Carrot Hummus

Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to be the best mom... at least when it comes to hiding vegetables in the food I feed my kids. Now, hummus is undeniably a staple in my diet, and there's no questioning its power food status, but I'm always looking for a way to amp things up a few notches in the vitamin/mineral components of any dish. Adding canned or frozen carrots provides some additional vitamin A; these carrot forms are softer and therefore blend quite a bit easier into the hummus. By all means one could boil fresh carrots and achieve the same effect. Further amping up the hummus with a scoop of unflavored protein powder gives each serving a gram or two more of satiating protein. Adding protein powder to meals can be especially important if one's diet is primarily vegetarian. At least I think it is... supposedly Americans get more than enough protein...

Anywho, this hummus is tasty and packed with nutritional benefits. Lately, when I'm not experimenting with edamame, spinach, or red pepper versions, this is my go-to recipe. It's pretty straight-forward, and (as you may have guessed by my use of approximate amounts) extremely forgivable.

The Edibles:

• 1 16-oz. can of garbanzo beans (also known as chick peas), rinsed and drained
• 3/4 of a 16 oz. can of carrots (or about 1 c. frozen carrots, thawed), drained
• 1 T. tahini (sesame seed paste)
• 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 T. lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic (or the equivalent in jarred or powdered)
• generous sprinkling of fresh or dried parsely
• generous shake of ground coriander
• light sprinkle of onion salt (alternatively you could use onion powder generously)
• 1 scoop natural, unflavored protein powder
• enough water to get the blender/processor blade a-movin' (add 1 T. at a time)
• sea salt and black pepper to taste

The Making:

1. Whir together all the ingredients in a food processor or blender.
2. If you're patient, chill hummus for at least 30 minutes. (You'll be amazed by how much more intense the flavors become in such a short amount of time!)
3. Store in a sealed container for maximum one week.

Serving Suggestions: Serve with pita chips, pretzels, cucumber slices, bagel chips, or (gasp!) carrots!

Edamame Power Hummus

Some call edamame the super or wonder vegetable because it is the only vegetable that contains all nine essential amino acids. This makes edamame a complete protein source, similar to meat or eggs. Edamame also contains isoflavonoids. They are found in all soy products and are being studied for their health benefits.

Although most researchers agree that further research is needed, recent studies propose the following possible health benefits of soy:

• Soy protein may help reduce insulin resistance, kidney damage, and fatty liver in people with diabetes, according to a study in rats.
• A new study from the Chinese University of Hong Kong indicated that soy protein containing isoflavones (phytoestrogens) significantly reduced overall cholesterol and LDL "bad" cholesterol, and raised HDL or "good" cholesterol, especially in men.
• A study in women reported that regular consumption of soy foods was associated with healthy cholesterol levels.
• The component thought to be at least partly responsible for soy's health benefits is a type of phytoestrogen called isoflavones. Isoflavones also appear to work with certain proteins in soy to protect against cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis.
• Results from a new study in China suggest that eating more soybean protein may help prevent and treat hypertension.
• A study in which 12 postmenopausal women drank 36 ounces of soy milk daily for 16 weeks noted an anti-inflammatory effect of the isoflavones found in soy. According to the study authors, this may be important in the prevention of bone loss and cancer, among other things.

I found my edamame pre-shelled in the frozen foods section of Trader Joe's. It is rarely sold fresh, but it is available frozen year-round. Don't fear frozen veggies; studies have shown that they can be just as--if not more--nutritious than their fresh counterparts. Of course, some taste better when eaten fresh (zuchinni and asparagus to name a few), but edamame is one vitamin powerhouse that maintains its punch (and subtle crunch) when thawed.

The Edibles:

• 3/4 of a 16-oz. can of garbanzo beans (also known as chick peas)
• 1/2 c. edamame, shelled
• 1 T. tahini
• 2 T. lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic (or the equivalent in jarred or powdered)
• generous sprinkling of fresh or dried parsely
• generous shake of ground coriander
• light sprinkle of onion salt (alternatively you could use onion powder generously)
• sea salt and black pepper to taste

The Making:

1. Whir together all the ingredients in a food processor or blender.
2. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes for prime flavor-age. Conversely, you can be like me and excitedly use any vessel on hand to deliver your Edamame Power Hummus straight to your tongue. Store in a sealed container for maximum one week.

Sources:

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/edamame-secret

http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/month/fresh_beans.html

Spinach Hummus Dip

Feeling like hummus? Feeling like spinach dip? Not sure which way to turn? A marrying of two of my favorites, this dip can satiate your taste buds if you happen to be like me, trying to appease conflicting desires. What would be a typical spinach dip is kicked up a notch with the addition of garbanzo beans. Providing some of that hummus-like graininess, this dip is substantial but light-tasting, and the side to a tray of fresh vegetables and hearty crackers or bread.

This dip is super easy to throw together if you use a pre-made spinach dip powder. I found mine to be rather bland, so I ended up adding about 1/2 tablespoon dried dill and a sprinkle of both garlic and onion powder. I recommend allowing the flavors in your dip to meld a bit in the refrigerator before you make any significant spice additions.

The Stuff:

• food processor or blender

The Edibles:

• 1/2 c. frozen spinach, defrosted
• 1 c. plain yogurt
• 1/2 c. (4 oz.) light cream cheese
• 1 c. garbanzo beans
• 1 package spinach dip mix

The Making:

1. Whir together all the ingredients in a food processor or blender.

Red Pepper Sesame Hummus

For me, hummus is a comfort food. I like it best accompanied by a grainy bread, although lately I've been enjoying its creaminess atop veggiful salads. I am partial to a thick consisency over the super-pureed type, so this recipe makes one chunky lump of hummus. Like soup, this dip is extremely forgiving when it comes to the amount of spices you use, and the flavors undoubtedly enhance overnight. As always, add any salt-containing spices slowly, tasting each time. Or you could forgo salt entirely, because there is likely to be some in the canned garbanzo beans (if you choose to use canned).

I added a red pepper on the recommendation of Marko, and I think that it added some nice color (and vitamins)! Often I will supplement the hummus with a spoonful of protein powder. The type I use is pretty flavorless, so I can add it to almost anything. If you choose to use some, you'll find that it really helps thicken up the hummus even more; overnight the hummus will go from pretty thick to "woah man" thickness. Your pita chips better not be wimpy.

The Stuff:

• food processor or blender (I've been equally successful with both, as long as your blender is not from 1980)
• medium mixing bowl (or a tupperware you plan on using to store your hummus)
• fork, pestle, or fine-slatted potato masher

The Edibles:

• one 16-oz. can of garbanzo beans (also known as chick peas, or cici in Italian :-)
• 1/2 fresh red pepper, chopped
• 1/2 to 3/4 c. water
• 1 tsp. sesame seed oil
• 1 T. lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic (or the equivalent in jarred or powdered)
• generous sprinkling of fresh or dried parsely
• generous sprinkling of dried oregano
• super generous shake of ground coriander (if you like it with a little zing)
• light sprinkle of onion salt (alternatively you could use onion powder generously)
• 1 T. protein powder (I use this type)
• salt and pepper to taste

The Making:

1. Pour 1/2 to 2/3 of the can of beans and chopped red pepper into your blending contraption of choice. Place the remaining beans into the mixing bowl and set aside.
2. Pour enough water into the blender so that it covers 3/4 of the beans. Blend it for 5 seconds. Place the remaining ingredients into the blender. Blend until well combined.
3. With the remaining garbanzo beans, take your smashing device and crush those babies. Continue to smash them and mix them up until they're a thick paste. Don't worry, there will be lots of skins, but that makes it yummy!
4. Pour the blended/pureed beans atop the hand-smashed beans. Stir to combine. I would recommend refridgerating for at least 30 minutes, but sometimes if you have a craving...