Is Company Coming? Quick, Fancy, Petite Lasagnas

How cute are these petite lasagnas?   

Yep, the first time I made these, one of my offspring innocently asked who we were having over for dinner.  Apparently, these were a dead giveaway. 

No, no one was coming over.  I felt a bit like Frankie Heck on The Middle.

I invite you to impress your family, too. 

Quick enough for a weekday meal?  I think so.  Serve with a green salad and some garlic bread and you're all set.

Petite Lasagnas

Petite Lasagnas
adapted from here

12 oz raw ground turkey or beef, browned with onion
1 jar of your your fave pasta sauce
1 1/2 c skim ricotta cheese or cottage cheese or a mixture
1 t basil
1 t oregano
24 small square wonton papers (found near the tofu in most stores)
1 1/2 c mozzarella cheese (or an Italian mixture of cheeses)

Mix the meat and the pasta sauce together.  Then, in a separate bowl, mix the ricotta cheese with the spices in a bowl. 

Coat a 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray.  Place a wonton paper in each muffin cup, making sure to press into the edges. 

Use half of the meat sauce mixture and distribute evenly among the 12 cups.  Then use half of the ricotta cheese mixture and place on top of the meat mixture.  Put a large spoonful of mozzarella cheese on top of each.

Place another wonton paper in each cup, making sure to press down lightly into the edges.

Repeat layers of meat sauce and both cheeses, ending with mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees, or until cheese has melted.  

* If you have one of those larger muffin pans, this will make six quasi-petite lasagnas.  Use larger wonton paper or an extra small one in the bottom of each and position to form the base.
* Brown your meat ahead of time and save a prep step.

Holiday Wine Picks

All of a sudden, the holiday season is here.  Why does it sneak up every year?  Kind of like I wanted to write this post a week ago - ugh.

Family gatherings, parties, dinners.  What to serve.  What to bring to share.  What to bring for a host/hostess gift. 

If wine is an option, I've got a couple of suggestions.  We're primarily red wine drinkers, so that's what is recommended here.  This list is budget friendly (all under $10), but provides choices with outstanding value.

Yellowtail  Shiraz
Australia
The "go-to" at our house.  Fruity and simple and goes with everything.

Alice White Shiraz
Australia
Described as sweet & bold with a hint of cherry and plum.  Has a smooth finish.

El Prado
Spain  
70% Tempranillo and 30% Cabernet
Simple, light bodied with a hint of raspberry and blackberry.





 

Yellowtail Sangria
Australia  
Taste the citrus.  Float some fruit in it and serve with tacos or burritos.

               
Mallee Point Shiraz
Australia
Holds its own with spicy foods or strong cheese.  Full bodied.






All of these were purchased at Total Wine and available at other retailers.

Chicken Squash Quinoa Soup

The desert has officially cooled off and it's soup season at our house.  Like 1-2x a week.  

Advantages?  
- one pot to clean
- easy to add servings of veggies
- preparation is quick
- sides are easy, if even needed - green salad, rolls, garlic bread, etc.

Besides, 5/5 Elliotts like soup.  

Chicken Squash Quinoa Soup

I found this recipe recently and decided to try as I had some diced butternut squash to use.  It was a stove top recipe, but I adapted it crock pot to suit the day I was planning for.  Everyone liked it and it's now in the "rotation."

Have you tried quinoa yet?  It's gluten free, wheat free and full of protein and fiber.  If you haven't, this is a great opportunity.

Chicken Squash Quinoa Soup
adapted from here
 
1 lb squash, cubed in chunks (any kind - I've used butternut and acorn)
1 c grated zucchini (optional)
1-2 chicken breasts, fresh or frozen, trimmed
3 1/2 c chicken broth
1 med onion, loosely chopped
4 gloves garlic, minced
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 t oregano
1 T parsley
fresh black pepper to taste
2/3 c quinoa, uncooked
14 oz can petite diced tomatoes, undrained

1. Place all ingredients in crock pot.  
2. Cook on LO for 7-8 hours or LO for 4 hours.
3. Take chicken out and shred on plate with two forks.  
4. Use immersion blender until chunks of veggies are gone.  
5. Place chicken back in pot and stir.
6. Serve and enjoy.


* If you prefer a chunky soup, dice the squash and the onion in smaller pieces and omit the blender step.
* you could substitute rice for the quinoa

Lettuce Wraps at Home

I have always liked the lettuce wraps at P.F. Chang's.  My family & I like these just as well and I hope you will too.   

I made them as a main dish with a side of edamame.  You could also serve as an appetizer or paired with another entree. 

Make them a day or two ahead.  Double for more guests.  

Don't let the longer list of ingredients overwhelm you; these come together quickly.  

Have fun with sauces and experiment to see which you like best.  Suggestions include soy, sweet chili, hoisin, sriacha & plum sauce. 

Lettuce Wraps

Lettuce Wraps
adapted from here

20 oz ground turkey chicken

1/2 med onion, finely diced

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1” knob fresh ginger, peeled & minced (or 2 t dried)

1 T sesame oil

3 T soy sauce

1 T water

2 T peanut butter

1 T honey

1 T + 1 t rice vinegar

2 T sweet chili sauce

3 green onions, chopped

1/2 c peanuts, chopped

10-12 large outer lettuce leaves, rinsed and patted dry

1. Heat a large, non-stick skillet on med high. Add chicken, onion, salt & pepper to taste, and cook until chicken is nearly done, stirring often to break up the meat. Add in minced garlic and ginger, and continue cooking no longer pink.

2. Meanwhile, combine sesame oil, soy sauce, water, peanut butter, honey, rice vinegar, chili garlic sauce and dash of black pepper. Microwave for 20 seconds, then stir until smooth. Add into the skillet and stir.

3. Add green onion into the skillet then cook for 1-2 min.

4. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts, and serve with cold lettuce leaves.

*I omit water chestnuts, but if you like them, add half of an 8 oz can (drained & chopped) at step 3.

Weeknight Meal - Baked Taquitos

When I say easy, these are easy.

Mix up the filling, spread a couple of spoonfuls into a tortilla, roll up, & bake for a few minutes. 

The result?  Crunchy, baked taquitos.  Add homemade pico de gallo and a dab of sour cream.  And some guacamole if you've got an avocado or two (and my photo could have used some green, don't ya think?).

Chicken Black Bean Taquitos

My neighbor had been talking about these making their way into her family's rotation of regulars, which was good enough incentive for me to try them. 

Since of I have one of those kids who doesn't like cream cheese and can spot a drip of it in her food a mile away, I had to modify from the original. 

The same resourceful neighbor also modified the recipe, using half chicken and half black beans and then starting making a double recipe and freezing half.  Genius; now you've got an even easier dinner planned in a week or two. 

Here's my version adapted from her version.  
originally adapted from  here

Baked Chicken Black Bean Taquitos
1 c cooked, shredded chicken*
1 c black beans, drained*
3/4 c salsa (homemade or jarred)
1 T fresh lime juice
1 t chili powder
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t onion powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 c shredded cheese (pick your favorite kind)
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
8-10 eight inch flour tortillas**

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Mix all ingredients together except the tortillas.  

Separate the tortillas and spread them around on a plate (so they're not stacked) and put in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.  This will make them easier to work with.

On your work surface, take a tortilla and fill with about three tablespoons of filling.  Spread across middle.  Roll tortilla up and place seam side down on the baking sheet.  Continue until all are rolled (don't let them touch).

Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle each with a few grains of kosher or sea salt.  Don't skip the salt - you will know why when you taste them.

Bake 15-17 minutes, until golden brown.  

Serve 'em up with the condiments of your choice.  

If you don't make your own salsa or pico de gallo, you are missing out.  It only takes a few minutes while dinner is in the oven.  I use what I have, so don't have a recipe, but it's some combination of this:
Tomatoes (any variety)
Onion (white, yellow, red, green)
Jalapeno or serrano pepper if I have
salt, pepper, oregano, cumin and garlic salt/powder to taste.  

Dice as fine as you want and mix together and try on a chip and refine until you like it.  I usually add a pinch of sugar.  It only keeps in the frig a day or two, so I make just what we'll need.

You can also put in the blender or food processor if you don't like chunky salsa or want to save time.  

* This is a great chance to pull frozen beans or chicken out of the freezer that you've prepped ahead.  Instructions from my former blog post here.
 ** Use good tortillas (not Mission or the other thicker ones)

Guest Post: Hey Aunt Lois, This isn't a Barbeque!

We grew up as Iowa girls in the 70s and 80s, the era of church cookbooks comprised of recipes submitted by church-going ladies. The recipes had been tested and passed around at countless potlucks,  funerals, sometimes weddings, church picnics, and/or at bridge club—so if you see a recipe in print in a church cookbook, you know it’s there because people told the submitter it was good. Probably really good.

Side note: I love to read the names of people who submit recipes to church cookbooks. There’s at least one or two women named Lois in almost all of them! I’ve tested this theory when browsing cookbooks at garage sales.

Cousin Kathy and her brother and sister lived in the country on a farm outside a tiny little town in Northwest Iowa—a world so different from ours! We were the “city slickers,” because we lived just outside of Des Moines. The city slickers thing should amuse my Chicago friends.

We visited the farm several times, especially after Grandma and Grandpa moved north. The whole family would gather during the holidays. And oh how fun! Endless games of Spoons, Wahoo, Gin, Pool… twelve cousins in all, plus our parents and aunts and uncles and our grandparents. And guess what? Our family is not known for having dainty appetites. So after the Christmas dinner had been devoured, thoughts turned to how the womenfolk would feed twenty-two mouths the next day. Enter the barbeque, as in, “Lois is going to make barbeques!”
 
Now, I was just city-slicker enough to have a preconceived idea of what barbeque was. Um, like barbequed pork or something, or chicken legs slathered in sauce. I also watched Julia Child and The Frugal Gourmet like most children watched cartoons. So I suppose this was my earliest display of food snobbery. I knew what these were. These were not barbeques.  These were SLOPPY JOES!
 
But even the most pretentious little food snob had to admit: Aunt Lois could make a heck of a Sloppy Joe. 

Barbeque.

Whatever. Delicious!

My recipes here are an homage to Aunt Lois and are brought to you by a nostalgia for the Wissink family Christmases. I’ve gone a little rogue—city slicker, if you will. I’m pretty good at sneaking plants into my dishes, so I suppose this could even be a nod to food from the earth—the farm—even though my farm grows alongside the fence in my tiny yard in the city. I tested this meal on a houseful of hungry teenagers (we recruited a couple of extra for quality control) so you really can feed a crowd on this one.  I hope Aunt Lois approves! 

Not Your Aunt Lois’ Barbeques on Garlic Toast Boats and Iceberg Salad with Creamy Cucumber Dressing
Makes 8 servings

Iceberg Salad with Creamy Cucumber Dressing
Make this first but assemble it right before serving. You want everything to be nice and cold.
Dressing
½ of a large cucumber, cut into chunks (not peeled)
½ c. sour cream
2 T. mayonnaise
1 T. lemon juice
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. dried onion flakes
Pinch each of salt and pepper
A few drops of your favorite hot sauce
Directions: Run it all through a food processor or blender and chill.
Salad
½ head of iceberg lettuce, rough-chopped
3 c. fresh spinach leaves
8 oz. grape or cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered depending on size

The Barbeque
1 pound ground beef
1 c. finely diced pepper (have fun—choose your favorites and mix and match, even banana pepper or a jalapeno if I have one)
1 small onion, finely diced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 pound tomatoes, run through the food processor or blender (You could use a can of whole peeled tomatoes with their liquid too, or even a can of tomato puree. Just make sure there’s no salt added.)
2 T. tomato paste
¼ c. brown sugar
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
2 T. yellow mustard
1 T. balsamic vinegar
Hot sauce to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 c. dry lentils
1 c. water
8 slices good American cheese from the deli (optional, and not traditional, but so fantastic on these sandwiches)
Garlic toast boats (see below)
Directions: Brown the ground beef, then add the peppers, onions and garlic and stir and cook for a couple more minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients except for the cheese and garlic toast and stir well. Bring it to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cover. Cook until lentils are almost done—about 15 minutes. Remove the cover and simmer until it thickens up and lentils are fully cooked. Psssst… don’t tell anyone about the lentils. They won’t know. They have a texture that’s very similar to browned ground beef, so it’s quite easy to stretch your recipe and get a little fiber in it too.

Garlic Toast Boats
1 pound French loaf—a big long one if you can find it
½ stick butter
1 large garlic clove, minced
Directions: Preheat the broiler. Slice the bread in half lengthwise, then into 8 equal segments. Remove some of the bread and save it for crumbs for another time. (You really need a hollow spot to hold the barbeque goodness in!) Lay them cut side up on a cookie sheet. Melt the butter and the garlic together in the microwave, then brush it on the bread. (Fun for little ones!) Broil just until they start to toast.

Assembly
Toss the dressing with the salad—really the best way to serve it instead of pouring the dressing on top. It’s so fresh-tasting! Divide the meat mixture among the bottom halves of the bread portions, and top with a slice of American cheese (and then spoon a little more barbeque on top. Put the top of the bread on immediately so the cheese gets a little melty. 

>>>Guest poster is my cousin Kim Welsh, who lives in the Chicago area and creates many of her own recipes.  She is the busy working Mom of 3, including two teenagers and one pre-schooler.  

Fall Bounty: Zucchini and Sweet Potato Breads

It's October and that kicks off the baking season at our house. 

Stores and markets are bursting with the bounty of the fall season... temperatures are dipping below 90...

Are you thinking what I'm thinking? 

...sweet potatoes, pumpkin, zucchini & other kinds of squash...

And when they're turned into sweet breads?  I can't think of a better way to eat my veggies.

sweet potato bread

I use these recipes to make loaves and muffins of all sizes.  Here's how they get used in our house:

- with a piece of fruit for breakfast
- in lunches
- handed over the fence to a neighbor
- a treat for a teacher to say welcome back from fall break- after school/work snack
- taken to a friend's who had surgery or is randomly on my mind
- frozen to pull out for breakfast one day 
- given as Christmas gifts to my mother-in-law and her sisters who have everything

Share the love, I say.  I almost always make a double recipe.

zucchini bread

 
Zucchini Bread

3 eggs
2 c sugar
2 c zucchini, grated & drained*
2 t vanilla
1 c canola oil
3 c flour (I use half regular and whole wheat)
1 t soda
1 t salt
1/4 t baking powder
1 T cinnamon

Mix all ingredients together.  Pour into 2 greased loaf plans (9x5 size).  Bake at 350 degrees for 60 min or until a toothpick comes out clean.  
*hand grate or put in food processor



Sweet Potato Bread

3 c sugar
1/2 c vegetable oil
1/2 c butter, melteld
4 eggs
3 1/2 c flour (I use half regular and half whole wheat)
2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/4 t vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
2/3 c water
2 c sweet potatoes, mashed*

Combine eggs, oil and butter.  Add rest of ingredients and mix. 

Pour into 3 greased loaf pans (9x5).  Bake at 350 degrees for 60 min or until a toothpick comes out clean.
*use fresh potatoes (just cook in microwave, scoop out and mash) or canned (just drain and mash)

I usually make a combination of large & small loaves & muffins.  You will need to adjust the baking time; muffins will take 15-20 minutes and large loaves of bread 60 min.

Enjoy the bounty! 

Sources comments:
- Zucchini bread recipe is from my Aunt Bonnie.  
- Sweet potato bread recipe was found online when searching for something Mississippi-ish dish to take to a book discussion night for The Help, hosted by my friend Lee.
 

Crockpot Meal - Sriracha Pineapple Chicken Sandwiches

I use the crock pot a lot in the summer months.  In the desert, summer runs from late April through late October.

Some of you are experiencing fall right now where you life.  Here in southern Arizona it's cooling off to the 90's, but I am still avoiding using the oven and heating up the whole kitchen at dinner time.
 

Introducing Sriracha Pineapple Chicken.  In the crock pot.

This stuff goes on buns, on a salad, rolled in a tortilla, or over pasta or rice.  The serving suggestion is with guacamole.  Do not skip unless you don't do avocados.  

If sriracha sauce is new to you, take the plunge.  After seeing it for years on tables at Asian restaurants, I bought it for the first time about six months ago when a recipe called for it.  My husband and daughter instantly had a new favorite condiment for EVERYTHING - including burgers, eggs, Asian or Mexican food, etc.  

Survey shows that 5 out of 5 Elliotts have declared this a "makeover."  Translation: officially in the rotation!

Sriracha Pineapple Chicken  
Adapted from Here 

sriracha sauce

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 small onion, diced finely
3/4 c ketchup
2 T sriracha sauce
1/4 c crushed pineapple
3 T pineapple juice
1/4 c brown sugar
1 T rice vinegar
1 T soy sauce
1 t garlic powder
2 med avocados
1 T lime juice
1/2 t chili powder
1/2 t salt 

Trim the chicken if needed.  Cut each piece in half lengthwise (helps it cook more evenly and yields shorter pieces of shredded chicken).  Spray inside of crock pot with cooking spray.  Place chicken and onions along the bottom.

Whisk together the ketchup, sriracha, pineapple w/juice, brown sugar, vinegar, soy sauce & garlic to make sauce.  Pour over chicken.

Cook on low for 4-5 hours.  Place chicken on cutting board and shred using two forks.  

Place chicken back into pot and stir until coated. If it's too runny, just drain some liquid off. 

Mash together avocados with lime, chili powder and salt to make the guac.

Serve as desired, i.e. serve chicken on bun with guacamole.  
Tip: I often assemble crock pot meals the night before and store in the frig overnight.  Then in the morning, it's plug in and go!

How to Love your Teen - really?

My oldest child is 12.5 years old, so naturally a book called How to Really Love Your Teen caught my attention. 

Dr. D. Ross Campbell wrote this book based on his experiences of not only being the father of four grown children, but also on years of being a psychiatrist serving adults, adolescents and children.

What did I learn?  Here's a few noteworthy tips:

1) Give Unconditional Love - love your teen no matter what he look like, no matter how he acts, no matter if he makes the honor roll, varsity team or first string in band, no matter which friends he chooses... we get the point. 
On the converse, conditional love may make your teen feel insecure, damage his self-image and prevent him from developing more mature behavior.

2) Parents need to remember that: 

- teenagers are children.
- teenagers will usually act like teenagers.
- much of teenage behavior is unpleasant.

Question raised at a recent middle school parent orientation: The speaker said something like "Let me see a show of hands of those who loved junior high, can say it was the best time of your life and would go back if they could."  Not surprisingly, no hands went up.  Hmm...

3) Most important question on a teen's mind: Do You Love Me?  Even if they don't know it.  This question is asked primarily through behavior, rather than with words.  

4) Teens test their parents.  Don't overreact emotionally and maintain self-control.  Do you respect someone who responds with a tantrum?  They test us with information designed to upset or irritate us to see if we can be trusted with what's on their minds.  Recognize the importance of "Oh, by the way" - they are asking if we are in the right frame of mind can handle their issue.

5) Teens need training in how to handle anger.  Anger is normal and occurs in every human being.  Encourage them to bring their anger to you and praise them for doing so.  Two serious long-term affects of not handling anger include distorting their personality and interfering in current and future relationships.  Passive-Aggressive behavior is worst form of anger.  The majority of organizational problems are personnel related as so few people learned how to deal with anger appropriately.

6) Even if they don't know that they do or act like they do, teens continue to need love, affection, assurance and care as never before.  Yet their biological drive for independence is growing.  No wonder it's tough.  Give appropriate eye contact and physical contact.

7) In setting limits: it's better to start more strict and restrictive.  If you begin with being "broadminded/reasonable/understanding," you have only one way to go when she pushes the boundaries and that's to be bad guy.  Starting more restrictive, you can afford to be positive and grant privileges (the good guy) and reward your teen for taking increased responsibility.

8) Be civil to all of your teen's friends, even if you don't like them.  If you are, he will most likely bring more friends around and you'll avoid pushing your teen towards them and away from you.

9) Why are teens so apathetic, lack initiative and poorly motivated?  They need hope in the future.  We need to pass on determination, hope & encouragement.  We're not the first generation to experience problems.  Most of us haven't even lived through a world war or The Depression or The Holocaust.  Too many of us yield to pessimistic influences.  Pessimism is not the teaching of Christ.  His message is one of hope and joy.  Read Mark 13:32-33.  Watch and pray.  Parents must possess a solid foundation in order to pass it along to their children.

10) Teenagers are children in transition, not young adults.  Their needs, including emotional ones, are those of children.

11) Evidence indicates that the home is the stronger than any other influence in determining how happy, secure and stable teenagers are; how they relate to adults, peers or children how confident they are in themselves, and how they respond to new or strange situations.

Many of these suggestions and ideas from Dr. Campbell can be used well before the teen years. 
  

To read more, find the book here

Monster Bars: a sweet family recipe

I come from a long line of excellent bakers.  Growing up, I remember eating my Great Grandma Schutte's date cookies and sugar cookies, dipped in hot tea in a fancy cup in her tiny kitchen.

Cookies are an expression of love in my Dutch/German heritage.  My parental grandma, Dorothy, carried on the baking tradition.  My Grandma Geneva is still baking love (albeit less often) at 91 years of age.  Whenever I get to see her, she has homemade cookies ready - as does my Mom.  

When I learned to bake cookies as a girl, my Dad tried them and told me, "Keep baking these and you'll find a good husband one day."  Go figure, I married a man with a sweet tooth!

One of my many favorites is Monster Cookies.  Have you had them?  They have no flour, but instead oatmeal, peanut butter, chocolate chips and M & M's.  How could that go wrong, right?

I believe they got their name from the size of the undertaking with this monstrous recipe, resulting in spending a few hours baking cookies.  

Then, I heard about Monster Bars.  BARS?   My Aunt Pam was visiting and said she always makes them. Bake for 17 minutes and you're done?  No taste compromised?  Revolutionary! 

These will please crowds wherever you go.  Football tailgate?  Check.  Office potluck?  Check?  Taking dessert to friends?  Check.  A healthy treat for the kids lunch?  Well, maybe not actually healthy, but less preservatives than anything individually packaged and there's oatmeal and peanut butter, after all...

Make them festive by buying the seasonal M & M's: fall, Christmas, spring, etc. 

Monster Bars 
printable copy

1/2 c margarine
1 c white sugar
1 c brown sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 c peanut butter
2 t baking soda
1 t vanilla
4 1/2 c oatmeal
3/4 c chocolate chips (I use milk chocolate)
3/4 c M&M'S

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream together the margarine, sugars, eggs, peanut butter, baking soda and vanilla.

Add the oatmeal and blend with a mixer just until coated.

Stir in the chips and candy by hand.

Spray a large sheet cake pan (12x17) with cooking spray.  I usually sprinkle a few more M&M's on top.  Bake for 17 minutes.

Note: They will not look done in the middle but will set up as they cool.

Share the baking love and enjoy!

Snack On Some Hummus

Mention hummus and you'll get mixed reactions.  Some of us love every flavor, others don't care for it at all and many are in-between.

According to Wikipedia, hummus is an Arabic word meaning, simply, chickpeas.  Traditional hummus is made with a combination of chickpeas, tahini (sesame paste), lemon & garlic.

Store-bought hummus is good, but if you haven't made it by yourself, now is the time!

Making hummus is as easy as putting ingredients in the food processor and turning it on.  

Talk about a quick, healthy snack.  Perfect to tuck in the kids' lunch, to work as a mid-morning snack, to use as a sandwich spread, to tame a late night craving or to serve to guests. 

Hummus makes me me eat more raw veggies, especially if I don't have pita chips or crackers next to it.  Unfortunately, I always prefer pita chips over pepper strips, mini-toasts over a carrot, a candy bar over an apple, etc.  I could fill in a lot of examples here.  

Moving right along... 

I'm intentionally not sharing recipes with tahini paste in this post.  If you haven't made hummus before, these are two great starter recipes for you and your family.  I love tahini and use it regularly, but it does add a strong sesame flavor.  The other reason is that the cheapest place to buy tahini is at specialty food store in larger quantities - and you might not want to commit right away.  Try these recipes first and then add tahini next time.  

With either of these, instead of canned beans, you may also cook your own.  Use some and freeze some.  More info on this in a previous post.

One of my favorites is this first hummus recipe.  I clipped it out of a magazine years ago (which I can't even reference as I don't remember which one) and have made many times.  Originally, it called for non-fat yogurt, but I now substitute the Greek variety and have listed both as options. 

Chickpea Dip/Hummus
Printable Copy

3 cloves garlic (use 1-2 gloves if you like milder)
¼ c plain low-fat or Greek yogurt
1 T lemon juice
2-4 t olive oil
¼ t salt
¼ t paprika
¼ t pepper
15.5 oz can chickpeas, drained

Drop garlic through chute with processor on and process until minced.

Add rest of ingredients and process until smooth. Start with 2 t oil and add more if desired to preferred consistency.

Serve with raw veggies (carrots, pepper/cucumber/zucchini slices, snap peas) or pita chips.

____________

My kids' favorite hummus flavor is Sweet Corn & Jalapeno.  The texture is "fluffier" than traditional hummus and does not call for any garlic.  And yes, it's naturally a bit sweeter, especially if you buy super sweet corn. 

Sweet Corn & Jalapeno Hummus
Printable Copy
adapted from here

2 medium jalapenos, seeds removed
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 c sweet corn, yellow or white, I use frozen
3-4 T olive oil
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper

Add chickpeas, corn and peppers to the food processor. Blend until combined, then slowly stream in olive oil with the processor running.

Add in salt and pepper, then blend once more. Taste and season more if desired. 

Top with additional corn or peppers if desired and a drizzle of olive oil.  Serve with crackers, tortilla chips or raw veggies.

Let me know how it goes ~ Happy Snacking!