Blueberry Oat Bars

Bars are a big deal at our house. We love them and we go through a ton of them every week. Honestly, I don't try very hard to make my own, even though I KNOW how much better homemade tastes. In any case, I am inspired now with blueberry season here and my parents' enormous blueberry bushes to make bars. Blueberry bars. These were a big hit and are low in sugar (I skipped the strudel top) and high in energy (oats and almonds!). Jaden thought it was cake, but then, he's always looking for cake and ice cream lately. These are perfect for breakfast, for afternoon snacking, or dessert.

Makes about 12 bars
Good for about 3 days if sealed in a container.

• 2 cups oat flour (you can make this by processing oats in the food processor). 
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup almonds, ground
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 6 tablespoons honey
• 1 large banana (ripe)
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup almond mil
• 2 cups fresh blueberries 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 

1. Preheat oven to 350F. 
2. Mix four, oats, baking soda, almonds, and cinnamon in large bowl. 
3. Mix banana, oil, honey, milk, and vanilla in a food processor until smooth. Add to four mixture and mix well. Gently stir in blueberries. 
4. Transfer mixture to greased baking dish (8x8 works well). Bake 30 minutes, until top is golden. Allow to cool before cutting into bars. 

Roasted Carrot Sandwiches with Carrot Top Pesto

The garden is bursting with amazing treats - this is my favorite time of year! I foresee about three weeks of diner fresh from the ground coming up and I'm so excited! The boys and I spent a few hours today playing in my dad's giant garden, pulling weeds, munching on peas and raspberries, and playing with the hose. It was magical. We were filthy and happy and tired by the end of today.

I made this sandwich on Sunday and it was super-duper delicious. While I want to make a big variety of dishes from our fresh veggies, I have a feeling that we'll end up making this sandwich several times with the baby carrots. Our carrots are baby carrots because we forgot to thin them out...so the carrot section is jam-packed with with little tiny treasures and there are a ton of greens. The kids think that they're especially for them. I am in heaven. So, while this sandwich requires more effort than PB&J, the payoff far exceeds the workload. We roasted our carrots for about 10 minutes so that they would still be crunchy - a perfect match with the creamy avocado and carrot top pesto.

Makes 4 sandwiches
Probably packs well in a lunchbox, but likely not overnight.

• 8 slices of your favorite whole-grain bread (we used Dave's Killer Bread)
• 2 ripe avocados
• 8 tablespoons carrot top pesto
• 1 bunch carrots (about 20 mini carrots)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• Freshly ground sea salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350. Wash and trim your carrots. Slice them long ways into thing strips. Toss with olive oil and arrange on baking tray (I like to use foil on my trays to help with clean up and sticking). Season with salt and pepper. Bake/roast for about 10 minutes, until sizzling and beginning to brown. You want them to still be crunchy. 
2. Meanwhile, make your carrot top pesto.
3. Arrange peso, avocados, carrots on bread, cut into halves and serve. 

Carrot Top & Almond Pesto

I had in the back of my mind that carrot tops (the greens) are edible, but I'd never used them. When my mom brought some beautiful carrots home from the farmer's market and chopped the greens off last week, I grabbed them and put them in a jar of water, exclaiming that I planned to use them. The next day I got around to checking recipes out online. I didn't look long - I really just wanted to see if you could actually eat carrot tops.

You can. And they are super good for you (high in potassium). I didn't see any recipes that I wanted to use in the three seconds I spent looking and marched into the kitchen determined to make a make-shift dip. What a treat it turned out to be! I thought the greens would be a tad bitter and was planning to even the dip out with some honey - but they were perfect on their own. No sweetening needed. This recipe makes a really delicious and nutritious dip to use on sandwiches, as a pesto with pasta, a sauce with rice, or as a dip for crackers. We devoured this marvelous vegan, raw wonder with enthusiasm. 

Makes 1.5 cups

Does not save well - might freeze better, but we didn't test it. Best if eaten the same day. 

• 1 bunch carrot tops
• 1 cup ground almonds
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground sea salt
• 1/3 cup olive oil 
• 2 tablespoons favorite balsamic vinegar (I used 18-year mango)

1. Roughly chop your greens. 
2. Process everything together in a food processor until well ground. Taste, adjust seasoning as desired. Would be good with some red pepper flakes if you like a little heat. 
3. Serve immediately or within a few hours. 

Risotto Cakes

Here is a magnificent trick to using up leftover risotto as shared with me by the ever-talented and awesome Enrico (who, by the way, is authentically Italian and knows what he's talking about when it comes to risotto). Risotto is a deliciously creamy and yummy way to eat rice. It takes a little more time and attention to prepare, but with a glass of wine the time flies by. Additionally, risotto recipes tend to make a huge portion of food -  great to make for a crowd and you'll still likely have leftovers. Amazingly, I haven't posted my favorite risotto recipe ... I promise to do that someday. In the meantime, find a recipe you like and then try this out the next day. Serve with white wine and a big green salad for optimal happiness.

These leftovers make great leftovers!
Best served warm.

• Olive oil 
• Leftover risotto
• 1/2 Corn meal in a saucer
• Italian herbs 
• Mayo (or some other kind of saucy/dippy thing)

1. In a heavy fry pan, heat enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan (about 1/8 inch) to medium. 
2. Form risotto into patties, about 1/3 inch thick 
3. Pat the patties into the cornmeal like you're breading it. No need to worry about how much to get on the patty - risotto is sticky and you're simply aiming to get an even coat. 
4. Set patties into fry pan and fry until golden and crispy - about 4 minutes per side. 
5. Transfer from pan to plate, sprinkle with Italian herbs, add a dollop of mayo, and serve! 

Fresh Zucchini and Olive Stuffed Tomatoes

Joseph and I hosted Easter brunch this year. Well, actually, what really happened is that I decided that I wanted to have a vegan holiday - it just seems so reasonable to pair this diet with joy and renewal of Easter time. So, I announced that I would be hosting a brunch and that friends and family were welcome to join. I figured a few people would show up...not over 30 people! Thankfully, we had the best weather ever so no one had to be crowded in our bite-size house and we had tons of wonderful, delicious, healthful food. I was in heaven. We are so doing it again next year. 

The idea for these little tomatoes came from a dinner party that I had a couple of years ago. No cooking involved - just chopping. These are totally raw and super fresh and tasty - perfect for any spring or summer gathering. 

Makes 24 appetizers. 

Does not keep well overnight. 

• 12 small tomatoes
• 2 medium zucchinis
• 1 jar green or Katamala olives 
• Italian seasoning 
• Rice wine vinegar 
• Juice of one lemon
• 3 tablespoons best quality extra virgin olive oil 
• Freshly ground sea salt and black pepper 

1. Gut your tomatoes: Slice off the top and carefully 'cut' out the insides with a spoon (use a grapefruit spoon if you have one). You can either use the whole tomato for larger servings or, as pictured above for smaller servings, cut them in half lengthwise to make little cups. Reserve tomato guts for future use in another dish or to make a sauce. Set gutted tomatoes aside. 
2. Chop zucchini and olives into small pieces. 
3. In a large bowl combine zucchini, olives, Italian seasoning, a splash of vinegar, lemon juice, and olive oil. Toss well. Season generously with salt and pepper. Taste. Season again as needed. 
4. Stuff each tomato with zucchini mixture and arrange on serving plates or platter. 
5. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 3 hours ahead of time. 

TeeTee's Chunky Guacamole

Avocado may be the most popular item in our house. We all love it. REALLY, really love it. And truly, is there a more perfect food? This guacamole is by far the very best I have ever had. I don't make guacamole often. And until now, I didn't have a go-to recipe. This one fell from the sky from my sister, Teresa (known in our house as TeeTee). We took this dish to a guacamole contest - and we won! It was so exciting. Not only is it so unbelievably delicious, but it's also gorgeous. Make this and share with others - you can be assured that it's wonderful. Also, it's so chunky that it could be served as a side dish/salad with rice and beans or some other mexi type dish. Mmmm....

Makes one large dish full.
Serve within a few hours, does not hold over well overnight.

• 4 avocados, pitted and diced (reserve pits)
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup white corn (if frozen, allow to thaw out before using - do not microwave!) 
• 1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped 
• 1/4 cup very finely chopped sweet onion
• Juice of 2 limes 
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin 
• Sea salt 
• chili powder 

1. In a large bowl, gently combine all ingredients minus salt and chili. 
2. Season generously with salt. Taste. Add more salt. Taste again. Repeat as needed. 
3. Season with chili powder. Taste. Season again with salt and chili as desired. 
4. Transfer to serving dish and top with pits to preserve color.   

Peach Buttermilk Cake

Peaches may be best eaten freshly sliced by themselves, but if you need to make something to serve for breakfast or brunch, this is a great choice. This is inspired by a recipe in Heidi Swanson's Super Natural Everyday cookbook, which I happily received for my birthday back in May and am just now beginning to use. The cake is lovely - not too sweet, but moist and substantial - just the way you want a cake to be for brunch, or as a snack for the boys. I served it at brunch to a diverse crowd this weekend and it went over well with young and old, junk foodies and organic enthusiasts.

The main difference in my version is that I used non-dairy ingredients and I had to bake it for quite a long time. I'm beginning to think I may have a pretty crappy oven. So to make buttermilk, add one teaspoon vinegar per cup of milk used and allow to set for 15 minutes. I used coconut milk and it became a bit curdled - the perfect reaction.  I replaced the eggs with ground flax - works like a charm. I made it the day before serving, covered tightly with plastic wrap, refrigerated it, and then re-heated it in the oven and found that it tasted perfectly fresh. You could certainly bake into little muffins for snacks or individual treats.

• 2.5 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon fine-grain salt 
• 2 tablespoons ground flax seed + 6 tablespoons water (combine and set aside)
• 1.5 cups milk of choice + 1.5 teaspoons white vinegar (combine and set 15 min)
• 1/4 cup butter of choice, slightly melted 
• zest of 2 lemons 
• 4 cups peaches, pitted and chopped
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar

1. Preheat oven to 
2. Combine dry ingredients and mix well in a large bowl or Kitchen Aid.
3. In a smaller bowl, combine flax+water, milk+vinegar, butter, and lemon zest. Add to dry mixture and combine, but don't over mix. 
4. Gently add peaches to cake batter an pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle brown sugar on top. 
5. Bake until set and toothpick comes out clean from the center - about 30 minutes. 
6. Cool on wire rack and serve or store for later.

East Indian Zucchini Dip

This recipe was born from me being unprepared to bring an appetizer to a party and looking through my pantry to see what could be quickly thrown together. It was a lucky and delicious break. Kind of sweet, kind of tangy. Kind of like hummus, but totally different. This dip is nutritious and a great use of zucchinis for those of you with gardens full of them right about now. Jaden and Joey loved it, as did people at the party. We'll certainly be making this one again!

Serve with crackers or veggie sticks.

Keeps 5 days refrigerated in an air-tight container.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or agave)
• 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
• Generous pinch of sea salt
• 1 teaspoon garam masala spice
• generous splash of line juice
• generous pinch of dried mint
• Shake or two of garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• 1 small zucchini, chopped
• 1 can organic chick peas/garbanzo beans, rinsed

1. Combine all ingredients together in a food processor until smooth. Add small amounts of water or olive oil to improve smoothness as needed.
2. Taste and add more salt or pepper as desired.
3. Serve immediately or reserve for later.

Roasted Golden Beet and Artichoke Sandwich

This is the first year that I've planted my very own garden. While I don't really know what I'm doing, I have plenty of advise coming in from all kinds of experts. It turns out I live in Gardener Central. I planted a variety of items back in June, but I am most excited about the golden beets. And they are ready now! I don't like red beets, although I try. But golden beets? I simply can't get enough. And the greens? Oh, the greens! Harvesting the greens and the beets in last week has been tremendously satisfying. I cannot recommend adding them to your garden enough.

As you may know, I adore sandwiches. They are likely my favorite food, and it happens that they are also the perfect travel food, which is (or at least was before kidlet time) convenient for us. This sandwich was awesome and is an excellent use of extra roasted beets. As with any sandwich, any ingredient can be substituted or doubled or adjusted in any way you see fit. The following is detailed account of my sandwich bliss from last evening's dinner.

Makes one sandwich.

• 2 slices Dave's organic wheat bread
• Mayo
• Spicy brown mustard
• 2 tablespoons artichoke dip
• 2 slices parmigiano reggiano cheese
• 1 roasted golden beet
• 2 raw beet greens

1. Assemble as desired. Slice and serve immediately.
2. Pairs well with a nice, local micro-brew or fresh lemonade.

Beet Greens and Goat Cheese Bruschetta

Joey and I have issues with beets. We WANT to eat them, but we kind of just really don't like them. We don't hate them, we keep trying them out. And my mother-in-law recently made a few great(ish) beet dishes. We're not giving up. In the meantime, we've discovered beet greens. Also insanely good for you, the greens are much less...unusual. And so delicious - I mean really awesome. These bruschetta are a lovely little treat - the goat cheese and crusty bread with the greens tastes like warm comfort food with an earthy, healthy feel. Ideal for serving as snacks with tea or appetizers before dinner.

• Whole-wheat artisan bread, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• Goat cheese
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 bunch of fresh beet greens
• Olive oil
• Sea salt

1. Preheat the oven on broil. Lightly brush the tops of each slice of bread with olive oil and rub gently with garlic. Lightly toast them in the oven. Set aside.
2. Wash the beet greens well and remove any suspicious bits. Tear into medium size pieces.
3. Heat a skillet on medium high with about 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Add the greens and saute until JUST tender - about 3 minutes. It doesn't take long - don't let them burn! Sprinkle with salt and set aside.
4. Spread goat cheese on each slice of bread and top with beet greens. Serve immediately.

Pumpkin-Yumkins

There is a Great Harvest Bread Company near my house - it's amazing. They always have some kind of magical treat. Their latest: Pumpkin-Yumkin muffins. The problem, and the reason why I decided to make them myself, is that they were inconsistently good - and at $2 a pop, they should always be great. The other problem is that the first one I had was SO good that I kept thinking about it, and buying them, only to be sorely disappointed. And so, this is my first attempt. There will be subsequent versions, but this one is bastante bien for now. This recipe essentially came from a pumpkin themed cookbook by DeeDee Syrovel.

Makes roughly 3 dozen mini muffins or two loaves of bread. Can be frozen for up to 3 months. Excellent refrigerated and eaten the next day.

• 4 eggs
• 1 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cup canned pumpkin pie pumpkin (or just pumpkin)
• 1 cup olive oil
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder*
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg*
• 1 cup dark chocolate, chopped

* Items in the original recipe that I didn't have and so excluded. They turned out just fine.

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease bread pan or muffin pan well.
2. Whisk eggs, sugar, pumpkin, and oil in a large bowl.
3. Gradually add flour, baking soda/powder, and spices into pumpkin mixture.
4. Fold in the chocolate.
5. Bake about 20 minutes for muffins or 75 minutes for bread - until toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5-7 minutes. Follow the edge of pan with a butter knife and remove from pan. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

Roasted Red Pepper Crostini

Sunday afternoon lunch on the terrace...ahh, life is so good. This afternoon we were inspired by Tuscany - a magical land where people eat well but simply. Nothing too fancy or complicated, but definitely delicious, satisfying, and beautiful, this mini open-faced sandwich is the perfect addition to nice weather and good conversation.

Delicious served with your favorite wine, some olives, and dark chocolate cake.

• whole wheat crusty bread - or whatever kind of bread you like
  
• cream cheese
  
• assorted greens
• roasted red pepper and walnut spread
• freshly ground black pepper
• sea salt

1. Cut up your bread into 1/4 inch slices...usually crostini is bite-sized, so you would cut standard sized bread slices in half.
2. Lightly toast your bread slices for about 3 minutes on medium heat in your oven. This step is optional.
   
3. Spread cream cheese and red pepper spread on each bread slice. Top with assorted greens and season to taste with salt and pepper.
   
4. Serve immediately. These can be made a little bit in advance, but can get soggy after an hour or so.
   

Almond Banana Smoothie

I've been wanting to put this recipe on the blog for a while, but every time I make this smoothie I seem to only be able to take lousy picture of it - so this is the least lousy picture I have. I had to post it because I am completely going crazy with happiness over this treat.

It's hard to wrong with smoothies. They make a great breakfast, snack, or dessert. Kids love them. Adults love them. How can you not love a smoothie? I admit that sometimes I feel too lazy to make them, but this smoothie is easier to make than any other snack I can think of. It's so delicious. It's totally nutritious - almonds and bananas provide a bunch of energy and potassium to get you moving any time of day. The cinnamon adds a beautiful flavor and is rich in vitamins and minerals as well. The flax seed adds Omega-3, but makes it thicker so you may need to add a little water.

This recipe makes one small smoothie. Frozen bananas work great too - peel before you freeze them - you may need to add a little extra water to thin it out.

• One ripe banana, peeled and broken into chunks
  
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• Dash of cinnamon (I use several dashes because I love cinnamon)
  
• 1 teaspoon ground flax seed
  

1. Combine banana, almond milk, and cinnamon in the blender. Bend until smooth - add water for desired consistency.
   
2. Enjoy immediately - this drink does not save well.
   

Banana Walnut Muffins

Lately I've been buying up ripe bananas left and right for my favorite almond-banana smoothie, but today I decided to expand our horizons. Whenever we have any type of banana bread, we go crazy. It's curious that since we love banana breads so much and they are so easy to make that I don't make them more often. This recipe is really quick and easy - inspired from The Joy of Vegan Baking. I added cinnamon and flax seed for a little extra nutritional boost. These muffins are super moist and are delicious for breakfasts and snacks. I think that next time I might lay off the sugar a little.

Makes 12 muffins or one 9-inch cake.

• 2 cups unbleached four
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
  
• 1 teaspoon ground flax seed
  
• 1/2 sugar
  
• 1/2 honey
  
• 1/3 cup canola oil
  
• 4 ripe bananas, peeled, and cut into chunks
  
• 1/4 cup water
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped

1. Preheat your oven to 355F/180C. Lightly grease your muffin tins or 9-inch/23-cm cake tin.
   
2. Mix flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and flax seed in a medium bowl.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, honey, and oil. Add the bananas and mash them with a potato masher or similar utensil. Combine sugar and oil mixture with bananas well. Mix in the water and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and mix well. Stir in the walnuts.
4. Fill each muffin tin about half-way with the batter. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until golden and toothpick comes out clean.
   

Fresh Starberry Juice

Fresh strawberry juice is a special treat without special treatment. I first tasted something like this juice at La Panza es Primero, our favorite Mexican restaurant in Madrid. It's just pure strawberry happiness. No thick and icy distraction of a smoothly...just juice without a juicer (!) and plenty of vitamin C.

Possible additions: mint, lime, basil.
Serves two.

• 3 cups fresh strawberries
• 3/4 cup water (add more depending on desired thickness)
  
• small handful of ice cubes (for instant chill)
  
• 1 tablespoon sugar, agave, or honey (optional)
  

1. Remove stems, halve, and rinse strawberries well.
   
2. In a blender, combine all ingredients and blend.
   
3. Serve immediately.
   

Chunky Applesauce

Applesauce is delicious, healthy, and really easy to make. It's the perfect snack, topping, or side dish. It's excellent served on french toast, pancakes, or crepes. It's delicious served along with potatoes, cous-cous, or quinoa. Homemade apple sauce is so much better than store-bought that it kind of should have its own name. Applesauce keeps well refrigerated in a sealed container for about a week...it never lasts more than a couple days at our house. You can use a variety of apples when making applesauce. If you see apples on sale that may not be good on their own, they are probably perfect for applesauce.

This recipe makes about 4 cups.

• 4 apples, such as Gala, Red Delicious, Golden...green apples will give you a much tarter sauce.
  
• 2 tablespoons sugar or honey (adjust depending on the sweetness of your apples...some don't need any sugar added at all. You can also add more as you're making it.)
  
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of nutmeg
  
• pinch of salt
  
• juice of one lemon
• handful or dried cranberries to garnish (optional)

1. Thinly slice and dice the well-washed apples (I don't peel them as most recipes call for and it always turns out great.)
2. Put all ingredients in a pot and combine well. Add just enough water to cover the bottom of the pot.
3. On medium heat, simmer the apple mix until softened, about 15 minutes. Add more water if needed. Mash the apples with a potato masher (the back side of a fork will work too) and simmer an aditional 5 minuites.
4. If you want your applesauce to be supper smooth, pass it through the blender or food processor and then through a sieve, discarding chunks. Peeling the apples also makes it smoother.
   
5. Serve hot or cold.
   

Ganola Happiness

Yep, you read it right, this Granola is called Ganola thanks to my cousin's son, Becker. Mmmmmm...and it's so delicious. It is only recently that I finally began to make my own granola, I have no idea what took so long. Thanks to my wonderful cousin, Shelley, I am now making my own every Saturday. In the states, you can buy all kinds of granola (though it tends to have a ton of sugar), but in Madrid, we've had a tough time finding anything good. We have muesli, but it's so dry and boring. I use the muesli as a base because there aren't any coops around to buy oats in bulk and this is the most economical way for me to make it.

I never make this the same - sometimes the nuts change, sometimes the fruit. Sometimes I don't have the seeds, sometimes I have a new item to try. Pretty much all nuts, seeds, and fruits taste delicious in this mixture. I especially love dried cherries, cranberries, and mangos. I also use olive oil because I love it and I don't buy any other kind of oil anymore. I find that it adds a sturdy, kind of serious flavor. Use a lower grade olive oil for a more subtle taste.

• 4 cups old fashioned oats (or muesli)
  
• 1 cup walnuts and almonds, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup favorite dried fruits, roughly chopped
  
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup olive oil
  
• 1/4 cup honey
  
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
  

1. Preheat oven to 300F.
   
2. In a large bowl, mix oats, salt, and cinnamon together. Add seeds, nuts, and dried fruits. combine well.
3. In a small sauce pan, heat up the sugar, oil, honey. Mix constantly until dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour the honey mixture over the oats and mix to coat. It takes a little time, but the honey mix will cover the oat mix if tossed well enough.
   
4. Working in batches as needed, put the granola on greased baking sheets and bake until golden. About 30 minutes. I usually cover mine for the first 27 minutes because my oven is so small. When uncovered, watch very carefully as granola burns easily.
   
5. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight container. Mine never lasts more than 5 days...but I bet it would last a week.
   

Honey Nut Brie

A little messy, but so worth it, Honey Nut Brie is Joseph's favorite Thanksgiving and Christmas treat. The recipe is inspired by my mom who has been making it for years.

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 8 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
  
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries and/or golden raisins
• 1 wedge or small round or brie
  

1. Preheat oven to 180F.
   
2. In a small saucepan, heat up butter, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, walnuts, and dried fruits until thick sauce. Do not boil.
   
3. Heat the brie on a serving platter until just warmed in the oven, do not allow to melt. Pour honey nut mixture over the brie and serve immediately with crackers.
   

Basic Hummus

Hummus may be the most amazing spread ever invented. I adore it and have no idea why it took me so long to start making my own. Now I make a jar full every Saturday for after-work snacks. It tastes super on salads, sandwiches, Saltines, or by itself on a spoon. Hummus has become a pretty popular snack around the world, and I know many people who buy giant tubs of it at Trader Joe's and Costco. The good news is that hummus is really quick and easy to make and if you make it yourself, you avoid unnecessary additives and preservatives.

Hummus has been around forever - recipes date back to ancient Egyptian times. Not surprisingly, there are a bazillion different ways to make hummus - this is a super basic recipe and works well as a springboard for creativity. Homemade hummus lasts five days sealed in the refrigerator. Best served room temperature, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with red pepper flakes or paprika.

Suggested Additions...
Cumin, honey, gram masala, roasted red peppers, roasted garlic, sun dried tomatoes, sweet paprika, Kalamata olives, poppy seeds.

Suggested Substitutions...
Black beans for half chickpeas, pepper oil for half olive oil, orange juice for lemon juice, lime juice for lemon juice.

Delicious Served With...
Crackers, toasted pita slices, warm pita breads, topped on salads, spread on sandwiches;dipped with carrot, cucumber, or celery sticks.

• One 16 ounce jar chickpeas (AKA: garbanzo beans), rinsed
  
• Juice of one large lemon
• 2 tablespoons tahini
  
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  
• Pinch of sea salt
  
• Pepper to taste

1. In a food processor, combine all ingredients. Blend well until thick paste forms. Add a little bit of water if needed to liquify.
2. Taste and adjust spices as desired.

Sweet Pea Mole

This refreshingly delicious sweet pea dip is inspired by a recipe in my Balanced Plate cookbook (which I highly recommend to everyone). While molé is typically associated with savory Mexican chocolate salsa, this dip is excellent with Mexican dishes of all kinds. I love serving this as an appetizer with crackers or mini toasts because it looks great, most people don't don't often eat a cold pea dish, and it's super easy to make. It's best to make this dip shortly before serving as it can loose some of it's vibrant color within 3 hours. However, sweet pea mole lasts for about 4 days if covered and refrigerated, even if it's not as pretty.

• 2 cups fresh/frozen sweet peas
• 1 cup mint, chopped
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 medium cucumber, chopped
• 1 tablespoon EV olive oil
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Zest and juice of one lime
• Generous pinch of sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

1. If necessary, thaw frozen peas in water bath.
   
2. Combine peas, cucumbers, mint and lime in a large bowl. Add oil and honey, toss to coat.
   
3. Transfer everything (including slat and pepper) to the blender and blend until chunky/smooth. Add water as needed to liquefy. Your final product should be solid enough to stay on a cracker.
4. Taste and season as needed; serve chilled.