Pumpkin Hummus

'Tis the season for pumpkin and why I didn't think to combine it with hummus is beyond me. However, when I found this recipe I knew I needed to try it. This spicy and creamy hummus is a combination of chick peas and white beans which creates a richer hummus. The toasted pumpkin seeds adds a nice textural element to the hummus and depth of flavor. This is a perfect pre-Thanksgiving appetizer that will definitely keep everyone around the table. Plus it's super simple to make, but it's getting the consistency that's the trick. The flavors of fall are mixed into this simple dish making it a shining star on your table.

Ingredients:

1 14 oz can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 14 oz can of white beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup lime juice
1 clove of garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon maple syrup
                                                             1/3 cup toasted pumpkin seeds

Directions:

 Place the pumpkin seeds on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 400 for 6 minutes. Be very careful as they can burn really quickly. When the seeds are a nice golden brown and have a nutty aroma, they are ready.

 

Drain and rinse the chick peas and white beans.

Add all of the ingredients into a food processor and blend on low until the hummus reaches a smooth and creamy consistency. Before serving sprinkle a few of the toasted pumpkin seeds on top of the hummus. Serve with fresh veggies or pita chips or use it as a yummy sandwich spread.

Hummus Chicken and Vegetables

Hummus is one of my favorite snacks, but I have never thought to cook with it. When I saw this recipe for hummus coated chicken with veggies, I was intrigued. I didn't know you could cook hummus. What was even more exciting was that this was a one dish meal and super healthy. It's not difficult to make...there's just a little cutting work involved. Who doesn't like a delicious meal that you can make in one pan?! This is an interesting combination and the hummus creates something like a "breading" on the outside of the chicken. The paprika gives it a smokey, barbecue type flavor profile.... it's kind of like eating a barbecue chicken.

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless and cut in half
1 zucchini, thinly sliced
1 yellow squash, thinly sliced
1 onion, sliced or diced
1 container of store bought hummus
1 teaspoon paprika
2 lemons, 1 cut in half and 1 thinly sliced
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Directions:

Coat a 13 x 9 glass pan with cooking spray. Slice the zucchini and yellow squash and preheat the oven to 450. (*Note: You can make veggies in a separate baking dish if you want.)

Season the chicken breast pieces with salt and pepper on both sides. In a small bowl, combine the zucchini, squash and onions. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and mix until everything is evenly coated.

Lay the veggies out in one layer in the bottom of the dish. Then place the chicken on top. Cover the chicken breast pieces with hummus. Make sure that they are completely covered. (I added a little extra to mine)

Squeeze one lemon over the chicken and sprinkle with paprika. Thinly slice the second lemon and lay the slices between the chicken and veggies. Bake for 30 minutes, making sure that the chicken is cooked throughout. 

Just be careful that you don't overcook the chicken because it's a bit hard to tell when it is done with the hummus on top. I overcooked mine slightly, so I served it with a tiny bit of extra hummus to add some moisture back into the chicken. This dish is a not like eating normal chicken, so be sure to give it a try!

Curry Hummus

I love hummus, but for some reason I thought it was difficult to make...and up until recently I didn't have a food processor. While flipping through the Cooking Light cookbook I have, I saw a recipe for curry hummus. There were 5 ingredients: olive oil, salt, garbanzo beans, lemon, and curry powder. I figured that it was worth a try and plus I really wanted to use my food processor. Hummus is super easy to make because all you do is add the ingredients and process together. The trickiest part is getting the right consistency, which takes a little longer than I thought. Unfortunately, I took it out too soon, so there were still a few pieces of the garbanzo beans. Though I didn't make perfect hummus the first time, it was easy enough that I will definitely be making it again. This hummus is a great twist on the classic and a light, healthy summer snack.

No More Humdrum Hummus

Hummus is a versatile food that I can't seem to get enough of. Plus these days, there seem to be many different versions which makes it even more tempting. I am not sure where HEB came up with all these different ones, but I am totally digging the white bean hummus. It is topped with roasted red peppers and pesto, adding more depth of flavor. The white bean base creates a slight different taste to the hummus, but I must say that this could potentially be better than the regular one. I know, I know...how can you beat regular hummus? It's somewhat hard to explain because the difference is pretty subtle. All I can say is give it a try and see what you think. If you are looking to mix it up even more, than substitute a spoonful of hummus for your salad dressing on your salad. All you have to do it mix and eat. The best part is that it won't make your lettuce soggy. So instead of reaching for the chips, grab some hummus and cucumbers for a healthier snack.

Avocado Hummus

Hummus is one of my favorite snacks and there are some really good varieties out there - roasted garlic, red pepper, and Mediterranean Olive. I was really surprised when I saw avocado hummus. What is it you ask? Come to find out it is basically half chickpeas and half avocado. I love avocados and hummus, so I figured why not give it a try. At least then I can say I tried it. Here's the verdict... I wasn't entirely sure what to expect and at first I was a bit skeptical. It seemed a bit bland and you couldn't really taste the avocado. After I mixed it and it sat overnight, the flavors seemed to blend a bit more and the avocado was more prevalent. Honestly, I am still not entirely sure how to feel about it, but sometimes you just need to take a risk and give it a try. So if you are feeling up to a challenge, give it a go and then come back and let me know what you thought about it.

White Oak Kitchen + Drinks

I get very excited when I get the opportunity to see a good friend and doing that over a great meal is even better. For this occasion, we chose to try White Oak Kitchen + Drinks for Houston Restaurant Weeks. This is a new restaurant that is run by Westin Galleria that has a modern but intimate ambiance. First, we were started with an absolutely amazing sesame croissant. It was warm, crunchy on the outside, and soft and delicious on the inside. It was by far some of the best and most unique bread that I have had in a long time.

For the first course, we decided to try the hummus and the chicken tortilla soup. The hummus, which was slightly spicy from the cayenne pepper, was served with pita, carrots, and olives. The only thing I would say about that is that the pita was a bit on the chewy side... not the best pita I have had, but the hummus was good. The chicken tortilla soup was simple and perfect for the onset of fall. 

Next it was time for the main dish. I opted for the mahi mahi and got to try the Spanish skirt steak. The mahi mahi was served with two grilled shrimp, grilled veggies, and a sweet relish. I have never had mahi mahi before but it was delicious. It was mild and light and the sweetness of the relish paired well with the fish. The veggies were flavorful and simple. The naturalness of the dish was refreshing and surprisingly filling. The Spanish skirt steak was served with a chimicurri sauce and potatoes. It was well-seasoned and the chimicurri sauce added an additional pop of flavor. 

When it came to dessert, I found myself wanting to skip the other courses and just eat three courses worth of dessert. Sadly, I didn't get to do that so I had to make a decision between s'mores bread pudding or haute haute donuts. Since I order bread pudding recently, I opted for the donuts. However, these weren't like the donuts that you eat for breakfast. They were lightly fried, warm, and rolled in powdered sugar. They were served with three sauces: chocolate, raspberry, and caramel, which were so good! The sauce soaked in to the donut and gave it a completely different flavor with each sauce. Chocolate is chocolate and is just delicious in general. The raspberry sauce wasn't unnatural tasting and the caramel sauce didn't weigh the dessert down. The bread pudding was a play on one of my childhood favorites and was super yummy!

This is a great place to go to relax and unwind after a long day. It was delicious and when I go back, I want to try the macaroni and cheese. Be sure to try this out and enjoy all their great menu offerings. Thank you for such a wonderful meal and another opportunity to support the Houston Food Bank by eating for a cause.