Roasted Beet Hummus

This time of year you can buy beets in bulk at my local farmers market.  I always grab more than I can possibly use and sometimes they get lost way, way back there in my fridge.  I have been promising myself to waste the least amount of food possible and this is the perfect way to use up the left over roasted beets you made for dinner the night before. Not to mention that my kids were so intrigued by the bright pink (dare I say beautiful) hue of the hummus.  They liked it and probably would have eaten more if I roasted the garlic that I included, this is always an option as it makes the garlic sweeter, but for me raw garlic it is.

Roasted Beet Hummus

2 cans of chick peas drained and rinsed
1/2 cup roasted beets (this is approximate and a little more or less will not hurt it)
Juice of 1 lemon or 2 if you love lemons
2 cloves garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup water
Heavy pinch kosher salt

Place all of the ingredients except the liquids in your blender or food processor.  Begin to pulse and then slowly poor the liquids in.  You will see it come together quickly. 

I looooove my Vitamix.  So worth every penny. 

Just keep blending until your preferred texture is reached.  I always taste as I go as well.  If you want more salt, add it.  More spice, add it.  The only way to make food you absolutely love is to make sure you taste as you go and to NOT BE AFRAID to change it to your liking.  

If you find yours is having a little bit of a hard time blending, as all blenders and food processors are different, just add water little by little until smooth.

Simple.  Now enjoy!

Chick Pea Salad

I make this constantly.  I mean if you look in my fridge, 9 out of 10 times, it's in there.  It's one of those simple dishes that are just so amazingly good that you're not quite sure why you haven't made it before.    That said, here's the recipe.

Chick Pea Salad

2 cans chick peas drained and rinsed of liquid (Trader Joe's sells organic ones!!! hint, hint)
Half onion, chopped finely (can be red or white or yellow)
1 palm full chopped parsley
1/3 cup chopped dried cranberries
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar (buy Bragg's, it's worth it)
1/3 cup olive oil, you can use extra virgin if you like the extra flavor
1 1/2 tablespoons cumin
2 tablespoons honey
Heavy pinch kosher salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper

Throw together the vinegar, olive oil, cumin, honey, kosher salt and black pepper.  

Stir, or whisk if you feel like getting fancy. 

Throw on top of drained and rinsed chick peas and chopped dried cranberries and fold together. 

That's.  It. 

The longer this sits, the better it tastes. 

 If making for a get together a few hours in advance is just perfect. 

Don't forget this recipe is also extremely versatile and you can basically replace almost every ingredient and still have a great salad;  raisins for the cranberries, black beans for the chick peas, scallions for the onions, etc.  Don't be scared to experiment! 

Enjoy. 

No Bake Energy Bites

I have this love/hate but mostly love relationship with Pinterest.  So many great ideas and so little time.  That's where these came in.  Trying to come up with healthy things that don't take forever and a day to make.  These are so simple, the kids LOVE them and we do too.  I won't say these are low sugar or low calorie but they are made with real ingredients and you can add in chocolate chips, raisins, dried cranberries and I was also thinking protein powder!!!   Just like their name-sake these give you energy and there is no baking involved.

No Bake Energy Bites
This recipe made about 15 balls.  I think after you make it once, you may find yourself doubling

1 1/3 cup organic rolled oats (not instant)
1/2 cup peanut butter preferably without hydrogenated oil or organic
3/4 cup shredded coconut (Trader Joe's sells some without preservatives and less sugar)
1/3 cup honey (I eyeballed this and I think I put a little less, it was perfect)
2 Tablespoons chia seeds
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Mash it all together with the back of a spoon.  Put in the fridge for about an hour.  

Roll into whatever size balls you'd like!  

This is making me recall one of my most favorite SNL episodes 

with Alec Baldwin. heh heh heh

Store them in the fridge and eat whenever you'd like. 

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

So it's officially been way over a year since I've posted a recipe!!!  Life as a Mom/photographer/dance teacher has surely taken up most of my time.  I most certainly can't be the most busy of people so I promised (myself) to try and post a recipe at least once every 2 weeks.  Most of the food I make is relatively easy, quick and for the most part somewhat healthy.  As always I still stick to organic, non-GMO and mostly no processed foods.  Since you all are probably just as busy as I am, I hope these recipes can help inspire something relatively easy and new for dinner/snack/dessert/breakfa…..oh, you get the idea!

This recipe is so easy and I think the most difficult part is to remember to put your potatoes in the oven to bake (or you could always microwave if you are short on time).  My kids, especially my daughter, loved this.  My son ate mostly just sweet potato but hey, he ate a vegetable. Win!!!

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

4 large sweet potatoes (Trader Joe's sells them in a large bag for not much $ at all)
1 large yellow or white onion
1/2 cup frozen spinach
3 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes, if you like heat
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
kosher salt to taste
fresh group pepper to taste
1 lb ground turkey
1 can black beans
2 tablespoons ketchup (I was always a Heinz girl but Trader Joe's had theeee best organic ketchup.  Also, Trader Joe's should pay me for free advertising!!! I use so many of their products and am happy to share that!)
2 tablespoons favorite BBQ sauce (try to go natural here)
Favorite shredded cheese to top

Like I mentioned, don't forget to do this part!  Can take up to an hour so if you are oven baking them, time accordingly.  If microwaving wait until you have made the stuffing mixture.  

Start by chopping your onion however you chop it.  Throw it in a pan over a medium flame.  Top with a little butter or coconut oil, spices and salt and let get nice a soft.  Remove from the pan and set aside.  

 If you'd like, now is a good time for one of these…

Next, throw your ground turkey in the pan and add another little pinch of salt.  I always, ALWAYS season every time I add something.  Cook until crumbly.  Throw in 1/2 cup frozen spinach, still frozen, right from the package.  Told you this was pretty easy. 

Your gonna throw these in.  Do it.  Adds protein and good fiber and I just so happen to love beans. Make sure you drain these of their liquid.  

 My son while he's waiting for dinner.  Always need to be busy with something!!!

  After mixing in the beans.  Toss in your cooked onions.

Add your ketchup and BBQ sauce and stir.  Let cook for a minute or 2 longer and your stuffing is ready.  This makes a lot and I plan on using leftovers for tomorrows dinner.  Keep in mind you can always half a recipe if you don't need to feed too many mouths. 

Take your beautiful baked sweet potatoes, split down the middle and squish to open.  

Don't burn your fingers like I did.  Just wait a few minutes. 

Stuff with however much stuffing you like, top with cheese of choice and stick under the broiler for a few seconds.  That's it. 

Done.

My taste tester.  Loves almost everything! 

Leah's little potato all ready to go.  She at it all.  That little thing ate that whole thing.