Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Hummus is a food that I typically buy pre-made. In my mind it's a lot cheaper, and quicker to just buy it already made. But recently, I've tried to steer away from pre-made/convenience foods and put more effort and love into the food that I am eating. By doing this, I came up with this yummy hummus recipe that is actually much cheaper than pre-made and takes less than 20 minutes to whip up. Also, by making your own you can control what you put in your hummus. Most store bought hummus has preservatives and is high in oil.

The red peppers can definitely be left out, and the flavor can be changed to whatever you'd like. Add more garlic if you would like a more garlic heavy hummus, add cilantro and lime for a Mexican inspired hummus, or different spices to create whatever kind of hummus your hummus loving heart desires! 

Most hummus recipes call for tahini which is similar to peanut butter but made with sesame seeds. This ingredient is pretty expensive, so I have found that just using raw sunflower seeds tends to take on the tahini flavor.

All you need for this recipe is the list of ingredients below and a blender or food processor. This makes about 2 cups of hummus, so it'll last for up to a week and is perfect for dipping any type of vegetables or chips in, spreading on toast, or putting in a wrap, the possibilities are endless!

Ingredients: 
1 can garbanzo beans (rinsed)

1 (12 or16 oz) jar roasted red peppers (rinsed)

1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds

1 lemon (juiced)

1 Tbsp. dijon mustard

2 Tbsp. raw apple cider vinegar

2 cloves garlic (mashed)

1 tsp. salt 

2 tsp. pepper

1 Tbsp. cumin

Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Store in an air-tight container for up to two weeks.

 

Chicken-less Nuggets with Homemade Ketchup

Chicken nuggets, without the chicken? You're probably wondering how that's even possible, well this recipe is a vegan-friendly alternative to chicken nuggets. Although it doesn't taste exactly like real chicken nuggets, they are a lot healthier and less processed, and they also contain plant-based protein as opposed to animal protein.

Obviously, you can't eat "chicken" nuggets without ketchup, so I also created a homemade ketchup recipe. Most store bought ketchup has high fructose corn syrup, food dyes, and preservatives, so making your own is definitely the best way to go.

Chicken-less Nuggets

(Gluten-free/Vegan)

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

1 package organic tofu (extra firm)

1/4 cup gluten-free flour 

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1/2 water

2 Tbsp. dijion mustard

1 Tbsp. cajun seasoning

1 tsp. cumin

1. Open up your tofu and pour out all of the liquid that it's packaged in. Next, take a few paper towels and wrap the tofu in them, gently pressing out the moisture. Chop up the tofu into small cubes.

2. Now it's time to prepare your batter for the tofu. Simply put all of the other ingredients in a bowl and whisk until completely combined. 

3. Drop your tofu cubes into the batter and lightly toss them until they are coated. 

4. Heat up a large sauté pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray (I used Trader Joe's coconut oil spray). 

5. Transfer your tofu cubes from the batter bowl to the sauté pan and let them cook for about five minutes, then flip them. 

6. Once the nuggets have browned and become crisp, put them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Put the baking sheet in a 425 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes to let the nuggets get fully baked and more crisp. 

Now, time to make the ketchup! 

Ingredients:

1/4 cup tomato paste (make sure there is no salt added)

3 Tbsp. raw apple cider vinegar

1 Tbsp. liquid aminos

2 tsp. balsamic vinegar

2 drops of liquid stevia (or 2 tsp. sugar)

1/3 cup water

1 tsp. black pepper

Simply whisk all the ingredients together, and store in a jar in the refrigerator for up to a month!

         

And now, put the two recipes together for a delicious lunch, dinner or snack!