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Pita Quesadillas with Cilantro Hummus

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Pita Quesadillas with Cilantro Hummus -- Epicurean VeganI was thumbing through the latest issue of Vegetarian Times and when I saw this recipe, I decided right then and there to try these. I happened to have all the ingredients, even adding some Vegan Gourmet Monterey Jack cheese and between that, the roasted red peppers and cilantro, it made a delicious, quick and easy lunch.

INGREDIENTS:
Hummus:
1/2 C cilantro leaves
2 cloves garlic, peeled (I used minced)
1-1/2 C cooked chickpeas (or 1 15oz can, rinsed and drained)
2 Tbs lime juice
2 Tbs olive oil
Quesadillas:
4 7″ whole-wheat pitas, split crosswise
4 jarred roasted red peppers, drained and sliced into strips
1-1/2 C baby spinach leaves
Optional: Vegan Gourmet Monterey Jack, shredded (I did little slices, but shredding it would have been better)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350. To make hummus: Process cilantro leaves and garlic in food processor until chopped. (I added the garlic later since it was already minced). Add the chickpeas, lime juice, oil, and 1/4 C water; puree 3 minutes, or until creamy.

To make the quesadillas: Place 4 pitas halves on baking sheet. Spread each with 1/2 C hummus. Top with peppers, spinach, cheese (if using) and remaining pita halves. Bake 10 mins, serve and enjoy!

Peanut Butter Hummus

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Peanut Butter Hummus -- Epicurean VeganI think this is a great hummus variety, especially for kids who aren’t crazy about regular hummus. Spread this on a tortilla with sprouts and veggies and it’ll make a healthy lunch. It’s also great on apples or celery.

INGREDIENTS:
1 15-oz can garbanzo beans
1/3 C warm water
4 Tbs peanut butter
2 Tbs olive oil
3 Tbs lemon or lime juice (I used lemon)
1 clove garlic
I added 1/2 tsp of cumin

DIRECTIONS:
Add all ingredients into a food processor and blend well. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Enjoy!

Recipe source: About.com

Three-Bean Dip

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Three-Bean Dip -- Epicurean VeganThis is a great dip, but at first, I thought it was a little bland, so I added about a cup of diced (food processed) black olives and it was just what this dip needed! I think a diced up roasted red pepper or two would be yummy too. Great for crackers, sour dough squares or even on celery and other veggies.

INGREDIENTS:
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 Tbs chopped green onion
1 C canned Great Northern or other white beans, drained and rinsed
1 C canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 C cooked shelled edamame (I steamed them for a few minutes)
1 Tbs lemon juice
Salt and pepper
1 C finely diced black olives

DIRECTIONS:
In a food processor, process the garlic and green onions until minced. Add the beans, chickpeas, edamame, lemon juice , olives (if using) and salt and black pepper to taste and process until smooth.
Transfer to a medium bowl and serve right away or cover and refrigerate for 1  hour. Will keep for 3 days if stored properly. Enjoy!

Recipe source: 1000 Vegan Recipes

My Favorite Hummus and Pita Chips

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My Favorite Hummus and Pita Chips -- Epicurean VeganI make this hummus all the time. It’s inexpensive, high in fiber, packed with protein and delicious! It’s also easy to change it up with other flavors such as olives, roasted red pepper or artichokes. In fact,  in one of my recent magazines, it was listed as one of the ten best foods you could eat. (For the life of me, I can’t find the magazine, but as soon as I do, I’ll post it!). This from About.com: “Chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, are the main ingredient in hummus. One cup of chickpeas contains 286 calories and 5 grams of fat. This is relatively low considering when made into hummus, the calories and fat become much lower per serving. Chickpeas have no saturated fat, and no cholesterol. They aid in improving blood sugar levels and help fight cholesterol. They are also high in protein, making them a perfect addition to a vegetarian’s diet or one who would like to cut back on red meat.”  Also… ” Tahini [ingredient in hummus], like chickpeas, is a great source of protein, and calcium. The fat contained in tahini is mainly unsaturated fat, rather than the more unhealthy saturated fat.”
So dig in!

INGREDIENTS
1 15-16oz can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained
1/4 C Tahini (sesame seed paste)
3 Tbs water
2 Tbs lemon juice
1 Tbs olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbs chopped parsley (I tend to leave this out)

DIRECTIONS
In a food processor combine garbanzo beans, tahini, water, lemon juice, oil, garlic, salt, cumin and cayenne pepper. Cover and process until smooth. Transfer to medium bowl, stir in parsley. Makes 1 3/4 C

Pita Chips: Cut pita bread in half, then cut each half into 4-5 wedges -peel apart so they are one layer. Place on a cookie sheet, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic salt and dried basil. For a variation, use a flavored olive oil, or one with the herbs already in it to cut back on prep time. Bake 4-5 mins at 400. They are delicious right out of the oven with a bit of hummus! (Check out this post for instructions and full recipe.)

My Favorite Hummus and Pita Chips -- Epicurean VeganRecipe source: Sonoma Diet Cookbook

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