Hummus with Roasted Garlic and Truffle Salt

Hummus, it has a strange name and I can see why some people would think this isn't very appealing. But when I explain that it is basically bean dip, my friends and family are more at ease. Hummus is a dip/spread that is made from chickpeas. In fact, hummus is the Arabic word for chickpea. You may notice that many hummus recipes call for garbanzo beans, not chickpeas. Don't worry, garbanzo is the Spanish translation of chickpea. They are called cece beans in Italy. So here is how I make fancy bean dip.

Start with a can of Garbanzo Beans.

And dump into your cuisinart blender.

This is my secret ingredient. Lots of people put garlic in their hummus, but I roast my garlic in the oven for an hour until the garlic is brown, soft and bursting out.

I started by squeezing a few cloves into the blender, but ended up using the entire head of garlic in this batch.

Another secret ingredient, very special... truffle salt.

A pinch each of crushed red pepper and black pepper (or to taste.) Add whatever ingredients you like or have on hand. Some types of hummus have a strong lemon flavor, some have an overwhelming garlic flavor, and some hummus has a spicy tone. When making your own hummus, you have to keep your own tastebuds in mind. If a recipe calls for a lot of tahini and you don't like tahini, scale down the amount or simply omit it. Pine nuts, roasted bell pepper, black bean, spinach, sun dried tomato, pumpkin or almond butter are all wonderful additions.

When you have your ingredients chosen and put in the cuisinart, grab a good olive oil.

With the motor running, start to drizzle the olive oil until you reach the right consistency. It will probably be 1/2 cup per can of garbanzo beans.

Because I like the flavor of sesame oil, I added about a tablespoon.

Process until you reach your desired smoothness. Everyone is different, I like mine pretty smooth.

For added flavor I chopped kalamata olives that had been marinated in herbs and cabernet.

Spread the hummus on a plate and top with the olives and a sprinkling of freshly ground pepper. Serve with pita chips, crackers or crudite. This keeps for a while in the fridge, so make a batch early, then store until guest arrive for Thanksgiving - this gives them a healthy snack until dinner is ready.

Heads up, there is a giveaway on Friday, November 27th.

Apple Butter

Meet Apple Butter. So easy and delish! I bought too many apples on my last trip to the grocery store, and I’ve been out of town most of last week and leave again on Monday for a business trip. Instead of letting these fruits go to waste, I’m going to try my hand at apple butter. I have to admit, I’m not sure I’ve ever had apple butter, but type those two words into foodblogsearch.com and other bloggers talk about the stuff like it’s the healthy version of nutella. I had no idea until I started my research that apple butter has no butter in it actually, it’s used as butter and is sometimes as smooth as butter – if you make it that way, some people like theirs chunky. They are slathering it on English muffins, toast and even eating it right out of the jar. I trust these folks, they usually know what they are talking about. So here we go.

I have 4 medium granny smith apples, one small granny smith apple and a random pear. There was much discussion regarding we leave the peel on or take it off. Most recipes I came across used peeled and cored apples, but I like this one that suggest grating the peel first before coring the apple. And any recipe that suggest I use my micro zester wins my heart. I love this kitchen tool.

The first thing I do is rinse the fruit really well. Then ZEST away, right into my slow cooker. Yes, there are various methods to cook the apple butter, stove top, oven and microwave even, but I love to use my slowcooker – well, not this exact one per say, but I’ve registered for the mac daddy of all slow cookers online and I can’t wait to get it.

After the skin is zested I use my apple slicer to core and slice each fruit, then cut each slice in half again. Smaller pieces = faster cooking.

I'm not a fan of the peel on pears, so I peeled this first, then diced the pear into on einch squares.

Next add

1 T lemon juice

¼ cup brown sugar

1 packet sweetener or sugar to taste (truvia)

1 T ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

You could also add:
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground mace
¼ cup apple cider
1 tablespoon brandy

Instead I added:
¼ t ground ginger (in place of the spices I didn’t have)
4 whole allspice, ground (in place of the spices I didn’t have)
¼ cup water (instead of apple cider which I didn’t have)

Give it a stir, add the lid and let it cook down for 5-10 hours (there was much discrepancy on how long this takes.) I go back and check every hour and give it a stir so it cooks evenly. I cooked mine for 6 hours on low, covered, stirring every hour. Then I used my hand blender and mixed it all up, left the lid off and let it cook for another hour.

Pure and simple. Apple Butter.

Vegetable and Seafood Risotto

Risotto is such a wonderful and comforting meal. I learned how to make this Italian dish from the cookbook, Risotto, by Ursula Ferrigno.

I find this dish so versatile - perfect for a relaxed weekday meals or elegant dinner parties. Risotto is made with short-grain rice, which absorbs a large amount of liquid without the grains losing their bite. There are three main varieties: arborio, carnaroli, and vialone nano. Each one brings a slightly different texture to the dish. Arboria, perhaps the best-known, produces a dense risotto that can become too stiff if overcooked. Carnaroli is the most expensive, but its tender yet firm grain is ideal for risotto. It is also the least likely to overcook. Vialone nano is favored by Venetian cooks. (This is Ursula's preferred rice) It gives a creamy, voluptuous risotto.

Perfect risotto is easy to achieve. All you need is a good-quality risotto rice, homemade stock (preferred, but I usually use a low sodium fat free canned chicken stock), a wide shallow pan, and 18-20 minutes of constant stirring while the rice cooks. There are no short cuts, unfortunately, but SO WORTH IT!

Good risotto is made in stages. The key is to add hot, flavorful stock - a ladleful at a time - to the rice in the pan, stirring constantly until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is al dente. It should never be dry or sticky, but have a "wave-like" (all'onda) consistency. A risotto should stand for 2 minutes before serving, then be spooned into warmed bowls, not plates, and served with a fork, never a spoon. The moral of the story is that risotto is very yummy and surprisingly easy.

There are four steps.

1. Lightly cook shallots (or onion and garlic) in oil and butter until softened.
2. Add rice and stir until well coated and glistening.
3. Add stock, a ladleful at a time, and simmer, stirring until absorbed before adding more. Repeat until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender but still firm.
4. Mix in flavorings, such as vegetables, herbs, and cheese.
   

The picture above is a risotto I made full of good for you vegetables that I found in the fridge. I added chopped carrots in step one along with the onions because they are a dense veggie that needed to simmer and soften. I also added two big handfuls of edemame. I was actually munching on them while I cooked and decided to throw them into the risotto at the end. My favorite addition is the spinach. I used fresh baby spinach and stirred them in with the last ladle of chicken stock and it wilted perfectly in the hot risotto.

Here is a seafood risotto that I found on the cooking light web site. Jim absolutely LOVED this recipe and told me it was in his top 10. (Hint, they are all in his top ten.)

With this recipe from cooking light, there is supposed to be two healthful portions but I found this made two HUGE portions and more realistically enough for four people. I completed the meal with a salad, asparagus and crisp white wine.


Ingredients
2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (8-ounce) bottle clam juice (I only used about 3/4 of the bottle)
2 teaspoons butter
1/4 cup chopped shallots
1/2 cup uncooked Arborio rice
1/8 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed (omitted)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
4 ounces medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 ounces bay scallops
2 tablespoons whipping cream (omitted)
Chopped fresh parsley (omitted)


Preparation
1. Bring broth and clam juice to a simmer in a medium saucepan (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat.


2. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots to pan; cook 2 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add rice to pan; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add lemon juice to pan; cook 15 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in 1/2 cup hot broth mixture; cook 2 minutes or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Add remaining broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next.

3. Stir in tomatoes; cook for 1 minute. Stir in shrimp; cook for 4 minutes or until shrimp is done, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in cream. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired.

I cooked the scallops separately. First I rinsed and dried these, sprinkled with salt, pepper and then dusted with whole wheat flour. (flour so they form a crust when I sear them.)

I heated just a little bit of olive oil over medium high heat, then put the scallops in - and let them sear. Don't move them around, just let them get a nice brown color on one side.

Then flip and let them sear on the other side until a nice brown crisp skin forms. Dont' walk away, this happens fast.

This was a fabulous meal! Top 10 in fact...

Corn, Plain and Simple

Talk about a photogenic food. I bought a couple ears of corn (why do they call them "ears?") at the grocery store and had never cooked them fresh before. I usually purchase the frozen half ears, and then steam them. Fresh corn on the cob is in season in the USA from May to September so I thought I would try my hand at this lovely vegetable.


I found this great tid bit about How To Buy Fresh Corn from the Reluctant Gourmet:

The most important thing to remember when buying fresh corn on the cob is that it starts converting sweet tasting sugars to starches immediately after it is picked. So ideally you want to buy it, cook it and consume it the same day it is picked or as close to then as possible. I have read that sweet corn has an 80:20 sugar-starch ratio when harvested but within 3 days that ratio will shift to 20:80. That's the difference between really sweet-tender corn and mealy tough corn.

When buying, pick up each ear and look for ears that feel full and plumb in your hand. Take a look at the silk sticking out at the top, it should be golden pale, slightly sticky, and the more the merrier.


Even though it's sometimes messy and gets all over you when shucking, the more silk, the more kernels of corn. You also want the husks to have a good green color - not brown. Even though most stores don't appreciate your doing this, try popping one of the kernels with your thumbnail. If the juice from the kernel is milky, the fresher the corn. And don't buy corn that has been sitting out in the sun all day. The sun and heat will speed up that conversion of sugar to starch.


Look at the bottom of the ear of corn where it has been broken off at the stalk. If it has already turned brown, it most likely is at least 2 days old.

If you are not going to cook and eat your fresh corn that day, store it in the refrigerator with the husks left on. Cooling it will help slow down the sugar - starch transformation. You may also want to remove the long stem and outer most big leaves to prevent loss of moisture. Will it last more than a day? Sure it will but as the clock ticks, so does the sugar/starch ratio.

So I logged onto http://www.foodblogsearch.com/ and searched for corn and found someone out there who suggest to boil them whole, without taking the husks off. That sounded easy enough. So I brought a big pot of salted water to boil and threw in my two ears of corn.

Popped the lid on and let it cook for another 10 minutes.

When I removed the corn, it was beautiful! The silk and husks were falling off.

I just loved the color of the kernels here.

My addition to this vegetable side that sent it over the top was to mix a tablespoon of Parmesan cheese with a little bit of butter, salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder, and pop in the microwave. It melted into this really flavorful paste.

I slathered the flavorful cheese mixture over the hot corn before serving.

Um, yes...this was amazing.

Jim and I both enjoyed these very much.

Kung POW! Chicken

I'm so proud of this Kung POW! Chicken Recipe. My inspiration comes from Hungry Girl, a wonderful web site full of tips and tricks for eating healthier. Thanks Dana for reminding me how great the Hungry Girl site is!

Kung Pao Chicken isn't battered, deep-fried, or loaded with noodles like some other Chinese dishes. So why does it have super-high calories and fat? Thanks to a thick sugary sauce and a fair share of fatty peanuts, Kung Pao Chicken can be a calorie-counter's nightmare. Sure those peanuts may pack in healthy fats, but those so-called "good fats" lose all their cred when they're drowned in tons of oily sauce and presented in scary portion sizes, making one individual dinner portion of restaurant Kung Pao Chicken 500 calories...and that is without the rice or other sides.


This recipe swap makes a saucy, spicy, wonderful dish that has a tiny fraction of the calories and fat of restaurant versions. See below for proof -- and feel free to experiment using all sorts of other veggies (green beans, bean sprouts) and lean protein (shrimp, lean steak, tofu, and even lean pork tenderloin.) OK, enough yapping, check it out...

This recipe makes two generous servings that are approximately 250 calories each. To make the sauce, mix two tablespoons of water with two tablespoons of low sodium soy sauce, 1 1/2 tablespoons of rice vinegar, a packet of splenda or I used truvia, another natural sweeter, 1/2 tablespoon corn starch and as much spicy chili sauce as you can stand. I added about 1/2 tablespoon. I also added a teaspoon of minced garlic. Mix well, set aside.

If you have a wok, use it. I used a skillet and over medium heat I added a half tablespoon of peanut oil and a half tablespoon of sesame oil. Both of these are super fragrant and flavorful, perfect for asian cooking. If you wanted to lighten this up, simply spray your wok or skillet with non-stick spray.

The protein. I took a skinless, boneless chicken breast and marinaded it in the fridge along with some soy sauce, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes for heat.

I diced into bite size pieces and added to my hot skillet.

Now for the veggies. I julienned about half a green bell pepper and added to the skillet.

I added more carrots than this, about six total, sliced thin. And I sliced three green onions as well.

Add it all to the skillet and toss to combine.

Love these green onions! And I held some back to garnish with at the end.

Peanuts. I know you are laughing...this is all I had in the house. Peanuts from Southwest Airlines, ha! I added one and a half little bags to the skillet, reserving half a bag for garnish.

I love this convenient bag of broccoli that you put in the microwave and steam right in the bag. Easy!!

I added a good handful to my skillet.

Now turn the heat up to high, give your sauce a stir and pour into the skillet. Stir to coat all the veggies with the sauce until it thickens, this happens fast, within 30 seconds.

Now to beef up this meal, I added these Shirataki Noodles. Yes, they are tofu...don't tell Jim. I'm trying to sneak them in. You can find these in the dairy section of stores like Whole Foods.

The trick to these noodles, which can be found in many sizes like spaghetti and fettuccine, is to rinse them very well and pat them very very dry...and you could do this more than once.

They are like little sponges and soak up all the flavor of our sauce. The noodles add BULK and HEFT without adding calories - hold on to your skirt, these only have 20 calories per serving, which means if you eat the entire bag of noodles, it's only 40 CALORIES. You will see me try more recipes with these. 3 carbs per serving, no cholesterol, no sugar, glueten-free, dairy-free, guilt-free.


I really loved this recipe. The chili sauce made my lips burn, the bell pepper still had some crunch as well as the peanuts I added. I just really like broccoli and it was perfect in this recipe. I was completely full and satisfied after eating one portion. You guys better get used to me cooking this way (Jim included) because I have a little white dress to squeeze into in about eight months. I'm going to prove (to myself) that cooking light is still fun. I'm adding a brand NEW tag to my posts, it's "healthy." Now you can pull up my healthy recipes by clicking that word on the sidebar of www.homewithmandy.com.