hummus Archives - Epicurean Vegan

Hummus & Tomato Tart

May 27, 2014 by Epicurean Vegan

This is great for a last minute appetizer and is extremely versatile. Change up the veggies, spices, and herbs and you have another great appetizer. I used Pillsbury crescent rolls (yes, they’re vegan) and I actually like them as a crust a bit more than puff pastry (which is also vegan). The crescent rolls have a fluffy layer effect that’s light and tasty. I cut the tart into 9 squares, but feel free to slice and dice the way you’d like.

INGREDIENTS:
1 pkg. Pillsbury Crescent Rolls (8 to a package)
1/3 to 1/2 C prepared hummus
2 tomatoes, sliced thin (about 9 slices)
1/3 C chopped fresh basil

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375. Grease a 9×13 baking sheet. Unroll the crescent rolls on the baking sheet and press the perforated edges to seal them. Using your fingers, firmly press the dough in several directions in order to get it to fit the baking sheet.

Bake for 9 minutes, or until golden brown.
Let it cool completely, then spread on the hummus, add the tomatoes and sprinkle on the basil. Cut into squares and enjoy!

Hummus & Tomato Tart

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

20 mins

This is great for a last minute appetizer and is extremely versatile. Change up the veggies, spices, and herbs and you have another great appetizer. I used Pillsbury crescent rolls (yes, they're vegan) and I actually like them as a crust a bit more than puff pastry (which is also vegan). The crescent rolls have a fluffy layer effect that's light and tasty. I cut the tart into 9 squares, but feel free to slice and dice the way you'd like.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

1 pkg. Pillsbury Crescent Rolls (8 to a package)
⅓ to ½ C prepared hummus
2 tomatoes, sliced thin (about 9 slices)
⅓ C chopped fresh basil

Directions

Preheat oven to 375. Grease a 9x13 baking sheet.
Unroll the crescent rolls on the baking sheet and press the perforated edges to seal them. Using your fingers, firmly press the dough in several directions in order to get it to fit the baking sheet.
Bake for 9 minutes, or until golden brown.
Let it cool completely, then spread on the hummus, add the tomatoes and sprinkle on the basil. Cut into squares and enjoy!

Grilled Veggie Sandwiches with Hummus & Avocado

April 15, 2014 by Epicurean Vegan

All right. I have two confessions. First, these aren’t technically grilled, nor do they have avocado on them. *GASP* I know, I’m sorry. But let me explain. So, it’s very early spring here in Colorado and the outdoor grill, much like my legs, are still winterized. But, I do have the spray tan of grills . . .
Now, about that avocado. I’ve had 4 avocados sitting in a paper bag on my counter for about 5 days and they are still rock solid. I made the mistake of trying to cut into one and it was like stabbing a butternut squash. And if that wasn’t enough, I tried a second avocado and ended up with the same results. In fact, I couldn’t even get the halves apart! I was all ready to place the beautiful slices of avocado next to the fresh basil . . .

In spite of these culinary catastrophes, I assure you, the “grilling” process worked beautifully, and the avocado would be a grand addition to these sandwiches.

INGREDIENTS:
Marinade
1/2 C balsamic vinegar
1/2 C red wine
1/4 C olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
The rest
2 small zucchini, sliced length-wise
1 red bell pepper, cut into wide strips
1 eggplant, sliced length-wise, then again length-wise
1/2 large onion, cut into wide strips
1 avocado (preferably real and not imaginary), sliced
1 C fresh basil leaves
1/2 C hummus, homemade (easy) or store bought (even easier)
6 French rolls, or other sandwich bread

DIRECTIONS:
Combine the marinade ingredients in a large zip bag. Add the veggies and let them marinate in the fridge for about an hour. Turn the bag over halfway through. Spray the grill pan with a small amount of cooking spray and heat pan over medium heat. Using tongs, place the veggies in the pan. I recommend putting as many slices of bell pepper on as you can because they’ll take the longest to cook. I also suggest flattening them out a little so that you can turn them over to cook both sides. The zucchini and eggplant will take about 3-4 minutes per side.

I continued cooking all of the zucchini and eggplant, transferring the cooked slices to a large sheet of foil and sealing it up while everything else cooked. Everything stayed nice and hot. I then added the onions while the peppers continued to cook.
Once the vegetables are cooked, start assembling your sandwiches! (You can toast the bread first, if you’d like). Spread on some hummus, add the veggies, basil and of course, a few beautiful slices of avocado. Enjoy!

Grilled Veggie Sandwiches with Hummus & Avocado

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

Marinade
½ C balsamic vinegar
½ C red wine
¼ C olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
The rest
2 small zucchini, sliced length-wise
1 red bell pepper, cut into wide strips
1 eggplant, sliced length-wise, then again length-wise
½ large onion, cut into wide strips
1 avocado (preferably real and not imaginary), sliced
1 C fresh basil leaves
½ C hummus, homemade (easy) or store bought (even easier)
6 French rolls, or other sandwich bread

Directions

Combine the marinade ingredients in a large zip bag. Add the veggies and let them marinate in the fridge for about an hour. Turn the bag over halfway through.
Spray the grill pan with a small amount of cooking spray and heat pan over medium heat. Using tongs, place the veggies in the pan. I recommend putting as many slices of bell pepper on as you can because they'll take the longest to cook. I also suggest flattening them out a little so that you can turn them over to cook both sides. The zucchini and eggplant will take about 3-4 minutes per side.
I continued cooking all of the zucchini and eggplant, transferring the cooked slices to a large sheet of foil and sealing it up while everything else cooked. Everything stayed nice and hot. I then added the onions while the peppers continued to cook.
Once the vegetables are cooked, start assembling your sandwiches! (You can toast the bread first, if you'd like). Spread on some hummus, add the veggies, basil and of course, a few beautiful slices of avocado. Enjoy!

Cashew-Truffle Hummus

November 1, 2012 by epicureanvegan

This was probably one of the best cashew spreads ever. The original recipe, called Rich and Creamy Cashew Cheese, is from Vegetarian Times, but when I tasted it, it was incredibly bland, so I decided to up the ante and add some of my favorite ingredients. After I messed with it, I found that it ought to be more appropriately called hummus, not to mention, my new favorite hummus. It’s hard to go wrong with miso and truffle oil!

INGREDIENTS:
2 C raw & unsalted cashews, soaked for 24 hours
2 Tbs nutritional yeast
1 Tbs lemon juice
2 tsp white balsamic vinegar (I used regular and added another tsp)
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1-1/2 Tbs truffle oil (my addition)
2 Tbs white or yellow miso

DIRECTIONS:
Drain and rinse the soaked cashews. Using a food processor, process for a minute.

Add a 1/2 cup of water and remaining ingredients. Process for 3-5 minutes or until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for about 12 hours or overnight. Enjoy with pita chips, crackers, or on a sandwich.

Cashew-Truffle Hummus

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

2 C raw & unsalted cashews, soaked for 24 hours
2 Tbs nutritional yeast
1 Tbs lemon juice
2 tsp white balsamic vinegar (I used regular and added another tsp)
¼ tsp onion powder
⅛ tsp garlic powder
1-1/2 Tbs truffle oil (my addition)
2 Tbs white or yellow miso

Directions

Drain and rinse the soaked cashews. Using a food processor, process for a minute.
Add a ½ cup of water and remaining ingredients. Process for 3-5 minutes or until smooth.
Cover and refrigerate for about 12 hours or overnight.
Enjoy with pita chips, crackers, or on a sandwich.

Reboot Wrap-Up

July 24, 2011 by epicureanvegan

So I did about 6.5 days of the reboot and I feel GREAT! I won’t lie . . . it wasn’t easy, but it was well-worth it. I’ve lost about 6 pounds, too. This reboot is a great way to jump start you into healthier eating habits. As much as I loved my vino, I actually didn’t miss it since there were so many other things I couldn’t eat. I discovered new foods and learned to love those green smoothies every morning. I also really loved this mango-strawberry-pineapple-avocado smoothie:

This morning, we headed over to one of our favorite restaurants, The Rainbow.

Restaurant breakfasts can be tough since most items have egg, milk and meat in them. But The Rainbow offers some great vegan items.

As you can see . . . about 98% of the vegan items on the breakfast menu are under “Light & Healthy.” Hmmm . . . what does that tell you? Anyway, I usually get Dan’s Groatmeal. It’s amazing! It’s a bowl full of oatmeal, granola, fruit and you can order soy milk to go with it. I highly recommend it! Oh—and they also make a vegan coffeecake that is to die for!!

One thing this reboot taught me, was that I needed a new blender. Mine sucked. I had an old Hamilton Beach and the only good thing about it, was the pitcher was glass. That’s how old it was. Anyway, I went shopping at Bed Bath & Beyond and after talking with the electronics guy who went through all the specs of all the blenders, I settled on the Ninja.

This thing is amazing and highly satisfying to use. For $80 (I used one of their 20% off coupons), it comes with a 1000 watts and features a vertical 3-blade system. It crushes ice like nobody’s business. When I fired it up to make smoothies for a picnic this afternoon, The Husband remarked that it sounded like a jet plane taking off. The Seventh Grader joked, “I thought ninjas were supposed to be quiet.”

Mango-Strawberry-Cherry smoothies

For the picnic, I also made some hummus and crock cheez and instead of eating them with bread or crackers, we brought cucumber slices, celery, and yellow & red bell peppers with us.

We also picked up some noodles with sesame oil, cucumber, and cilantro from Whole Foods.

It’s been a delicious day . . . and Moe enjoyed the picnic, too.

Edamame Hummus

May 29, 2011 by epicureanvegan

My wonderful friend and neighbor brought this over to me. We are both foodies and even though she’s not vegan, she always whips up amazing vegan creations for me to try. This hummus is full of flavor and is great with veggies, chips, crackers, etc. A refreshing summer dip!

INGREDIENTS:
2 C edamame
2-3 garlic cloves
2-3 lemons, juice and zest reserved
1/3 C tahini
5/8 C olive oil
1/2 avocado, peeled and pitted
1-1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/16 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp agave

DIRECTIONS:
Using a food processor, blend edamame, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest and tahini. With motor running, slowly drizzle in oil to emulsify mixture. Add remaining ingredients and puree until smooth. Enjoy!

Recipe: Edible Front Range

Garden Wraps

January 10, 2011 by epicureanvegan

I’m no June Cleaver, but I will go that extra mile to make sure the kid eats a healthy and delicious lunch at school. As I’ve mentioned in an earlier post, it’s important to include kids when making meals, especially when it comes to eating vegan. We’ve been lucky that The Sixth Grader has embraced veganism so willingly and he loves participating in cooking and meal-planning. So he was getting a little bored with St. Ives ham sandwiches, so together, we came up with a new idea: Garden Wraps. Yes, there is work involved—I spent some time Sunday afternoon making them, but golly, Wally, they are so good and worth it!

INGREDIENTS:
Spinach wraps/tortillas
Hummus
Cucumber, diced
Carrots, julliened
Red onion, chopped
Celery, sliced
Tomato, diced
Avocado, sliced
Daiya cheese
Optional: cooked Boca “chicken” nuggets, diced

Layer 2-3 spoonfuls of hummus on a tortilla, then the rest of the ingredients.

Fold in the sides first, then roll from the bottom. Slice in half and wrap with plastic wrap. I made several for both The Sixth Grader and I for lunch this week—it’s a quick and healthy snack/lunch to grab, especially if you don’t have a lot of time. Enjoy!

Ready to grab and go!

Vegan Concert: Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, CO

August 31, 2010 by epicureanvegan

Last night we saw Ray LaMontagne and David Gray at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, CO—just west of Denver. If you’re never been to a show at Red Rocks, you have to make a trip; it’s one of the BEST venues around to see a concert. It just doesn’t get any better. The weather was phenomenal and with a view of the Denver lights, there’s not a bad seat in the place. Then the moon came out. It was like an orange slice in the sky:

We went with another couple, who also happen to vegan, and since you’re allowed to bring outside food in, it was easy to throw together a picnic. Before we left for the 1 to 1-1/2 drive, I made up some hummus wraps:

On a garlic and herb tortilla, I spread on some hummus, added cucumber, tomato, and sprouts. I also brought along some extra hummus and some very delicious multi-grain flax seed crackers.

Our friends brought fruit, cookies, and some amazing banana cake/brownies that were so delicious! (I will definitely get the recipe)! There is nothing like going to Red Rocks and seeing some of your favorite musicians, while enjoying some awesome vegan food! It can be done!

Garlicky Hummus with Toasted Pine Nuts and Olive Oil

July 5, 2010 by epicureanvegan

This is probably my new favorite hummus. I love how smooth it is and sprinkled with toasted pine nuts and drizzled with olive oil is certainly the way to go. You can make it spicier by adding a teaspoon of cumin or some cayenne.

INGREDIENTS:
4 garlic cloves, minced and then mashed (I added one more)
2 15-oz cans of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
2/3 cup of tahini (roasted, not raw)
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup olive oil, plus some to drizzle
1/2 teaspoon of salt
Pine nuts, toasted

DIRECTIONS:
In a food processor, combine the mashed garlic, garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, 1/2 cup water, and olive oil. Process until smooth. Add salt, starting at a half a teaspoon, to taste. Spoon into serving dish and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and drizzle on some olive oil. Serve with crackers, raw dip vegetables such as carrots or celery, or with pita bread. Makes about 3 cups. Enjoy!

Recipe source: Simply Recipes

More Hummus Varieties

April 24, 2010 by epicureanvegan

I love that hummus is so versatile and easy to make. It’s also cheaper to make your own than buying prepackaged hummus. Here are two other varieties that a friend introduced me to and please note, the picture shows just half what the recipe yields.

INGREDIENTS:
4 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon salt
two 1-pound 3-ounce cans chick-peas, drained and rinsed
2/3 cup well stirred tahini
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1/2 C olive oil, or to taste
For Parsley and Garlic Hummus
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup parsley
1-2 garlic cloves, depending on taste
For Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
2-3 peppers from a can of roasted red pepper
1/4 cup of olive oil
Other variety would be adding black or kalamata olives…yum!

DIRECTIONS:
On a cutting board mince and mash the garlic to a paste with the salt. In a food processor purée the chick-peas with the garlic paste, the tahini, the lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, scraping down the sides, until the hummus is smooth and add salt to taste. Add water, if necessary, to thin the hummus to the desired consistency and transfer the hummus to a bowl.

The hummus should be a little thick in consistency, place half in a bowl and save for later for the roasted red pepper.

In the food processor, cleaned, purée the remaining 1/4 cup oil with the parsley and garlic until the oil is bright green and the parsley is minced transfer the parsley oil to a small jar. The hummus and the parsley oil may be made 3 days in advance and kept covered and chilled. If the consistency still seems too thick, add more warm water if needed.

Add the other half of the hummus in the food processor. Add two to three roasted red peppers and olive oil. If needed added more water.

Serve with crackers, veggies, on sandwiches as a spread and a million other ways.

Recipe source: Kitchen Challengers

Pita Quesadillas with Cilantro Hummus

April 8, 2010 by epicureanvegan

I 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!

Hummus & Tomato Tart

Grilled Veggie Sandwiches with Hummus & Avocado

Cashew-Truffle Hummus

Reboot Wrap-Up

Edamame Hummus

Garden Wraps

Vegan Concert: Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, CO

Garlicky Hummus with Toasted Pine Nuts and Olive Oil

More Hummus Varieties

Pita Quesadillas with Cilantro Hummus

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