Tag Archives: hummus

Spicy Thai Coconut Hummus

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I do most of my shopping at this health food store called Earthfare. They have everything a vegan family needs!  They have vegan friendly toiletries, wines, desserts, etc.  Their deli offers vegan nuggets, salads, sushi, and much more!  I just love that place!

Anyway, so a few days ago, my daughter and I had lunch there.  My daughter had a whole wheat grilled Daiya “cheese” sandwich with a side of raw broccoli and fruits.  I had some vegan brown rice sushi, Mary’s Gone crackers and hummus.  I don’t usually buy hummus because I just usually make them myself, but boy was I glad that I picked up the Thai coconut hummus from the deli!  I instantly was addicted to it!  It was spicy, it was delicious, tangy, and coconutty!

I told myself, “I HAVE TO TRY TO MAKE THIS AT HOME!”  So, I looked at the ingredients and I was very excited to see that I already had most of the ingredients on the list!  There were some things that I didn’t have, but I just improvised.

So, I made the hummus, it is not exact, but it is VERY similar.  Both are deliciously awesome!  And, I am happy to share the recipe with you! :)

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups of cooked garbanzo beans
  • juice of 2 lemons
  • 4 tablespoons of tahini
  • 2 tablespoons of safflower oil
  • 3 tablespoons of coconut oil
  • 3 tablespoons of organic tamari
  • 2 tablespoons of Asian chili paste (garlic paste)
  • 2 tablespoons of minced shallots
  • 1 clove of garlic from an elephant garlic or 6 cloves from a regular-sized bulb of garlic
  • 4 teaspoons of lemongrass paste
  • 3 teaspoons of red wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons of freshly grated ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon of cumin
  • 1 teaspoon of Celtic sea salt
  • 3 pinches of cardamom
  • 4 to 8 tablespoons of organic sriracha (hot sauce) *note: this is optional and adjust to heat preference*

Directions:

  1. Throw everything in the food processor and blend (except for hot sauce)!
  2. Add hot sauce and adjust heat to your liking.  (note: if you want to make this for your young child, I would omit the hot stuff…I put a tiny bit of chili paste for my daughter’s hummus).
  3. Enjoy!
  4. Serve with fresh veggies, crackers, crusty bread, vegan naan, tortilla, etc.

Mary's Gone Crackers and hummus.

Spicy Dynamite Tofu and Veggies in Wonton Cups

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I have been wanting to make these for over a year now and the reason why I haven’t is because I have not been able to find vegan wonton wrappers.  But, a couple of weeks ago, I found some at the local Asian market and it got me pretty excited!  I thought about all of the things I could do with these wonton wrappers!…vegan cream cheese wontons, hummus filled wontons, wonton cups, baked wonton chips, etc.

One of the things I wanted to do was mold them into cups and fill it up with something delicious and spicy!  For this appetizer/snack, I used a lot of ingredients that I used when I would make my vegan sushi. 

I baked the wonton wrappers and filled it up with some tofu and veggies mixed with DYNAMITE SAUCE!

Note: “dynamite sauce” is a mixture of vegenaise and sriracha.  I usually serve it up with vegan sushi.

Ingredients:

Note: if you don’t have dulse granules, you can just use the rice seasoning to substitute it.  Just add your seasoning and hot sauce little by little until you get to where it isn’t bland or too spicy.

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Spray your cupcake pan and place one wonton wrapper in each of the cupcake making holes (12).
  3. Place wontons in the oven and bake for exactly 6 minutes.
  4. Then, set the crunchy wontons aside.
  5. Now, make the filling.
  6. Heat pan and spray olive oil on it.
  7. Add minced garlic and chopped onions.
  8. Cook for about a minute in med-high heat, then add the cubed tofu.
  9. Cook the tofu for about 5-10 minutes.
  10. In a mixing bowl, add carrot, zucchini, liquid aminos, rice seasoning, and the tofu you just cooked.
  11. Mix it up and start adding sriracha and dulse granules.
  12. When you are done, start filling the wonton cups with your “dynamite” tofu mix. 
  13. Then add sprouts.
  14. For those who like it EXTRA spicy, add more sriracha!
  15. Serve and enjoy!

Hummus-stuffed wontons!

Jalapeno Poppers and Eggplant Spinach Wrap

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We have so many jalapenos on our jalapeno plant right now, so today, we decided to make jalapeno poppers.  My wonderful husband was kind enough to help me stuff and bread these delicious,  freshly picked peppers.   These jalapeno poppers are much healthier than the traditional, non-vegan, cheese-filled, deep-fried poppers because they are stuffed with healthy hummus AND they are baked!

I also purchased some beautiful eggplants from the farmers market that sitting in the fridge.  They were begging to be used somehow, so I decided to wrap it up with some spinach, tangy sauce, and these super healthy and delicious jalapeno poppers.  In my opinion, the crunchy poppers went together beautifully with the juicy and tangy eggplant.  It is filling, nutritious, and so delicious!!

If you want to taste this marvelous, flavorful, and super healthy wrap, here is what you are going to need:

Directions:

  1. Make the poppers (recipe).
  2. Cook the eggplant (recipe).
  3. Make the sauce.
  4. Warm up your wrap or tortilla.
  5. Pile everything in there and roll it up into a burrito!
  6. Enjoy!

Easy Veggie Hummus Rolls

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This is a super easy and delicious snack/meal to serve at parties and potlucks.  Such a wonderful finger food!

It took me 30 minutes from start to finish!

I don’t know about you, but I just LOVE hummus!!!!  There are so many things you can add to hummus: avocado, sun-dried tomatoes, jalapenos, roasted bell peppers, etc (add when blending in the food processor).   You can use it as a sandwich filling, bagel/toast topper, wrap filling, and/or veggie/bread/chip dip!  So many possibilities!

But, here is the basic hummus recipe that I always use.

Hummus:

  • 1 can of black beans or garbanzo beans (drained) or 1.5 cups of cooked beans (I usually cook my own beans instead of buying the in cans)
  • 2 tablespoons of cumin
  • 1-2 cloves of garlic
  • 2-3 tablespoons of lime juice
  • 1-1.5 teaspoons of tahini
  • salt
  • pepper
  • pinch of turmeric
  • 4-6 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp of distilled white vinegar for more tang (optional)

Wrap:

  • all natural vegan spinach wrap
  • spinach
  • carrot (shredded Note: I just put my carrots in the food processor…way easier than shredding them by hand)
  • sprouts

Directions:

  1. Place all hummus ingredients in a food processor.
  2. Blend until smooth.
  3. Warm your tortilla/wrap ( I used my griddle).
  4. Spread hummus over the tortilla.
  5. Add spinach, sprouts, and carrots.
  6. Roll it.
  7. Slice it into bite sized pieces.
  8. Serve and enjoy!

Note: I like to add turmeric to a lot of dishes because of its health benefits.  It has anti-inflammatory properties, detoxifying properties, it helps slow down the progression of Alzheimers disease, helps with weight loss,  and it is known to have anti cancerous properties.   To learn more, click here, Health Diaries.

Crunchy and Healthy Stuffed Bell Peppers

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This is a similar post to the jalapeno poppers post.  I just used bell pepper instead for those who absolutely can not handle the heat of the jalapenos.  This has more of a sweetness to it but it goes so well together (crunch, hummus, and pepper).

Ingredients:

  • Fire Roasted Tomato Hummus
  • 3 to 4 bell peppers
  • 2/3 cup of unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/5 cups of Panko bread crumbs
  • 1 to 1.5 cups of whole wheat flour
  • 1 tsp of salt

Directions:

  1. Make hummus.
  2. Preheat oven to 385 degrees.
  3. Slice the bell pepper lengthwise in four ways.
  4. Spoon hummus into the bell pepper.
  5. Dip the bell pepper in the unsweetened nut milk (almond milk).
  6. Then, roll the it into the whole wheat flour.
  7. Dip it into the nut milk again.
  8. Then, roll into the panko bread crumbs.
  9. Place onto a slightly greased cookie sheet.
  10. Spray a little bit of olive oil onto the breaded bell peppers (just a little bit!).
  11. Bake for 25 minutes.
  12. Enjoy!

Crunchy and Healthy Jalapeno Poppers (stuffed with hummus)

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My husband and I love spicy!  We have a jalapeno plant in the back yard that has produced so many peppers this summer.  And, of course, we eat all of them up!

I used to make jalapeno poppers with Toffuti “cream cheese” (which are a lot healthier than the traditional fried poppers with the greasy/fatty real cheese).  But, my husband suggested trying to make it even healthier.  So, he gave me the idea of hummus in the jalapeno, and I am so glad he did, because this is wonderful and delicious!

*Jalapeno peppers are very good for you.  It helps cure headaches, congestion, and it even helps fight off cancer!

*Garbanzo beans are also super healthy!

Ingredients:

  • Fire Roasted Tomato Hummus
  • 10 to 15 jalapenos
  • 2/3 cup of unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/5 cups of Panko bread crumbs
  • 1 to 1.5 cups of whole wheat flour
  • 1 tsp of salt

Directions:

  1. Make hummus.
  2. Preheat oven to 385 degrees.
  3. Slice the top off the jalapenos, cut them in half (lengthwise), remove seeds and placenta.  Note: if you like REALLY spicy poppers, you can add the seeds and jalapeno placenta to your hummus.
  4. Spoon hummus into jalapenos.
  5. Dip the jalapeno in the unsweetened nut milk (almond milk).
  6. Then, roll the jalapeno into the whole wheat flour.
  7. Dip it into the nut milk again.
  8. Then, roll into the panko bread crumbs.
  9. Place onto a slightly greased cookie sheet.
  10. Spray a little bit of olive oil onto the poppers (just a little bit!).
  11. Bake for 25 minutes.
  12. Enjoy!

Fire Roasted Tomato Hummus and Portobello Sandwich

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So, my BFF and I went to Savannah, GA this past weekend for a mini vacation and we found this restaurant, Zunzi’s, that served delicious sandwiches.  I had a sandwich very similar to this.  It also had hummus and veggies in a delicious, toasted, crusty bread.

Me and Cindy at Wormsloe Plantation, Savannah, GA.

Me and Cindy in Savannah, GA.

I was craving that sandwich today, so I made it for lunch….I just kinda improvised, since I don’t know what seasonings they used.

It is so flavorful and delicious!   And, as always, it is healthy and filling!

Fire Roasted Tomato Hummus

Ingredients:

  • 1 can of garbanzo beans (drained)
  • 1/2 a can of fire roasted tomatoes (7 oz.with liquid)
  • 1 tablespoon of tahini
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1.5 tablespoon of cumin
  • +/- 1/2 teaspoon of celtic sea salt
  • 3 cloves of garlic

Directions: Place all ingredients in the food processor and blend together for one to two minutes.

Veggies

Ingredients:

  • 6 oz of portobello mushrooms (sliced)
  • 4 sweet peppers or 2 bell peppers (sliced)
  • 1/2 of a medium sized red onion (sliced)
  • 1 to 1.5 cups of fresh spinach
  • 2 cloves of minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
  • 1.5 teaspoons of oregano
  • 2 teaspoons (or more…depending on how salty you want it) of liquid aminos
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • pepper

Directions:

  1. In a hot pan, saute garlic and onions in the olive oil for 2 to 3 minutes.
  2. Add sweet peppers/bell pepper and mushrooms.
  3. Add oregano, vinegar, liquid aminos, and pepper.
  4. Cook together for about 5 minutes.
  5. Add Spinach and cook for a minute.

SANDWICH

Directions:

  1. Toast your bread of choice (ciabatta, french baguette, or any chewy crunchy bread).
  2. Slice the bread and spread the fire roasted tomato hummus on to the bread.
  3. Place the mushroom and veggies in the sandwich.
  4. Serve with soup or salad.
  5. Enjoy!

Mixed Bean and Avocado Hummus Burrito with a lot of HEAT

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Well, we have a lot of cayenne pepper and jalapenos growing in our backyard right now.  So, I try to incorporate it into our meals as often as I can.  Luckily, both my husband and I like spicy dishes ;) .

I love the heat and the flavor of hot peppers.

So, this is what we had for lunch today.  Yes, I know we eat a lot of hummus!  But, hummus is awesome!   And, everyone should try cayenne peppers in your hummus!….If you can handle it. :)

Hummus recipe:

  • 4 cups of cooked beans (I used 1/2 garbanzo and 1/2 black beans)
  • 3 tablespoons of tahini (sesame seed butter)
  • 3 tablespoons of cold pressed olive oil
  • 1 ripe avocado
  • juice of 2 or 2.5 limes (adjust to how tangy you like it)
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 3.5 tablespoons of cumin
  • 5 fresh cayenne peppers
  • 2 pinches of turmeric
  • celtic sea salt (start off with 1/2 a teaspoon and blend…then taste…adjust to your preference)
  • a few pinches of paprika

Directions:

  1. Place all ingredients in a food processor.
  2. Blend together for a few minutes until smooth
  3. Spread onto a vegan/all natural wrap/tortilla.
  4. Add veggies: bell pepper, sprouts, tomato, and red onions.
  5. Roll it up.
  6. Enjoy!

 

Here are some info on cayenne peppers from  http://www.whfoods.com/

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Health Benefits

Hot and spicy, cayenne pepper adds zest to flavorful dishes around the world and health to those brave enough to risk its fiery heat. The hotness produced by cayenne is caused by its high concentration of a substance called capsaicin. Technically referred to as 8-methyul-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide, capsaicin has been widely studied for its pain-reducing effects, its cardiovascular benefits, and its ability to help prevent ulcers. Capsaicin also effectively opens and drains congested nasal passages.

In addition to their high capsaicin content, cayenne peppers are also an excellent source of vitamin A, through its concentration of pro-vitamin A carotenoids including beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is not only a potent antioxidant in its own right, but can be converted in the body to vitamin A, a nutrient essential for the health of all epithelial tissues (the tissues that line all body cavities including the respiratory, gastrointestinal and reproductive tracts). Beta-carotene may therefore be helpful in reducing the symptoms of asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. In addition, its antioxidant activity make it useful in preventing the free radical damage that can lead to atherosclerosis, colon cancer, and diabetic complications, like nerve damage and heart disease.

Fight Inflammation

All chili peppers, including cayenne, contain capsaicin, which in addition to giving cayenne its characteristic heat, is a potent inhibitor of substance P, a neuropeptide associated with inflammatory processes. The hotter the chili pepper, the more capsaicin it contains. The hottest varieties include habanero and Scotch bonnet as well as cayenne peppers. Jalapenos are next in their heat and capsaicin content, followed by the milder varieties, including Spanish pimentos, and Anaheim and Hungarian cherry peppers.

Capsaicin is being studied as an effective treatment for sensory nerve fiber disorders, including pain associated with arthritis, psoriasis, and diabetic neuropathy. When animals injected with a substance that causes inflammatory arthritis were fed a diet that contained capsaicin, they had delayed onset of arthritis, and also significantly reduced paw inflammation.

Natural Pain Relief

Topical capsaicin has been shown in studies to be an effective treatment for cluster headaches and osteoarthritis pain. Several review studies of pain management for diabetic neuropathy have listed the benefits of topical capsaicin to alleviate disabling pain associated with this condition.

In a double-blind placebo controlled trial, nearly 200 patients with psoriasis were given topical preparations containing either capsaicin or placebo. Patients who were given capsaicin reported significant improvement based on a severity score which traced symptoms associated with psoriasis. The side effect reported with topical capsaicin cream is a burning sensation at the area of application.

Cardiovascular Benefits

Cayenne and other red chili peppers have been shown to reduce blood cholesterol, triglyceride levels, and platelet aggregation, while increasing the body’s ability to dissolve fibrin, a substance integral to the formation of blood clots. Cultures where hot peppers like cayenne are used liberally have a much lower rate of heart attack, stroke and pulmonary embolism.

Clear Congestion

Capsaicin not only reduces pain, but its peppery heat also stimulates secretions that help clear mucus from your stuffed up nose or congested lungs. Capsaicin is similar to a compound found in many cold remedies for breaking up congestion, except that capsaicin works much faster. A tea made with hot cayenne pepper very quickly stimulates the mucus membranes lining the nasal passages to drain, helping to relieve congestion and stuffiness. Next cold and flu season, give it a try.

Boost Immunity

Cayenne peppers’ bright red color signals its high content of beta-carotene or pro-vitamin A. Just two teaspoons of cayenne pepper provide 29.4% of the daily value for vitamin A. Often called the anti-infection vitamin, vitamin A is essential for healthy epithelial tissues including the mucous membranes that line the nasal passages, lungs, intestinal tract and urinary tract and serve as the body’s first line of defense against invading pathogens.

Prevent Stomach Ulcers

Chili peppers like cayenne have a bad–and undeserved–reputation for contributing to stomach ulcers. Not only do they not cause ulcers, these hot peppers may help prevent them by killing bacteria you may have ingested, while powerfully stimulating the cells lining the stomach to secrete protective buffering juices that prevent ulcer formation. The use of cayenne pepper is actually associated with a reduced risk of stomach ulcers.

Lose Weight

All that heat you feel after eating hot chili peppers takes energy–and calories to produce. Even sweet red peppers have been found to contain substances that significantly increase thermogenesis (heat production) and oxygen consumption for more than 20 minutes after they are eaten.

SOURCE: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=140

Delicious and Healthy Avocado Hummus and Bell Pepper

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This snack can also be a meal.  It is very healthy and very filling!  I can eat this all day and every day!

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 a pound of uncooked garbanzo beans (soaked over night)
  • 4 to 5 cloves of garlic
  • 2 avocados
  • juice of one lemon
  • 4 tablespoons of cumin
  • 3 tablespoons of olive oil (cold pressed)
  • 4 tablespoons of tahini (sesame seed butter)
  • 1 tsp of paprika
  • more or less a teaspoon of all natural sea salt
  • 1/4 cup of water
  • a few pinches of turmeric
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • Veggies of your choice:  Today, I chose sweet bell peppers

Directions:

  1. Cook garbanzo beans in medium heat for 3.5 hours.
  2. Drain garbanzo beans, but save the water it was cooked in.
  3. After the garbanzo beans are cooked, place in the food processor with garlic, tahini, cumin, salt, pepper, turmeric, paprika, lemon juice, olive oil and 1/3 cup of the water it was cooked in.
  4. Blend together in the food processor for a few minutes.  Note: adjust the amount of water, oil, cumin, salt or pepper amount to your preference….just stop and taste.  Remember, you can always add more, but you can’t take away….
  5. After it has blended, add 2 avocados, and blend together for another minute.
  6. Now you are ready to enjoy!  I love eating this with veggies such as bell pepper, carrots, and celery.
  7. You can also use this to put in wraps, sandwiches, and just dip for chips.

Top it with a bit of paprika.

Spinach Falafel Wrap

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FALAFEL SPINACH WRAP

This dish is super easy to prepare.

Hummus:

  • 1 can of black beans or garbanzo beans
  • 1 table spoon of cumin
  • 1-2 cloves of garlic
  • 2-3 tablespoons of lime juice
  • 1-1.5 teaspoons of tahini
  • salt
  • pepper
  • pinch of turmeric

 

Falafel:

I usually just buy the boxed VEGAN kind from the health food store.  It takes a minute to prepare and a few minutes to cook.

 

White dill sauce:

  • Juice of 1 freshly squeezed lemon
  • 1 table spoon of red wine vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons of SOY yogurt (plain)
  • 1 small clove of garlic (minced)
  • a few pinches of dill
  • salt
  • pepper

Veggies:

  • spinach
  • sprouts
  • tomato
  • red onion
  • carrots

Process the ingredients for the hummus and spread it on vegan tortilla wrap.  Then, add falafel, spinach, sprouts, carrots, tomatoes, red onions, soy yogurt dill sauce, and roll into a burrito.

Serve with roasted potatoes or vegan chips.  Enjoy!