Sweet and Smoky Butternut Squash Hummus

I love to look at all the winter squashes in the supermarket. They look so wonderful and fall-ish....what to do with them is quite another story. I'm not used to cooking with them. Most recipes I've tried with them are "nice for a change" but don't get added on to the "make often" list.
This particular butternut squash hummus did make it to my make often list. And with good reason - tastes yummy, easy to make, makes a lot, and is super nutritious. Nutrition benefits, you ask? Even if you didn't, here goes.

• Rich in phytonutrients and antioxidants
• Low in fat
• High In fiber
• Significant amounts of potassium, important for bone health, and vitamin B6, essential for the proper functioning of both the nervous and immune systems.
  
• Contains folate
  
• Carotenoids that are shown to protect against heart disease
• High levels of beta-carotene

Am I a nutritionist? No. The above benefits are from this article on the wholeliving website. Here is the link to the nutrition facts if you are interested.
Personally, if I eat something as natural as a vegetable, I don't worry too much about what's in it. Chances are that it's gonna have something in it that my body needs.
On to the recipe.
The roasted butternut squash makes an excellent replacement for the cooked chickpeas in a traditional hummus recipe. In this recipe, I replace a clove of garlic with some good quality garlic powder (try Trader Joe's or the gourmet series in the McCormick brand). It makes it milder and your breath less offensive after wards if you pack it for lunch.
The sweet and creamy texture makes you feel like you're eating some indulgent but really it's so good for you. It makes a convenient lunch for the kiddos stuffed in whole wheat pita pockets. For them I reduce the chipotle hot sauce quantity. For B and me, I increase it. See if you like the sound of it.

Sweet and Smoky Butternut Hummus

Ingredients

• 1 medium butternut squash halved and seeded
  
• 1/4 cup tahini (sesame paste)
• juice of 2 limes
• 2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (use it to blend with or top with)
  
• salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon good garlic powder
• 1-2 chipotle pepper from a can depending on how hot you like it or cheat by using the Tobasco Chipotle hot sauce like I do
  

Method

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Place the butternut squash cut side up on the baking sheet. Bake for about an hour. Test with a knife to see if cooked through. Remove from the oven and let it cool to room temperature. Use a big spoon to scoop out all the flesh. Put all the ingredients in the blender (I use my Vita-Mix) and blend till smooth. Top with olive oil and chipotle sauce if you wish. Serve with toasted pita chips or stuff into whole wheat pita pockets for lunch to go. This recipe goes to the healthnut Yasmeen who is hosting the Healing Foods Challenge. The round up will be really interesting.

Fruity Green Smoothie And Why I Love My Vita-Mix

One of the challenges about healthy eating that most people face is incorporating enough fruits and veggies in their diet.
It's even more challenging when you want to get those fruits and veggies into the diets of little kids and picky husbands.
While it's not that really difficult to actually get them to eat the fruits and veggies, the time it takes to prepare and serve (and pack!) them often makes it very unpractical in our daily schedules.

To speak only of the kiddos, they get back from school at 3-ish. Most evenings we have activities to run to, homework to finish, parks and playtime, shower, dinner, bedtime stories...it's a packed 5 hours till bedtime. Where is the time for me to so lovingly cut the carrots, peppers, tomatoes, and for them to sit down to crunch and munch on them?!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alright..let's cut to the chase.
I bought a Vita-Mix last month.
What is it you ask? I like to think of it as the granddaddy of blenders.
Ah, a blender. And what does this have to do with incorporating fruits and veggies into the diet?
Everything.
Since I ordered and received it, we have been eating (drinking rather) carrots, apples, a good amount of spinach and usual suspects like strawberries and blueberries everyday.
The Vita-Mix is a really high powered blender that has many advantages over the regular ones. The following ones are what made me invest in it.

• It can break down the really tough veggies like carrots, celery and beets allowing me to make really healthy smoothies in very little time.
• It allows to me to use the entire veggie or fruit as opposed to the juicer where so much pulp is just wasted and thrown away (I can't make carrot cake everyday). Also, you're not taking in excessive sugar with carrots and beets like you do if you juice. I love juice but this is more practical for everyday consumption of fruits and especially veggies.
  
• It can make almond butter in a minute without any additional oils- the consistency is as smooth as the store bought one.
• Frozen desserts, hot soup, cheese sauces made right in the blender- haven't tried these out yet though.
  
• I have peace of mind with the 7 year clear warranty. They will fix it if it breaks down within seven years. Simple. With an expensive product like that, you a company to stand behind it.
  
• Super easy clean up. I use it 2-3 times a day without thinking twice. With my juicer, it takes much longer to clean up.
• Kid-friendly and picky-spouse friendly smoothies. My smoothie recipe has about 3 cups of raw spinach or other greens. Honestly can't taste them! The blender breaks down the apples and carrots in a way that you can't tell that there is peel in there! The smoothie tastes of apples and yummy berries. A very very kid approved way of the including raw greens into the diets of families.
  

There are other recipes that I have tried in my Vita-Mix but for me this fruity green smoothie makes it completely "paisa vasool" (worth it's money).
No doubt, the price tag is high but it's for a reason.
You get what you pay for.
I love it this product so much that I have become an affiliate with them. Honestly, I would write about it even if I was not an affiliate. So I figured I might as well.
I don't usually endorse products on this space but for Vita-Mix I'm making an exception. I think this is an excellent product that makes it very practical to eat healthy and if you and your family are interested in eating more raw fruits and veggies, think about getting one.

Following is the recipe for our fruity green smoothie. If you use a regular blender, leave out the apples and carrots and lessen the spinach quantity.

Fruity Green Smoothie

1/2 cup vanilla or plain yogurt
1/2 cup of Orange Juice or 2 fresh oranges peeled (Use fresh only in a Vita-Mix)
2 bananas
2 organic apples cored (any kind)
2 organic carrots trimmed and cut into 2-3 pieces
1/2 cup frozen or fresh strawberries
1/3 cup frozen wild blueberries
2-3 cups organic baby spinach leaves or substitute one cup with kale/endives/any greens
2-3 tsp flax seeds

Method
Place everything in order in the Vita-Mix. Blend for a minute till smooth. Press down the veggies with tamper if necessary. Makes about four servings for the four of us.
You can pretty much add any fruits you like in here like grapes and pineapples but these are the ones I usually stock. You could also add celery, broccoli, ginger......a certain someone adds peas to her smoothie. I haven't tried that yet but I may one day.
I like my smoothies less cold in the winter and so I blend it till it reaches a more palatable temperature.

Organic produce is often much more expensive than the regular produce.
I don't buy all my veggies organic but for this smoothie, I try to make an effort.
Bags of organic apples are often only slightly more expensive than their conventional counterparts and you get organic carrots and spinach at Wal-Mart for reasonable prices as well.
I try to freeze berries as much as possible in the summer when they are abundantly available but when I run out, I just go buy the big bags in the freezer section. The frozen wild blueberries are extremely flavorful in smoothies and are supposed to be packed with antioxidants, so I try to buy those over the regular kind.

If anyone has any questions about the Vita-Mix, I'll be happy to answer what I can from personal experience. You can email me at veggiefoodist(at)gmail(dot)com for any inquiries. There's many more functions that a Vita-Mix can perform and there many other recipes available on their website. Have a look at the recipes...they are fascinating! I hope to try out many more recipes myself, especially the fruity frozen desserts.
If you do decide to purchase one after thinking about it's benefits, I hope you'll consider doing it through me. Just use the code below to order online or call them on the phone to place an order. They also have an option to buy a refurbished machine. It's cheaper and the warranty stays the same.
Using the following code will get you FREE STANDARD SHIPPING ($25US/$35CN)

***06-004587 ***
You can order through their website or call on this number 1-800-848-2649

The Summer of S'mores

Whaz up?!
I said I'll be back in September and here I am. Last day of September and I'm just about making it back. If I didn't today, I'd have very little incentive tomorrow.
I barely made anything exciting in the kitchen this summer...as a matter of fact, I hardly cooked.
The summer has been quite busy (to put it mildly); let's just say everything plus the works. It's been well, S'more (some more) of everything!
We moved from Chicago to Dallas (yeah, just like that or so it seems), we moved thrice in Dallas from one place to another in this short span, I completed two grad level courses at the same time, hunted around for areas to live/schools districts, attended a big fat Indian wedding, a mini 2-day family vacation trip to Vegas and got started with the school year.
Seems pretty concise when I write it like that but I feel like we compressed a year's worth of work into 3 months.
Dallas so far, has been great. People here have been very warm and inviting, and the kiddos already have friends they can call their own. According to people around here, we've seen the worst of it (weather-wise), and it wasn't bad at all!
Let me tell you that for the first time in years, I'm looking forward to the winter and it's a liberating feeling. The only con here, IMO, is the lack of a Trader Joe's.
Yes, there are days when I really really miss it but I'm surviving. If any of you out there with a TJ's close by, ever want to send me a present, let me know and I'll send you a list and my address.
Food wise, like I said, I haven't done much. The only thing I've made repeatedly this summer to rave reviews and happy campers (pun intended) every time are S'mores.
Truly speaking, I'm not a marshmallow fan and I really don't get the delights of this American campfire classic. However, it seems to be a sure shot crowd pleaser and a quick n easy one at that.
The word S'more comes from goo-filled mouths trying to say "some more", making it sound like S'more. The classic recipe involves holding a big marshmallow over a campfire till toasted and sticking it on a graham cracker. Top with a piece of Hershey's chocolate that melts because of the marshmallow heat and top with another graham cracker to make a chocolate goo sandwich.

I'm not a Hershey's fan so I replace it with Dove milk or dark chocolate.
A good friend didn't get why the top graham cracker was needed.
Why waste calories, she said. Spoken like a true woman.
Open faced is better.

That's me handing out S'mores at the Big Fat Indian Wedding

S'mores in the oven

Ingredients

• Graham crackers broken in half or even smaller to serve as mini bites for a crowd
• Mini marshmallows
• Dove milk or dark chocolate bars broken into smaller pieces (2 pieces of chocolate per half a graham cracker works great)
  

Method
Heat oven to 375 F.
Break graham crackers into halves and place on a baking sheet.
Top with mini marshamallows (as many as you can get on there).
Place the tray in the oven for 4-5 minutes. Bring out the tray and top with a piece or two of chocolate. Stick the tray back into the oven for an additional minute.
Bring the tray out and serve the S'mores immediately.

Too many things.......

.............too little time.

I'm gonna be gone for the summer. I love blogging so this blog ain't going anywhere.
I'll be back in September.
See ya soon.

Just Being and Elaichi Waali Coffee

When I was a kid and wanted to go out every single evening with my mom, she used to tell 'ghar pe baithna seekho" (Learn to sit at home)
I never really got or understood the point.
Why?
Why should one sit at home when there were exciting places to see, friends to meet, things to buy and tasty food to eat outside the house?
Sitting at home was dull, mundane and boring.

My perception is changing as I get older.
Its not that I don't want to go out any more or the travel bug has left me or that I don't want to spend time with friends or not shop.
I want to do all of that in no particular order, but just being at home has its merits too.
Or rather, 'just being'. In the moment.
Like most other people, I spend a lot of time rushing. Myself. The kids.
Perhaps, I'm becoming more conscious of the fact that I'm rushing a lot for no reason.
The more I rush, the faster I do everything.
The faster I do things, the less I think.
The less I think, the more unnecessary things I do.
The more unnecessary things I do, the more I rush.
And repeat.
I'm trying to let go...relax. Eat slower, breathe deeper and enjoy my cups of tea.
Really taste my yummy healthy green smoothie that I have taken to for breakfast since a a few weeks.
You don't really have to go anywhere to really enjoy being you.
Perhaps the point is not to want to have fun, rather be at peace.
Everything else follows.
I know this has been written and told many times but the realization is personal.
And I think I'm beginning to realize, acting upon it though is quite a different game :-)
Nonetheless, I am trying....its a journey. Will get there when I get there.
No sweat.

We don't collect too many things but one of things we like to collect are mugs from the different places we visit. They make practical usable souvenirs. The kiddos drink milk in them everyday. The husband and I drink our coffee and tea. Its pretty cool actually. The icons on them remind the kiddos of some of the famous landmarks and sometimes we have good conversations about a city we visited 'cause of the mugs.
We used to drink Chai, but are currently inclined to not invest the 5 minutes in making a cup of chai.
I like my teabag tea made right in the mug and B has taken to the desi style elaichi waali coffee he loves.

Cardamom Infused Latte

In a mug pour a cup of organic skimmed milk.
Add 1 teaspoon of strong instant coffee, 1/2 teaspoon sugar (or to taste) and 1/4 teaspoon powdered cardamom (elaichi).
Microwave for a minute and 10 seconds.
Mix well. Let it stand a minute. Microwave again for 30-40 seconds or till steamed.

Strain in to another mug.
That's it.
Its a really aromatic beverage (much better than the latte at the crapbucks)

B has this coffee with his standard whole wheat bread toasted, spread with organic creamy peanut butter, drizzled with honey and topped with banana slices.
Its real good. Try it.



The elaichi waali coffee goes to the Bombay Foodie Simran who is hosting her first event.....drum roll ;-) Microwave Cooking- Breezy Breakfasts. The event series was started by Srivalli.

The breakfast also goes to Divya who is hosting show me your breakfast.

The toasty treat is also going rather sheepishly to Susan for Yeastspotting.
I'm taking the easy way out I know......I promise to bake a loaf soon :-)

Summer Fruit Crumble/Crisp

I made this last week and just thinking about it is making me hungry!
This was possibly one of the most simplest and delicious desserts I have ever made. I usually do Apple Crisp in the winters but I lucked out with organic berries at my market last week.
I pretty much threw in one of each fruit that I had on hand and it resulted in a super flavorful and scrumptious dessert that paired beautifully with vanilla ice cream.
It got devoured pretty quickly and I just about managed to take this picture before it was all gone.

Ingredients

• 1 peach skinned and sliced
• 1 nectarine skinned and sliced
• 1 mango skinned and chopped
• 1 cup of strawberries
• handful of raspberries
• handful of blueberries
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder

For the crumble

• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/2 cup flour (whole wheat works too)
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger powder
• 1/2 stick cold butter chopped into small pieces

Method
Preheat the oven to 375F.
Place the fruits in a baking dish. Toss with sugar and ginger powder.
Place all the ingredients for the crumble in a bowl. Rub the butter into the flour mixture. Sprinkle on top of the fruits. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Let it stand for 5-10 minutes. Serve warm with Vanilla ice cream.
Serves about 4-6.

Bruschetta

Gosh, how consistently inconsistent am I?
Summer's here although it still feels like spring. Oh well, as long as its not snowing, I'll take it.
One of the best things about summer is the produce.
Its almost embarrassing to say it but my retail therapy has taken on a completely different meaning now a days. I'm truly happy when I go shopping for fruits and veggies!
The market is full of gorgeous, ripe and luscious fruits and quite a few of them are organic at very reasonable prices. Yah!
Mangoes and cherries and berries......oh my!
I'm in fruit heaven, if there is such a thing.
Oh and I have to share...look at this pretty heirloom tomato I picked up the other day.

One of my favorite things to make during summers is Bruschetta.
I just love the combination of tomatoes with olive oil, balsamic and garlic. I usually don't make this in winters because the tomatoes taste like nothing. So to make up for it, we eat it fairly often at this time of the year when the tomatoes are oh so flavorful.
Don't go putting them in the fridge now...they lose flavor immediately.
So yeah....we eat it very often as an appetizer although I have been known to make a meal out of it. Make some soup and some good cheese and you have a nice summery meal.
If you eat this at a restaurant, they usually have the tomatoes without seeds. I usually leave everything in for a more rustic appeal. (Actually, I'm just lazy and the seeds have Vitamin C in them so its hard to justify discarding them)

Ingredients

• french baguette sliced into thin slices
• 6-8 plum tomatoes chopped with or w/o seeds
• 2-3 tablespoons fresh basil leaves chopped or 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 or 2 cloves whole garlic slightly crushed
• salt
• crushed black pepper

Method
In a bowl, place the chopped tomatoes and basil. Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add the seasonings and crushed garlic. Let the mixture sit for 15-20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375. Place the sliced bread on a baking sheet and bake for a few minutes till toasted. If you like a strong garlic flavor, rub the toast with a piece of garlic.

To serve: Top each slice of the mixture with 1-2 tablespoons of the tomato mixture. Eat right away!