Almond and Garbanzo Bean Dip

I'd have called this a non-tahini Hummus, but it seems as though Hummus requires tahini, so I'm opting to call this a Garbanzo Bean Dip ^^

It's that season of life when I realize that my pantries are well stalked and while I don't mind giving away our food when we leave this season, I'd like to take advantage of as much of it as I can and that means soaking and slow-cooking a LOT of beans! Which would be awesome for soups and stews were it winter...

But it's not.

So, the beans keep finding themselves in my food processor and in a Ziploc Tupperware container with a bag of chips serving as a light, yet delicious and nutritious lunch. 

For this dip I threw some Garbanzo beans, Almonds, Olive oil and Basil with Olive Oil 'ice cubes' into the food processor - a touch of water (or was it wine...) to help achieve the correct consistency and wam, bam, thank you ma'm we have ourselves a bean dip!

Sun-dried Tomato and Basil Hummus

I started with this recipe for a Warm Chickpea Salad  thinking it'd be great for a day trip Mike and I had in the works. But then, it seemed I'd rather eat more than this salad on the day trip which was turning into a festival outing which promised enticing food items, so... I put the salad on hold, letting the flavors soak in just a touch more.

By the time Monday evening rolled around, I sat staring at a jar of nicely seasoned chickpeas and sun-dried tomatoes and I thought to myself, I want that to be dip-able, I want to dip some chips in that - so into the food processor it went before entering our bellies on numerous corn tortilla chips.

I think it'd make a delicious salad, so you can go that route as well, the directions are for the salad - to get the 'hummus' simply throw into a food processor!

Ingredients/Directions:

In a large skillet over medium heat, warm 3 Tbsp. EVOO, add 2 Tbsp. Cumin Seeds (or a shake of cumin if you don't have the luxury of easily attained spices) and 1/4 tsp. of Crushed Red Pepper and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly until toasted and aromatic. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add 4 minced Garlic Cloves, cook 3 minutes until golden. Next add 2 - 15oz- Cans of Drained Chickpeas and 1/2 cup chopped Sun-Dried Tomatoes. Turn heat up to medium-high and cook until chickpeas are warm and shiny with oil. Remove from heat and add a splash of Lemon Juice and fresh (or conveniently frozen) herbs of your choice (I threw in a couple of basil cubes). Salt and Pepper to taste, let set for at least one hour, serve at room temperature or throw into a food processor for a delicious and rich 'hummus'

Chickpea Spinach Pasta

Over a month ago...many months ago in fact, I did a bit of 'once-a-month-cooking', knowing full well I wouldn't use it all up in a month because my life is busy, but not that busy and I just have too many ideas flooding my foodie brain to do all my cooking in one day. Regardless, having things like home-made tomato sauce just waiting for me in the freezer is quite awesome and I'm quite happy on the nights I don't feel like cooking nor walking to any food establishment, that there's something waiting to be prepared quickly and easily.

So, with a CouchSurfing Guest at home and a desire to feed him well while taking time to chat and enjoy his company I figured a quick boil of some pasta along with the defrost of some frozen chickpeas (since we can't get canned one here and it's easier to prepare many at once rather than a few at a time) and my home-made tomato sauce we'd soon have ourselves and enjoyable and hearty meal.

In a large skillet, saute an onion and garlic, add chickpeas, heat through. Next, add a few handfuls of washed and chopped spinach until wilted, dump in two cups of tomato sauce, heat through and mix in pasta , fresh basil and mozzerella cheese, enjoy!

Minestrone

Living in Laramie there were few things I enjoyed more than a big ole bowl of Minestrone. With too many friends leaving the expat life and heading back to the states I found myself with a lot of dried beans, including chickpeas...honestly, if friends have to leave, at least they can leave delicious foods behind for you to cook up in their absence.

So it came to be, a pot of Minestrone...which should never have exact measurements, as it's a soup...so, for me and my household, Minestrone includes:

Chickpeas, carrots, cabbage, onion, garlic, tomatoes (usually from a can), chicken or veggie broth (or tea), salt, pepper, italian seasoning and zucchini (or another form of summer squash) and it shoudl have noodles, mine however did not this go round.

If you make a large batch, which, why not? You should call up some friends and request they join you for dinner and if they feel they must, they can bring a baguette.

And should you find yourself with hardly a cup of soup left over, why not reduce it in a skillet the next night, add additional spices, perhaps chili powder or whatever your in the mood for and throw in a couple cups of rice -- it's a bit like fired rice and it's a fun way to use up some leftover soup ^.^

Grilled Hummus and Veggie Wraps and Sauted Spinach Salad

Neither of these recipes takes a rocket scientist. If anything, you need a fridge full of veggies, some tortillas and a food processor is beneficial as well.

If you need to prepare hummus - throw one or two cups of Chickpeas/Garbanzo Beans into a food processor with olive oil, 2-3 cloves Garlic and 1-2 Tbsp. Tahini and let 'em have it.

I have a thing for roasted veggies, so I threw some eggplant, zuchinni and Onions into our oven while I spread the humus and chopped a tomato. Piece it all together as you would a wrap/burrito. If you have some Feta lying around - I'd TOTALLY throw that into the mix. Enjoy once it's a bit crispy on the outside, you'll feel joyful!

As for the Spinach Salad...I had some left over veggies from a pasta dish that had been 'marinating' in olive oil and balsamic vinegar, I ate the 5 pasta noodle left and wanted to toss the veggies with the spinach...but didn't want the veg sinking to the bottom of the salad. Hence, sauteing...throwing the veg and the spinach into a skillet allowed the spinach to share the dressing and 'grab onto' those veggies a little better than if the Spinach weren't sauted. 

Re-Visited: Baba-ganoush Hummus Pasta

I RAVED about this dish just over a year ago.

I was THRILLED to realize that my fridge and cupboards were all happily storing the ingredients needed to make this dish for our friends Kolt and Holly the other night.

I REALLY love chickpeas.