Hummus and Avocado Pita

Maybe this isn't the most innovative recipe, I mean avocado, hummus, pita, some veggies, but sometimes it's the simplest things that are so delicious.  This is without a doubt one of my favorite sandwiches. 

 Most important, get a good hummus. Whatever your favorite one is but a creamy one works best, not so thick it's like a paste. I love The Perfect Pita hummus (sold at Whole Foods). It's local to the DC area. If you're elsewhere check out local Mediterranean or Middle Eastern restaurants or eateries that might sell their hummus. You'll get the best quality and most authentic. 

A match made in heaven - hummus and avocado.

Hummus and Avocado Pita Recipe

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Ingredients

1 pita pocket

Hummus

Avocado

Tomato

Onion

Cucumber

Lettuce

Method

Carefully slice your pita in half so you have to half circles.  Some pita are stuck together so to open the pocket, take each half and very carefully and slowly pry and peel open.  You can also use a knife.  Next put them in the toaster for a minute or two.  Don't let them burn or get too crisp.  Take them out and let the steam out of the pocket and let them rest a minute.  

Now, thinly slice your tomato, onion, cucumber (however much you want to use).  Slice or lightly mash some avocado (I use about half an avocado).  I like to sprinkly some sea salt on the sliced veggies but that's up to you.

Take some hummus and slather all inside both pita halves.  Don't skimp on the hummus.  Now layer your toppings in there and go to town.  It's messy deliciousness at it's best.



Mmmmmm...this is delicous.  Messy but oh so delicious.

Vegan Chocolate Mousse

Smooth and creamy chocolate mousse made vegan by using silken tofu as the base.  I like to think that since the tofu has protein it makes this even a bit healthy! 

For the ingredients I recommend almond or soy milk.  Skip some of the others like rice milk which is too watery.  If you're doing this totally vegan, look for vegan chocolate chips.  Regular semi-sweet chocolate chips typically contain some milk.  Most importantly, the best tofu is Mori-Nu silken tofu in firm or extra-firm (also comes in Lite).  This is the shelf stable silken tofu found with the Asian foods.  If you can't find this there is sometimes a refrigerated silken tofu with all the other kinds of tofu but the package is bigger so the other ingredients need to be adjusted accordingly.

Now for the super easy recipe...

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Makes 4-5 servings

Ingredients

1 package Mori-Nu Firm or Extra-Firm Silken Tofu
3/4 cup Almond Milk
1 cup Chocolate Chips
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Directions

Place almond milk and chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and heat about 1 minute depending on your microwave.  Stir together until chocolate chips are dissolving in milk, you should now have a rich chocolate milk.  If necessary, heat a bit a longer.  Let the mixutre cool for a few minutes.

Add chocolate mixture, tofu, and vanilla to a food processor or blender and process until pureed.  This is important: taste the mixture to make sure you don't a have a tofu taste since all brands are different.  If it's not chocolaty enough you can melt some more chocolate chips and add it but don't add any more milk or it won't set properly.

Pour into 4-5 ramekins or small dishes.  It will set better this way than if it's in one big bowl.  Chill 2-3 hours and it's ready to eat!

Chipotle Ranch Bean Burrito

This is not your average, boring bean burrito.  This bad boy packs a punch with chipotle pepper that is not only spicy, but also smoky.  Add in the cool ranch dressing and you've got one hell of a flavor combo.  Just don't under estimate the heat of the chipotle pepper.  Add a little, give a stir and add a little more if you want.  Also note that the sauce the peppers come in has a great flavor but not as much heat as the peppers themselves.

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Makes 2 burritos

Ingredients

1 clove garlic, grated on a microplane (or finely chopped)
1/3 cup diced onion
1/2 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1-2 tsp. finely chopped canned chipotle pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup water

Toppings:
Shredded lettuce
diced tomatoes
corn
ranch dressing (For a vegan ranch try Organicville.  It's pretty tasty.)

Tortillas (about 10 inches), warmed

Directions

Spray a skillet with cooking spray or drizzle a little oil.  Add garlic and onion, cook 2 minutes over medium-heat.  Add beans, chipotle peppers, salt and water.  Cook 3 minutes, giving it a few stirs.  If needed, more water can be added 1 tablespoon at a time. Remove from heat. Now coarsely mash the bean mixture.  You can do this right in the skillet.  Just make sure to use a utensil that won't scratch your pan.  A wooden spoon works well.  Lastly, give it a taste and add more peppers or some of the sauce if desired.

Mix your toppings, including dressing, all together.  Now put some beans in your tortilla, add the toppings and wrap that sucker up and eat!

Heartwarming Hotcakes with Strawberries

Celebrate National Pancake Day (February 28th) with some delicious heart-healthy pancakes that are not only vegan but also wheat-free.  They've got oats which are loaded with soluble fiber that helps reduce LDL "bad" cholesterol in the bloodstream.  Throw in some ground flaxseed for omega-3's that can help reduce blood pressure.  And why not add in some antioxidant packed strawberries and almonds for good fat!

Serves 2

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Ingredients

1 small banana, mashed
1/2 cup soy or almond milk
1 Tbsp agave nectar
1/3 cup oat flour*
1/4 cup rolled oats (not instant/quick oats)
1 Tbsp ground flaxseed
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup diced strawberries
2 Tbsp slivered almonds

Directions

Add the banana, milk, agave to mixing bowl and stir. Then add flour, oats, flaxseed, baking powder and cinnamon and stir to thoroughly combine. Batter will be a little thick but more milk can be added to thin it out if necessary.

Spray a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles. Pour about ¼ cup of batter into the pan, use a spatula to spread into a circle (or heart) if needed. Cook until bubbles form in the center, before flipping sprinkle diced strawberries over each pancake, then flip over and cook an additional few minutes.

The best way to serve is to add some agave nectar to a bowl, add a dash of cinnamon and microwave 10-15 seconds to warm.  Drizzle over pancakes and sprinkle with almonds.  Mmm mmm dee-lish!

*Arrowhead Mills makes oat flour which you can find at Whole Foods or if you have a good food processor you can simply make your own by throwing some rolled oats in there.  Just make sure to get it pretty fine.  You can also use regular whole wheat flour if you like.

Cashew Butter and Strawberry Topped English Muffin

Not only is this quick breakfast with the tasty combo of cashew butter and strawberries but it has many healthy benefits.  Most of the fat cashews is in the form of oleic acid which is a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat.  The are also high in magnesium which is vital for bone health. In addition, we have strawberries, a nutritional powerhouse bursting with anti-inflammatories and antioxidants - 1 cup has over 100% of your daily vitamin C! Top all of this on a fiber-rich whole wheat english muffin and you've got a nutrient-packed, filling breakfast!

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Serves 1

Ingredients

1-Whole Wheat English Muffin, toasted
1- Tbsp Cashew Butter
Cinnamon to taste
1/4 cup (or more) diced strawberries

Method

Add cashew butter to a small bowl and sprinkle with cinnamon.  Stir to mix.  If it necessary, microwave 5-10 sec. to soften.  Spread on the english muffin and top with strawberries.

Shopping Tip:
When shopping for any type of whole wheat bread make sure the first ingredient is WHOLE wheat flour and not just wheat flour. When reading ingredients remember that sometimes "wheat flour" is just a disguise for your basic white flour. Whole wheat means that the whole grain has been used, whereas with regular wheat/white flour the most nutritious parts of the grain (bran and germ) have been stripped before processing meaning less nutrients.  Also, use your eyes as judgement by looking at the color of the bread.  Generally the darker the better, so if something says wheat bread but doesn't look much darker than the white bread then it probably isn't any better.  


You can buy cashew butter or make your own with just RAW cashews, which can be healthier than store-bought brands that have roasted the nuts or added salt. It can also be more cost effective. If your grocery store has a bulk section you can buy just what you need. To make it all you have to do is just put some raw cashews in a food processor and let it run a few minutes til it turns the consistency of a nut butter (typically drier than peanut butter).