roasted brolcolli hummous

Roasted Broccoli Hummus

Makes 2 cups

Unlike most traditional Hummus recipes my version uses water rather than oil to create a dip consistency. This helps to keep the calorie count low and also allow the flavors of the garlic and broccoli to be the stars. Serve with a drizzle of oil over the Hummus.

1 15 oz can white beans

½ pound roasted broccoli (recipe follows)

2 garlic cloves, roasted (these are roasted with the broccoli – sweet on the outside with a pleasant garlic heat internally)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

½ teaspoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon Tahini

salt

Add all the ingredients to a food processor or blender. Add a little bit of water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to help blend and to achieve desired consistency. Taste and add salt. Taste again. And again.

Can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Serve with a drizzle of a fine olive oil.

Roasted Broccoli

1 pound broccoli florets

¼ teaspoon chili flakes

4 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon kosher salt

Pre-heat oven to 400*

Scatter broccoli across a parchment lined sheet tray. Do not overcrowd the tray as this will cause steaming rather than roasting. Add chili flakes, garlic, olive oil, and salt. Stir to coat.

Roast 20 minutes or until cooked through with parts of the florets having a nice bit of char.

Let cool slightly.

Tomatoe and Cucumber Salad

Ingredients:
1 cucumber, peeled and sliced into 1/4" slices
4 to 6 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges or sliced
crumbled feta cheese to taste
sliced greek olives to taste
balsamic vinaigrette to taste
pepper to taste


Directions:
Arrange sliced cucumbers and tomatoes in a decorative pattern on a platter or plate. Spread olives and feta cheese evenly over the top. Drizzle balsamic vinaigrette over the top. Sprinkle with pepper. 

Baked Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:
sweet potatoes, desired quantity
aluminum foil
butter
salt and pepper to taste


Directions:
Preheat oven to 375. Scrub sweet potatos. Pierce several times with a fork. Wrap each potato in foil and place on foil-covered baking sheet. Bake for one hour or until potato yields easily to a gentle squeeze. Split open and serve with butter, salt and pepper to taste.

Soy Sauce Spinach

Ingredients:
1-1/2 to 2 lbs spinach, cleaned
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
2 T olive oil
2 T soy sauce
1 tsp chili powder


Directions:
Pour olive oil into large pot with lid.  Add garlic to pan.  Top with spinach.  Sprinkle spinach with chili powder and soy sauce.  Put flame on medium and cover pan.  Stir every few minutes, being careful to scrape the bottom of the pan so the garlic doesn't burn.  Steam until wilted.  Drain and serve.

Meals

1. Chipotle Chicken with Sausages, Baked Sweet Potatoes, Sauteed Soy Sauce Spinach, Cucumber and Tomato Salad - Colorful, Delicious, Nutritious - Everyone Raved!

Chipotle Chicken with Sausages

Craig's mom taught me this family recipe - I added the chipotle, capers and olives

Ingredients:

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

5-6 spicy sausages

1 small can smoked chipotle chilies

2 red or yellow bell peppers

2 medium onions

4 T capers

1/2 cup sliced black olives

2 T olive oil

1 can artichoke hearts, quartered

freshly ground black pepper to taste
optional chopped green onions as garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Spray or oil a baking pan. Pulverize the chipotle peppers until they are a paste, using a blender or food processor. Rub chipotle paste over chicken breasts and lay breasts in the pan. Slice sausages and lay them on top. Bake for 10 minutes. 

Meanwhile, cut the onions and bell peppers into large chunks. Cut the artichoke hearts into bite-sized pieces. Toss with olive oil and capers. Pull the chicken out of the oven. Spread onion and bell pepper mixture over the chicken and sausages. Top with sliced olives. Return to oven and bake for approximately 40 minutes, or until the breasts test as done (no pink in center). If desired, top with green onions before serving.

Yum!

Note - Items purchased at Costco:

chicken breasts
sausages
large jar of capers (saves a lot of $$)
onions
bell peppers

Oven-Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients:

2 lbs asparagus spears

2 T olive oil

1 tsp sea salt or kosher salt, or to taste

Directions:

Place rack in center of oven.  Set oven to 400 degrees.  Lightly oil a jelly roll pan or other large, rimmed baking pan.  Rinse asparagus and trim woody ends.  Drizzle spears with olive oil and sprinkle with salt; toss to coat.  Roast for about 10 minutes, or until crisp-tender, turning once during roasting. 

(Note to self - try with a drizzle of truffle oil and/or squeezed lemon and/or minced garlic.)