Category Archives: Appetizers

Hummus…and a Giveaway!

Hummus
Hummus

If you’re at all familiar with the movie, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, you must remember the “Mooscaca” scene! You can watch it here (@ 3:00 is the scene I’m talking about). That was my childhood! Being Armenian with a family from Egypt, my Mother didn’t know anything about Wonderbread. Or any sliced bread, for that matter. All of our sandwiches were on pita bread. And many times, there was hummus in that pita. This was over forty thirty years ago (hey, stop trying to do the math!). No one in suburban New Jersey was eating pita bread or hummus for lunch. Except for me. I would beg my Mom to just buy Wonderbread. “Pleeeeeeaaaase can I just take a peanut butter and jelly on Wonderbread!” She’d reply “Hokees (sweetheart in Armenian), why would you want to eat that when this is so good?” Sigh. I’d cringe as I looked into my lunchbox. I can remember trying to find a way to eat the sandwich without taking it completely out in plain sight. I will say, no one teased me about it. They did ask me what the heck I was eating and that alone was all I needed to develop a full blown complex. One day, my friend Sandy must have felt sorry for me. She offered to trade sandwiches. That meant the world to me. Sandy’s family owned an Italian deli and she always had the most beautiful sandwiches. I don’t remember anything beyond that moment, just that she made me feel like less of a freak!

So, it’s not like I think I have any claim to hummus, but do I feel like it’s mine. I’m kidddddding! A little. It’s just that this is the type of food that was a staple in our home and back then, I felt like an oddball eating it! Now, it’s everywhere. Hummus is so popular that some tobacco farmers are switching to farming chickpeas instead of tobacco! So, I kind of feel like, well, my hummus is pretty darn good. Who knew that some of my most major hangups over food would pay off someday?

One of the wonderful things that has come to me because of my crazy relationship with food is this blog. Over the past few months, I’ve seen it grow and I’ve been hearing really sweet things from my awesome readers. You’ve all been so kind and supportive, I’d like to give a little something to you! Enter to win a $25 gift card to Bed Bath and Beyond courtesy of Taste Love & Nourish. I know I can always find a little something every time I go there! I love that store! Enter below! Good luck and thank you!

Hummus

Hummus

1 29 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed well
1/3 C. tahini
juice of one lemon
zest of 1/2 lemon
up to 1/3 C. water (start with less and add a bit more if you need to thin it out)
2 T. extra virgin olive oil + more for drizzling on top
3/4 t. salt
a bit of black pepper
1/4 t. cumin
1 clove garlic, minced
sprinkling of crushed red pepper flakes
toasted or grilled pita bread or assorted veggies for serving

Combine the ingredients up to the garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Spoon into a serving bowl and drizzle with more olive oil and sprinkle with some crushed red pepper flakes.

Notes:

  • I don’t add a lot of olive oil while processing. I feel like the flavor of the oil gets lost. I like to use the best quality extra virgin olive oil I can and use it more as a garnish. That way you really taste the fruity flavor on your tongue.
  • I don’t use a ton of fresh garlic in this for a reason. I think raw garlic can be overwhelming. If I roast garlic beforehand, I add a lot more than the one clove. Roasted garlic is mellow, sweet and delicious. To roast a head of garlic, cut a bit of the top off to expose the cloves, place the garlic in a bit of aluminum foil, drizzle with a tiny, tiny bit of olive oil and roast in an oven preheated to 350 degrees for about 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the size of the garlic. To test, just give it a light squeeze. If it’s softened, it’s done!
Hummus

 

 

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Lunchtime: Tuscan Toast with Goat Cheese, Pea Shoots and Blackberries

Tuscan Toast with Goat Cheese, Pea Shoots and Blackberries
Tuscan Toast with Goat Cheese, Pea Shoots and Blackberries

I love lunchtime. It’s kind of my time. It sounds so selfish, but I don’t have to think about what anyone else likes or doesn’t like…it’s all about me! :) So, that’s the time I put together ingredients that may be odd, but sound pretty good to me. So, every now and then, I’d love to start sharing those lunches with you. Because, who knows? There may be an oddball or two out there just like me!

This came together after a fun trip to one of my favorite stores, Trader Joe’s, with a good friend. It’s so hard to go there and not put everything into my cart, but these are the things that made their way onto my plate and made me so, so happy!

Tuscan Toast with Goat Cheese, Pea Shoots and Blackberries

1 slice good quality bread, toasted (I use Trader Joe’s Tuscan Pane)
about 1 – 2 T. goat cheese
handful of pea shoots
handful of blackberries

Simply spread some goat cheese, then….who am I kidding…I know you don’t need me to tell you how to do this. Enjoy! :)

 

Notes:

  • Pea shoots are high in vitamins A and C. Read more about them here!
  • These toasts would make a great appetizer too!

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    Tuscan Toast with Goat Cheese, Pea Shoots and Blackberries

     

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Rosemary Parmesan Popcorn

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Rosemary Parmesan Popcorn

We cannot watch a movie or any big television event in my house without popcorn! My daughter and I have a lot of popcorn topping combinations, depending on our mood and what we are watching. Girl’s Night usually involves M&Ms! This one came to me the other night when I was making popcorn for me and me alone! That never happens. I love the flavors of rosemary, parmesan and lemon together. It just sounded amazing on popcorn. And it is.

You may have seen this method of popping popcorn on the internet recently. It’s wonderful. Using a paper lunch bag, some popcorn kernels and your microwave you get a fat-free-canvas-of-a-snack to do with whatever you wish! I’ll never go back to buying pre-packaged microwave popcorn again!

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Rosemary Parmesan Popcorn

1/2 C. popcorn kernels (I use Arrowhead Mills organic)
1 paper lunch bag
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 t. finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 t. sea salt
a bit of cracked black pepper
1 T. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
zest of one lemon

In a paper lunch bag, add 1/2 C. popcorn kernels and fold the top of the bag down two times. Place in your microwave and cook on high for about 3 minutes and 45 seconds. Microwaves vary greatly, and after many attempts, that is what I found to work with mine. Err on the side of less time when you are doing this…burnt popcorn is awful!

While the popcorn is popping, combine the olive oil, rosemary, sea salt and pepper in a small bowl.

When the popcorn is done, pour it out into a large bowl, drizzle with the olive oil mixture, then grate the Parmesan and the lemon over top and mix.

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Notes:

  • If your popcorn kernels are not popping properly, keep the kernels in the refrigerator for a day or two. This restores the moisture in the kernel and should help them pop better.
  • I use a Microplane Grater-Zester to grate both the Parmesan and the lemon. It gives you a fine zest that adheres well to the popcorn.
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Buffalo Baked Blooming Onion

Buffalo Baked Blooming Onion

I think I know why our friends have been avoiding us lately. It may have something to do with developing this recipe. We’ve eaten about four whole onions in the past week trying to get this just right! So, all my friends out there, you better be making this one. I always say, “if everyone eats it, then no one has bad breath!”

This is my healthy take on the deep fried version! I think we all know just how horribly unhealthy that one is. Yes, it tastes pretty good, until you start feeling nauseous from all of the grease. I’m not going to try to tell you that this tastes just like that one. It doesn’t. But I will tell you that this one is really delicious and the added Buffalo flavor makes it even better.

Buffalo Baked Blooming Onion

1 large Vidalia onion
2 T. olive oil
1 T. Buffalo sauce
1/2 t. Tobasco sauce
1/2 C. Panko
3 T. all purpose flour
1/8 t. kosher salt

Dipping Sauce
1/4 C. non-fat or light sour cream
1 T. mayonnaise
2 T. Buffalo sauce
a few dashes of Tobasco
1/8 t. salt

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment.

Cut about 1/2 inch of the stem end of the onion. Leaving the root end intact, peel the outer skin. Lay the cut end down on your cutting board, and starting about 1/2 inch down from the root, cut through the onion into four equal sections. Now, go between each of those sections and cut about four more sections, cutting 1/4 inch apart. That’s it!

Turn the onion over, root end down and gently spread the petals apart.

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, Buffalo sauce and Tobasco. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the Panko, flour and salt. Set aside.

Place the onion on your lined baking sheet and brush it all over with the oil mixture. Now for the messy part…pick up the onion and holding it over the medium bowl, cover it well with the Panko mixture. Return it to the baking sheet and bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes.

While it’s baking, combine the ingredients for the dipping sauce.

Pull it apart, dip in the sauce…and save an awful lot of calories!

Notes:

  • I combine the Buffalo Sauce (I use Frank’s) with the Tobasco because I like some heat. It does not come out spicy with the Buffalo sauce alone. You can adjust to your liking…add even more if you like spicy!
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Roasted Red Pepper and Artichoke Tapenade with Crostini

Roasted Red Pepper and Artichoke Tapenade with Crostini

This is one of those “raid the pantry” kind of recipes. You may already have everything you need to whip this up quickly for the holidays. With those festive colors, it’s perfect for this time of year.

Roasted Red Pepper and Artichoke Tapenade

3 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
12oz. jar roasted red peppers, drained
8.5oz. can artichoke hearts, drained (quartered is fine)
3 T. fresh parsley
1 T. fresh basil leaves
2 t. red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
red pepper flakes, optional

In a medium sauté pan, heat 1 T. of olive oil over medium high heat. Sauté the onions for about 3 minutes then add the garlic. Continue to sauté for another 2 minutes, or until the onions are a bit soft. Add the red peppers and the artichoke hearts. Cook for about 4 to 5 minutes, just to get the flavors to combine and to get some of the moisture out of the mixture.

In a food process with the blade attachment, pulse the red pepper and artichoke mixture along with the parsley and basil about 5 or 6 times or until it has all combined and is coarsely chopped.

Once done, scrape it into a medium bowl and add the remaining olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper and mix to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours and up to several days until ready to serve.

I like to serve this with a drizzle of more extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. Serve with crostini (see below), crackers or pita chips.

Crostini

1 or 2 baguettes
olive oil
sea salt
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Cut the baguette in slices about 1/4″ wide. Brush each slice with olive oil and a light sprinkling of sea salt. Place on a wire cooling rack.
Bake the crostini on the wire rack in the oven for about 10 minutes. Keep checking. They’ll be ready when they just begin to become a tiny bit golden around the edges.
Remove from oven. Cool on the rack for a few minutes before serving or cool completely before storing for later use.

Notes:

  • If I am making the crostini beforehand, I store them in zipper bags once they are completely cooled, but just before serving, I like to throw them in a warm oven (just pile them on a baking sheet…no need to single layer them) just for about a minute.
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