Ode to Yummus Hummus!

Oh heavenly hummus,you are delicious.
Dipped with vegetables or chips, you are Divine.
When presented at parties, some may be suspicious.
But that's okay, then you are all mine!


Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

1 red pepper, seeded
2-3 cups garbanzo beans
1 clove garlic
1/2 onion
2-3 Tbsp tahini
juice from 2-3 lemons
1/2 Tbsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste
approximately 3 Tbsp olive oil (for a fat free version, substitute with broth)

Rub pepper, garlic and onion with olive oil and roast in a 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes. Throw ingredients in the food processor and blend to desired consistency. Be sure to add the olive oil slowly so you don't end up with soupy hummus!

Our Dinner Co-op Rocks!

We are lucky enough to be a part of a dinner co-op with some wonderful friends lately! It is so great to know that dinner will be made and delivered to our doorstep every Monday and Tuesday! Jenny and Kristen you are AWESOME!!
The following recipe is what I plan to make for our contribution this week. The farmer's market this weekend was full of beautiful squash, eggplant and tomatoes - perfect for some veggie enchiladas!


Garden Vegetable Enchiladas

1 cup eggplant, peeled and diced
1/2 cup corn kernels
1/2 cup yellow squash or zucchini, diced
1-2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 onion, diced
3 cups baby spinach, shredded
25 corn tortillas

2 medium tomatoes
1 jalapeno, seeded
1 clove garlic
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste

Toss together first six ingredients and roll into steamed tortillas. Approximately 1 spoonful of filling per tortilla. Place rolls closely together in a casserole dish, set aside.
Blend tomato, jalapeno, garlic and seasoning in a food processor until smooth. Pour over filled tortillas. Optional - top with cheese
Bake in 350 degree oven for 35-45 minutes.

Mmm... Tomatoes!

Since the chickens are little Houdinis and will not stay in their yard, we had to get creative with our summer veggies. (Unless we wanted to share our garden with the ladies) We have three upside-down plants in the back and two right-side-up in the front sharing a pot. This was the first time we tried potting tomatoes, so we weren't sure what they would produce. But, lo and behold, we have some juicy red ones! Layla loves to eat fresh tomatoes and each time I ask my little helper to pick me some tomatoes, she samples the wares. Below is our family's favorite summertime salsa recipe. Be sure to have an entire bag of tortilla chips handy, this recipe's a big one!

Summertime Salsa

4-5 medium tomatoes, diced and squeezed gently to remove extra juices
1/2 sweet onion or 1/4 red onion, diced
1/2 c torn fresh cilantro
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
1 lemon, juiced
salt and pepper to taste

Toss all ingredients together and eat your hearts out!

Getting on the Food Inc. Train... a Little Behind Schedule

Seth and I FINALLY found the time over the weekend to watch Food Inc. I know, I know, it has been out forever and we are hopelessly out of date. However, for those of you still struggling to find locally grown, respectfully treated animals for your meat-based meals, here are a few of my favorite farms...

Fredericksburg Grassfed Beef - at the Downtown Farmer's Market on Saturdays
http://www.fredericksburg-grassfed-beef.com/

Rasco Farm Grassfed Longhorn Beef - at the Triangle Farmer's Market on Wednesdays

Richardson Farms - at the Downtown and Triangle Farmer's Markets (and Wheatsville)
http://www.richardsonfarms.com/

Thunder Heart Bison - at the Downtown and Triangle Farmer's Markets and may Austin restaurants!
http://www.thunderheartbison.com/content/

Glad To Be Back In The Bubble!

Just minutes ago, we returned home from a vacation to the Texas coast. I can not even begin to describe to ya'll how great it is to be back in our Austin "bubble". We had quite a difficult time finding gluten free friendly places to eat and ended up taking a leap of faith the couple times we ate out. One place that was surprisingly accommodating was a little Mexican restaurant in Port Aransas called La Playa. The servers really knew what was in each dish and we enjoyed some fantastic food that didn't give us a bit of trouble.
I always forget how good we have it in Austin...

More Salad for You!

Okay, I promise after this post I will attempt to vary my recipe. But, holy cow, I happened on a great salad that I HAVE to share!
I for one love Curried Chicken Salad, my favorite version so far being the one made at Whole Foods downtown. I found that recipe online, but of course I didn't have all of the ingredients. And tell me, who the heck has time to "run" to the store when you are faced with a hungry whiny 4 year old? So, I did what I do best - improvised! Below is my experiment. It turned out pretty darn good!

Curried Chicken Salad

1 lb chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1/4 c dressing (see recipe below)
1 medium carrot
1/2 medium sweet onion
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp curry
1/4 c dried unsweetened coconut flakes
1/4 c raisins

Place dressing, carrot, onion, garlic, curry and coconut flakes into a food processor. Mix for at least a minute, until all ingredients are relatively smooth. Pour mixture into a large bowl. Toss it together with chicken and raisins. Tastes great on top of mixed baby greens or wrapped inside lettuce.



Vegan Dressing (Jenny and Kristen this is NOT mayonnaise!)

1 package silken tofu
juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1-2 tbsp sugar (turbinado works best)
1 tsp mustard powder

Throw all ingredients into a food processor for about 2 minutes until creamy. This mixture can be refrigerated for about a week. Works great as a low fat mayo substitute or as a base for a creamy vegan dressing!

It's Gettin' Hot in Here...

Oh my goodness, it is getting mighty hot in Texas! Between the heat and the humidity, I am beginning to hate going outside between the hours of noon and five! We have been staving off the weather by trying to eat as many "cool" foods as possible. Nothing sounds worse on a hot summer's day than a warm, hearty meal. I have become a whiz with the salads, and so far Seth isn't complaining. Here are a couple that we have found satisfying lately... Stay cool Austin!

Confetti Salad (aka black bean and corn salad)

1 c cooked corn kernels
1 green pepper, diced
1 c cooked black beans
1 Texas sweet onion
2 lg tomatoes, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lemon, juiced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 avocado, diced
salt and pepper to taste
red chili flakes (optional)

Easy Peasy... mix up all ingredients and enjoy! Fold inside a tortilla or a piece of lettuce, throw on top of grilled salmon or chicken.


Quinoa Lettuce Wraps

2 c quinoa (mix red and white together - its pretty!)
4 c water
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tbsp salt
1 c dried cranberries or cherries
1 c slivered almonds
1 head lettuce (romaine, butter, or even fresh rainbow chard)

Mix first 5 ingredients, bring to boil, cover and let simmer for 20 minutes. Place in fridge to cool - about 2 hours. Mix in cranberries and almonds. Pile concoction into lettuce leaves and eat like a taco.