5-minute hummus

Spread the good news!  You can make your own hummus at home with very little effort and minus the preservatives in the store bought version.  This basic recipe, slightly adapted from Real Simple, is so easy that monkeys could be trained to make it.  That being said, I'm pretty sure you can handle it, even if you "don't cook".

If you want to add a little flair, try blending in roasted red peppers, sundried tomatoes, roasted garlic, etc.  Click here for more variation ideas.

Versatile, healthy, quick and addictive...you know you want some! 



5-minute hummus

(makes 1 1/2 cups)

1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed OR 2 cups of cooked chickpeas
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil, plus a drizzle on top
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from one whole lemon)
2 tbsp tahini (sesame seed paste)*
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp paprika
3/4 tsp sea salt
2-4 tbsp water

Blend everything in a blender or food processor until smooth and creamy.  Add water a tbsp at a time as needed to make a nice consistency.

Transfer to a bowl or serving dish, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with paprika.  Serve with carrots, celery, sliced bell peppers, chips, crackers, or whatever you like.  It also makes a delicious sandwich spread.

lemon blueberry scones

Thank you to http://bakingbites.com for this simple and delicious recipe.  It hits the spot if a warm, lemony, blueberry-y, not overly sweet breakfast treat is what you're craving.  I found them to be perfect as is, straight out of the oven, with my usual cup of coffee (milk, no sugar).  I didn't think they needed any extra sweetness or butter, but that's subjective, so I included the optional lemon sugar glaze at the end.  And I'm not here to judge your buttering habits.  But do yourself a favor and use REAL butter.  I do not condone the use of margarine.

While fresh blueberries would still work for this recipe, it is recommended to use frozen.  Scone dough is quite thick and frozen blueberries are much easier to incorporate and will stand up to the dough and hold their shape much better.  If you have fresh blueberries, just stick them in the freezer the night before if you can remember.  If not, well, use them anyway, just be extra gentle when mixing them in.

lemon blueberry scones

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

6 tbsp butter, chilled

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 1 or 2 lemons)

1 tbsp lemon zest

1 cup frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper OR lightly grease a baking sheet, sprinkle with flour and shake until flour coats the pan. Discard excess flour.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Cut butter into small cubes and add to flour mixture.  Using your fingertips or a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the butter is well distributed and the mixture is the texture of coarse crumbs.

Add in milk, lemon juice and lemon zest and stir until the dough comes together.  If the dough is too wet, add a tbsp of flour.  If it's too dry, add a tbsp of milk.

Either in the bowl or on a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for about 1 minute.  Flatten dough, add blueberries and knead gently until they are distributed.  Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet and press into a round disc about 3/4 inch thick.  Use a knife to slice the dough into 8 equal triangular pieces.

Bake for about 20 minutes, until scones are golden brown.  Be careful not to over bake, unless you happen to like dry scones.

Lemon glaze (optional):

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Whisk ingredients together until smooth, and drizzle over warm scones before serving.

roasted red pepper soup

It's a good day when the soup du jour is roasted red pepper.  It's even better when I can eat my bistro favorite at home in my pajamas.  On a rainy day when I'm off work, there's nothing quite like the aroma of roasting peppers and homemade soup simmering on the stove with a good book waiting for me and a healthy dose of vitamins to make me happy. :)



roasted red pepper soup

6 medium red bell peppers, halved, stems and seeds discarded  (*or two- 32 oz jars of roasted red peppers, rinsed, drained and coarsely chopped)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large baking potato, peeled and chopped
2 medium firm pears OR apples, cored and chopped
4 cups chicken or veggie broth
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
salt and pepper
sour cream or plain greek yogurt

If using fresh red peppers, preheat your broiler and line a large baking sheet with foil.  Arrange peppers, cut side down, on the baking sheet.  Broil 4 inches from heat until peppers are blackened and blistered, about 14 minutes.  Remove peppers and place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Let stand for 20 minutes, then peel peppers, coarsely chop and set aside. *If using jarred peppers, you can obviously skip this step.

Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add onion and carrots and saute for 10-15 minutes until softened.  Add garlic and saute for a minute more.  Add peppers, potato, pears (or apples) and broth.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until vegetables are tender, about 20-30 minutes.  Add parsley.

Poor soup into a large bowl and then in 1-cup batches, puree the soup in a blender and return to the Dutch oven and reheat.  Season with salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into individual bowls and garnish with sour cream or yogurt, a drizzle of olive oil, parsley sprigs and freshly cracked black pepper.  Parmesan cheese makes a nice addition too. :)

spinach & bacon stuffed mushrooms

I LOVE stuffed mushrooms.  Seriously, I could eat them everyday.  I've long been on the lookout for a go-to recipe, and I hit the jackpot when I found this one!  Mushrooms alone are one of my favorites, but mushrooms stuffed with other favorite foods....score!!

These are full of flavor, even without the load of cream cheese contained in several recipes, and healthy enough to count as a vegetable.  They are perfect as an appetizer, served on the side, or easily made into a meal when served with a salad or soup (french onion soup would be perfect!) You can make the filling ahead of time and leave in the fridge, and/or go ahead and stuff the mushrooms and leave them covered in the fridge, so all you have to do is pop them in the oven to bake.  Hope you enjoy these as much as I do!



spinach & bacon stuffed mushrooms

1- 14 oz package or 2- 8 oz packages of fresh button mushrooms, stems removed
4 slices center cut bacon
2 cloves of garlic, minced
4 cups fresh baby spinach
2 tbsp shredded parmesan cheese
1/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1-2 tsps olive oil or cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Remove stems from mushrooms and mince fine.  Make sure you get the whole stem out so that you'll have a hole for the stuffing, but be careful to keep the top of the mushroom in tact.

Heat a medium sized skillet over low-medium heat.  Add bacon strips and cook until both sides are done to your liking.  Set bacon aside on a paper towel to cool, then chop.   Drain most of the bacon fat into a cup or bowl and reserve enough to the coat the skillet.

Add minced mushroom stems to the heated skillet and saute.  After a minute or two, add the minced garlic and saute for another minute or two, then add the spinach, and cook until it's wilted, a couple more minutes.

Remove pan from heat, and add chopped bacon.  Stir in parmesan cheese and bread crumbs.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Fill mushrooms with spinach mixture, rounding out the tops.  Using your fingers works best.  Place mushrooms on an oven safe dish, lined with foil.   Brush the tops lightly with olive oil or spray with cooking spray.  Bake 20 minutes or until golden.

falafel with cucumber yogurt sauce

Mmmm....falafel!  I adapted Sean's recipe that I found here : http://allrecipes.com/recipe/seans-falafel-and-cucumber-sauce/

I used dried parsley instead of fresh and red pepper instead of cayenne, based on what I had.  I'd recommend adding everything, except the egg and bread crumbs, tasting and adjusting the spices if you want, then adding the egg and bread crumbs.  Otherwise, you have to taste it with the raw egg in the mixture or trust that the spice ratio suits you.  After that, add the egg and 1/2 cup of bread crumbs.  If the mixture is still too wet, add more bread crumbs, but you might not need the whole cup.  Just use enough bread crumbs necessary to bind the mixture together to form patties. Either way though, it tastes better after sitting in the fridge for a couple days in an airtight container, which gives the flavors a chance to meld together.  I'm not sure how long it will stay fresh in the fridge..?

So, I baked the falafel in the oven for a healthier, easier and less messy option, but the original recipe calls for frying in an inch of oil.  It's up to you, but you may have some problems with the patties falling apart in the oil, according to some feedback I've read.  I don't know what the secret is, or I'd tell you.  And I'm not gonna lie, frying kinda scares me.  In any case, even when I baked them, they kinda fell apart when I dipped them in the sauce and ate them as finger food.  Maybe too many bread crumbs?  However, the next time I made them (same batch of dough), I stuffed them in flat bread with veggies, feta cheese, and yogurt sauce and they were absolutely delish!!  The consistency was just fine and the flavor of the falafel itself was even better (since the leftovers had been sitting in the fridge for 2 or 3 days).  And c'mon, the accompaniment of lettuce, onion, tomato, and cucumber with the flat bread, feta, and yogurt sauce was multi-pleasurable to say the least.

I actually had intentions of making homemade pita bread to serve with the falafel, but when my dinner guest offered to bring over chapati bread, I didn't say no.  Pita bread is for another day.  Tortillas would work too.  Here's my recipe for homemade tortillas.

Another side note, I'd mix up the yogurt sauce first before making the patties, so it has time to chill in the fridge before you're ready to eat.


baked falafel with yogurt sauce (makes about 18 little patties, serves 2-4)

falafel:

1 (15 oz) can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed, OR 2 cups of cooked chickpeas
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp lemon or lime juice (I'm sure I used more than a tsp, but again, it's up to you)
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced (I probably used more.  I love garlic!)
1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped OR about 1/4 cup dried parsley
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
a  pinch of cayenne pepper OR a couple dashes of Frank's red hot sauce OR about 1/2-1 tsp red pepper (it really depends how spicy you like things)
1 tsp salt
freshly cracked black pepper to taste
1 tsp baking powder (don't alter this measurement)
1 egg
1/2 - 1 cup dry bread crumbs
Optional:  onion, tomato, cucumber, and flat bread for serving

In a large bowl, mash chickpeas into a thick, chunky paste. (Use a potato masher, or the bottom of a cup like I do.)  Add chopped onion and garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and fresh parsley if using.  Mix well.

In a small bowl, mix together the dry spices and the baking powder.  Add to the chickpeas and mix well.  Taste and adjust spices if you want.  (If you're using liquid hot sauce, don't mix it with the dried spices first.)

Next, add the egg, slightly beaten, and 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs.  (You'll probably have to use your hands at this point to combine the mixture.)  Add more bread crumbs, if necessary, to form patties.  They shouldn't be too sticky, but should hold together.  To make patties, use your hands to roll about a walnut sized glob into a ball, and slightly flatten to make mini patties.

Line a baking sheet with foil, and either spray with olive oil cooking spray or drizzle a little olive oil onto the baking sheet and spread out into a light layer.  Place the patties on the baking sheet.  If using spray, lightly spray the tops of the patties.  Otherwise, lightly coat one side of the patties with the olive oil on the baking sheet and then flip over so that both sides have some olive oil to aide crispiness.

Bake in preheated oven at about 420 degrees F 220 degrees C until tops are browned (10-20 minutes).  Flip to brown the other side.  Up the oven temp if they aren't browning.

Serve with cucumber yogurt sauce and your choice of fixins.  Let me recommend flat bread, lettuce, onion, tomato, cucumber and yogurt sauce.  Feta cheese is also a nice touch.


yogurt sauce:  (no exact measurements, just mix up however much you want, and to taste.  You can find something to eat the leftovers with!)

plain unsweetened yogurt
shredded cucumber
lemon or lime juice
fresh or dried dill weed
salt and pepper to taste

Mix everything together and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.

falafel patties, pre-oven

appetizer:  falafel and yogurt dipping sauce

with all the fixins

quick pizza dough

pizza with homemade sauce, caramelized onions and parmesan cheese

This is ridiculously easy.  For a variation, try adding dried Italian seasonings in with the dry ingredients, or instead of pizza, make calzones.

quick pizza dough

2 1/2 cups flour
2 3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
3/4 - 1 cup warm water

Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl.  Add olive oil and 3/4 cup water.  Stir together, then use your hands to help the dough come together.  If the dough is too dry, add in the extra water, a little at a time, as necessary.  The dough should be soft and elastic, not sticky.  Knead the dough on a floured surface for 3-4 minutes.  (If your dough IS too sticky, sprinkle more flour on the counter as necessary, and knead it into the dough until it reaches the desired consistency.)

Press dough into a pizza pan, add sauce and toppings, and bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit or about 200 degrees Celsius for 15-25 minutes, or until cheese and crust edges are golden brown.

shortcut bibimbap

In Korean, "bibim" means mixed or assorted mix and "bap" means cooked rice.  Traditionally, this simple dish is served in a big bowl and consists of rice with an assortment of veggies, sometimes a little meat, red pepper paste, and is topped with an egg.  It's all mixed together and eaten with a spoon.  

Bibimbap was one of the first Korean foods I tried, and after living in Korea for 2 1/2 years, it's still my favorite.  The ingredients and style vary, and it's a go-to meal that I never seem to tire of.  I re-created this quick and cheap version at home that couldn't be easier.  I usually mix in a can of tuna, and sometimes top with a fried egg.  Tofu would also be a good addition or protein substitution.  I also add in other veggies if I have them, like shredded carrot, zucchini, or bean sprouts.

shortcut bibimbap

1 cup cooked rice (use leftover rice or one individual container of pre-cooked rice)

1 can of tuna

1 small package of sprouts

gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)

sesame oil

soy sauce

rice vinegar

gim (dried seaweed) *I like the seasoned kind

sesame seeds

Warm up the rice, if it's not already, and add to a large bowl. (You'll need extra room to allow for mixing.)  Add the can of tuna, package of sprouts, and other veggies if using.  Drizzle with a little sesame oil, then add a splash or two of soy sauce and rice vinegar.  Add a dollop of gochuchang, and top with gim and sesame seeds.  Mix everything together and eat!