Hummus with Salsa and Grilled Eggplant- Bat Yam, Israel

Hummus is a staple in Israel, and Israelis have found many interesting delicious ways to serve it. Basic hummus is vegan and gluten-free and provides a good deal of nutrients. This version adds some spice, color, and interest to an otherwise simple dip. 

Back From Vacation

I'm back from our 5 week vacation:  

We spent two weeks on a Mediterranean Cruise which had daily stops in ports in France, Italy and Spain, then we spent 3 days in Rome, and then flew to Israel for 2 weeks to visit family. 

It was a 13 hour flight from Tel Aviv to Miami so I'm totally jet-lagged and my post shows it. The photos do not match the story.

I promise to organize my photos for the next post!! 

We sailed on Celebrity Reflection cruise ship for a Meditteranean cruise  and was very pleased with the ship, the food, and the entertainment. 

Food in Israel - hummus with salsa and grilled eggplant ( Recipe to follow)

The cruise accommodated my special eating needs which included a strictly gluten-free diet along with my vegan diet (skip if you are not into what I was able to eat gluten-free and vegan)

What did I eat? 

Breakfast: 

I chose to go to the breakfast buffet most mornings where there was a gluten free section with bread, rolls, and muffins. I usually took the bread, got some sliced tomatoes and cucumbers and capers. I asked for guacamole to spread on my bread and enjoyed the meal with a cup of dcaf cappuccino made with almond milk. 

Picnic in Israel on the way to Sefat an ancient town in Israel. My cousin packed the meal.

Lunch: 

Most of the time, we were out touring during lunch time and usually skipped lunch. 

However, when we would return to the ship around 4:00, there was always salad available and gluten-free pizza, GF bread, fruit, hummus, etc. 

Vegan stuffed peppers-  ( easy recipe to follow) from my sister in law

Dinner: 

We always ate in the dining room and I pre-ordered my meal the evening before. We requested anytime dining and  the computer always had my order. 

On the streets of Jerusalem in the old city. A peddler selling bread! Not gluten free!

Indian recipes, Italian recipes, and my favorite dinner was dish of tofu, rice, and vegetables all tossed together. It was so good, I ordered it multiple times. There was also gluten free bread at each meal as well as wine and gluten free dessert.

My cousin in Israel made these delicious vegan stuffed grape leaves

This is how it worked for dinner. The night before, I filled out a menu of what I wanted for the next evening from a list of choices. The Italian spaghetti dinners were just ok because I did care for the sauce- it reminded me of Campbell's soup. 

 More pastries on the streets of Jerusalem - not gluten free- The best place for gluten free was in Italy .

Israel: 

In Israel, we mostly ate in the house of relatives. My husband has 50 (maybe more) first cousins in Israel as well as 3 aunts. We stayed with relatives in Tel Aviv / Bat Yam area,  Jerusalem, Rishon and visited relatives in Sefat and Haifa. We stayed in a hotel in Tiberias with my husband's sister and her married children and grandchildren. 

I  was not "gluten-ized" until I ate in a restaurant in Israel. We were on the beach in Bat Yam (near Tel Aviv) and decided to eat in a very charming beach front restaurant. 

I asked the waiter if anything was gluten -free. 

He went into the kitchen and returned saying that the kitchen said adamantly not to eat anything on the menu because of cross contamination. 

But I thought. What could be in a plain salad? 

So I ate a salad and the was the first time in all of the travels that I had severe stomach pains and "Shil-Shul" (Hebrew for diarrhea) for about 2 hours- not fun!!! I should have listened!! Europe and Israel take gluten-free very seriously. 

Hummus Appetizer With Mushrooms, Onions, and Chickpeas

Hummus with warm chickpeas, mushrooms, and onions makes a tasty appetizer that will keep your guests coming back for more. 

I forgot to take a photo when I made the warm appetizer;
this photo is after serving 

Sunday night we were invited to a cocktail party, and I was asked to make and bring "crispy mushrooms and hummus." I said that I would be glad to make it, but I wasn't familiar with how to make crispy mushrooms. The host shared that she had seen the recipe in the New York Times.

I was not able to locate the recipe, but I did find a few other recipes on the Internet that sounded similar.  This is my own recipe based on the sound of the name. 

My mushrooms and onions were sautéed and soft, but everyone seemed to like the final product. I also topped my hummus with chickpeas and pine nuts.

In the past, I've made a spectacular hummus appetizer that called for spreading the homemade hummus on a plate and then topping it with sliced olives, halved cherry tomatoes, cilantro, and pimentos. 

I now make a oil-free hummus that I used this time. 

I served this delicious warm appetizer with crudite of sliced cucumbers and baby carrots and some gluten free chips. 

How I made it:

• First I made my homemade hummus. oil-free hummus
• Next, I sautéed onions and mushrooms using vegetable broth 
• When done, I spread the hummus on a flat plate  
• Topped it with warm sautéed onions and mushrooms
• Added pine nuts and served while warm 
• For myself, I do not use oil- however I did drizzle with oil for the cocktail party 

Notes:

I sprinkled with a little garlic powder, salt, cracked pepper, and cumin - I thought about about red pepper flakes but held back.

The hummus was room temperature and the toppings were warm.

Easiest Mexican Black Bean Dip Made in Minutes

With the holidays and holiday parties just around the corner, you will be happy to have this quick and easy guilt-free Mexican black bean dip on hand that can be made last minute and in minutes to help spread the cheer! Tired of hummus? 

A Plant-Based Thanksgiving- 4 of My Favorite Appetizers

           

Whether your family gathering is large or small, Thanksgiving is a time when lasting memories are made and the aroma of delicious traditional holiday foods ooze from the kitchen. 

Making a plant-based Thanksgiving can be a challenge, but it is not as difficult as you might think. 

Most Thanksgiving sides are plant-based or can easily be made plant-based.  The greater challenge is finding the perfect entree to replace the Turkey. 

I sharing some of my favorite recipes from Thanksgiving's Past to help get think plant-based and gluten-free if you, a family member or guest have special eating needs this Thanksgiving. 

Appetizers Anyone? 

If you are like our family, we like to convene about 2:00 PM, hang around with some appetizers (and drinks)🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷 share some mingle time together, and then enjoy the Thanksgiving feast. 

In today's post, I will share appetizer ideas. 

Following posts will address the other parts of the meal: 

Soups, salads, sides, desserts and entree. 

Extraordinary Hummus Platter( recipe link) - Homemade hummus is always the best, but whether you decide to make your own (recipe provided for homemade hummus- recipe link) or use prepared hummus you can still make a wow presentation with this delicious hummus display. 

Avocado Vegan Caprese Appetizer  (recipe link)

A beautiful display of tomatoes, capers, basil, avocado and cucumbers. Healthy, tasty, and appealing. 

Spinach and Mushroom Stuffed Artichoke Bottoms (recipe link)

These are a little more work but absolutely delicious. Could be a side dish or an appetizer. 

Indian Style Vegan Vegetable Pakoras (recipe link)- Baked not fried and oil free. Easy to make and your family will love them. Again, serve them with the meal or as an appetizer. 

What time does your Thanksgiving meal begin? 

Do you mingle with appetizers and drinks or get right to the meal? 

Be on the lookout for My next 4 posts which will share ideas for Plant-based Thanksgiving recipes: 

• 
  
• Thanksgiving Soup Ideas and Recipes
• Thanksgiving Salad Ideas and Recipes
• Thanksgiving Sides Ideas and Recipes
• Thanksgiving Dessert Ideas and Recipes
• 
  

Hearts of Palm Angel Hair Pasta with Hummus Dressing

Pasta is one of my favorite foods, and there are so many "new" types of pasta available. 

The newest "pasta" that I found is "hearts of palm" angel hair pasta. It is made from 100 % hearts of palm and shredded to look like angel hair pasta. There are quite a few companies making it, and I believe Trader Joe sells one!

My 2nd Best Hummus Recipe Is Oil-Free

Are you looking for the best, yet easy, homemade lower fat hummus recipe? Well there is a reason I call this my second best (which is great).

Homemade hummus is so easy to make and most people like it.

The weather has been warm enough to invite family and/or friends to our deck for some casual outdoor dining. Homemade hummus is usually one of the appetizers that I like to serve to give guests when they get here to give them a chance to mingle and take the edge off their appetite before the meal. 

My new updated hummus recipe is light and creamy, absolutely delicious, and is always a hit!

My deck and chairs and table

My peonies are in full bloom 

Influenced by recipes from our Middle Eastern heritage, I am happy to share what I consider my 2nd best homemade hummus recipe because it is made without tahini or olive oil and is not strictly traditional like my Best Homemade hummus (recipe link).

I still like the hummus recipes that I've  previously shared with you on the blog. However, I'm always modifying my chickpea hummus recipe, so it is easier to make, uses less ingredients, and contains less oil and fat making this recipe heart healthy, weight watchers friendly, and oil-free. Of course all of my recipes are always gluten-free and now totally vegan since 2019. 

One easy way to reduce the calories is to reduce the fat. I did that in this recipe without sacrificing taste. I had 5 test tasters for this recipe and all concurred that is was a "5" out of 5!! (Included my 2 older grandkids)

This recipe calls for only five ingredients: 

Cooked chickpeas, whole sesame seeds, aquafaba (the starchy liquid that is a result of cooking dry chickpea or the liquid in the can of chickpeas) freshly squeezed lemon juice, and whole cumin seeds (plus any seasoning you like such as salt, pepper, or garlic powder). 

I Use Sesame Seeds Instead of Tahini Paste

You may have noticed that this delicious recipe omits one of the  traditional ingredients in hummus- tahini !

I do like the taste of the thick white tahini paste, but did you ever open a container of it? It's swimming in oil. 

For this recipe, I've eliminated  the intensely caloric tahini from my recipe. However, I brought the sesame flavor back in with some whole sesame seeds. 

Great Flavor 

Truthfully, I was surprised that I could leave out the tahini and still create a great  authentic tasting hummus that was simple and healthy.

I used my food processor and processed everything until I reached a very light, smooth, and creamy whipped consistency.

The aquafaba (cooking liquid from the chickpeas)  is the secret. It really adds a lovely flavor and a little extra starch to the recipe.

At the end, I always love to garnish the dip with some whole cooked chickpeas and a little salt. 

If you are looking for a healthy dip to serve to company or as a snack for yourself- THIS IS IT!!

It feels like summer!!

Ingredients: 

2 cups of cooked chickpeas (or one 15 ounce can)

(save 6 chickpeas for garnish) 

2 tablespoons of whole sesame seeds

1/4 cup of cooking liquid from the chickpeas or can (aquafaba)

1/4 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon of cumin seeds (plus more for garnish)

Optional: salt, ground pepper, or garlic powder to taste

Directions: 

Place the sesame seeds and chickpeas in the food processor. Pulse until begins to come together. With the motor running, slowly begin to add the lemon juice. Then add as much of the aquafaba as needed to get a thick yet creamy whipped consistency. (you may only need a tablespoon of the 1/4 cup). Add the cumin seeds and pulse once. 

Spread on a flat plat, decorate with a few chickpeas and additional cumin seeds if desired. 

Again, if you are looking for my absolutely best traditional hummus recipe follow the (recipe link for hummus)

My Notes: 

Tahini contains

 90 calories/tablespoon. 8 grams of fat and 2 grams of fiber 

Sesame seeds contain

 52 calories/tablespoon, 1.6 grams of fat and 1.06 grams of fiber 

My friend Laura spills off all the oil from her tahini paste to reduce the calories leaving thick dry paste.

This recipe is oil-free, gluten-free, vegan, kosher, -perfect for most of your guests. 

WW Zero Point and Low Fat Hummus

WW low Fat zero point hummus ? Amazing and I love the idea. 

Hummus is a great snack. However, the tahini sesame paste and the olive oil are caloric and high in fat. Try this one little change to lighten up your hummus and make it zero points on WW.

Homemade Falafel- Vegan and Gluten-free

Homemade falafel tastes the BEST! 

It's fresh, delicately spiced, absolutely delicious and can be made relatively easily in your very own kitchen! This is our favorite plant-based recipe that can be eaten for lunch or dinner.