Veggie Wrap with Spicy Asian Hummus

Tired of salads and miss sandwiches? Try a wrap! It's an easy and tasty way to get your veggies in.

The combinations are virtually endless but we are finding that one ingredient makes a big difference- hummus. Lately we have been learning that hummus is a staple we need to have in the fridge at all times. It's a great way to eat raw vegetables as a dip. I can down a whole bag of baby carrots if I have hummus around. It's also a good substitute for mayo and cheese in wraps like above or pitas, bread sandwiches….  the list goes on. 

I have been making all kinds of hummus lately trying to find that favorite combo of flavors that will be the regular star of our fridge.

I have to tell you that I never really liked hummus before I tried some raw versions. And I actually hear this a lot. I also hear that people like hummus but hummus doesn't necessarily like them. I think it's the chickpeas. Some people have trouble digesting them. For me they are kind of gritty in texture and not as smooth as some others. I've been experimenting with tahini based as well as white bean hummus/dip lately. The culprit to avoid in store bought hummus and many recipes is OIL! Some can have 1/2 a cup or more!

That's pure fat and don't be fooled; it isn't a good fat either! Tahini on the other hand is just ground sesame seeds and in limited amounts is actually healthy. I've read reviews where people say this or that recipe is "so light and low fat" because it doesn't have 2 tablespoons of tahini but it has over 1/2 a cup of oil! 

That just won't fly. I try to keep my portion of seeds/ tahini to less than 1 ounce per day, which is doable with a good recipe. But I am way off track because this recipe has neither olive oil or tahini in it.

I adapted this recipe from the creative minds over at White on Rice Couple's blog. For their original recipe check here.  I've made some changes to lower the fat content but the main tasting ingredient here is the Spicy Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce. I chose the cannellini white kidney beans due to the creaminess when blended.

Spicy Asian White Bean Hummus/ Dip

Ingredients:

1 15-ounce can of white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed but save the bean water from the can.

1/4 cup of the bean water or water as needed

1-2 tablespoons Sriracha Hot Sauce, per taste

2 teaspoons Bragg's Liquid Aminos or a low salt Tamari/ Soy Sauce

1 large clove of garlic, peeled and pressed, unless using a high speed blender then just peeled

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

1 tablespoons of lime juice

Drain the beans and then rinse well, saving the bean fluid.

Blend all the ingredients starting with 2 tablespoons of the bean water. If you need to thin it to get it going add a little more until desired consistency. Blend until creamy. Hummus is one of those things that gets better with a little time so let sit in the fridge for a bit before serving, if you can wait.

Enjoy this spicy dip with anything you can think of.  Or make…

 A Veggie Wrap

This combination idea came from Dr. Esselstyn and his wife, Ann from the their best selling book, Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease.

Ingredients:

corn

tomatoes, chopped

spinach

green onions, chopped

cilantro, chopped

carrots, shredded

pea sprouts

wraps

I used a gluten free wrap by the Tortilla Factory that uses a whole grain, ivory teff (check it out here.) It was quite good but you do need to heat it a little first to make it pliable. A whole grain wrap such as the Ezekiel brand would be a good choice too if you don't have gluten sensitivities. 

Preheat oven to 450.

Spread the wrap, once pliable with the hummus. The more the better. (I was a little skimpy here.) Then pile up your veggies and roll as tightly as you can. Slice in half and then heat until crispy in the oven, about 10 minutes.

Delicious! 

But don't just take my word for it. Check out the happy face of my taste tester, Rich.

He was just reading over my shoulder as I was posting this and said those were really good! When can we make those again? I guess I know what to make for lunch tomorrow. ;-)

So, do you have a favorite hummus recipe or dip that's light on the oil and salt?

What are your favorite ways to eat hummus? or are you like I was and hummus squeamish still?

I'm telling you, step away from the store bought stuff and even the chickpeas if you don't like them and try something new. You may be surprised.

Until next time…

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Quick & Easy Black Bean Soup

Don't have a lot of time but would love to have some throw together meals in the fridge for the upcoming week? You'll love this one.

It's easy to keep ingredients on hand to throw this together at a moment's notice, and fast to prepare with little to no chopping, because sometimes, you just need a break. Am I right?

Today, Mother's Day was just one of those days. Hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day!

This recipe is adapted from The Fast Black Bean Soup recipe in Dr. Fuhrman's book, Eat for Health. Can you tell I love this book? It's also on his website: Dr.Furhman.com

Here we are using some frozen veggies, black beans and even a low salt black bean soup for the base. Carrot juice and tomatoes round out the collection of flavors. If you are worried about the frozen veggies, know that while fresh is always best, little nutrients are lost in the freezing process and in some cases it might be easier to find organic produce this way.

Plus this is for those times when you need something ready to go with little fuss and the taste is worth it. This makes about 5 healthy servings.

Ingredients:

2 15-ounce cans of black beans, no or low salt, and strained and well rinsed (to remove salt)

2 cups frozen mixed vegetables

2 cups frozen corn

2 cups frozen broccoli florets

2 cups carrot juice

1 15-ounce can prepared black bean soup, low to no salt.

1 cup water

1 cup fresh tomato, chopped

1/4 cup cilantro

1/8 teaspoon chili powder

Optional toppings:

1 avocado, chopped or mashed

1/2 cup green onions, chopped

1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds

Note: you will probably have some left over veggies so just defrost them and add them to your salads, a wrap or a pita for a little more variety.

Quick and Easy Black Bean Soup

Directions:

Combine beans, all the frozen vegetables, carrot juice, water, soup, cilantro and chili powder in a soup pot. Bring to boil and then reduce to simmer on low for 30 minutes.

Stir in chopped fresh tomato and heat through for a few minutes.

Serve topped with avocado, green onions and pumpkin seeds if using.

This soup pairs very well with a fresh green salad. A simple, and healthy lunch or dinner ready to go.

So there you have it. Fast, easy and healthy to boot.

Enjoy!

Until next time… 

A New Hip And Healthy Restaurant Hot Spot

How Cool would it be to walk into a chic upscale restaurant and have a fresh, seasonal, vegan meal tailored by the chef especially for you?
Well the other night, that's exactly what happened.

Rich and I were driving home from a design job wrap up when Rich suggested we pop in at the newly opened Figue Mediterranean Restaurant (The name Figue is French for fig and rhymes with "intrigue") for a late lunch/early dinner. 

Rich had already scoped out this restaurant a few days before and was excited to learn they are focused on an organic, fresh, seasonal and sustainable menu, which is unusual for around here. Plus he knew I would really want to see the decor. He was right.

As soon as we stepped in, it was obvious this was a cool place and we could see by the specials board on the wall above the bar that they had a great menu, but that nagging thought remained, what could I eat here?  As I looked over the menu, I saw a few things that I could alter and I explained to the hostess that I had a special diet that I needed to stick to for health reasons.  She quickly replied that the chef would be happy to accommodate my needs and in fact had just done that for a Vegan last night! I had to smile as I told her that yep, I was one of those vegans too but also needed my food sans salt and oil. The manager walked up just at that time and reconfirmed that the chef would be happy to work with my needs. Game on!

At 5 pm we were not the first to arrive but just about. I explained to the manager as we walked to our table that I was a designer and therefore had a compulsive need to snap photos and since we were early he was more than gracious to let me shoot away.

So first a little about the decor:

The style is organic rustic meets stylish industrial turn of the century vibe. Lots of wood, paired with great eclectic classical modern furniture. Behind the tall wood sculptures in the entry, you see that the bar front is also clad in the distressed wood that sides the building outdoors, but this time in a distinctive and contemporary chevron pattern.  On one side of the bar, large farm-style, raised harvest tables project from it in an organized cattywampus style with industrial iron and wood counter stools stashed underneath. It's very inviting.

If there were one word to sum up the theme of the restaurant it would have to be "share." You hear it in the server's description of the small plate section of the menu and the space is definitely designed for the gathering of friends and sharing of great food. In the center of every table is placed a small stack of plates to drive this idea home.

From the bar to the lounge, to the big harvest style tables and the chef's tables off the kitchen, you get the sense that big parties are welcome and encouraged. (and also that someone loves cool chairs.)

On either side of the bar are two lounge seating areas with a cozy and eclectic mix of furnishings, along with a definitive collection of oversized chandeliers and pendants. Such a great focal point.

And if you are a party of one or even two or more and craving company, or if you'd like to just be in on the action of the food prep you can sit sushi bar style at the Crudo/ Charcuterie bar ("crudo" meaning raw meat and "charcuterie" meaning smoked, cured and dressed meat and meat dishes.) The marble adorned counters and white tile background walls are crisply appealing but look at these chairs. LOVE these bent wood chair counter stools.

The building itself sits facing the west so the whole back side is essentially glass windows.  In the early evening hours, the interiors are infused with lots of natural light. Throughout the large space, big sheer curtains act as flowing partitions that blow gently in the air to create a sense of intimacy. It has a beautiful effect. And get a look at these fantastic mid century modern inspired dining chairs. (Can you tell I have a chair fetish?) But seriously, restaurant chairs are not usually this exciting.

So after being seated and greeted by our server with a detailed description of the specials, two unusual things appeared at our table: First a bottle of complimentary water, with a private house label of course, that kept being replaced throughout the course of our meal. And secondly, the chef, Francois de Melogue appeared at our table (my apologies Chef, as I can't find the fonts with the appropriate accents to do your name and nationality justice.)

It was such a pleasure to meet Chef. He shared how he had moved down from the Northern California area, Sonoma to be exact, where vegan food is a norm in most restaurants, so he assured me that preparing food for my requirements would not be a problem. He suggested that for the future, if I could call two days in advance he would be happy to prepare something more creative for me. More creative? I can't even imagine.

Rich ordered from the menus and I sat back and anxiously waited to see what would arrive for me.

         Flat Bread with Hummus                            White Salad                     Tabouli w/ Figs, Yellow Beets
                                                                                                and Cucumber

First to up was a plate of hummus with flat bread for us to share (loved the plate!) It really hit the spot. It was then followed by "Pistou" for Rich, a springtime vegetable, bean and pasta soup and a "White Salad" for me. (Rich was a little quick with his spoon and fork so unfortunately I don't have pictures of his soup or entree.) He thoroughly enjoyed his.

Equally, my "White Salad" was delicious. It was a mix of arugula, shaved fennel, shaved red onion, orange segments and two strips of date leather (flattened fresh date) with an aged balsamic vinegar on the side. Such a great mix of flavors!

My entree was a Tobouli Salad, a blend of bulgur wheat, yellow beets, fresh figs on a sliced cucumber bed, sprinkled with a little fresh dill. Delicious!

For those non vegans reading this, Rich's special was a Greek Octopus Salad. Mesquite grilled fresh octopus, tossed in a Greek vinaigrette, Mediterranean olives, fingerling potatoes, roasted sweet red peppers, shaved fennel on a bed of frisse greens. He loved it.

Iced Expresso                                      Fresh Strawberry Sorbet              Root Beer Float Shots made
                                                                                                                    w/ White Chocolate Sorbet 

Next up was dessert. Rich ordered an Iced Expresso with chocolate sorbet, salted caramels, topped with almond mascarpone and a pirouette cookie. He's not usually a dessert person but he greedily ate every bite. My dessert was paired down from a special. It was essentially a sorbet made with freshly grown baby strawberries in a strawberry soup with lavender flower petals and very tasty. As if that wasn't enough, the chef later appeared with root beer float shots made with white chocolate sorbet. Truly delicious. We felt so spoiled.

We were also visited by the restaurateur himself, Lee Morcus, who shared his passion for farm fresh, sustainable, and seasonal ingredients. He told us about some of the small local purveyors where the food was grown and raised. While he has other local and successful restaurants we could tell this restaurant is his baby and he's very proud. As he should be.

We had an incredible meal, in a visually enticing setting and were teated like royalty. What's not to love?

On their menu page it says:

"Find the Shortest, Simplest way between the Earth, the Hands and the Mouth."

Well said Figue. Well said.

No question, we'll be back!

I hope you enjoyed this post and review. If you are in the Palm Springs area, please share this post with others. We need to get the word out about this great restaurant and encourage other restaurateurs that we are ready for really good, fresh and sustainable food in this area and that accommodating people like us vegans is really worth their while.

Ps: I am not only a health food enthusiast and blog writer, I am an interior designer and owner of Indigo Skies Design. If you would like to contact me about design work, you can reach me through the email of this blog. Thank you.

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Baby Ruby Salad with Blood Orange Cashew Dressing

A baby greens salad with blood orange sections, strawberries, dried apricots, pistachios in a blood orange cashew dressing.

This post is dedicated to my lovely niece, Claire who asked me the other day what to do with the baby kale she just bought. First of all let me just tell you how excited I am that she bought kale in the first place. She is a young mother with two precious little ones and she actually is making green smoothies for them now.... with kale! Woot Woot! and little  2 1/2 year old Victor is asking for "more." Love it!

See it's really adults that freak out over green looking drinks in the beginning, not the kids.

So this is a recipe I put together when I stumbled across a new looking container in our store:

Baby Kale Medley

I am really partial to tender baby greens, and this baby kale medley is no exception. It's not as hard core as the big leaf kale, in case you are new to the more powerhouse greens.  And also because it's a baby leaf, you don't have to worry about bitter stems, like the full leaves.

While you may not have a Sprouts/ Henry's Farmer's Market where you live, I think baby kale is catching on in the stores, especially ones like Whole Foods.

But if not, any baby greens (spinach or romaine) would work fine and mix them up for more variety too if you feel like it.

Raw Coconut Vinegar

I also stumbled across this new-to-me product:
Raw Organic Coconut Vinegar by Coconut Secret,
which claims to be even more nutritious than organic apple cider vinegar, so I decided to give it a spin for something different.  I do like it.

So this recipe I'm about to share moves away from oils in the salad dressing. Since I am new to this idea,  I turned to Dr. Joel Fuhrman's book, Eat For Health for recipe ideas.

I LOVE this book as it covers not just the nutritional research side and lots of recipes but also explores the emotional component of food addictions and how to stop their control over our diets.

This book was just recently republished from what I have as a two book set into a single paperback.  Highly recommend!

Dr. Furhman is an advocate of a low fat diet but is a big fan of using nuts (in limited amounts) in the diet for the good fats and benefits. His research shows that nuts are especially beneficial to consume with greens, as they help you to absorb more nutrients from them. So his plan is to use the nuts in place of oils in salad dressing and not as snacks.

So that's what I did. This recipe is adapted from Dr. Fuhrman's MishMash Salad with Orange Cashew Dressing in Eat For Health.

Baby Ruby Salad

Baby Ruby Salad with a Blood Orange Cashew Dressing

I decided to call it this because of the baby greens, and then because of the beautiful ruby colors of the blood oranges and the berries. Dr. Fuhrman's recipe calls for using his Blood Orange Vinegar but since I did not have any, I decided to go for the real thing and add the blood oranges directly to the salad and in the dressing.

Baby Ruby Salad Ingredients

Ingredients:

Blood Orange Cashew Dressing:

2 blood oranges (regular is fine too), peeled and seeded

1/4 cup cashews

2 tablespoons organic vinegar (apple cider vinegar, like Bragg's would be good too)

2 carrots grated (for sweetness) 

orange juice (optional)

Salad:

1 container of baby kale medley or mixed greens of choice
1 cup of blood orange sections
1 cup sliced organic strawberries (organic is important as these are like little sponges for pesticides.)
1/4 cup dried apricots, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons raw pistachio nuts, unsalted and shelled

Directions:

Blend dressing ingredients in a high power blender until smooth and creamy. This should be fine in a regular blender too. It may just take a bit longer to get creamy. Add some orange juice if necessary to thin it a bit.

Toss salad ingredients in a big bowl and use dressing to taste. Extra dressing should keep in a covered container in the fridge for 3-5 days.

Baby Ruby Salad Close Up

So there you have it. A lovely and colorful salad brimming with all the goodness of kale and other greens but in tender bites. I'm a sucker for the ruby color of the veins in the swiss chard. 

I hope you give it a try.  Do you use nuts in your dressing to replace oil? It gives it a creamy texture don't you think? Would love to hear from you.

Until next time, Happy Healthy Eating.

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