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Extra Silky & Rich Hummous 

oppings, toppings, toppings are… unecessary. But lovely! Here we use some chickpeas reserved from the original blending, plus pine nuts and za’atar, plus a healthy rizzle of olive oil. In a perfect world, you’ll use a good olive oil to make the hummus, and a GREAT olive oil to top it. Other topping options: some crumbled mrguez sausage, chopped fresh cilantro, tangy dried sumac… or a whole chopped Middle Easter salad, with tomatoes, cukes, feta, olives. Be creative!

Forget potato salad.  This is my #1 fave backyard/cookout/guests-on-the-deck accompaniment.  I may say “accompaniment,” but surround it with enough breads and veggies, and it’s a meal in itself.     

Three tricks make this hummus as silky as possible.  First, we process the raw garlic in the lemon juice; the acid from the lemon mellows the raw garlic.  Second, we simmer the chickpeas with a little baking soda, which softens them almost to the point of disintegration, and makes for an incredible level of creaminess. Eventually, the residual baking soda will also neutralize some of the acidity of the lemon.  Third, we’re very generous with the tahini and olive oil, and drizzle more olive oil on top.   

Shelf-life is a problem with store-bought hummus — a problem that is solved either with chemical preservatives, or an excess of lemon juice. We don’t use either. So, use this up within 3 days is my suggestion. Or freeze it for later.

Serves about 10-12 as a side, 6-8 as a light lunch with pita & veggies 

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 C cooked chickpeas, from…
    •        2 x 15-oz cans, or… 
    •        1 x 29-oz can, or… 
    •        made from scratch s
  • 3 medium cloves garlic, chopped 
  • 1 C good organic tahini (we especially endorse the Tohum brand)
  • ½ Tbsp cumin powder 
  • ¼ – ½ C ice water 
  • 1 tsp baking soda 
  • 1 tsp salt 
  • ½ C high-quality lemon juice 
  • 2 Tbsp virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle 
  • some fun toppings (see #5 below)

DIRECTIONS

  1. Reserve 2 Tbsp chickpeas for garnish. 
  2. In a medium sauce pot, cover the remaining chickpeas with 2-3 inches water.  Add baking soda and bring to a simmer.  Continue simmering 20 minutes until they’re mushy.  Rinse 30 seconds.   
  3. In a food processor equipped with a standard cutting blade, spin the garlic, lemon juice, and salt at high speed until pureed.  Let sit a few minutes.   
  4. Add everything else, and run food processor 5 minutes.  Adjust water, salt & lemon to taste. 
  5. Spread over a shallow serving dish.  Mound the reserved chickpeas in the center.  Drizzle generously with high quality olive oil – either by itself, or after sprinkling with za’atar, sumac, cumin, pine nuts, cooked crumbled merguez (spicy North African lamb sausage), pine nuts, or all of the above.  

If you don’t have za’atar in your spice cabinet, you should! A Middle Eastern (non-spicy) spice blend of sumac and thyme, sesame and cumin, it’s awesome here, on eggs or yogurt, to finish avocado toast, etc.

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How to Cook and Why to Eat: Riceberry Rice

This is my favorite rice! The Riceberry cultivar was developed in Thailand 20 years ago, as a cross between a purple sticky rice and a long-grain jasmine. No GMOs here, they just crossed the two strains the old fashioned way.

Riceberry is soft, sticky, nutty & fragrant; and like most deep-dark-purple-almost-black foods, it’s packed with health anthocyanin antioxidants. Riceberry even outshines blueberry!

It has all the health advantages of a brown rice — and then some — but cooks (almost) as fast as a white rice. 

Add 1 cup rice to 1½ cold water. Bring to a boil, covered, then simmer 10 minutes. Fluff, let sit another 10 minutes, fluff again. Or don’t fluff, and mold it in a cup or bowl like in the picture above. Eat.

We sell organic Riceberry in the bulk Refillery. Our kitchen will also be making it with our green curry hot meal in March.

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Za’atar Grilled Summer Squash

You don’t need to toil away in the kitchen: if you throw beautiful things on a beautiful plate, you have a beautiful meal. Even if none of it requires skill, dexterity, or any meaningful effort!

(See alternate Japanese-ish version here citrusy-seaweedy-spicy Shichimi Togarishi).

Easy, breezy, backyard casual!  All it takes is 3 minutes to prep, another 8 on the grill. Your squash comes off flavorful and tender. It has grill marks. It’s vegan. Everyone is happy.

And you can do so much with it! Plate your squash with other Mediterranean goodies, like in the photo (feta, olives, chopped salad, hummus), or alongside grilled merguez sausage. Or chop it up, and toss onto a salad. Or stuff it in a pita bread with some tahini sauce and pickles. Or make a sandwich, with Bulgarian ajvar spread, and melted cheddar.  

What’s Za’atar? Za’atar is a Middle Eastern seasoning blend, ubiquitous across Lebanon, Israel, and Egypt. Not all za’atar is the same, but a good one will be tangy and herbaceous, redolent of herbs, sumac berries and toasted sesame. Some za’atar is salted. I’ll recommend you get one that isn’t — or that’s salted only very lightly. (I’ll also add that the za’atar we sill in our bulk bins in the refillery is excellent, and very fresh). 

Traditionally you sprinkle za’atar on hummus (with a generous drizzle of olive oil), or thick yogurt-like labneh cheese (with a generous drizzle of olive oil). Or just mix it with straight-up olive oil, and dip bread. It’s also excellent on eggs, and chopped tomatoes. A sprinkle makes avocado toast sublime. 

 Ingredients 

6 medium summer squash¼ – ½  C nice olive oil
 ¼ cup Za’atar2-3 cloves garlic (optional)

Directions:

  1. Cut the squash lengthwise into planks, roughly as thick as a pencil.
  2. Press or very finely mince the garlic into the oil with the Za’atar
  3. Coat the squash with the oil-za’atar mix. You can either toss and mix it in a big bowl, or brush it on with a pastry brush. I prefer the pastry brush, as it’s hard not to break the squash otherwise. Add salt as desired. 
  4. Grill about four minutes per side, on medium flame, on a preheated grill. (Flip with tongs). 

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Smashed Potato Salad with Tahini-Maple-Ginger Dressing

As someone who is honestly not usually a fan of potatoes, the flavors and textures in this potato salad make it a winner for me. The potatoes are soft on the inside, have a crisp texture on the outside, and are topped with a deliciously savory tahini dressing with pops of garlic and ginger. To really set it over the edge, it’s then loaded with roasted peanuts, cilantro, mint, scallion, and some thin sliced jalapeno. Basil would also be a great addition. This is a salad that will have people scratching their heads and then devouring every bite!

Jalapenos concerning you? Don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be spicy! You can opt to take out the seeds of the jalapeno for a much milder spice or even toss in some sliced small snacking peppers for no spice at all. 

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cooking Time: 25 minutes | Serves: 8

for the TOPPINGSthe GINGER-TAHINI SAUCE
3# mini-potatoes, mixed colors2 Tbsp lime juice
4-5 Tbsp high quality olive oil1½ Tbsp toasted sesame oil
¼ cup tahini
the TOPPINGS1 Tbsp tamari or coconut amino
2 scallion, thin-sliced on the bias2 tsp maple syrup
1 jalapeno or sweet pepper, thinly sliced1- inch piece ginger, grated
¼ cup fresh mint leaves, torn3 garlic cloves, finely minced
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped2 tablespoons ice water
¼ cup roasted peanuts


Directions:

  1. Cover potatoes with cold water, add 2 Tbsp salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer until tender but not soft, around 12-15 minutes. Drain, and pat dry. 
  2. Smash – not mash – the potatoes with half the oil. Place in an edged pan with about half the oil and press (not poke!) with a fork so the sides burst but they’re still mostly intact. Toss with remaining oil.  
  3. Crisp the potatoes under the broiler for 8-10 minutes, or bake at 425 30 minutes.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients except until relatively smooth. Add the ice water and whisk again until thick but pourable. Salt as needed. 
  5. Let potatoes cool slightly and then toss with dressing. Place on your serving platter and scatter the toppings. Enjoy!

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Quinoa Espanola

Incan grain, Spanish flavors. Sort of. This protein-rich pilaf is reminiscent of paella, but a lot easier, and made from 100% plants.

Quinoa is a great nutrient-dense food. It’s technically a seed, but we use it like a protein-rich grain. Grown for thousands of years in South America, quinoa is now also grown in the high mesas of Colorado, too. Ain’t that dandy?!? Serve this with some green veggies, and you have a complete dinner. It also travels well to picnics. Leftovers are great for lunch.

Yes, use organic ingredients. It’s important to support our organic farmers. The way they farm makes healthier soil, which means healthier plants with more nutrients to nourish us! Organic is worth it.

You may notice the surprising red walnuts in the photo above. Yes, they’re really red. And no, they’re not GMO. Compared to regular brown (Chandler) walnuts, the red ones are crisper, creamier, and sweeter — and richer in antioxidants. You can use other nuts, too. For example, sprouted salted Texas native pecans are like eating butter. Shelled pistachios for a stronger flavor. Or just plain-old peanuts.

¼ C extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 C peeled, chopped onions3½ C boiling water or broth
6 garlic cloves, peeled, minced1½ C artichoke hearts in oil, drained (save oil for salad)
1 tsp good salt and 1 tsp pepper½ C nuts (see paragraph above)
1 tsp smoked paprika (it’s a little spicy)2 Tbsp salt-cured capers, optional
1 tsp oregano1 C pitted Nicoise olives (small & DELISH)
2 C quinoa (yellow or tricolored)½ C minced parsley, garnish
¼ tsp saffron, optional but worth it!little lemon juice, lemon slices as garnish

In a large skillet, warm EVOO over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and sauté 3-5 minutes, until onion is translucent. Add salt, pepper, smoked paprika, oregano, saffron (if using) and quinoa. Stir 2-3 minutes. Toasting quinoa in olive oil brings out its naturally nutty flavor. Add tomato paste and boiling water. Stir. Cover skillet, turn heat to low and simmer 20 minutes. In the meantime, slice artichoke hearts. Once quinoa is done, let sit 10 minutes. Then toss together with remaining ingredients in your serving bowl. Garnish with parsley. Drizzle lemon over top. Garnish with lemon slices. Enjoy!

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Thyme Mushrooms + Greens

Not much muss, definitely gourmet. I’ve made this mushroom dish for years, but now I add in greens (chard pictured above ahead of being sliced and tossed in). This is great spooned over polenta or pasta or anything!

If you want to know something of the history of mushroom, they go way back. Mushrooms were prized by the Pharaohs as a delicacy, by the Greeks to provide strength for warriors in battle, and by the Romans who served them on holidays because they were regarded as a gift from God. The Chinese treasure mushrooms as a giver of health and protector of immunity. Don’t like mushrooms? Use this method to sauté sliced Brussels sprouts.

Serves about 6

½ lb assorted mushrooms, sliced*4 C tender greens (spinach, chard, collards, mustard greens) cut into ribbons
2 Tbsp ghee, butter, or coconut oil¼ C extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
6 cloves garlic, minced2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp dried thyme 1 tsp ground pepper, or Grains of Paradise
1 tsp good salt like Celtic or Himalayan

In a large skillet, warm EVOO and ghee, butter, or coconut oil. Add mushrooms and cook over medium heat stirring, until browned, 4 minutes more or less depending on the mushrooms. (If you you’re using a combo of delicate and tough mushrooms, you might want to start the tougher mushrooms 1-2 minutes earlier). Add garlic, thyme, lemon juice. Stir until fragrant, 2 minutes.

Cut greens into ribbons and stir them into the mushrooms. The heat of the mushrooms will wilt your greens but keep them nice and bright green. Taste and then adjust seasoning. Serve. Yum!

*Mushrooms that I’ve used here are shiitakes, maitakes and lion’s mane and regular white button mushrooms, too. Did you know we have frozen sliced shiitakes and frozen sliced assorted mushrooms? There’s no labor at all if you use these. NOTE: lion’s mane and maitakes don’t get sliced, just crumbled with your hands.

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Adai: a Hearty Dosa

My wife is from Southern India, and she’s a great cook, but rarely has the time. So when she’s craving a taste of home, it usually ends up being Adai. And now I’ve learned to cook them too! Adai are tasty, nourishing, and inexpensive; balanced plant protein that’s quick and inexpensive, gluten-free and toddler-friendly. In some parts of India, it’s not uncommon to eat adai seven days a week.

But what are they? A savory pancake crossed with a fritter. An unleavened rice-and-lentil bread cooked on a griddle. One relative says, “like omelets – without the eggs.” Another calls them “Indian latkes.” While you could eat them with a fork and knife, you really should use your hands. (And for the grammarians, it should be pointed out that adai is both the singular and plural).

Adai are most often eaten for breakfast, with melting pats of butter and a generous sprinkling of sweet jaggery. (And if you think spicy lentils with butter and sugar sounds weird, I say don’t knock it till you’ve tried it!) Other times, (and this is how we eat them), they’re a savory dinner, alongside veggies (maybe raw sliced tomatoes in summer, or a quick spiced spinach in winter), a dollop of yogurt, and a chutney or spicy relish.

Serves around 4

Approx 1 cup raw rice (see note below)Approx 1 cup raw lentils or soft beans (see below)
½-1 C coarsely chopped cilantro½-1 C finely chopped purple onion
½-1 C grated carrot or other “dry” vegetable1-inch piece fresh ginger
raw sesame oil or other oil for griddling1 pinch Hing (asafetida
1 tsp – 1 Tbsp, salt or to taste2-5 fresh green or dry red chiles, optional

First, let’s talk about your rice and lentil choices. Some recipes specify six different kinds of lentil in precise proportions, or 3 kinds of rice. We’re not so exacting in our house, and you don’t need to be either. This is a very forgiving, very adaptable dish! We tend to use brown rice (or even alternate grains like oats, millet, or quinoa), but you can use white rice if you want a lighter pancake. We use whatever Indian lentil is lying around. But pigeon peas (toor dal), mung beans (moong dal) and red lentils (masoor dal) are regulars in the rotation. You can also use harder beans like chick peas, if you give them a long enough soak. Have fun. Play with proportions. It’s hard to get Adai wrong.

1. At room temp, soak rice, lentils, ginger, salt, Hing, and optional chilis in enough water to cover by 3 inches, at least three hours, up to 12. Add a pinch of cumin, turmeric, garlic, curry leaves, if you want.

2. Drain, then grind to a coarse paste (a blender will do), adding back just enough water. You want it thicker than American pancake batter; a smidge thinner than hummous.

3. Once you’ve ground your batter, mix in your cilantro, onion, and vegetables. But don’t blend them. Taste for salt.

4. Using a ladle, scoop about ½ cup batter onto a medium-hot, oiled griddle, then spread into a circle using the convex side of ladle. It’s okay if the Adai looks a little spiraled — it isn’t meant to be smooth and the same thickness throught. To truly master the art, leave a hole in the middle the size of a nickel, and then put a tiny drizzle of oil in it, so the middle-hole sizzles up crispy! You can also spread droplets of oil around the edges to make them crispy, too.

5. Flip after 2 or 3 minutes. Serve after another 2 minutes. Serve hot.

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White Bean Salad with Zucchini and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Five minutes is all you need for this satisfying salad. That is if you use healthy shortcuts like organic canned beans and our sun-dried tomatoes. If you want to cook your own beans and sun-dry your own tomatoes, you’ll need advance prep. I may have some jars of home-cooked beans in my freezer, but if I don’t, I’m going to open a can of Eden beans!

This salad can absorb so many other ingredients. When I made it the other day, I threw in some capers and roasted beets I had left in the fridge. I used the Les Moulins Mahjoub brand from Tunisia, which is cured in salt instead of vinegar. Yum

Serves 4 as a main dish, 6-8 as a side

2 C cooked cannellini (1 standard can)2 C diced young zucchini
1/3 C extra virgin olive oil (or try smoked olive oil, or Austrain pumpkinseeed oil)1 C crumbled feta, blue cheese or
“Perlini” fresh mozzarella
½ C sun-dried tomatoes, coarsely sliced1 C minced onion or scallions
1 Tbsp dried dill weed or 3 Tbsp fresh2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp fennel seeds or 1 C diced fresh vegetable1 tsp minced or pressed fresh garlic
¼ tsp dried oregano, or 1 tsp fresh¼ tsp dried tarragon
¼ tsp allspice

Combine everything in a large bowl and toss with a rubber spatula to mix. Here I have to admit, I often add an extra glug of oil because I love all that good fat.

What other ingredients can you add? Artichoke hearts. Pitted Nicoise olives, steamed wax beans, hard-boiled eggs, cherry tomatoes, the beets and Les Moulins Mahjoub capers I mentioned above. Anything else that your heart desires!

I didn’t list salt or pepper in ingredients because the amount is so variable. If you’re using salty ingredients like capers, cheese, or olives, you may be fine without any. Your taste buds. Your choice!

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Potato Salad with Herbs, Olives & Artichoke Hearts

I always share a potato salad recipe in summertime because I love potatoes, and potato salad says “summer has arrived!” Even in 2020 with the coronavirus. Like all my potato salads, this one is doused with rich, golden or green extra virgin olive oil, not mayo.

Made this way, this salad keeps for days. Refrigerate, of course, but bring to room temp to enjoy.

Serves 4

4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes4 medium red or purple potatoes
1.5 C artichoke hearts, sliced*2 C thinly sliced cabbage
1 C pitted black Niçoise olives1 C thinly sliced onion
1 C chopped dill weed1 C chopped flat parsley
1/2 C extra virgin olive oil*3 Tbsp red wine vinegar*
2 cloves garlic, smashed2 tsp unrefined dark salt
1 tsp black pepper

*I love the artichoke hearts preserved in extra virgin olive oil by the Tunisian brand Les Moulins Mahjoub. If you use a brand preserved in brine instead of olive oil (don’t! but if you do…), you may want to increase the added olive oil, and decrease the added vinegar.

Place all ingredients except potatoes in large bowl, and mix well. Use your serving dish as the mixing bowl — it’ll be one less dish to clean.

Scrub potatoes, but do not peel, and put whole in a pot with water to cover. Slowly bring to a boil, turn down heat, cover, and simmer 10-15 minutes, until tender when poked with a knife. Time depends upon size of potatoes. Drain. Let potatoes cool until they are just warm.

Dice warm potatoes into mixing/serving bow. Toss everything together. Taste, adjust seasonings. There’s so much in here you won’t need to garnish. But if you want to, there are umpteen ways. Think cherry tomatoes, goat or feta cheese, salami rounds, hard-boiled egg, tuna ventresca, Fakin’ Bacon crumbles, avocado…

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Roasty Squash Delish Yay!

Save the peel! It’s the new slogan. It’s what all the cool kids are saying. I’m a cool kid, aren’t you?

Serves 4 | Preheat oven top 450

2 mid delicata squash2 apples
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil2 Tbsp butter or ghee
2 tsp dry thyme2 tsp dry rosemary
2 tsp ground sumac1 tsp good salt

Peel squash, and cut in half the long way. Scoop seeds out with your fingers. Cut into ½-inch slices. Core and peel apples, and cut into wedges. Toss squash and apple together in a an with everything else but the butter or ghee and sumac. Dot with butter or ghee.

Roast 35 minutes. Serve with Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.

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