Garlic Chili Hummus

Who else is obsessed with hummus? I usually settle for store-bought hummus but I wanted to experiment with different flavors & create a homemade version.  So easy & so healthy for you! 

Time: 10 mins  

Ingredients: 

• 1 can chickpeas  
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon chili paste (I used Sambal Oelek from the Asian aisle!)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon tahini sauce
• 1 teaspoon black pepper  
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil  
• Juice of half a lemon  

Recipe: 

1. Open the can of chickpeas & rinse them in a strainer.
2. Put all ingredients except the olive oil into a food processor (careful when juicing the lemon to not let seeds into the mix!)
3. Pulse until smooth. 
4. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the olive oil into the food processor then pulse for another 15 seconds.  
5. Scoop the hummus into a serving dish & drizzle with the remaining olive oil.  

Chickpea Quinoa Cilantro Salad

Who's doing Meatless Monday's??   Add this to your lunch menu!  It's a fast salad that you can make the night before and bring to lunch.  You can play around with ingredients/spices but the best part is, it tastes great cold or hot!   We love versatile lunches!  

Time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa (organic whole grain preferred!)
• 1 can chickpeas
• 2 Garden Burger veggie burgers
• 1 handful fresh cilantro
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Grape or cherry tomatoes (optional)
• 1 teaspoon olive oil

Recipe:

1. Make quinoa according to instructions on your packet.  Flavor with salt & pepper.
2. Strain and wash the can of chickpeas - also season with salt & pepper.
3. Use a knife to cut your veggie burgers into bite-sized pieces (while they're still semi-frozen).
4. In a medium frying pan, pan-fry the veggie burger pieces until golden brown (I sprayed a little cooking spray in the pan first, so I didn't have to use any extra oil). 
5. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together until well-combined.  Drizzle olive oil over the mixture and toss lightly.  Enjoy! 

Falafels

Another perfect meal for Meatless Monday's! Falafels remind me of street food in NYC, on a cold night like tonight! They're very easy to make - and they're ready in just 20 mins - so I no longer have to stand in a cold line to have some! 

Time: 20 mins - makes ~8 - 10 falafels

Ingredients: 

• 1 can garbanzo beans  
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon chili powder 
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon diced onion
• 1 handful fresh parsley  
• 2.5 tablespoons all purpose flour  
• 2-3 hot wiri wiri peppers if desired  
• 3 tablespoons olive oil  
• 1-2 cups vegetable oil for frying  

Recipe:

1. Strain & wash the garbanzo beans. 
2. Add all ingredients in a food processor & pulse for 2-3 mins until the mixture is fine & grainy.
3. In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil (make sure the oil height is about 1 inch thick) to medium heat.
4. Break off golf ball sized pieces of the mixture & form into falafel patties with your fingers.  
5. Add the falafels one by one to the pan & fry for 2 mins on each side (or until golden brown). 
6. Lay on paper towels to get any excess oil off, and serve. These go great in a salad or in pita bread!  

Pita Bread:  

Ingredients:  

• 1.5 cups all purpose flour  
• 1 packet fast acting yeast
• 1 teaspoon white sugar  
• 1 cup warm water  
• 1 teaspoon salt  

 Recipe: 

1. Pour the yeast packet in a measuring cup. Add the sugar & warm water, stir. Place it aside in a room temperature, dark space (I put it in the microwave without turning it on). Leave it for 15 mins so the yeast bubbles up.
2. Put the flour & salt in a basin. Add the yeast water, knead into a dough.  
3. Break 2" balls of dough & roll them each out with a rolling pin. You may need to add a little dry flour so it doesn't stick to the surface you're rolling it on. Don't roll them out too thin, let them be about 1/2 inch thick.  
4. Use PAM spray on a flat griddle or frying pan to cook the pita bread for about 5 minutes on each side, or until they are golden brown.