Healthy and cheap foods to buy?

[Leanna]

I decided on Special K cereal and almond milk instead!

[scottinpa]

  Hummus Recipe

Another altered and amended recipe by Scott..

Gluten, Soy & Corn Free!

Prep time:  10mins     Cook time: no cook  

 

This is probably the easiest thing in the world to make that is both good and good for you. I use a 3 cup oscar small processor, it works best for me. If your food processor has a small bowl then thats the one you want to use.

 

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup (59 ml) tahini - home made or store bought
• juice from 1/4 small lemon.. approx 2 to 3 tbls
• 1 med size garlic clove, diced & minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, safflower oil, or I use avocado oil
• 1/8 teaspoon salt, ( I use kosher or sea )
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin ( I did not have any so I skipped it this time )
• One 15-ounce can (425 grams) chickpeas (garbanzo beans) ( I use grabanzos from a local sprout farm but they are hard to come by)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons water

 

 

Instructions

Start with the tahini (see note 2 below) and the lemon juice in the food processor, process for 30 seconds and scrape down the sides, do this three times..... then add the garlic, oil of choice, salt cumin and process again for 30 seconds, scrape sides down, again do this 3 times.... Open the can of chick peas, rinse in a colandar and add them to the processor. ( I do 1/3 process for 30 secs, add the second 1/3 process for 30 secs, Then the rest ) Process the hummus until it is very smooth and the mixture is evenly mixing in the bowl of the processor. ( See Note 1 below ) If not moving evenly in the processor bowl, add a little more oil, but just enough until the mixture is blending smoothly in the bowl. At this point you have hummus. You be the judge of the consistency, If not smooth enough keep blending, if too thick add water a table spoon at a time and process, also salt and pepper if you like till it is the consistency and taste you prefer.

When serving, put into a bowl and drizzle a tablespoon or so of oil over the top.
Enjoy on crackers, chips, etc. I like to dip celery sticks with mine.


Note 1: If you are going to add a flavor, this is where you do that ( before adding the additional oil & water ). For my spinach and artichoke hummus, I added about 1/3 cup of artichoke hearts, and 1/3 to 1/2 cup prepared spinach. ( I like spinach better, lol ) Processed until smooth. I also do caramelized onions,  I call it 5 onion hummus.... tomato basil hummus...... horseradish hummus..... pesto hummus... refried bean hummus, and have not tried it but recently heard that there is a pumpkin hummus ( not so sure?? )

Note 2: both the store bought hummus and tahini are expensive when you consider it only costs a few dollars to make. If you want to make your own tahini, it is very simple. I start with a cup of sesame seeds ( you can do as much as you want, I use a small processor ) bake the sesame seeds at 350 degrees for about 6 minutes ( preheat! )... put the seeds into the processor and start processing. Add oil ( I use safflower oil ) initially a couple table spoons, and process a minute at a time, scraping down the sides. Process as long as the mix keeps moving. Add more oil if needed a little at a time until you have a smooth runny paste. Dont be in a hurry to add the oil, It takes up to 10 minutes of processing to get to the desired consistancy.... and the sesame seeds do not have to still be warm from the oven when you are processing them.

 

 

 

 

Hummus Recipe (cont'd)

 

Notes

 

FYI, I dont think you can over process this. the more you blend the smoother it gets.......

 

Work on making up your own flavors... I am going to try a tomato basil next time. 

 

I dont know what the qualifiers are for hummus, For all I know this is actually considered a dip because of the amount of spinach artichokes etc that I put into it... Maybe it is more of a dip... I dont  care... all I know is that it tastes good,  it is easy to make, and it is made with good ingrediants

 

I think that after I make it and put it into the fridge, the beans are still absorbing the oil. when I pull it out of the fridge it seams a little dry so I just mix in a little more oil with a spoon. When serving your are suppose to drizzle  a little oil over the top, but I prefer mine to be a little thicker.  Make yours how you want it!

 

I may not always specify it, but all of my ingredients are Gluten, Soy & Corn free.

 

    

[Sazerac]

I am jealous of you having FRESH Garbanzos !!

 

Garbanzos in the can have soaked up SO much preservative in the can...that rinsing them is often not enough to get that chemical taste out of them.

 

Sometimes even soaking for a while with changes of water doesn't help either.

 

So, I get dried garbanzos,  

throw them in the crock pot with water and cook overnight.

In the morning they are ready for hummus.

 

Also, delicious warm in the morning.

[scottinpa]

the fresh I get work best for me if I throw them right into the freezer till I need them,,, then I take them, thaw,...  and pressure cook them for 15 minutes... sounds like a lot of steps but it is all simple and the final product is really good!!

[comrade simba]

Cheap food is nice, but I prefer free. Thus, I grow stuff. And take a look down and around when you're outside for edible plants and trees/bushes that are in fruit or bearing nuts. If you know how to look there is almost always something to eat most places. Stop and check to see if the roadkill squirrel or raccoon is fresh and relatively undamaged.

 

Now that I moved to town I should get back to raiding dumpsters!

[Leanna]

I don't think I can do roadkill Comrade, lol. Not really my thing.

 

Although, I would love to have a garden. Kind of hard to keep one of those in an apartment building though, I think. 

[comrade simba]

Somewhere near you is open space that could be sharecropped. Find it and cut a deal with the owners.

[Leanna]

Somewhere near you is open space that could be sharecropped. Find it and cut a deal with the owners.

Good suggestion.

 

Thanks!

[scottinpa]

I am jealous of you having FRESH Garbanzos !!

 

Garbanzos in the can have soaked up SO much preservative in the can...that rinsing them is often not enough to get that chemical taste out of them.

 

Sometimes even soaking for a while with changes of water doesn't help either.

 

So, I get dried garbanzos,  

throw them in the crock pot with water and cook overnight.

In the morning they are ready for hummus.

 

Also, delicious warm in the morning.

I am unsure how this works... but I will ask my cousin about it when I see her. I think they are soaking dried garbanzo beans too, but theirs sprout and then after they collect the sprouts I get the beans... So what you are using are probably pretty darn close tho what I am using...

texture is a little different but everyone I share with really likes it!!

[Sazerac]

I am unsure how this works... but I will ask my cousin about it when I see her. I think they are soaking dried garbanzo beans too, but theirs sprout and then after they collect the sprouts I get the beans... So what you are using are probably pretty darn close tho what I am using...

texture is a little different but everyone I share with really likes it!!

Oh, I understand now.  We use the same product only yours have been sprouted.

Relieved I don't have to lust after your Garbanzos...

what a compromising position that would be !

 

​But, I did research and found out about Fresh garbanzos

 

http://www.specialtyproduce.com/produce/Fresh_Garbanzo_Beans_2490.php

 

people are using fresh ones like Edamame as well as Hummus etc.

[Nicole Diver]

I think starting Monday I'm off the 5:2 and 4:3.

On my non fast days I always eat too much junk.

Starting Tuesday actually (I'm traveling for work Monday so that is out) I am starting 'MyFitnessPal' suggestion of 1200 cal per day - except I am going to go with 1100 so I can have a free day Saturdays.

Why oh why do I struggle so much.

So that is my new plan.

[scottinpa]

I think starting Monday I'm off the 5:2 and 4:3.

On my non fast days I always eat too much junk.

Starting Tuesday actually (I'm traveling for work Monday so that is out) I am starting 'MyFitnessPal' suggestion of 1200 cal per day - except I am going to go with 1100 so I can have a free day Saturdays.

Why oh why do I struggle so much.

So that is my new plan.

If I am reading this right,,,, you are going to do 1100 cals per day for 6 days and then have an non counting calories day on saturdays... like the sky is the limit??

[Nicole Diver]

Yes. I cannot do a diet every single day, it does not work for me.

[Colleen]

Yes. I cannot do a diet every single day, it does not work for me.

Ava...How about you don't go on a diet?  Better to find good food that you like, don't you think?  Then have one big meal of cookies, just once a week.  But just a meal of cookies, don't eat cookies from morning till night.