Homemade Hummus - a low fat recipe

Talk about easy. Making hummus can be summarized in three quick steps: 1) add ingredients to food processor, 2) puree, and 3) eat. But leave it to me to complicate things a little. I thought I'd at least try and lighten up this Middle Eastern staple. Which is not to say that I have anything against the traditional ingredients used in original recipes. The distinctive flavors of chick peas with creamy tahini and fresh parsley, served with warm pieces of pita bread, solicits day dreams of antiquated seaside villages, and brilliant, blue Mediterranean waters, permeated by the actual aromas of sesame, olive oil, and lemons.

Since my goal was to reduce calories, the first ingredient I manipulated was tahini. Tahini is simply toasted sesame seeds which have been ground into a paste. Sesame seeds are also used to make sesame oil so it follows that tahini would contain a good amount of fat. I decided to substitute it for greek yogurt. Low fat greek yogurt, in particular, because it contains just enough fat to lend a creamy texture to the dip but, at the same time, is not as high in calories as tahini. (One hundred and twenty calories per cup of low fat yogurt compared to eighty eight per tablespoon of tahini.)

Next came the lemon juice. I discovered Moroccan preserved lemons last spring and have been using it in most of my seafood dishes and stews, so I always keep some in my refrigerator. The preserving solution also comes in handy but not in a calorie-specific way. It simply imparts a strong, tangy flavor and can be used in most savory dishes that call for fresh lemon juice. But where can one find Moroccan preserved lemons, besides Morocco? They are not as elusive as the name might suggest. I know that Whole Foods carries it as do many imported food stores. But if you can't find them at all, go ahead and use the juice of fresh lemons - the fact that your hummus is fresh and homemade will eclipse any minor ingredient substitution.

Homemade Hummus

Makes approximately 2 cups

1 can chick peas

2 garlic cloves

1/4 plain greek yogurt*

2 tbsp preserved lemon juice **

1/4 cup chopped parsley

2 tbsp olive oil

1. Drain the chick peas from the can and add to a pot with just enough water to cover them. Boil for ten minutes. Drain and add to food processor with the garlic, yogurt, and lemon juice. Puree until smooth.

2. Fold in the parsley, and transfer to a serving bowl. Just before serving, drizzle with the olive oil and garnish with pickled peppers (optional.) Serve with pieces of pita bread or whole grain crackers.

* Here I used low fat greek yogurt for a lower calorie hummus but for the traditional version, simply use the same amount of tahini instead.

** If you can't find preserved lemon juice, use the juice of fresh lemons.

Farmers Market Yellow Bean Coconut Soup

There are may aspects of the Minneapolis farmer's market that I enjoy. The variety, of course. Stall after stall of fresh sweet corn, juicy heirloom tomatoes, and all manner and shades of greens and herbs. My first experience in an American farmers market was not here but in St Joseph, Minnesota where I attended college. A little background: this was a small college town with a couple bars, couple churches, one coffee shop and one grocery so you can guess that the options for fresh produce were minimal. Until summer came around and the farmers came out. It was as though I was tasting fresh food again for the first time. The Minneapolis version is like that for me but on a much larger scale. There is always something new and interesting to try and, consequently, some new inspiration. Last weekend, it was yellow string beans. (See recipe below for Yellow Bean Coconut Soup.)

Oddly enough, it is the size of the market that also attracts me. The sheer volume of people who throng the Lyndale location is unlike much of the city during the rest of the year, with the exception of the State Fair. Saturday morning crowds turn that part of town into a scene more characteristic to uber metropolises like New York City and Los Angeles. Maybe it's the fact that for most of the year nothing comes close to the the noise and outdoor energy that I just savor the congestion while it's here. Or the the notion that everyone there, at that one moment, is connected by the same purpose: searching our wholesome food, for themselves or to feed their families.

There are many more reasons we should try to eat locally, especially during the summer when it's more convenient. My feeling is that, more than anything, it bridges the gap between producers and consumers by allowing for direct contact between the two. These farmers bring high quality, wholesome, fresh foods to an area or population that otherwise would have had to pay more than almost twice the price in conventional grocery stores. Of course for many people, including myself, it is not always convenient to shop locally but when there's all of that fresh food and endless variety just a quick three and a half miles away, I just can't help myself.

Jennifer Wilkins of Cornell University makes a good case for eating locally. Click here to read her opinion piece. And here to find a farmers market close to you.

Yellow Bean and Coconut Soup

Serves 4

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup diced onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 dried red chillies (optional)

4 basil leaves

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 lb fresh yellow string beans

3 cup low sodium vegetable stock

1 1/2 coconut milk (reduced fat)

salt and pepper

1. Heat a large stock pot over medium heat. Add olive oil, onion, and garlic. Saute for ten minutes until onions soften then add basil, turmeric and two thirds of the beans (chopped). Saute an additional eight to ten minutes to slightly soften the beans.

2. Add the vegetable broth and coconut milk, cover and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for eight to ten minutes.

3. Meanwhile, toss the remaining beans with two tablespoon olive oil, season with salt and pepper and roast in a 500 degree F oven until brown on the edges, about six to eight minutes Set aside until ready to serve soup.

4. To serve: puree the coconut-yellow bean soup base to desired consistency (I like it almost smooth and silky) and serve over a handful of the roasted beans.

Chinese Bean Soup (with Sichuan Peppercorns)

My knowledge of authentic Chinese cuisine is limited but that does not prevent me from experimenting with various Chinese ingredients. One of my favorites is sichuan peppercorns. I still remember my first sichuan meal: more spicy than I had expected but what a meal! Spicy beef short ribs, chicken with green beans, and bean sprouts in a spicy broth. Since that delightful induction, sichuan cuisine is now high up on my list of ethnic indulgences.

The two main elements of sichuan cuisine are chili peppers and peppercorns. Despite its name, the sichuan peppercorn itself is not spicy but imparts a tingling, numbing sensation on the lips and tongue. With quite a unique aroma and taste, these tiny pods have an overtone I can only describe as similar to the aroma of lime leaves.

If used in excess, the taste can be overpowering, especially in a mild bean soup such as this. When I first made this recipe, I added a teaspoon to the beans while they softened and a teaspoon to the mushrooms. Instead of a bean soup, it tuned out to be a peppercorn soup, with a taste that was almost medicinal. Ultimately, a single teaspoon was just enough to impart the desired level of sichuan flavor .





Chinese Bean Soup

Serves two to three

1/2 cup black eyed beans
1/2 pint cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp black szechuan peppercorns
2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 tbsp chilli oil
3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 egg

1 green chili, chopped (more or less; optional)

1. Wash and boil black eyed beans in two cups of water until fork tender. I prefer using the pressure cooker for this as it softens the peas in about 10 minutes, as opposed to traditional boiling which can take up to half an hour. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat a stock or other deep pot over medium heat. Toss mushrooms with garlic and oil. Saute with peppercorns for five minutes. Stir in vegetable broth and cooked beans. Cover, reduce heat slightly and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes.

3. Whisk egg separately, pour into soup, quickly stir to distribute and remove soup from heat.

4. Serve immediately with small pieces of chopped fresh green chilli.

Edamame Succotash

One aspect I admire in the traditional Native American culture was their ability to work with nature, not rushing the seasons but making good use of the bounties of each one. Succotash is an example of this wholeness with nature. Invented by the Native Americans themselves, this dish consisted mainly of lima beans and corn, two crops that grew abundantly, each with unique characteristics. Lima beans are full of protein while corn packed a high concentration of starch. Combined, they made a wholesome, nutritious meal which supplemented daily activities.

Succotash has survived history while being transformed into a dish that spans more than just a combination of lima beans and corn. In the southern United States, a mixture of vegetables and lima beans are combined with butter. In some parts of the midwest, green beans and lima beans are combined. In other places, kidney beans are substituted for lima beans.

In a small kitchen in Minneapolis, edamame and lima beans are mixed with red peppers, red onion and rosemary pecans, and tossed in a tangy key lime dressing.


Edamame Succotash

1 cup shelled edamame, already steamed
1 can red kidney beans, drained
1/2 cup diced red onions
1/2 cup marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
1 red red bell pepper, diced
1 cup rosemary honey pecans (optional; see recipe below)
key lime dressing (see recipe below)

Combine all ingredients and toss well. Chill before serving.


Key Lime Vinaigrette
5-6 key limes, juiced
2 tsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp pepper flakes
3 tbsp grape seed oil
1 tbsp red wine
sea salt and pepper

1. Whisk together lime juice and sugar until sugar disolves.
2. Add pepper flakes and grape seed oil until a slight emulsion forms. Whisk in red wine and season with salt and pepper.



Rosemary Honey Pecans
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/4 tsp chili powder
salt and pepper
4 cups pecan halves

1. In a sauce pan over medium heat. add honey, rosemary and chili powder. Cook for two minutes until honey has liquified.
2. Remove pan from heat and toss pecans thoroughly until well coated. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Spread out on a baking sheet and allow to cool.