roasted red pepper hummus

this is our favorite homemade hummus dip! it’s great with chips, pita wedges, vegetables, and whole wheat tortillas. we also make hummus wraps and sandwhiches using this. we make this almost every week…

ingredients:
jar of roasted red peppers (drained)
2 cans of organic garbanzo beans (washed and drained)
1/2 cup of Tahini
olive oil
2 tbs of water
1/2 tbs of chili powder
1 lemon
pinch of salt
fresh ground black pepper
2 gloves of garlic (pressed)
pinch of red pepper flakes
2 tbs of pine nuts
fresh chopped parsley
paprika

add 2 cans of washed and rinsed garbanzo beans to a blender. then, add 2 tbs of water. add roasted red peppers (you don’t have to chop them). add tahini, 4 tbs of olive oil, chili powder, salt, pepper, garlic, red pepper flakes. then, squeeze the entire lemon over the top of mixture. puree until very smooth. you will have to periodically stop blending to stir the mixture with a spoon. final mixture should be very smooth, without clumps.

transfer to a large serving bowl or container. drizzle top of hummus with olive oil. then sprinkle pine nuts, paprika, and fresh parsley over hummus.

refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

italian vegetable couscous

threw this together tonight and it was stellar.  we love couscous around here.  the kids didn’t even talk as they shoveled this meal into their faces.  pretty dang tasty and full of veggies.

ingredients:
1 zucchini cut lengthwise, then cut into 1 inch slices
1 green (or red) bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 yellow onion, cut into 1 inch pieces
8 oz whole button mushrooms
1 cup of vegetable primavera pasta sauce
1 cup of dry couscous cooked as directed
3 cloves garlic
2 handfuls of baby spinach leaves
salt, pepper
a few pinches of italian seasoning
1 tbs pesto sauce

heat large skillet with 1 tbs of olive oil on med high heat.  add onion, bell pepper, and zuchinni and cook until almost tender (about 4 minutes).  add mushrooms and continue to cook as they let off their juices and turn slightly brown.  peel garlic cloves, mash with a large spoon, then cut into slivers.  add garlic, salt, pepper, and italian seasoning and continue to stir the mixture as the vegetables cook.  don’t cook the vegetables too long, as you want them to be a little crunchy and not over-cooked.

lower the temperature to medium-low.  add the pasta sauce and stir.  add the pesto sauce and stir.  cover and let simmer for a few minutes, meanwhile prepare the couscous as directed.

stir in the handfuls of spinach and stir until wilted.

serve immediately over hot couscous. garnish with red pepper flakes and parsley.