Zucchini Hummus

I had some leftover zucchini kicking around my fridge this week, and way, way at the back of the fridge, I had a bit of tahini languishing, too. Last week, the the issue of Clean Eating Magazine came out and this recipe was in there. I immediately bookmarked it and made it this afternoon.

"Raw" Beanless Zucchini Hummus, adapted by moi

3 raw zucchinis, peeled & chopped
6 tbsp lemon juice
4 cloves garlic
2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 cup raw tahini
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
salt to taste

Blend everything except cilantro in a food processor until smooth. Add cilantro after desired consistency & flavour is achieved.

The original recipe called for soaked sesame or sunflower seeds, which I didn't see as necessary, and I didn't have any turmeric or cayenne pepper as specified, either. I added the cilantro on my own because I just love the stuff.

The recipe's write-up claimed that you wouldn't be able to tell that there weren't chickpeas in this, and it was actually right. I quite like this recipe because it's much lighter in texture than a lot of hummuses I've had in my time.

Totally a keeper recipe!

Magazine Monday #28: Olive & Sun-Dried Tomato...Something...

Today's recipe was a bit of a flop, but it was also a lesson in improvisation. I just got the latest edition of Clean Eating Magazine, and the recipe for Olive & Sun-Dried Tomato Spread caught my eye. It seemed simple enough so I decided to make it on the weekend.

Olive & Sun-Dried Tomato Spread (adapted slightly by me)

6 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (the original recipe specifies "not packed in oil" but that's all I had. If you have the dried ones, just soak them in some boiling water for 5 minutes, drain, chop)
6 oz low fat Greek-style yogurt
4 oz low fat cream cheese
3 tbsp black olives, seeded & chopped (I used Kalamata)
1/2 tsp dried oregano
ground black pepper, to taste
1 clove garlic, grated

Whiz the yogurt & cream cheese in blender until smooth. Mix in everything else by hand. Season to taste.

Seems simple enough, right? But, my spread was really runny and, though it tasted really great, it simply wasn't spreadable or even dip-able. Even after chilling overnight, the spread didn't tighten up at all. I used 3.5%MF yogurt, and I think it was a little runny for some reason. I can't explain the consistency any other way.

So, I had to do something with this. The note at the end of the recipe recommended all kinds of ideas for the spread, and so I thought I would turn this into a nice pasta salad.

Pasta Salad with Olive & Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing

1 recipe Olive & Sun-Dried Tomato Spread
2 cups penne or other short pasta, cooked & drained
3 cups chopped veggies of your choice (I used red pepper, cauliflower, green onion, and diced zucchini)

Rinse the pasta off under cold water after you've cooked it. Add it to the veggies in a large bowl. Add the dressing. Combine. Enjoy.

Well, there you go: proverbial lemons into proverbial lemonade!