GET HUMMUS TO THE GREEK

I LOVE HUMMUS. WE HAVE A LOVE AFFAIR THAT GOES WAY BACK WHEN I WAS STILL RIDING THE BUS TO SCHOOL.  MY FAVORITE PLACE FOR IT WAS SMEARED ON MY GARDENBURGERS THAT MY MOM SO LOVINGLY BOUGHT FOR ME.  WHEN I WAS 17 I WORKED AT A CAFE MAKING SALADS. IT WAS OWNED BY A GREEK FAMILY (AND STILL IS - PROPS TO THE RIVERSIDE!).  ONCE A SUMMER CHERYL WOULD MAKE A DELICIOUS BUCKET OF HUMMUS. AND WHEN CHERYL MADE HUMMUS, I PAYED ATTENTION.  AND WHEN I SAY I PAYED ATTENTION, I KNEW THE MAIN INGREDIENTS, AND THAT WAS ABOUT IT. BECAUSE CHERYL DID NOT USE A MEASURING CUP OR A MEASURING SPOON.  AND SHE WAS NEVER TIMID ABOUT THROWING IN THE GARLIC. AND THAT DAMN HUMMUS ALWAYS TASTED GLORIOUS. SO SHE OBVIOUSLY KNEW WHAT SHE WAS DOING.  SO OVER THE YEARS I HAVE PERFECTED MY HUMMUS MAKING, BUT TO THIS DAY I HAVE NEVER USED ANY MEASUREMENTS.  I JUST MAKE SURE THERE IS LOTS AND LOTS OF GARLIC!!!

I RECENTLY SOAKED SOME GARBANZOS AND SOME BLACK BEANS.  I ALWAYS JUST MADE MY HUMMUS WITH STRAIGHT UP GARBANZO BEANS, WHICH IS THE TRADITIONAL.  BUT TODAY I WANTED TO USE UP MY BLACK BEANS TOO.  I THINK THEY ADDED TO THE TEXTURE OF THIS BATCH.  THEY CERTAINLY DIDN'T TAKE ANYTHING AWAY FROM IT.  DON'T BE AFRAID TO ADD WHATEVER YOU WANT IN YOUR HUMMUS, YOU CAN'T REALLY MESS IT UP. ALTHOUGH, I DON'T THINK CHOCOLATE CHIPS WOULD BE A GOOD ADDITION. USE YOUR BRAIN TOO :)

YOU CAN FIND SEASAME TAHINI NEXT TO YOUR NUT BUTTERS.  IT IS ON THE PRICEY SIDE BUT IT COMES IN HANDY.  I LIKE TO INCORPERATE IT IN SOME OF MY ASIAN INSPIRED DISHES. AND IT KEEPS VERY WELL AS LONG AS YOU REFRIDGERATE IT AFTER OPENING.  THIS I FOUND OUT THE HARD WAY :(

EMILY'S GARLICKY LEMONY HUMMUS

ABOUT 2 CUPS OF GARBANZO BEANS (LIKE I SAID, I ADDED BLACK BEANS TOO)

1/4 CUP WATER (IF USING SOAKED,DRY BEANS - IF USING CANNED JUST UTILIZE SOME OF THE LIQUID HERE)

2 TABLESPOONS OF OLIVE OIL

2 TABLESPOONS OF SESAME TAHINI

JUICE OF 1 FRESH LARGE LEMON

A COUPLE HANDFULS OF FRESH PARSLEY (OPTIONAL - I JUST HAD SOME ON HAND)

4 CLOVES OF FRESH GARLIC (YOU CAN USE LESS OR MORE - THIS IS MY PREFERENCE)

ADD INGREDIENTS IN A BLENDER/FOOD PROCESSOR AND BLEND WELL. I USED MY TRUSTY MAGIC BULLET - I DID BLEND IN 2 BATCHES, JUST BREAKING UP THE RECIPE IN HALF AND THEN MIXING IT ALL TOGETHER IN THE END.  

P.S - I FIND IT TASTES BETTER IF YOU USE FRESH LEMON AND FRESH GARLIC CLOVES.  THAT LEMON JUICE IN THAT LITTLE PLASTIC LEMON IS NEVER THE SAME. AND THE MINCED GARLIC JUST NEVER HAS THAT SAME ATTITUDE AS A FRESHLY CHOPPED CLOVE. 

HUMMUS - ALTHOUGH NOT A PRETTY FOOD, IT IS AWESOMELY DELICIOUS!!

MY NEW ENDEAVOR - A LIFE CHANGER!

A FEW MONTHS AGO, I FINALLY DECIDED TO WATCH THE MOVIE "FOOD INC."  BEFORE GETTING MYSELF INTO IT, I HAD IDEAS ABOUT HOW OUR FOOD INDUSTRY WAS RAN - INHUMANE CONDITIONS FOR ANIMALS, HORMONE USE, PESTICIDES, ETC.  BUT I JUST CHOSE TO BE BLISSFULLY IGNORANT! UNTIL NOW!

AFTER BEING INFORMED BY THIS DOCUMENTARY I STARTED DIGGING, AND DIGGING AND DIGGING!  I DISCOVERED WHAT A "GMO" REALLY IS, AND I NOW USE THE NAME "MONSANTO" IN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE CORRUPTION OF OUR FOOD INDUSTRY. 

I STARTED JUST BUYING AS MUCH ORGANIC AS I CAN AND ONLY BUYING FREE RANGE, HORMONE FREE ANIMAL PRODUCTS.  THEN I JUST GOT SICK OF IT ALL.  I REALIZED THAT YES, I CAN LIVE WITHOUT MEAT.  EGGS, I CAN KISS YOU GOODBYE FOR SURE.  AND DIARY - WELL, MILK AND I HAVE NEVER REALLY BEEN GREAT FRIENDS.  I CHOSE ALMOND MILK INSTEAD.  

CHEESE WAS A DIFFERENT STORY.  I LOVE CHEESE.  THAT WAS THE LAST THING I GAVE UP.  AND I THINK I WILL SURVIVE.

SO, BASICALLY WHAT I AM SAYING HERE IS THAT I AM A VEGAN!  I AM A STRAIGHT UP PLANT-BASED DIET GIRL! AND LET ME TELL YOU - I HAVE NEVER FELT BETTER! MY BODY FEELS CLEAN AND MY MIND FEELS LIBERATED.  

I HAVE BEEN EXPERIMENTING WITH FOOD EVER SINCE. AND TODAY I MADE A WINNER!  I CALL IT MY VEGAN APPLE PEAR CRUMBLE.  IT WAS A COLD SNOWY DAY TODAY AND I WANTED SOMETHING WARM AND SWEET THIS AFTERNOON.  I HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF FRUIT RIGHT NOW FOR MY DAILY JUICING, SO I GRABBED SOME APPLES AND PEARS, STARTED CHOPPING AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED....

VEGAN APPLE PEAR CRUMBLE

FRUIT FILLING

2 SMALL APPLES ( I USED GALA)

2 BARTLETT PEARS

CINNAMON TO TASTE

NUTMEG TO TASTE

1 TABLESPOON AGAVE NECTAR

2 TABLESPOONS ORGANIC CANE SUGAR

 2 TABLESPOONS ORGANIC BROWN SUGAR

ABOUT 1/2 CUP OF WATER

2 TABLESPOONS OF CORN STARCH

CRUMBLE

3/4 CUP OF ORGANIC BAKING MIX

2 TABLESPOONS OF GROUND FLAX

1/4 CUP OF ORGANIC STEEL CUT OATS (OR QUICK OATS)

1 TABLESPOON OF ORGANIC BROWN SUGAR

A FEW SHAKES OF CINNAMON

1 TABLESPOON ORGANIC VEGETABLE OIL

ENOUGH UNSWEETENED ALMOND MILK TO MOISTEN

IN A SAUCEPAN COMBINE FRUIT FILLING INGREDIENTS EXCEPT CORNSTARCH, BRING TO A GENTLE BOIL.  SIMMER FOR ABOUT 5-10 MINUTES.

WHISK IN CORNSTARCH AND STIR UNTIL THICKENS.  I COOKED A LITTLE LONGER UNTIL FRUIT SEEMED TENDER.  REMOVE FROM HEAT.

POUR INTO BAKING DISH

IN A BOWL COMBINE CRUMBLE INGREDIENTS, STIR TILL MIXED.  SPOON ON TOP OF FRUIT FILLING.

BAKE AT 350 UNTIL CRUMBLE IS GOLDEN BROWN. ABOUT 10-15 MINUTES.  (I HONESTLY DIDN'T TIME IT.)

PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT I DIDN'T MEASURE ANYTHING EXCEPT THE CORNSTARCH.  THIS IS ALL JUST USING MY BEST JUDGEMENT!  I ALSO ADDED SOME VEGAN BLUEBERRY GRANOLA ON THE TOP OF THE CRUMBLE THAT I HAD IN MY CUPBOARD.  GET CREATIVE KIDS!!