Roasted Beet Hummus with Vegetables

Hummus is a healthy dip that makes a great party appetizer combined with raw vegetables or whole grain crackers. This recipe is an even healthier version with less oil, more fiber and antioxidants than traditional hummus. Beets are a root vegetable and are special because of their deep red color. They offer many health benefits, including boosting brain health, decreasing inflammation and  lowering the risk of  high blood pressure, heart disease and cancers because of the fiber, antioxidants and other nutrients they naturally contain.

When I was a kid, I had only eaten canned pickled beets and I wasn’t a fan at all. But when I tried roasted beets, I loved them. So if you haven’t tried roasted beets, I encourage you to be adventurous and give them a try. For people who know they aren’t beet lovers, this recipe could be the perfect way to get those important antioxidants without having to eat chunks of beets.     

Roasted Beet Hummus with Vegetables

Prep Time: 60 minutes to roast beets + 10 minutes to make hummus

Ingredients:

·         12 ounces beets, roasted and peeled*

·         1 (14 oz.) can low sodium garbanzo beans, reserve ¼ cup liquid

·         Lemon Zest of ½ lemon

·         Juice of ½ lemon

·         ¼ cup tahini

·         1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced

·         2 Tablespoons olive oil

·         ½ teaspoon salt

·         A variety of raw vegetables (cucumber, snap peas, carrots, bell peppers, celery, etc.)

Preparation:

1.      In a food processor or high power blender (I love my Ninja blender!), combine beets, garbanzo beans, lemon zest, lemon juice, tahini, garlic, olive oil and salt.

2.      Process or blend for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides and blend again.

3.      If the hummus is too thick, add the reserved bean liquid one tablespoon at a time and blending until your preferred consistency.

4.      Taste and season with additional salt as desired.

5.      Serve immediately with vegetables or refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Makes about 3 cups.

Nutrition Information per ¼ cup serving:

60 Calories, 3g Total Fat, 0g Saturated Fat, 0g Trans Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 170mg Sodium, 141mg Potassium, 8g Total Carbohydrate, 3g Sugar (0g added sugar), 2g Dietary Fiber, 2g Protein

*NOTE: To roast the beets, thoroughly wash and dry about one pound of raw beets. Rub with a small amount of olive oil, then wrap in foil. Place on a baking sheet and cook at 400*F for 60 minutes. Remove from oven, pierce with a fork. Depending on the size of the beets, you may need to cook an additional 15-20 minutes if still firm. Cool before making hummus.

If you don’t want to take the time to roast beets from scratch, try Trader Joe’s Baby Beets. They’re a real time saver – already cooked and peeled for you – and work just as well. You’ll need 1 ½ packages of beets for this recipe.

Grilled Soy-Sesame Tofu

This is a great recipe for those really hot summer days that you don’t want to heat up the oven and house. Tofu is a great plant-based protein for everyone — women, men and kids. This grilled tofu pairs well with any vegetable, but I like roasted broccoli or sauteed asparagus the best.

Grilled Tofu

Ingredients:

• 1 (14 oz.) package of firm tofu

• 1/3 cup lite soy sauce

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil (optional)

• 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar

• 2 Tablespoons water

• 1 Tablespoon brown sugar

• 1 clove garlic, minced or ½ teaspoon garlic powder

• Juice of 1 fresh lime (about 2 Tablespoons)

• 2 Tablespoons fresh ginger, minced or 1 teaspoon dried ground ginger (optional)

 Preparation:

1. Cut tofu in half through the center horizontally and then in half to make four squares or rectangles.

2. Place a double layer of paper towels on a plate. Place the tofu pieces on the paper towels. Place another layer of paper towel on top of tofu. Now place a heavy pan on top. Let sit for 30 minutes to press water out of tofu.

3. Meanwhile, in a glass mixing bowl or measuring cup combine all ingredients except tofu to make marinade.

2. Place tofu in a Ziploc bag or square glass baking pan and pour marinade over tofu. Flip tofu several times, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 4 hours. Be sure to turn tofu several times during marinating time.

3. Heat oiled grill to 450*F. Place tofu on grill and discard remaining marinade.

4. Cook tofu pieces for 5-6 minutes or until grill marks appear. Flip tofu and cook an additional 2-4 minutes, or until firm, but not dry.

Makes 2-4 servings.

Grilled Tofu, sauteed asparagus, sourdough roll

Baked Whole Grain Pasta w. Pumpkin & Kale

Pumpkin is rich in vitamin A and potassium and is a good source of fiber and the antioxidant, beta-carotene.  Kale is rich in vitamin K, antioxidants and fiber. Whole grains are one of the many brain healthy foods recommended to help prevent memory loss or cognitive decline. Combine the pumpkin, whole grain pasta, and kale for a power food combination that tastes great all year long.

Pasta w. Pumpkin

Ingredients:                                                           

8 oz. whole grain penne pasta

1 teaspoon olive oil

½ medium onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 pinched dried red pepper flakes

1 cup chopped cremini mushrooms (5-6 medium mushrooms)

½ bunch Lucinato kale, stems removed and roughly chopped

¼ cup dry white wine or low sodium vegetable broth

¼ cup fresh basil, chopped

Salt & pepper to taste

½ (15 oz.) can pumpkin (no sugar or spices added)

1 egg

1 cup low fat ricotta cheese

1 cup marinara sauce

½ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

¼ cup (1oz.) shredded Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350*F.

2. Bring a large pot of to boil. Add salt and pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside in a colander.

3. In the meantime, heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and kale; cook 5-6 minutes or until slightly cooked down. Add wine and cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Stir in basil, season with salt and pepper and turn off heat.

4. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, egg, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce, kale mixture and cooked pasta. Stir until combined and season with salt and pepper

5. Coat an 8 X 8-inch glass pan with oil. Pour pasta-pumpkin mixture into pan. Spread evenly and top with Parmesan cheese.

6. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 25minutes, then remove foil and bake an additional 5 minutes or until heated through. Serve warm.

Makes 4 1-cup servings.