SOUR CREAM AND ONION HUMMUS

recipe makes about 4 cups

I found this recipe in the Food Network Magazine.  This gem comes from the The Desert Cafe in Baltimore.  This restaurant has a rotating menu of more than 175 versions of hummus including sushi and banana split.

Don't be fooled by the name - this recipe contains NO oil or sour cream!  The nutritional breakdown:

Per 2 Tbsp. serving:

38 calories

1 g. fat  (saturated 0 )

0 cholesterol

67 mg. sodium

5 g. carbohydrate

1 g. fiber

2 g. protein

INGREDIENTS:

2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed, 1/2 cup liquid reserved

3 cloves garlic

1/4 cup tahini

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp. dried minced onion

1 1/2 tsp. onion powder

1 1/2 tsp. granulated garlic

Kosher salt

DIRECTIONS:

Put the chickpeas, chickpea liquid, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, dried onion, onion powder, granulated garlic and 1 tsp. salt in a food processor.

Puree until smooth and creamy.

fun fast food - KALE CHIPS

raw ingredients placed on rimmed baking sheet

kale chips, great texture, almost melt in your mouth

INGREDIENTS:

1 bunch kale

2 Tbsp olive oil

4 to 5 cloves garlic, sliced

salt and pepper

lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

Tear the leaves off 1 bunch kale.  Toss on a rimmed baking sheet with the oil, the garlic and salt and pepper.

Roast in a 425 degree oven until crisp, about 15 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Squeeze some fresh lemon juice on top.



McLibel - THE DOCUMENTARY

This an oldie but certainly worth a watch if you've missed it. 

British activists Helen and Dave made the following below listed claims against the giant McDonalds:

is complicit in Third World starvation;

buys from greedy rulers and elites and practices economic imperialism;

wastes vast quantities of grain and water;

destroys rainforests with poisons and colonial invasions;

sells unhealthy, addictive junk food;

alters its food with artificial chemistry;

exploits children with its advertising;

is responsible for torture and murder of animals;

poisons customers with contaminated meat;

exploits its workers and bans unions;

hides its malfeasance

What ensued was a more than a 10 yr. battle and the trial of the century as McDonald waged an epic attack.

This documentary can be viewed FREE:

http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/mclibel/

TURKISH EGGPLANT PIE

fresh peppers, eggplant and mint  from my garden

INGREDIENTS:

2 eggplants (1 lb.) pierced with fork
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large red onion, chopped
2 green peppers OR 2 any color
fresh mint about 10 leaves OR 1 Tbsp. dried
2 1/2 tsp. fennel seed
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 can diced tomatoes with olive oil, basil and garlic - drain well
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 pie crust
1/3 cup panko crumbs

 DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Place a single pie crust into a 10 inch fluted-edge tart pan.

Roast eggplants on baking sheet 50 minutes or until tender.  Cool.  Scoop flesh onto cutting board and mince.

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat.  Add onion, bell pepper, mint, fennel, cumin, paprika and pepper flakes; saute 8 minutes. 

Add chopped tomatoes and tomato paste; simmer 10 minutes.  Stir in eggplant and garlic; cook 10 minutes.

Spoon eggplant mixture into crust.  Sprinkle with breadcrumbs.  Bake approximately 50 minutes or until golden.

Cool 10 minutes before serving.

cut into wedges and serve with Tzatziki Sauce



FARINA / A GOOD OLD FASHION BREAKFAST

I totally forgot how much I loved the farina my mom used to make us when we were kids.  She used to make us a FRIED version.  Anyone have this recipe?  I'd love to revisit that memory food!

• 1/2 cup farina cereal
• 2 cups almond milk
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• cinnamon to taste
• Saucepan

1.  Add 2 cups milk (or water) , 1/2 tsp. salt , and cinnamon to a saucepan. Bring this mixture to a boil.

2.  Remove the pan from heat and slowly pour 1/2 cup of farina cereal into the hot mixture, stirring constantly as you add the cereal.

3.  Return the pan to the stove top and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir the cereal as it comes to a boil.

4.  Reduce heat to low and allow the cereal to simmer for four minutes, stirring occasionally.

5.  Pour the cooked cereal into serving bowls.

You may top this with brown sugar, agave, fruit or jam.  This morning I stirred in almond butter, nutella and a bit more almond milk for a more liquid consistency.

more about Farina, how to cook and its health properties:  http://www.ehow.com/about_5136033_cooking-directions-farina.html

VEGETABLE PIE

preparing the vegetables for the veggie pie

top crust only

baked vegetable pie / serve with veggie gravy

This is my mom's recipe.  I'm making it according to how I remember she did!  It was one of my favorite meals and was a nice break from all that MEAT that was purchased from the butcher in our alley.



INGREDIENTS:

1 prepared OR homemade pie crust (mom said SAVE calories and only use a TOP crust)

1 can VEG-ALL mixed vegetables, drain

1 onion

1 sweet potato, cooked, peeled and cubed

2 medium carrots, diced

1/2 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup frozen corn

olive oil

salt, pepper

1/2 tsp. thyme

1/2 tsp. sage

DIRECTIONS:

In a small amount of olive oil, saute 1 onion with some salt.  When onion appears to be softening, add the carrots, peas and corn. 

Next add the canned vegetables and sweet potatoes.    As this mixture is cooking, add the salt, pepper, thyme and sage to taste.

feel free to add any other vegetables of your choice to this mixture!

Put all of the vegetable mixture into a pie plate.  Top with a crust, flute OR fork the edge.  Poke a few holes in the crust to vent for the steam release.

Bake 10 minutes at 425 degrees, reduce the temperature to 375 degrees and continue to bake until the crust is golden brown.

Serve with vegan gravy.

MARINATED MUSHROOMS

stored in a jar

blend of mushrooms, onions and garlic

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup burgandy wine

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. dried parsley

1 tsp. ground dry mustard

1 Tbsp. agave nectar

8 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

1 lb. small portabello mushrooms, cut these in half

DIRECTIONS:

In a medium saucepan, mix red wine vinegar, olive oil, wine, onion, salt, parsley, dry mustard, agave nectar, and garlic.

Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat.  Stir in mushrooms.  Simmer 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Transfer to sterile containers and chill in the refrigerator until serving.

THE FRESHEST BROCCOLI

just picked

grown in my earth boxes

slightly steamed, drizzled with olive oil, lemon pepper, garlic powder and fresh squeezed lemon

growing in my earth boxes

the head I picked for dinner, so far there are 4 more and lots of little ones still developing