Yumtastic May leftovers

I’ve got so much yumminess to share! I ate this first meal on Cinco de Mayo. My friend Emily and I went to our favorite local Mexican joint (though not quite my favorite Mexican restaurant ever; that would be Ixtapa in Lawrence [see here]), Dos Reales, for drinks – Merlot for me, margaritas for her – and food. Emily, though not totally veg herself, had a vegetarian combo platter with a chile relleno, a bean burrito, and rice.



I special-ordered a black bean enchilada, sin queso, and a side of rice.



I made the self-frosting peanut butter cupcakes from Bittersweet-Hannah’s cookbook My Sweet Vegan.



Though I didn’t execute the swirl as neatly as I could have, they still turned out great.



At First Friday in the Crossroads Arts District, a girl had a vegan food table set up at one of the galleries. Matt bought a curried tofu burrito, and I had a bite. He also got a brownie, but I forgot to take a pic.



One night I whipped up a plain batch of Ani Phyo’s "Love-the-Chicks Pâté," a blend of almonds and sunflower seeds with a touch of turmeric.



I made a version of Baking Bites’ white chocolate chip-pistachio cookies (here's lookin' at you, Hannah!) to take to Lindsey’s birthday cookout at Tyler & Henry’s house.



At another weeknight dinner with Emily, this one at Wai Wai quick-Thai, I had my favorite—their cashew-tofu stir fry.



After my co-worker Sean’s wedding reception, Matt and I went for drinks – sangria for me, a chocolate martini (yep, really!) for him – and snacks at Boozefish Wine Bar. I had (what else?) the hummus trio. Clockwise from top, there’s artichoke basil, black olive, and traditional.



Upon Meaghan’s recommendation, I made these no-bake coconut-carob cookie balls.



Matt and I ate at a newish Mexican place in south Overland Park called Frida’s. It’s high-end, authentic Mexican—nary a burrito in sight! Nor, I’m afraid, was there anything remotely veganizable. But no biggie—I got the Pescado al Cilantro, a white fish filet marinated in cilantro pesto and grilled with slivered almonds and lots of olive oil. It was served with an herby green rice and grilled vegetables. Though super-oily, this was really good, and unlike any Mexican food I’ve ever had (even IN Mexico!).



Matt had the Chile Relleno de Callo al Cilantro, a pair of sautéed-scallop-and-cilantro-stuffed poblano peppers topped with tomatillo sauce, also served with green rice. Both of us loved our dishes; we will definitely be going back to Frida’s.



But that's not all! Dessert was a must once I saw what they offered—a non-dairy, corn-milk-based ice cream! I’ve never even heard of such a thing! Though Matt would probably have preferred chocolate, he let me order it with the cinnamon, caramel, and candied walnut topping option. Wow. Wow. WOW. This was just unreal. I can’t wait to go back and have it again!



I’ll wrap up with some homemade stuff. This is a raw blackberry crumble from Ani’s Raw Food Kitchen. The topping is predominantly almonds and pumpkin seeds. Simple, summery, delicious.



Speaking of Ani, this is a riff on the raw wild rice salad she posted on her blog awhile back.



Here’s a random weekday breakfast of mine—plain yogurt, plump fresh raspberries, dehydrated buckwheat groats, and a sprinkle of blueberry flaxseed.



Last but not least, a ginormous batch of homemade hummus. I even cooked my own chickpeas from dried; the whole shebang. I ate half of it as-is, then added Ethiopian spices (berbere, cardamom, and mekelesha) to the other half, and oh man, it may have been the best hummus I’ve ever made. (Yes, maybe even better than my Indian spice variety!) I will have to make it again so I can blog about it.
...Would you judge me if I said this whole thing only lasted me a week?



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Roasted potato wraps w/black bean hummus

I'd had this recipe from the Whole Foods site, for black bean "hummus," bookmarked for quite awhile. When I came across this other recipe in Vegetarian Times, for potato tacos, the hummus immediately came to mind. I put my own spin on the "tacos," but the hummus recipe was excellent already. I knew those two would marry perfectly, and they did! Without further ado, I present to you the happy couple.

For the wraps:
2 large potatoes, scrubbed, peeled if desired
1T olive oil
1 tsp salt
1T canola oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
2T chopped cilantro
2 tsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
4 whole wheat flour tortillas, warmed
Salsa, for serving

For the hummus:
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup tahini
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
2T olive oil
2T warm water
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 cup cilantro
Salt to taste

First, you’ll want to get your potatoes going. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Chop the potatoes into 1/2-inch pieces and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle on the olive oil, sprinkle on the salt, and toss to combine. (I lined my baking sheet with foil, but I actually don’t recommend it; there was a lot of “stickage,” despite the oil.)



Roast for 20-25 minutes. Take them out every 6-8 minutes and stir them around so that they brown on all sides. Set aside when done.

While those are cooking, make the hummus. Combine all ingredients except cilantro and salt in a food processor. I threw in a couple slices of pickled jalapeño too; you can improvise however you want.



Pulse a few times to combine, then process until smooth. Scrape down the sides and add the cilantro.



Pulse 10-15 times to combine. Scrape down the sides again and give it a taste. Season with salt to taste, and process one more time, for about 10 seconds. Transfer the hummus to a bowl. Have some tortilla chips handy so you can snack on it as you’re preparing the wraps.



Heat the canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and green pepper and cook and stir until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, and cayenne and cook and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.



Add the potatoes and toss to coat and heat through. Stir in the lemon juice and cilantro and remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.



Now for the assembly: place a tortilla on a plate and spread on a big glop of the hummus.



Pile 1/4 of the potato mixture on top. (You can also add any taco-type fillings you like, be it lettuce, [soy] cheese, chopped tomatoes, etc.)



Fold in the sides of the tortilla, roll it up, and place seam side-down on the plate. Spoon salsa generously on top.



If you've never had potatoes in Mexican food, you are missing out! These wraps are irresistible, and they made a great lunch the rest of the week.



Yield: 4 wraps. Per wrap (without hummus): 219 calories, 9g fat (1g sat), 36g carbs, 11g fiber, 8g protein.
Per 1/4 cup hummus: 127 calories, 7.5g fat (.5g sat), 10.5g carbs, 3.8g fiber, 5.3g protein.

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Indian spice hummus

Can you believe that for all the chickpea adoration and hummus exaltation this blog is packed with, I have never posted a recipe for hummus? Me neither. Clearly it’s time.

Needless to say, there are practically an infinite number of ways to prepare hummus. Not only can the base ingredients be altered a bit, but you can make it any flavor under the sun. Plain, garlic, olive, roasted red pepper, sun-dried tomato, chile pepper, the list goes on. You can also craft hummus with the essences of many different regions’ cuisines—Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Greek, Egyptian, Spanish, Moroccan, you name it. This is my favorite type to make, a vibrant golden hummus infused with the opulent spices of India.

1 can chickpeas, drained
2-3 cloves garlic
2T lemon juice
3T tahini
1T curry powder
1 tsp cumin seed, or 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, optional
Salt to taste

Put the chickpeas, garlic, and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor.



Pulse to combine. Turn on the food processor, stream in 1/4 cup cold water, and blend until semi-smooth. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the tahini and all the spices (but no salt). If you’ve never tried it, I recommend picking up some Madras curry powder. It’s so much more aromatic and deeply flavored than supermarket varieties.



Pulse together. Turn the processor back on and stream in another 1/4 cup or so of cold water as it’s running. Stop and scrape down the sides again, then turn back on and purée for at least 3 minutes. Yes, it’s a long time, but trust me. After that, give it a taste, then add salt to your liking (I usually put in about a teaspoon) and purée for another 30 seconds.



Transfer the hummus to a bowl or container and refrigerate for at least one hour, or overnight. The longer it sits, the more intense the flavors become—and that's a good thing. The fragrant spices are enhanced by the punch of garlic and the mellow tahini in the background. Garnish it with a sprinkle of paprika and a drizzle of olive oil if you like. This may be the first hummus recipe I've posted, but it will not be the last.



Yield: about 2 cups. Per 1/4 cup: 96 calories, 4g fat (trace sat), 13g carbs, 3g fiber, 4g protein.

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Tuscan white bean dip

Tuscan white bean dip

Quite awhile back, I made a promise to someday post my favorite white bean dip recipe, and at long last, here it is. It’s from Giada de Laurentiis’ first cookbook, and it’s the first recipe I made when I got it. For all intents and purposes, it’s white bean hummus, so it’s no wonder I zeroed in on it. The ingredient list is short and sweet, and everything comes together so simply that you’ll be amazed at the depth of flavor it attains. Use your best olive oil for this, because you’ll taste it in every bite. I bet it would be even better made with fresh cooked beans; let me know if you try it that way.

1 can cannellini/navy beans, rinsed and drained
2-4 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2T lemon juice
1/4 cup (packed) fresh Italian parsley
1/4 cup olive oil
Pita chips, for serving



Place the beans, garlic, salt, pepper, and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor. Adjust the garlic to your taste—I put in four cloves, and the garlic flavor in the finished product was über-powerful. That’s how I like it, but if you want it subtler, feel free to use just a clove or two.



Pulse the food processor until everything is roughly chopped and combined. Add the parsley and pulse that in as well.



Pause to scrape down the sides of the bowl, then turn it on full blast. Stream the olive oil in through the top until the dip looks smooth but still thick.



With the motor still running, stream in water until the dip looks just a little thinner than you’d like it—it’ll thicken as it sits. Let the food processor run for about 2 minutes to purée it thoroughly, scraping down the sides again if needed.

As you can see, I went the quick route and ate mine with storebought pita chips, but I’d highly recommend you cut up some fresh pita, brush with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake at 400 degrees for a few minutes until toasty.



Scrape the dip into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the fridge for at least a couple hours to allow the flavors to meld and develop. When you take it out, you’ll be rewarded with an irrestistibly creamy and mouthwateringly aromatic snack. The buttery beans and the fruity olive oil lock together to form a supremely pleasing texture. Its mild green hue belies the zesty parsley essence within, and the garlic will kiss your every taste bud. Serve it with the pita chips, crackers, or vegetable crudités, or you can use it as a sandwich spread...but I won’t tell anyone if you sample some with a spoon.



Yield: about 8 servings. Per serving: 125 calories, 7g fat (1g sat), 12g carbs, 3g fiber, 4g protein.

Sesame hummus noodles

I pretty much can't stand Rachael Ray. The cackle, the Joker smile, the lame slang, the incessant chattiness, the fact that she's everywhere. That said, her food is not all bad. In fact, I have to give her (along with most of the Food Network personalities) credit for helping to get me interested in cooking in college. I also subscribe to her magazine – flashy and overpriced though it is, it's the best way to have access to her recipes and ideas without actually having to listen to her. Brilliant! Obviously, most of her food is very fatty, very not-vegan, or (usually) both, but you'd be surprised how much of it adaptable. This recipe caught my eye right away – hummus freak that I am, I had never thought to use it in a stir fry sauce. A few tweaks later, this recipe is inventive, delectable, AND vegan.

1 lb whole-grain angel hair pasta
3/4 cup hummus
1/4 cup water or vegetable broth
2T soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sriracha (or more)
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 oz. snow peas, halved diagonally
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
1 bunch scallions, finely chopped
1/2 cup peanuts
1/4 cup sesame seeds



Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 5 minutes. Add the snow peas during the last minute of cooking. Drain, reserving a cup of the pasta water.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the hummus, water, soy sauce, sesame oil, sriracha, and garlic. I used storebought hummus. I'd had it in my cabinet forever, because it was the last jar I had bought before I started making my hummus myself.



Add the red pepper and carrot to the pasta, and toss it with the hummus sauce, thinning out with the pasta water as necessary.



Top each serving with the scallions, peanuts, sesame seeds, and additional sriracha if desired.



It's a good thing this was tasty, because the other caveat about Rachael Ray's recipes is that "serves 4" really means "serves 6-8 normal humans." (A quarter pound of pasta per person? Who is she feeding?!) So although I made this for dinner last Tuesday, I just ate the last serving of it for lunch today. Wondering if I got sick of it? As a matter of fact, I didn't. So all you single people out there, feel free to make this without fear of wastage. You may even find yourself glad, as I did, that you still have some left to eat days later.



Yield: 6-8 servings. Per serving (6): 460 calories, 14.6g Fat (1.8g sat), 68.5g carbs, 11.5g fiber, 16.8g protein.
Per serving (8): 345 calories, 11g fat (1.3g sat), 51.4g carbs, 8.6g fiber, 12.6g protein

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