocado partly diced and partly smooshed with shredded sharp cheddar to serve as the "creamy" binder for the recipe with a very large jalapeño chopped small for that bite I like! With the lime zest and juice, my hubby never suspected avocado was even near his mouth! (Sneaky wife stands smiling while hubby enjoys his tortilla!)

Cilantro is the star with quinoa receiving the supporting

role! You'll probably want to double or triple the entire recipe if serving a family.

Roasted Pepper & Corn with Quinoa!

1 cup cooked Quinoa
1 cup Corn
1 orange or red Bell Pepper, roasted, skinned, seeded & diced
4 Green or Spring Onions, sliced (I'm not fond of raw onions)
1 - 15 oz can Black Beans, drained & rinsed (I used half of the can)
1 bunch Cilantro, chopped
1-2 large Jalapeños, chopped small
1-2 very ripe Avocados, partly diced & partly smooshed with
1/2 cup shredded Sharp Cheddar
Zest and juice from 1-2 Limes
1 teaspoon ground Cumin or Adobo
Salt, to taste
Tortillas or salad greens

• Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well!
• If your quinoa is still warm, it will somewhat "melt" the very ripe avocado with shredded cheese!
• Remember, this is NOT an exact science, so add and subtract with what your mouth likes!
• Serve chilled over a bed of salad greens OR stuffed into a warm tortilla!

It curbed my hawnger in a nutritious way and there were left-overs for another meal! <cha-ching!>

#GoPlaywithYourFood

2-on-Tuesday: White Bean Chili with Jalapeno and Lime

OH MY STARS!

My taste buds want to sing whenever Tex-Mex flavors embrace one another for that oh so wonderful combination! In this Forks Over Knives recipe, fresh limes and jalapeños are the dancing partners adding brightness to this vegan chili!

Wait...I see. You're a little scared of jalapeños. Don't be. Remove the membrane and seeds to cool off the heat, but jazzing the chili with great flavor! 

White Bean Chili with Jalapeño and Lime
(The Forks Over Knives Cookbook, page 130)

1 large Yellow Onion, peeled and diced
1 large Bell Pepper, seeded and diced (I had an orange pepper on-hand.)
3 Jalapeño Peppers, membrane and seeds removed and chopped finely
6 Garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons Ground Cumin
1 (28 oz) can Petite Diced Tomatoes (Do not drain)
2 (15 oz) cans Navy Beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups Vegetable Broth
Zest & Juice of 2-3 Limes 
1 cup Cilantro, chopped (I love this stuff and add double!)
Salt, to taste
**optional: Plain Greek yogurt & shredded cheddar cheese as toppings

• Sauté onion, bell and jalapeño peppers in large pot over medium heat for 7 minutes.
  
  If you have time, use the dry sauté method to reduce fat by using only a couple of tablespoons of water to keep the veggies from sticking. If you're in a hurry, use less than 1 tablespoon of olive or coconut oil to sauté the veggies.
• Add garlic and cumin and cook for 2-3 more minutes.
• Add the tomatoes, rinsed beans and veggie broth and bring to boil over hight heat.
• Reduce heat to medium and cook, covered, for 25 minutes.
• Add lime zest and juice and cilantro!

Need a little more kick? Add another jalapeño or a couple of splashes of habañero sauce! Now, we're talking!