Category Archives: vegan

DIY-Almond/Walnut Butter… Happy B-Day Kimmy!

14 Saturday Apr 2012

Posted by in dips, DIY, vegan

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Food:

Almond Butter- DIY

1 c. raw almonds

1 c. raw walnuts

(I decided to do a combo butta’, but you can just use almonds, or just walnuts or any combination you like.)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the almonds/walnuts across the baking sheet. Place the nuts in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. (Until the center of the almond is golden)

2. Take the nuts out of the oven and cool completely. When the nuts are cool transfer them to the food processor. Turn it on, let it grind the nuts for about 2 minutes. Scrape down the side and process again until the nuts turn to butta’. (Be patient this takes a minute, you may need to scrape down the sides a few times.) Transfer to a clean jar with a lid and store in the pantry or the refrigerator.

Nutrition:

DIY- DO IT YOURSELF- what a concept! I love when I can take something that usually goes on my shopping list, off. I know exactly what is going in to a recipe and I know exactly how it was prepared. Nut butters are expensive and some of them have sugar, salt or added oils, all of which we can all do without. Homemade almond/walnut butter is a new staple in my house!

Love:

This recipe is dedicated to my TBC (Tall Bitches Club) girl Kimmy. My girl Kim, her husband Don and their baby daughter (not really a baby anymore) Martine are fulfilling their dream of living in France, and even though I miss her (them) like crazy I love and support their journey. Here are a few reason I am dedicating this post to Kim…

1. She is a great friend, she showed me what it means to be a friend. She let me join the TBC and introduced to me our other lovely TBC’S Alisa and Sadie.

2. She would always pick me up a jar of Almond Butter @Costco- no more of that!

3. She is one of Cosmo Hippie Chef’s biggest fans. When I started this blog I wanted to inspire those around me to get in the kitchen and cook, well that is exactly what my girl Kimmy did. I am so proud of her. (I can’t wait to see her in a few months and give her some new recipes to take back to France to share with her new friends, see that’s the thing about Kim- she makes friends where ever she goes.)

Quinoa w/Spring Veg and Miso Dressing

31 Saturday Mar 2012

Posted by in dressing, quinoa, seasonal, vegan

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Food:

Quinoa w/Spring Veg and Miso Dressing

3/4c. cooked quinoa

1/2c. petite peas, steamed, fresh or frozen

8 stalks fresh asparagus, steamed, chopped in half

1/4 avocado

gomashio, for seasoning

1. Combine all the ingredients in a good size bowl, sprinkle gomashio over the top.

Miso Dressing:

1/2c. fresh lime juice

1/4c. rice wine vinegar

3 tsp. sesame oil

1 tsp. chili oil

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 inch ginger, peeled and grated

2 scallions, chopped

2 T. + 2 tsp. miso paste

1/3c. olive oil (coconut oil would be nice to)

Directions:

1. All of the ingredients except the olive oil go into the food processor. Pulse until combined, scrape down sides. With the motor running add the olive oil. Store in the refrigerator. Serve over quinoa w/spring veg or anything else you would like.

Nutrition:

Quinoa- High protein, non-gluten grain from the Incas. It is a complete protein with significant amounts of lysine, helpful for repairing tissue. Like other whole grains, quinoa helps fight cancer, prevents heart disease and lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes. (Courtesy of ‘Clean Food’ by Terry Walters) (A staple in the Cosmo Hippie kitchen)

Asparagus- Many of the elements that build the liver, kidneys, skin, ligaments, and bones are found in green asparagus- WOW! Talk about a super food. Builds red blood cells and protects against cancer.

Peas- Peas might be lower in calcium and phosphorus than beans but provide similar levels of protein, carbohydrates, and fat. They are a good source of vitamin B and a variety of minerals. Green peas are a good source of vitamin C, K and carotenes.

Avocado- They reduce the risk of heart attack and stabilize blood sugars, they aid in blood tissue regeneration. Avocados are high in protein, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium and manganese.

Miso- Miso contains living enzymes that aid digestion and help maintain healthy intestinal flora. Miso is a rich source of minerals, it tones and cleanses the body of toxins and metals such as radiation and mercury! It also helps the body assimilate good cholesterol and break down the bad. (A staple in the Cosmo Hippie kitchen)

Love:

If you are a Cosmo Hippie Chef follower then you know I LOVE quinoa, when you eat a mostly vegetarian cuisine quinoa quickly becomes your best buddy. Bill-y and I even love it for breakfast. The great thing about this dish is that it is seasonal, so Spring I use peas and asparagus, in the Summer I use tomatoes and cucumbers, in the Winter I use baby bok choy and edamame- avocado always shows up for the party. This dish is easy, delish and you can see from the nutritional tid bits a power house in the healthy department. To health and happiness, ENJOY!

Oatmeal Banana Bread

25 Sunday Mar 2012

Posted by in breakfast, dessert, vegan

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Food:

Oatmeal Banana Bread

1c. oats (preferably gluten-free)

3/4c. walnuts, divided

1/3c. coconut flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

4 ripe bananas

1/2c. nut milk (I used Homemade Coconut Milk)

2 tsp. vanilla

6 T. coconut oil (if solid gently melt)

6 T. pure maple syrup

1/4c. sunflower seeds, hemp seeds and whole almonds- chopped

3/4c. vegan chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Start by lining a loaf pan with parchment paper and preheating the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Next place the oats and 1/2c. walnuts in the food processor, process until it looks like flour. Be sure not to over mix.

 3. Place the oat/walnut flour into a large bowl, one that is big enough to add the other ingredients to. Add the coconut flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder to this mixture and mix well with a whisk or fork.

4. Next place the banana’s, nut milk, vanilla, coconut oil and pure maple syrup into the food processor, process until all the ingredients are mixed well. The scent of this mixture is heavenly. Add this mixture to the dry mixture. FOLD all the ingredients together, DON’T OVERMIX!

5. Now add the chopped almonds, the remaining 1/4c. walnuts, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds and chocolate chips. Fold these in gently. Pour the batter into the lined loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes. (Check the banana bread by inserting a toothpick into the center, if it comes out clean it’s ready) Let cool completely before slicing.

Nutrition:

Nuts and seeds- With their gold mine of healthy minerals and their niacin and folic-acid contents, seeds are an excellent nutrition package. They are among the better plant sources of iron and zinc. In fact, one ounce of pumpkin seeds contains almost twice as much iron as three ounces of skinless chicken breast. And they provide more fiber per ounce than nuts. They are also good sources of protein. Each seed has its own individual bang for its bite, reasearch each on and be amazed.

Coconut Flour- Coconut flour has a low glycemic index, which means it’ll keep you fuller for longer and gives you steady, balanced energy. Not to mention its 58% fiber content, ranking it the higher than bran!

Banana’s- They soothe the stomach and strengthen the lining against acid and ulcers. Has antibiotic activity. Bananas feed the natural acidophilus bacteria of the bowel. They are high in potassium which benefits the muscular system.

Oats- Oats provide and abundance of antioxidants and lignans which help protect against cancer and help stabilize blood sugar levels. Rolled oats, which are minimally processed are slightly less beneficial than steel-cut or whole oat groats.

Love:

This yummy, decadent, GLUTEN-FREE, VEGAN Oatmeal Banana Bread will blow your mind, it is very similar to my Banana Date Muffins, but without the dairy. With the addition of the oat/walnut flour (which I learned about from My New Roots, and was the inspiration for this heavenly creation) this Oatmeal Banana Bread is on a whole other level. I have made it twice now and we (me, Billy and everyone who I served it to last week) are in love. Get in the kitchen and make a loaf, it’s easy-I SWEAR! Enjoy!

(Coconut) Milk and (Cinnamon Toast Crunch) Crackers- Cosmo Hippie Style

19 Monday Mar 2012

Posted by in DIY, Drinks, Snack, vegan

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Love:

I thought on this post I would start with the love. Lately I have been feeling like a loser in the food department. Sounds silly huh? I feel like I came blazing into the New Year with all these great recipes and now have hit a wall. Trust me when I say I have still been cooking up a storm, but a lot of the recipes have been other bloggers I follow, recipes I found on pinterest or oldies but goodies of my own. Maybe it is due to the fact that my work life has been very stressful that my creative food juices have taken a back seat! But then out of nowhere I create Homemade Coconut Milk and Cinnamon Toast Crunch Crackers. Both are delish, easy, and the best part is they are healthier than the originals. I love cooking and creating, and whether they are my own recipes or someone else’s the result is the same- it makes me happy. Enjoy!

Pictured above: small jar is coconut milk, larger jug is cashew milk (same method for both, but for the cashew milk I use 4c. water when blending)

Food:

Homemade Coconut Milk- Makes 2c.

1c. shredded unsweetened coconut, place in a bowl and cover with filtered water overnight, drain

2c. fresh filtered water

1 tsp. vanilla

pinch on salt

Directions:

1. After you have drained the coconut that has been sitting overnight, place the coconut in the blender with the water, vanilla and pinch of salt. Blend on high for about one minute.

2. Drain the mixture either through a nut bag or a fine mesh strainer. Squeeze the coconut to get as much liquid out as possible. (Save the coconut pulp, it’s what we will be making the crackers out of)

3. Pour the fresh coconut milk into a glass container and store in the refrigerator. It will last about 5-7 days.

Nutrition:

Why nut milks? Years ago when I went vegan to combat some health issues I thought milk would have been one of the hardest things in my diet to give up, until I realized that drinking milk means I am most likely drinking milk from an animal that is forced to milk even when it is not producing milk for its baby. Think about it like this, human woman produce milk when they have a baby, that baby usually breast feed for 1-2 years and after that baby stops breast-feeding that woman no longer produces milk. Now imagine if that woman is forced to take something that forces her to produce milk even though she is no longer breastfeeding. Crazy right? This is what happens to animals, and we are the only species that drinks the milk from another species. This is a personal choice in MY house, I am a milk chugin’ convert who now enjoys a wide range of nut milks such as almond, cashew, rice, coconut, and I might just have to try walnuts next time. Nuts milks are fresh, raw and loaded with vitamins and minerals.

Food:

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Crackers- Makes 16 crackers

1c. leftover coconut pulp from recipe above (you could try this with dry, shredded, unsweetened coconut- but I haven’t tried it that way)

1c. almond meal or almond flour (same thing)

1 T. coconut oil or canola oil

1 T. pure maple syrup or agave nectar

1 T. water

3/4 tsp. cinnamon, divided

2 T. sucant or raw sugar

pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350, line a 9×9 baking dish with parchment paper.

2. In a bowl mix coconut pulp, almond meal, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and a pinch of salt together with a fork and work out any lumps.

3. In a smaller bowl or dish mix coconut oil, pure maple syrup and water together. Add this to the dry mixture and mix well.

4. Pour the mixture in the lined baking dish and press  down firmly and spread it evenly inside the dish. Mix together the remaining cinnamon (1/4 tsp.) and sucant and sprinkle over the top of mixture. Place in oven and bake 10 minutes, take the dish out and cut into 16 squares (carefully) and place back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes. Until the top is slightly golden.

5. Let cook completely and serve.

Minty Pea Dip & Pistachio Stuffed Dates- Spa Recovery Week

08 Thursday Mar 2012

Posted by in appetizer, dessert, dips, Snack, vegan

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Food:

Minty Pea Dip- Makes about 2 cups

3c. frozen green peas, boil in salted water until tender 1-2 min, drain and toss into an ice bath, drain again

1/4c mint leaves, and parsley leaves

1 lemon, zest and juice

1 garlic clove, chopped

2 T. olive oil

1 T. tahini

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. All the ingredients go into the food processor and pulse until desired consistency. Refrigerate and serve with carrots or asparagus spears. Taste for salt and pepper.

Nutrition:

Peas- Peas might be lower in calcium and phosphorus than beans but provide similar levels of protein, carbohydrates, and fat. They are a good source of vitamin B and a variety of minerals. Green peas are a good source of vitamin C, K and carotenes.

Food:

Pistachio Stuffed Dates- Makes 16-22

16-22 dates (I buy the big ones w/the seed and de seed them myself. Just make a slit down one side of the date, open it up a bit and pull out seed-easy!)

1/2c. shelled pistachios

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

pinch of course salt

1/4-1/3c. toasted coconut (to toast: place coconut in a dry pan, turn heat to medium and toss a few times until toasted. KEEP AN EYE ON IT!)

Directions:

1. Place the shelled pistachios, cinnamon and salt in the food processor and process until a thick paste forms. About 5 min.

2. I use a 1/2tsp. measuring soon to spoon mixture out and fill each date.

3. Top the toasted coconut. Serve!

Nutrition:

Dates- Dates are a good source of fiber, an excellent source of easily digested carbohydrates. Dates are among the most alkaline of foods, and contain a special type of soluble fiber called beta-D- glucan which has been shown to decrease the body’s absorption of cholesterol and slow or delay absorption of glucose in the small intestine, thus helping to keep blood sugar levels even.

Love:

Let’s start with the minty pea dip, this is so easy so fresh and a super healthy snack. Love it! This would be great on bread with a sprinkling of cheese, or over pasta. Enjoy!

Now, the dates. I love dates, Billy not so much. When I first made these I had to tell him to close his eyes and open his mouth because I knew if he saw it or knew what it was he would be weird (that’s just how my sweetie is about a few things). Well guess what? HE LOVES THEM! He would like them to be a staple snack in our house. Funny man, but he’s right they are very delicious. I kinda think they would be awesome  wrapped with bacon and baked! Enjoy!

Both of these recipes came from Whole Living’s 28 Day Challenge (I changed just a few things)

Roasted Bell Pepper Tapenade

03 Saturday Mar 2012

Posted by in appetizer, Side dish, vegan

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Food:

Roasted Bell Pepper Tapenade

3 orange bell peppers, roasted, skins and seed removed*, chopped

1/4c. purple onion, chopped

1 large garlic clove, chopped

1/4c. parsley, chopped

1/4c. olives, chopped (I used green olives that I got at Tony Caputo’s)

2 T. capers

2 T. olive oil

2 T. balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

*How to roast peppers: Turn the broiler in your oven to high. Place the peppers on a baking sheet, when oven is ready place the baking sheet on the rack in the oven as close to the broiler without touching. Set a timer for 5 minutes, then rotate. Do this a total of four times (20 min) until all the sides of the pepper are charred. Watch carefully!!! Take the charred peppers out of the oven and place in a paper bag, close and let cool about 10 minutes. Take the peppers out of the bag and remove the skin, pull off stem, clean out the seeds. Use in whatever recipe calls for roasted peppers.

1. Place your roasted bell peppers in a medium size dish.

2. In a separate bowl mix purple onion, garlic, olives and capers. Add this mixture to the roasted bell peppers. Next add the chopped parsley.

3. Add the balsamic vinegar and olive oil to the above ingredients. Mix well and season with salt and pepper. I served mine with Homemade Goat Milk Ricotta Cheese and bread (this would be great over pasta). Enjoy!

Nutrition: 

Bell Peppers- Bell peppers are one of the most nutrient-dense foods available, it a good source of a large number of nutrients, including vitamin C, beta-carotene, vitamin K, thiamine, folic acid and vitamin B6. They are also a good source of phytochemicals with exceptional antioxidant activity. The substances in bell peppers has been shown to prevent blood clot formation and reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Parsley– Extremely rich in a number of nutrients including chlorophyll and carotenes. Parsley is a good source of vitamin C, folic acid and iron. It is also a good source of minerals including magnesium, calcium, potassium and zinc.

Olives- Olives are a healthy fat containing an excellent source of oleic acid an omega-9 monounsaturated fatty acid. They are also a great source of vitamin E. Olives are a staple in Mediterranean areas where people don’t consume a lot of animal fats, thus getting the most out of these super healthy fats.

Love:

I was looking for something easy and fresh to go with the Homemade Goat Milk Ricotta Cheese I was attempting to make for our Oscar’s party on the couch. I make a version of this dish with fresh tomatoes in the summer, but during the winter the only tomatoes I want to eat are the ones I canned in the summer. The roasted bell peppers worked great, I used orange bell peppers because red bell peppers and I don’t get along. As I was posting this recipe I thought how good this tapenade would be over pasta with the Goat Milk Ricotta crumbled over the top, I’ll have to try that next.

P.S. This will make a great dish in the summer because we can roast the peppers on the BBQ! I can’t wait!

What’s Cookin’

26 Sunday Feb 2012

Posted by in beans, breakfast, DIY, quinoa, salad, seasonal, Side dish, vegan

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Love:

You know what I love about blogging? Other blogs! Do you ever wish you could live in someone elses kitchen? Well, I do. That’s what I get from other blogs, they do the work and I look fabulous. My hope is that I do that for all of you.

So have fun seeing what I have been busy in the kitchen whipping up, and thanks for the other blogs I follow for inspiring me to get in the kitchen keep cookin’.

Food:

Lentil Meatballs

 I found this fun recipe on Pinterest, which lead me to this great new blog Sprouted Kitchen. These Lentil Meatballs were easy to whip up, and there was also a recipe for a Lemon Pesto to go with them (I switched parsley for basil and walnuts for pine nuts). Billy loved these. They were what was for lunch last week.

Quinoa Spinach Bake

 I thought I had a pic of the finished project, sorry. I found this great recipe on Whole Living. I love all things quinoa, it is so versatile. I thought this Quinoa Spinach Bake would be great with the Lentil Meatballs and I was right. I chopped up some fresh spinach, tossed in the Lentil Meatballs, topped it with the Quinoa Bake and finished it off with the Lemon Pesto. Voila! Lunch was fantastic.

Banana Walnut Pancakes (I call them love pancakes)

 Raw Slaw w/Tahani Dressing

Homemade Goat Milk Ricotta

Raw Cashew Dreamcake

All four of these recipes came from the same blog, My New Roots! I know, I know a little obsessed, but I don’t care. The creator of this blog is into Holistic eating, living, being, cooking just like me! I have to say that I hope my food is as awesome to y’all as hers is to me.

The Pancakes are vegan, gluten-free and are made with walnut flour. We have made them two weeks in row-yum! New favorite.

The Raw Slaw is great for this time of year, all the ingredients are seasonal (bonus). We had it last Monday for Soup and Salad Night. I strive to have a balance between raw and cooked foods in my diet and this salad is perfect for that. Not to mention that it is fabulous to look at!

Homemade Goat Milk Ricotta was too easy to make and went perfect with my Roasted Bell Pepper Tempanade for Oscar night on the couch. This recipe will definitely make another appearance in my kitchen, so good. I made my own cheese!!! Bonus: I got to use local Drake Family Farms Goat Milk.

Raw Cashew Dreamcake, you had me at hello. A raw dessert that taste like cheesecake? Sorry people this one is a no brainer, and the bonus is that I got to use honey from my buddy Dean’s bees and local raspberries that I had in the freezer.

Thanks for the blog love. Enjoy!

Nori Chips

19 Sunday Feb 2012

Posted by in appetizer, DIY, Snack, vegan

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Food:

Nori Chips- makes a lot!

1 package of toasted nori sheets

1/2c. canola oil or coconut oil

1/2c. agave nectar

Gomashio, you can use any kind of spice mixture you want (nutmeg and cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, mexican spices)

Directions:

1. Mix the oil and agave together and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350. Line two baking sheets with parchment and set aside.

2. Stack three sheets of nori and fold into thirds and press down, unfold and cut down the creases. Stack the three long sheets on top of each other and cut in half. Continue this for the whole package.

3. Once you have all the nori cut, place the individual strips on the lined baking sheets, using a pastry brush coat the top of each strip with the oil and agave mixture and sprinkle with the gomashio or which ever spices you choose. You will have a few batches of these so make sure to mix the oil and agave regularly because it will separate. When the baking sheets are ready place in the oven and bake for 5-7 minutes, (I like 5-6 minutes, they burn easily).

4. When those minutes are up take the chips out of the oven, flip and repeat with the oil and agave mixture and your spices on the other side. Put back in the oven for another 5 minutes. (You are going to have to use your best judgement on if they are done, I like mine crispy BUT NOT BURNED). Repeat until all of the ingredients are used up. Let the chips cool completely and then store in an airtight container.

Nutrition:

Nori- Similar benefits to those of kelp, has the highest mineral content of all sea vegetables. Particularly helpful in lowering cholesterol and blood pressure and for breaking down and flushing away cysts and mucus.

Sea Vegetables- Sea vegetables offer super-rich and easily absorbable source of minerals and vitamins, including iron, calcium, vitamin B, vitamin A, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iodine, zinc, selenium and copper! Sea vegetables are highly alkaline forming and help reduce tumors and masses and bind to radioactive substances and heavy metals to pull them from our bodies. The most  widely used are kombu/kelp (you may have seen this  called for in many of my recipes), nori, arame and dulse. (Courtesy of ‘Clean Food’ by Terry Walters)

Love:

Love this funky treat! You can find these in the grocery store but homemade ones are way better. I have been making these for quite sometime but finally got some good pics so I could share with y’all. I make these so that Mr. Bill-y won’t be tempted to bring home a bag of Lay’s Potato Chips (not that those aren’t good but when you are working on getting your sexy back they just don’t fit into the eating for health plan). I promise these Nori Chips are good, funky- but good! Enjoy! (recipe was adapted from one of my favorite cookbooks ‘Clean Food’ by Terry Walters)

Gomashio- A special condiment

19 Sunday Feb 2012

Posted by in DIY, Snack, vegan

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Food:

Gomashio- A special condiment

1 tsp. fine sea salt (I like Celtic grey salt) (I half the recipe)

6 T. sesame seeds, rinsed in a fine mesh strainer (I half the recipe)

Mortar and pestle

Directions:

1. Heat 1 tsp. of salt in a dry skillet over medium heat. Stir until the salt becomes really dry and ever so slightly brown about 2-3 minutes. Pour the salt in the mortar and grind it with the pestle until you get a fine powder.

2. Place the rinsed sesame seeds in the same dry skillet over medium heat, toast until the seed have a nutty aroma and puff up a little, and easily crush between your fingers. Add the sesame seed to the mortar with the salt and grind with the pestle until the seeds are 80% crushed.

3. Transfer the gomashio to a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid and store at room temp for no longer than 2 weeks. (This is why I only make half of the recipe)

 

Gomashio: Since gomashio is made from calcium rich sesame seeds and magnesium rich salt, it is great for the bones and is good for the overall nervous system. Gomashio aids in digestion and adds extra vitamins and minerals to whatever you put it on. Black sesame seeds are higher in minerals that the tan ones. Limit your consumption to 1-3 tsp a day to ensure you are not getting too much salt in your diet.

Love:

I have been making gomashio for about two years now, its seems so simple but the flavor is superb. We like it on eggs, popcorn, grains and vegetables, and it is awesome on Nori Chips (recipe will be blogged following this one). Try it and you’ll be amazed. Enjoy!

P.S. I almost forgot, this recipe comes from one of my favorite cookbooks ‘The Kind Diet’ by Alicia Silverstone. You can find this condiment it the store but it is so easy to make.

Hummus Dressing

18 Saturday Feb 2012

Posted by in dips, DIY, dressing, salad, vegan

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Food:

Hummus Dressing- makes 1 1/4c.

2 scallions (green onions), chopped white and greens

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 lemon, zest and juice

1/4c. parsley, chopped

1/4c. tahini (I use Artisana Raw Tahini)

1/2c. canola oil or olive oil (I used a combo of both)

1 tsp. cumin

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. garlic salt

1/4 tsp. onion powder

1/4c. water

Directions:

1. Place the scallions, garlic, parsley, lemon juice and zest in the food processor, pulse to combine. Next add tahini, cumin, cayenne, salt, garlic salt and onion powder to the pulsed mixture and pulse again to combine.

2. With the motor running add the oil until combined. Turn off, scrape down sides. With the motor running again add the water. If you think you need more, add it until you get the desired consistency.

3. Taste for seasoning and then store in a container and refrigerate.

Nutrition:

Tahini- Tahini is a ground sesame seed paste, similar to peanut butter. It is a creamy, oily, and smooth nut butter rich in calcium and iron.

Lemon- Lemons are a good source of vitamin C, B6, potassium, folic acid, flavonoids and the important  phytochemical limonene.

Parsley- Extremely rich in a number of nutrients including chlorophyll and carotenes. Parsley is a good source of vitamin C, folic acid and iron. It is also a good source of minerals including magnesium, calcium, potassium and zinc.

Olive oil- Healthy oils are important in the prevention and treatment of asthma, arthritis and cancer. Healthy oils are important for lowering systemic inflammation. Research has shown that women who regularly ingest olive oil have a smaller risk of breast cancer.

Love:

Lately I have been getting request from friends like, “can you develop an app for my phone of your blog, so that I can just click on it and it tell me what to make for dinner.” Maybe someday! Or “hey can you break down the nutrition stats for each recipe, example fats, carbs, protein, etc?” I wish! That takes more time than you think. But the other day I got a request that I thought was doable, my client Cindy is in love with this ‘hummus dressing’ from Trader Joe’s. Well, we don’t have a Trader Joe’s so she asked me if I could work on a recipe for her craving. I did just that, VOILA! Hummus Dressing. I think this will work just fine, just before I got started on the recipe I sent my friend Sadie in California a text that read “if you go to Trader Joe’s today can you look for ‘hummus dressing’ and take a picture of the ingredient label for me? Thanks.” My under cover mission worked and guess what? My version was much healthier and I was happy to finally meet one of these request.