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Sweet Beet Hummus

Written on April 15, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Side Dish

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This recipe would be perfect for Valentine’s Day. Or for a Pepto-Bismol themed brunch. After the last hummus recipe I wanted something that didn’t quite have the same overpowering savory taste of olives and garlic that instead would be suited for Springtime. This is definitely the kind of hummus I’d plop on a salad and eat with vegetables since the flavor is so light. It’ll definitely draw eyes with a color like that.

Sweet Beet Hummus

Ingredients:

2 cups chickpeas
1/2 cup beets, loosely cut
1/2 Tablespoon vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
~2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons honey

Pour the chickpeas into the food processor.

Add in the beets, honey, and salt and begin to blend. While blending, slowly pour in the vinegar and olive oil until the hummus becomes smooth and runny.

I’m not sure if it can cure nausea, heartburn, indigestion, upset stomach, or diarrhea, but if you’re eating hummus to begin with that’s a pretty good start towards your health.

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Honey Cashew Butter

Written on April 14, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Snack

I’ve probably said this before but I could spend all too much money on something like a fancy nut butter. Even plain almond butter or cashew butter runs a mean price tag when it’s so easy to make at home. I picked up a pound of cashews for $5 from the bulk bin and managed to make 18oz of “gourmet” cashew butter with a few ingredients on hand. I’ll never look back at store-bought again.

Honey Cashew Butter

Ingredients:

4 cups cashews, raw or roasted
3 Tablespoons honey
2 Tablespoons neutral oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Add the cashews to a food processor and start blending on high.

When the cashew butter starts to form a dough ball, add in the honey, salt, and oil and continue processing. Stop sooner for a thicker consistency or blend longer for a smooth and runny cashew butter.

I like my cashew butter a little chunky so I didn’t puree it too much and it came out perfect. On a spoon it almost taste like cookie dough. This could be dangerous.

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Black Olive Hummus

Written on April 11, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Side Dish

Get the Altoids ready because this one’s a nightmare on your breath but it’s worth it.

Chickpeas and olives are two of my favorite foods; I think they deserve their own food group. This has a strong flavor of a tapenade but with all the creaminess of a hummus. It’s definitely a winning potluck recipe.

Black Olive Hummus

Ingredients:

2 cups chickpeas
1/2 cup black olives, pitted
2 cloves garlic
3-4 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Dumb the chickpeas into a food processor.

Add in the olives, garlic, and salt and begin to process.

As the hummus is blending, slowly pour in the vinegar and olive oil until it takes on a smooth consistency.

Garnish with sliced olives to warn any olive haters.

Somebody pass the [gluten-free] pita because it’s on.

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Taking Another Crack At Eggs

Written on April 10, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Miscellaneous

For the past 2 years eggs and I have not been best amigos. Sure, they’re a cheap source of protein, but unless I was counting on baked goods for protein I wasn’t getting any from eggs.

Did I break up with them because I don’t like the way they taste? No. I think eggs have a great neutral flavor, also that anything is good when you smother it with ketchup.

And I do.

Did I break up with them because of the cholesterol thing? No, I’ve had high cholesterol since the day I was born. If you can fix that you should get a Nobel Peace prize.

Did I break up with them because as a food blogger I’m constantly taking pictures of my meals and so everything’s cold by the time I actually eat it? No, but that’s remarkably true.

The reason is much more vain than all of that I assure you.

I stopped eating eggs because I could never cook them right. I can’t tell you how many yolks I broke trying to cook an egg sunny side up or fried. Even today don’t ask me to make you a recipe that involves separating the whites and yolks or—God forbid—whipping the egg whites; I’d just buy something from the store and say I made it.

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But then my friend gave me a duck egg a few weeks ago. “Don’t make brownies with them; they don’t make good brownies” she said. Crap, there went my plans. So instead I took the plunge and fried it with some vegetables in a pan. And it came out perfect so I made it again. And again.

There are so many ways to cook eggs, all of which I will be trying out now(except hardboiled because that’s just nasty). My point? Don’t give up on something because you fail a few times because at the end you just might find your reward, a fried, tasty reward.

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Brussel Sprout and Potato Hash With Fried Eggs

Written on April 7, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Entree

I can never have a savory breakfast; it just doesn’t appeal to me at all. I need something sweet and as close to a dessert as I can get away with eating when I wake up.

Dinner is another story. I love a big plate of hot, savory food at night. I also love eating all the “traditional” breakfast foods like hash browns then since I’d never eat them otherwise. Sure, you could make this for breakfast. But I think it’s much better for dinner. Just imagine all your cares from that day flowing away like the runny yolk when it breaks and suddenly nothing seems so bad any more. Just remember to leave room for ~~breakfast~~ dessert.

Brussel Sprout and Potato Hash With Fried Eggs

Ingredients(for 2 servings):

1 1/2 brussel sprouts, steamed*
2 medium potatoes, cooked and diced*
1 onion, julienned
4 eggs
1/4 cup of butter, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

*You can do this easily by microwaving them together for 4 minutes before starting.

Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large pan over medium heat. Once the pan is heated, add in the brussel sprouts, potatoes, and onion.

Cook for 10 minutes tossing the contents of the pan periodically until all the sides have had a chance to brown. Divide the contents of the pan between two plates or bowls and return the pan over the burner.

Using the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, fry each egg individually in the pan. When each is done, plate it over the hash two to a plate. When all are done, season with salt and pepper.

My favorite part really is the runny yolks. If the yolks aren’t runny, well, I’d still eat it but it wouldn’t be the same. Apparently pregnant women shouldn’t eat runny yolks; I’m glad that’s never in my future.

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Caramelized Onion and Balsamic Vinegar Bean Salad

Written on April 6, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Entree

I love Summer. More honestly I love cookouts, grilling, Summer foods, and ice cream weather, but it’s easier to just say “I love Summer”. This recipe reminds me of Summer foods. It’s good hot or cold, sweet with a little savory, and oh so easy to make. It kind of reminds me of baked beans that you spend all day cooking except the whole thing comes together in 20 minutes! Winner, winner, chicken bean dinner.

Caramelized Onion and Balsamic Vinegar Bean Salad

Ingredients:

1 can chickpeas
1 can pinto bean
1 can cannellini beans
1 onion, julienned
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon honey
1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt to taste
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for finishing(optional)

Combine all of the different beans in a large bowl.

Caramelize the onion by cooking it over medium heat in a frying pan with 2 tablespoons of oil for 10-15 minutes. When the onion has turned translucent and slightly crusty, remove from the heat and add to the beans.

While the onions are caramelizing, reduce the balsamic vinegar to about half its original volume in a small sauce pan over another burner set to low-medium or medium heat. You want the vinegar to reduce to a molasses consistency but not overboil and turn into a taffy. If it does reduce too much, remove from the heat and stir in some hot water to thin.

Add the reduced vinegar, honey, salt and extra virgin olive oil if using to the beans and onions. Mix well until the sauce coats all of the beans. Serve hot or cold.

If this is any indication, it’s going to be a tasty Summer.

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Raspberry Fudge Sauce

Written on April 5, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

After I baked this cake recipe for my birthday, the cake looked good but a little plain so I decided to throw together something for the top. I love the pairing of raspberries with chocolate so I decided to make a raspberry chocolate sauce to go on top. I had no clue how it would turn out but I’m happy to report it was perfect. Heated, the sauce is easy to work with and at room temperature it hardened to a semi-soft, fudge consistency which was easy to cut through. It was great on cake but would be good over ice cream, too.

Raspberry Fudge Sauce

Ingredients:

2/3 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
1/3 cup chocolate chips
1 1/2 Tablespoons maple syrup(or any liquid sweetener)
1 Tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon salt

Heat the raspberries over low heat in a sauce pan until they’ve reduced to about half their volume and cooked down to a sauce.

Toss in the chocolate chips, butter, maple syrup, and salt and mix until the butter and chocolate chips have melted. Frost or scoop over ice cream while the sauce is still warm and liquid.

I should have made extra to eat with a spoon; one year older, still not wise enough.

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Burnt Caramel Sweet Potato Mash

Written on April 4, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Side Dish

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I try not to oversell anything. Just this once I’m going to tell you this is one of the best recipes of the year, and it’s only April. I’ve never made mashed sweet potato because I thought “How can you improve on a roasted sweet potato?” Oh, you definitely can. Burning the caramel adds a bitter flavor which balances out with the natural and added sugars. The taste is totally unique and even if your guests can’t tell what it is they’re bound to love it.

Burnt Caramel Sweet Potato Mash

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups mashed or pureed sweet potatoes*
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup milk
1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt to taste
Nuts for garnish(optional)

*I would recommend either roasting your own sweet potatoes or buying the canned puree kind. Microwaved sweet potatoes tend to be too starchy and not sweet enough after cooking.

Combine the butter, sugar, and water in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Keep mixing the ingredients until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved.

Continue boiling until the caramel starts to burn and turn a light brown. Err on the side of caution and go on to the next step as soon as it starts browning, but mine turned a little too black and still tasted fine in the end.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the sweet potato, milk, and salt. Mix. Return to the heat until the dish is hot enough to serve.

Paula Deen would be so proud. I love the uniqueness the burnt caramel adds to the flavor; you can tell it’s not maple syrup or just plain sugar that sweetens this. It was especially good with the richness of the pecans on top. It’s the perfect recipe for Thanksgiving, but I really hope you don’t wait that long to try it.

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Cannellini Salad With Artichokes and Sundried Tomatoes

Written on April 1, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Entree

Some days you just need a salad, especially when that day starts out with a cake hangover. This is a retake on a salad I had at Pizza Paradiso the night before my marathon. The flavors were so simple and fresh that I knew it wouldn’t be hard to recreate. To make it vegan I used nutritional yeast in the parmesan dressing and it came out just as tangy. Now how many more of these will I have to eat to balance out the cake?

Cannellini Salad With Artichokes and Sundried Tomatoes

Ingredients(Makes 2 entrees or 4 salad portions):

2 cups mixed greens
1 can cannellini beans
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes packed in olive oil
8 artichoke hearts, halved
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons white vinegar
1 Tablespoon parmesan or nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

To make the dressing, combine the olive oil, vinegar, parmesan, salt, and black pepper and whisk until emulsified.

In a large bowl, toss the mixed greens with the dressing.

Add in the sundried tomatoes, beans, and artichokes and mix until combined. Top with additional parmesan and/or crushed red pepper flakes.

I loved all of the flavors in this. The dressing had the perfect kick from vinegar and brininess from the nutritional yeast. And the red pepper flakes gave it a spicy touch. But my favorite part was probably the sundried tomatoes; I always forget how much better those are than regular tomatoes.

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Italian Quinoa With Fava Beans

Written on March 31, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Entree

Quinoa is the perfect canvas for any recipe. You can add flavors from any culture, any sort of ingredients and have it be delicious, cohesive, and filling. This was my first time trying fava beans and I loved how their meaty texture matched the sundried tomatoes and olives. This has quickly become a new favorite potluck dish.

Italian Quinoa With Fava Beans

Ingredients(Makes 3-4 servings):