Beet Hummus

This hot pink hummus will dazzle your guests!  My friend Hilary made a beet dip for a potluck at my house and everyone couldn't get enough of the sweet and tangy dip.  I was inspired to make my own using a little lime juice and tahini and it turned out beautifully.  Feel free to play around with this recipe.  Also, please don't throw out the beet greens- they are so yummy and nutritious - just saute them with some garlic and enjoy!

Ingredients

• 4 medium beets, chopped into quarters
• 2 large cloves of garlic, peeled
• 1 tbs of sesame tahini
• 2 juicy limes
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1 tsp of pepper
• 1/4 cup of olive oil

Directions

1. Roast beets and garlic in a little olive oil in the oven for 35-40 minutes at 400 degrees F.  (If you want to save time you can steam the beets and garlic for about about 15 minutes.)
2. In a food processor, process the beets and garlic.
3. Add the tahini, lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper and blend until smooth and delicious!
4. Enjoy with some gluten free crackers, carrots, or spread on a gluten free sandwich!

Gluten Free Cookies and Chai

If you live in San Francisco, you have to stop by the Chai Cart to try one of my friend Nicole's amazing gluten free and vegan cookies!  Her company, Sweets Simply is selling cookies at the Chai Cart which is located on Market street downtown during the week and Valencia street on the weekends.  I got to try some of her samples and let me tell you - her cookies are amazing!  Her rose water pistachio cookie was heavenly and went so well with the chai.  Keep in mind that she uses evaporated cane juice (sugar), but otherwise they are pretty pure in ingredients!  She is also experimenting with some agave sweetened treats, so stay tuned! Also, not to make you jealous, but the other day I got to indulge in an ice cream sandwich she made for a party, using her double chocolate gluten free/vegan cookies and Coconut Bliss ice cream- it was to die for!  It inspired me to make my own ice cream sandwiches!

So, what are you waiting for?  Go by the Chai Cart and try a cookie for yourself!

Chickpea Burger

I recently became obsessed with Pinterest, where I have pinned over 200 gluten/sugar/dairy free recipes that I've collected!  I noticed a lot of recipes with chickpeas, including a chickpea "tuna salad," and I was reminded of a recipe in Heidi Swanson's "Super Natural Cooking" cook book for a chickpea burger that becomes the bun!  I thought this was a brilliant idea since veggie burgers can be very starchy and when placed between two pieces of gluten free bread, it's a little heavy on carbs.  Not just because it's less healthy, but because the taste experience is less exciting; it's nice to have a variety of textures and flavors in a bite.  I altered her recipe to be completely gluten free and added some sesame seeds to make it pretty (and healthy!)  I used sprouted chickpeas (*directions on sprouting at the bottom), but you can also use canned ones.  Please fill your burger with any ingredients you like: kale, mushrooms, avocado, tomato, alfalfa sprouts, etc.

Ingredients:  

• 2 cups of chickpeas (sprouted or canned)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, shredded
• 1 cup of gluten free bread crumbs or processed gluten free oats
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• 1/2 tsp of pepper
• the zest of one lemon
• 4 large eggs (or substitute with 4 tbs of ground flax seed mixed with 8 tbs of water)
• a few tablespoons of sesame seeds
• 1 avocado, 1 tomato, a bunch of mushrooms, mixed greens, some marinated tofu (or whatever veggies you want to put in between the buns!)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. If using sprouted chickpeas, steam them for a few minutes until soft.  If using canned chickpeas, just rinse and drain them well.
3. In a food processor blend the chickpeas 'till they are thick and mushy.  Transfer to a large bowl.
4. Mix in the shredded carrots and chopped onions, bread crumbs/oats, salt, pepper, zest and eggs.
5. Form dough into patties. 
6. Lay sesame seeds into a shallow bowl and dip each pattie into the seeds to coat the top.
7. Bake patties in the oven for about 20-25 minutes.
8. While they are baking, saute the mushrooms; slice the tomato, tofu, and avocado; and wash the salad greens.
9. When chickpea patties are ready, let them cool, and then slice them in half to make two sides of the "bun."
10. Slap on some mayo or hummus, add your fixings and enjoy!

*How to sprout chickpeas:

1. Soak chickpeas in a bowl of clean water for 8 hours or more.  
2. Drain chickpeas and place them in a colander overnight.
3. Rinse the chickpeas a few times and return them to the colander.
4. Repeat for another day or two until you see sprouts coming out of the chickpeas!

Feasting with Friends

Last week my friends and I came together in the name of our three favorite things: food, fashion, and friendship.  We had not seen each other all summer and decided to reunite by watching "Project Runway," and feasting on delicious vegetarian tacos!  My friend Anita went all out, buying fresh corn tortillas and the best organic veggies in town.  She made an incredible slaw with cabbage, red peppers, avocados and tomatoes with an amazing dressing full of shallots, lime, and cilantro.  My friend Ravi refried the black beans for us with some garlic and pickled peppers.  I made a simple salad of mixed greens from the farmer's market, cherry tomatoes, fresh corn, avocados, and lime dressing.  We threw the ingredients together onto the warm tortillas and noshed as we shouted out our favorite designs (Fabio's) and least favorites (Ven's) on the runway.  I couldn't have felt more nourished at the end of the night!