Hummus has been a lifelong passion for me. I love making it almost as much as I love eating it, I probably go through about a quart of it a week, and I even used to sell it in high school (my nickname in those days was "the hummus hoe"). And there's many reasons why I love it- it's an excellent source of protein and fiber, it's the perfect accompaniment for raw veggies, pita, or bread, spread on a sandwich or wrap (or eaten with a spoon if you're shameless like me), and there are about a million ways to customize it. Traditional hummus is usually made with lots of heart-healthy olive oil, but if you eat as much hummus as I do, that can add up in terms of calories and fat. Store-bought hummus is usually made with canola oil, which should be limited since it contains a lot of pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids. This recipe is not fat-free because it still has tahini (sesame seed butter), but fats from nuts and seeds (and things like avocado and fatty fish- aka "whole food" sources) are a little better for you because they also come along with some extra fiber and micronutrients. But more than anything, this hummus is creamy, savory, and oh so satisfying.
Makes 3 cups Ingredients
1 cup dried chickpeas
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup lemon juice (juice from one lemon)
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp. tahini
1/2 cup jarred or canned artichoke hearts
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1-2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
Directions
Cover the chickpeas with 3-4 cups of water (they will triple in size while soaking) and soak overnight in the fridge (8-12 hours).
Drain the chickpeas then transfer to a large saucepan or pot and add the baking soda. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 1 hour, or until very tender (they will be almost mushy- that's a good thing in this case because it makes for creamier hummus. The baking soda helps to break down the chickpeas even more, which also helps with the creaminess). Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside to cool.
Transfer the chickpeas to a food processor with remaining ingredients. Puree until very smooth and creamy, adjust seasonings to taste, and serve!
Nutrition (per 1/4 cup serving): 81 kcal, 12 g total carbs, 3 g fiber, 3 g fat (<1 g saturated), 4 g protein, 221 mg sodium
Apple Pie Protein Bites
I'll be the first to admit that protein bars got me through countless long mornings when I didn't have time for breakfast or afternoons of back-to-back classes and work when I was in college. But reading the ingredient labels on those things always leaves me feeling a little uneasy. They're usually packed with sugar or sugar alcohols (that can cause some...unpleasant...gastrointestinal symptoms), preservatives, and ingredients that only a food chemist would recognize. Finding a healthy and budget-friendly protein bar is next to impossible, so I like to make my own whenever I can now. And because I'm a fiend for anything miniature, I love the idea of protein "bites". I've made a multitude of different iterations of these, and I think their versatility is one of the things I love about them. Because my parents have an apple tree that never seems to stop producing, my mom and I are always trying to find ways to use up our apples. Needless to say, this means that I *of course* had to make "apple pie"-inspired protein bites. Here's how I make them:
Makes 17 protein bites Ingredients
1 cup pitted dates, roughly chopped
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
5-6 scoops (about 3/4 cup or 100 g) plant-based vanilla- flavored or plain protein powder (I used Purely Inspired Organic Protein- French Vanilla)
1/4 cup rolled oats
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup hemp hearts (or chia or flax seeds)
Directions
Cover the dates with hot water and let sit for 5-10 minutes, or until softened. Drain.
Puree the dates with all of the remaining ingredients except the hemp hearts until mostly smooth.
Pour the hemp hearts into a shallow bowl.
Scoop out the protein bites using an ice cream scoop and roll around in the hemp hearts to coat. Form into little balls.
Transfer the protein balls to a plate lined with parchment or wax paper and put in the freezer for about 30 minutes, or until firm.
Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container and enjoy!
Nutrition (per protein bite): 72 kcal, 1.7 g fat (0.1 g saturated fat, 1.6 g unsaturated) 10.6 g carb (2.3 g fiber, 7.3 g sugar), 4.7 g protein
Bestest Baba Ghanoush
If you need to know one thing about me, you should know how utterly obsessed I am with raw veggies and dip. There's a reason why my primary source of income in high school was making and selling homemade hummus. My main form of "meal prep" is making an enormous batch of hummus once a week and eating that with just about everything but the kitchen sink. But alas, sometimes one needs to branch out. And I gotta say, Baba ghanoush is an amazing tangent from hummus. If you've never heard of it, Baba ghanoush is a Lebanese appetizer (meze) made from roasted mashed eggplant, tahini (sesame seed butter), lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil. There are many different iterations of this dish used in several different Middle Eastern cosines, but they all have the eggplant in common at the very least. It's usually served with some kind of unleavened bread (pita, lavash, etc.), but I also really like it with raw veggies or falafel. Fun fact! Baba means "father" in Arabic. After a bit of research, I'm still not sure what "Ghanoush" means, so if you know, please educate me. Another fun nutrition fact: eggplants (like many other dark purple/blue-colored fruits and vegetables) are packed with anthocyanin, a phytochemical that acts as a potent antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and anti-carcinogenic properties. But I digress. Here is my version of Baba ghanoush:
Makes about 3 cups (12 servings) Ingredients
2 medium eggplants, sliced in half lengthways
Olive oil
1/4 cup tahini
Zest and juice of one small lemon (about 3 tbsp juice and 1-2 tsp zest)
2 tsp. pomegranate molasses (can be found online or at pretty much any middle eastern grocery store)
1 tbsp. minced garlic (I love garlic but you could use less if you're not as much of a fanatic as me)
1 tsp. salt (more or less to taste)
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika (optional)
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
Optional toppings/accompaniments
Chopped fresh parsley (I used basil because that's what I had and it looked pretty but that's not very traditional)
A drizzle of olive oil and/or pomegranate molasses
Warm pita or lavash
Sliced raw veggies (cucumbers, carrots, etc.)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (to prevent the eggplant from sticking).
Meanwhile, drizzle the cut-side of the eggplants with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet and roast for 35-45 minutes, or until the skin is shriveled and the flesh is very soft and golden brown. Set aside until cool enough to handle.
Once the eggplant has cooled down a bit, use a spoon (or your fingers) to either peel off the skin or scoop out the flesh (whichever is easier for you). Discard the skin.
Place the flesh over a strainer and try to press out as much of the liquid as possible.
In a food processor or high-powered blender, puree the eggplant flesh with the remaining ingredients until smooth. Transfer to a serving dish and top with chopped fresh parsley and a drizzle of olive oil and/or pomegranate molasses (optional)
Serve with your desired accompaniments and enjoy!
Nutrition (per 1/4 cup serving): 67 kcal, 4 g fat (0.6 g saturated, 3.4 g unsaturated), 7.4 g carbs (3.3 g fiber, 3.9 g sugars), 2 G protein, 204 mg sodium
Cashew cheese?
When I first found out that you could use cashews to make a deliciously creamy, decadent, and healthy (!) cheese alternative, I was SHOOK. (Almost as shook as I was after watching the Game of Thrones season finale, which is saying a lot because I was pretty damn shook). But anyway, (now that I've established how much of a geek I am), the great thing about cashew cheese is you can make it thicker or more liquidy depending on what you're making. Wanna make alfredo, mac 'n' cheese, or a cream sauce? Cashews gotchoo. How about a spreadable cream cheese alternative to spread *sumptuously* over bagels, bread, or crackers? Yep cashews are again the answer. (I have a recipe for a super easy creamy herby cashew cheese that my whole non-plant-based family is obsessed with). I've also seen lots of recipes for vegan cheesecake using cashews, though I have yet to try making this yet. As a (hopefully) soon-to-be registered dietician, I am also thrilled about how healthy this cheese alternative is. Cashews are full of unsaturated fats (aka the "good" fats), plant-based protein, magnesium, and unlike dairy-based cheese, low in cholesterol and saturated fat. Now that I've (hopefully) made my case for this cheese alternative that's almost as nutty as me, I hope y'all will give it a try, and submit any drool-worthy recipes you want me to test out!