Creamy homemade hummus —a classic Mediterranean dip perfect for sharing.
Ingredients:
15ouncecan chickpeas/garbanzo, rinsed and drained well
juice from 1 lemonabout 1/4 cup
3/4teaspoonkosher or sea salt
1-2clovesgarlicvery finely minced
1/4cupplain yogurt
3tablespoonsextra virgin olive oilplus more for drizzling
1/4teaspoonsmoked paprika
minced fresh parsley
Instructions:
In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, lemon juice, salt, garlic and yogurt. Process for 1 minute, then open the food processer and scrape the sides. Process for another minute.
While the processor is running, pour in the olive oil. Taste and check for smooth consistency.
If the hummus is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of water.
Just before serving, sprinkle with smoked paprika, fresh parsley and drizzle with additional olive oil.
Enjoy on pita bread, fresh vegetables like carrots and cucumbers, or as a spread in sandwiches and wraps!
Every vegetable has its season, and for me, a favorite is “asparagus” season – when the first early Spring crops arrive and the price per pound drops.There are so many ways to prepare asparagus – classic steamed; drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and roast with garlic of course; and pickled.Yes, pickled asparagus spears – oh, yum!
One of our family traditions is to prepare “Spring Asparagus Soup” for St. Patrick’s Day on March 17th.It’s perfect for our Irish heritage (my mom’s maiden name was Fitzpatrick) to have green soup and corned beef.This is a quick and easy soup to prepare, low in calories and asparagus is such a nutrient rich vegetable.
Asparagus is a young tender shoot (spear) vegetable, which emerges from its underground root system. Their use as food was well recognized by the ancient Greeks and Romans as a prized delicacy. One of the oldest recorded vegetables, its thought to have originated along the coastal regions of eastern Mediterranean and Asia Minor regions. Botanically, it is a herbaceous perennial plant (meaning it will come back year after year with a little attention and maintenance) belonging to the Asparagaceae family. It is closely related to the Liliaceae plants which also include onion, garlic, tulip, daffodil, etc – all the heralds of Spring.Plant asparagus crowns in early spring, and once established, this plant can provide an abundance of healthy spears after a couple years.Young scaly edible spears emerge from the underground extensive matted root systems, which can be ready for harvest in early Spring in some areas, usually by late Spring here on the Oregon Coast.When I see my asparagus making an appearance in the garden, that’s when I know it’s Spring.
Asparagus is a very low-calorie vegetable. 1 cup (134 g) fresh spears carry just 40 calories.Fresh asparagus is a good source of dietary fiber, Vitamins A, C, E and K, as well as the B vitamins. Asparagus is an excellent source of minerals, copper, iron,. calcium, potassium, manganese, and phosphorus.
This soup is so easy to prepare, elegant and very nourishing.And if Spring had a flavor or taste – it’s Asparagus soup! Serve it for your Easter dinner, and when it’s spring asparagus season – stock up!The soup freezes well, too.You can use vegetable stock and then it is vegan/vegetarian and is also gluten-free.
SPRING ASPARAGUS SOUP
2 1/2 lbs. asparagus
3 T. butter
1/2 C. minced onion
4-6 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 t. ground coriander
4-6 C. chicken or vegetable stock
Salt and White Pepper
1.Steam asparagus to tender, bright green.
2.Cut tips and reserve.Cut remaining stalks into 1″ pieces.
3.Sauté onion, garlic and coriander in butter in large heavy pan, until soft, not browned.
4.Add asparagus stalks.Simmer 10-15 minutes
5.Puree in blender or with submersible blender
6.Pour back in pan; add stock; add asparagus tips.Heat to hot.
Warm and comforting whole-wheat banana bread that is perfect any time of day. Oats add to the moist texture.
Ingredients
1 cups oats (quick-cooking or old fashioned rolled)
¼ cup nonfat or low-fat milk
2 eggs
⅓ cup vegetable oil
½ cup sugar
1 cup mashed ripe banana
1 ½ cups whole-wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
Directions
Wash hands with soap and water.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of an 8- or 9-inch bread pan.
In a medium bowl, mix together the oats, milk, eggs, oil, sugar and mashed banana. Let this mixture stand for at least 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Add the wet oat mixture to the dry flour mixture and stir gently to combine. Be careful not to overmix.
Pour the mixture into the bread pan and spread evenly.
Bake a 9-inch loaf for 45 minutes or an 8-inch loaf for 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. If you have a food thermometer, the center of the loaf will be at least 190 degrees F.
Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
Remove the loaf from the pan and let cool completely on a rack. Slice to serve.
Wrap to store for several days or freeze for up to a month.
Recipe from Foodhero.org
Other wellness questions? Email us at info@tillamookcountywellness.org. For more local health and wellness information, visit www.tillamookcountywellness.org or follow Tillamook County Wellness on Facebook and Instagram.
Here’s a beginner’s guide to help you create an appealing charcuterie board for your upcoming event.
Plan for the board size according to your group. It’s better to overshoot on size than to run out of room
Place the cheeses in strategic spots. If you pull them out of the refrigerator an hour or so ahead of time the room temperature makes for better flavor. They can be used to prop up any potentially rolling items like berries
Add any small decorative bowls (dips, olives, anything you’d like the flavor to stay contained)
If you are going to add any meat you will want to curve or curl them
Arrange crackers and condiments
Fill in all the gaps with fruit and veggies
Add nuts and/or chocolate.
Add garnish!
Harvest Charcuterie
1 8-ounce wheel of brie
4 ounces Manchego cheese, sliced into ¼ inch triangles
5 ounces cheddar cheese, sliced into ¼ inch pieces
1 cup seedy crackers
8 dried breadsticks (halved if necessary, to fit on board)
2 cups black grapes
3 figs, halved
1 cup berries (blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries)
½ cup olives
¼ cup gherkins
¼ cup dried ginger pieces
1 tablespoon pepitas
1 tablespoon dried cranberries
Garnish with rosemary, basil, or any leafy lettuce
Charcuterie is an art medium and you are the artist.
Looking for a kid-friendly, nutritious snack that’s perfect for when you’re on the move? Give these Peanut Butter Cereal Bars a try! Whole grain oats, peanut butter, and dried fruit make a crispy, chewy treat.
Ingredients
½ cup honey (see Notes)
1 cup peanut butter
2 cups rice cereal
2 cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup raisins or other dried fruit
Directions
Wash hands with soap and water.
In a saucepan, bring honey to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and stir in peanut butter.
Add cereal, oats and raisins; mix well. Remove from heat.
Lightly grease an 8×8-inch baking pan. Press mixture into pan. When cool, cut into 16 bars.
Store in an airtight container for up to a week.
Notes
Try this recipe with 4 cups of unsweetened cereal flakes instead of the rice cereal and oats.
Honey is not recommended for children under 1 year old.
To avoid peanuts or peanut butter, try sunflower seeds or sunflower seed butter.
Photo and recipe credit: https://foodhero.org/recipes/peanut-butter-cereal-bars
