Basic Hummus Recipe:

1 can (15 oz) chick peas, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp water
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed. If mixture is too dry, add additional olive oil.

Spicy Cilantro-Lime Hummus: Substitute lime juice for lemon juice and add the zest of 1 lime. Increase cayenne pepper to 1/2 tsp and add 1/3 cup tightly packed cilantro leaves.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus: omit cumin and add 2 tbsp fresh oregano leaves. Add 2/3 cup chopped roasted red pepper.

Garlic Lovers Hummus: increase garlic to 3-4 cloves (or as much as you like!).

1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp instant espresso powder
Salt and pepper
olive oil

Combine all ingredients but salt, pepper, and olive oil in a small bowl. Season meat with salt and pepper. Rub meat with olive oil. Using hands, massage dry rub into meat, coating lightly. Bake or grill meat as desired.

Tip: Wash hands immediately after rubbing (chili powder will stain skin).

2 cups loosely packed parsley leaves
1 cups loosely packed cilantro leaves
1/2 cup loosely packed basil leaves
4 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse. Perfect served over baked or grilled meat and vegetables.

This can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 5 days. Allow to chill at least 3o minutes before serving (allows the flavors to combine). Serve with your choice of dippers, such as tortilla chips, cut strips of red bell pepper, baby carrots, and wheat or rye crackers. This dip goes great with a fruity red wine, such as a Granacha/Tempranillo or similar Spanish blend.

Creamy Herb Dip

1 bar (8 oz) fat-free cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 cup low-fat sour cream
1/4 cup chopped chives
1/4 cup chopped basil
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp dijon mustard
zest and juice from about half a lemon
salt and pepper, to taste
olive oil, about 1 tbsp

Combine all ingredients but olive oil in a food processor. Pulse lightly to combine, then drizzle in olive oil while pulsing. Add just enough oil to combine all ingredients, about 1 tablespoon. Transfer mixture to a serving bowl and chill about 30 minutes before serving.

Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

For preparation, use one batch of this recipe for one pound of ground beef. I prefer to use beef with a low fat content (6% or less). Inside of draining the beef, I use the drippings to help the seasoning coat the beef. If you are using a higher fat content, drain the beef before adding the seasoning.

Homemade Nacho/Taco Seasoning

1 tbsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion salt
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 dried oregano

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.

When preparing, brown ground beef in a skillet and drain. Reduce heat to low and return beef to skillet. Add seasoning and stir until beef is evenly coated. If pan is too dry, add a little water or reserve some of the drippings. Remove from heat and serve as desired.

If you like hummus, you will enjoy this dip. It is rich and thick like hummus, but the spinach makes it a beautiful green color. Eat it just like you would hummus, with chips or pita, vegetables, or as a sandwich spread.

Garlic & Spinach White Bean Dip

2 tbsp olive oil
3-4 large garlic cloves, minced
3-4 cups baby spinach
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tsp sea salt
2 cans (15 oz each) Great Northern White beans, drained and rinsed

Heat oil in a small skill over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute, being careful not to burn. Transfer garlic to food processor bowl.

Wipe pan clean and add a small amount of additional oil. Add spinach, in batches, and saute over low heat until wilted. Transfer to food processor bowl.

Add lemon juice and salt to food processor bowl and pulse to combine. Add beans to bowl and puree until smooth. Chill slightly before serving (15 minutes in refrigerator). Drizzle with olive oil if desired.

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Frugal Breakdown
olive oil: negligible
3-4 large garlic cloves: negligible
3-4 cups baby spinach: $1.00
lemon: $0.50
 sea salt: negligible
2 cans beans: $1.78
TOTAL: $3.28

Verdict: Obviously a success, but you also need to factor in the cost of what you will be dipping (such as tortilla chips, baby carrots, broccoli spears, pitas, or pretzels). The low cost of the dip, however, allows for the purchase of these things.

While you may pay a similar price for a jar of vegetable dip or hummus at the store, I encourage you to try this dip anyway. It has a different flavor and lots of protein. While hummus is pretty healthy, some other dips are loaded with calories and preservatives.

When straining the garlic broth, remove bay and sage leaves along with any thyme stems. Reserve garlic pieces and thyme leaves. Using a sieve, push lightly on the garlic cloves to release most of the broth liquid. Set aside until cooled, about room temperature, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one day before using. Several fresh, chopped garlic cloves could be substituted along with the leaves of a fresh sprig of thyme.

Garlic & Herb Hummus

reserved garlic cloves with thyme from Simple Garlic Broth
2 cans (15 oz each) chick peas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp pepper
minced fresh basil, optional

Combine garlic and chick peas in a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add remaining ingredients and pulse until smooth. Add additional lemon juice or salt to taste. Allow to refrigerate overnight before serving. If desired, top with fresh basil and drizzle with additional olive oil just before serving.

Ras el Hanout is spice mixture hailing from Morocco whose name literally translates to ”head of the shop.” It is known to be the best spice mixture a merchant or vendor has to offer. Some varieties can contain up to 27 spices, though this recipe is not quite that ambitious. From Cooking Light magazine, this combination of 12 ingredients creates a smokey, spicy, yet subtly sweet mixture perfect for flavoring grains and vegetables.

Above: Yes, that is about $5 worth of saffron.

Be prepared to part with a large amount of your spices, particularly if you do not buy in bulk. This recipe calls for saffron, which basically wiped out my supply. If saffron is a bit too rich for your blood, turmeric would be the best substitute, though nothing really compares to saffron’s unique bitter taste. I added my own touch with a pinch of cardamon, which is my favor spice. If you would like to dial down the heat, reduce the red pepper to 1/2 teaspoon and add 1/2 teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika.

Ras el Hanout
adapted from Cooking Light

2 1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground red pepper
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp saffron threads, crushed
1/2 tsp ground cardamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Spice mixture should last about 1 month.

To use: add about 1 teaspoon to rice, couscous, roasted vegetables, or other vegetarian cuisine.

Above: The warmth and scent of all these spices combined is practically intoxicating. It makes my kitchen feel far more exotic.

Above: Be sure to mix thoroughly, avoiding clumps of any one spice.

May is an interesting time of year in Michigan, one day it feels like summer and the next is a cold blast with rain, clouds, and thunder to match. The changes in temperature can make it difficult to plan a meal, especially anything involving picnics and outdoor grilling. This unpredictability is what makes zucchini and curry a perfect combination for spring. Zucchini is a summer staple while curry has that gentle heat to warm you from the inside out, and together they can combat any weather.

There are several recipes out there for zucchini hummus, most of them from vegan or raw food websites and blogs. After reading several of the recipes and not quite finding one that I liked, I pieced this together from a variety of sources, adding the curry as my own personal touch. Don’t like curry? Substitute paprika or 1/2 teaspoon cumin.

Please enjoy what might be one of the last Spring Fever posts of the season, as summer (and you can be sure a new project) is right around the corner.  

2 cups peeled, chopped zucchini (about 2 large)
1/2 cup tahini
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil (extra virgin recommended)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp curry powder

Combine in blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Allow to chill several hours (preferably overnight) before serving.

Serve with veggies such as baby carrots, cucumber slices, chopped celery, peppers, or with pitas or crackers.

I’m back in the kitchen! For your enjoyment and consumption, I bring you this spicy, sweet, savory sauce with cherries, orange, and cayenne pepper. While I served the sauce over chicken, this would also be great over pork chops or a pork tenderloin. I used a blood orange for this recipe, but a regular navel orange would work just fine. Blood oranges can be hard to find, though usually available until Spring, and they have a slightly raspberry taste to them.

I also used a fancy Cranberry-Blood Orange Tea Jam from Republic of Tea in place of the preserves, but you could substitute a number of jams or jellies: orange marmalade, cherry preserves, even another berry-flavored jelly. Using frozen cherries cuts down on prep time and allows this recipe to be made in any season, but pitted fresh cherries would be great too.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 bag (12 oz) frozen unsweetened dark sweet cherries, thawed 
1/4 cup red wine
1/2 chopped onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1 orange, zest and juice
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne (red) pepper
1/8 tsp cumin
1 tbsp cherry preserves

Preheat oven to 350F or broiler. Lightly coat a baking sheet or broiler pan with cooking spray.

Season chicken with salt and black pepper as desired. Bake or broil 20-25 minutes until cooked through and no longer pink.

Meanwhile, combine onion and garlic in a medium saucepan coated lightly in cooking spray. Saute over medium heat for 3-5 minutes.

Add cherries with any liquid from the bag and red wine. Using the back of a spoon, lightly rush the cherries (leave some cherries whole). Zest and juice orange into saucepan. Add remaining ingredients and stir well. Bring to boil and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To serve, spoon hot sauce over chicken breasts. Shown with steamed asparagus and Spicy Sweet Potatoes (the Spicy Cherry Sauce goes great with those potatoes!).