Hummus & pesto
By Alice
Hummus
Hummus is traditionally made with tahini sesame paste, but in this recipe, we use peanut butter so it becomes a nut-free alternative, and now people with nut allergies can joyfully eat hummus as a dip or in sandwiches.
Ingredients:
- 1 can chick peas or garbanzo beans
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 3-4 T olive oil
- 3T peanut butter, smooth
- 2-3T lemon juice
- S & P
Directions:
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas.
- Put the chick peas, garlic, 3T oil, peanut butter, lemon juice in food processor and purée. Scrape down sides.
- Taste for seasoning, and add S&P, and more lemon juice if needed.
- Serve with pita bread or pita chips, and crudité: carrots, celery, broccoli, peppers, cherry tomatoes.
Pesto
The most common pesto is made with basil, pine nuts, olive oil and parmesan cheese, but it can also be made with other greens, nuts, and cheeses. Pesto is a joyful alternative to red sauce on pasta or pizza. It can be added to sour cream or cream cheese for a dip, to mayonnaise as a spread, or to other recipes like scrambled eggs. Try parsley and walnut, kale and almond, spinach and cashew, or mix and match to find your favorite combination.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups fresh basil, spinach, kale, or parsley, packed.
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Romano, Parmesan-Reggiano, or aged Gouda cheese
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup pine nuts, walnuts, almonds, cashews
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- S&P to taste
Directions:
- In food processor, add the basil leaves and pine nuts, garlic and cheese, and pulse several times to mix. Scrape down sides.
- With processor running, drizzle in oil until the emulsion is to your liking. Scrape down sides.
- Season with S&P to taste.