Pineapple Jalapeno Hummus

I eat a lot of hummus. Like a lot. Every day, all day long. (seriously, I am always snacking on veggies dipped in hummus) So I am sorry to all around me that my breath always smells.. (I blame all the garlic in the hummus.)

Recently, during a particularly browsey grocery shop, I ended up in the hummus case (I always end up there) and found a new hummus flavor.  Pineapple jalapeno, WHAT.  I grabbed it right then and there, convinced that hummus gods were rewarding me for all of my hummus eating and have made me my very own flavor.

Got home, tossed all the groceries into the fridge and busted open the new hummus, a bag of carrots, and went at it. Oh man, it was good.(to often the store bought hummus flavors are not so great) The flavors were all there, sweet and spicy, and creamy.  It was fantastic, I ate almost all of it and I knew I had to make my own.

And I did and you know what, it was even freaking better! (Fresh it the best!)

So If you are a hummus person of any kind, this is a fantastic exciting flavor that will make you all sorts of happy.

The stuff for the hummus:  chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, garlic, and salt and pepper. And for flavor add ins,  fresh pineapple and a jalapeno pepper.

Chickpeas (rinsed and drained) go into the food processor with some tahini, the juice of the lemon and salt and pepper.. The garlic I actually pulsed in the processor first (to avoid big raw hunks) and some olive oil are also going in on this.

Blended until a smooth, creamy perfection.

Now for the fun stuff. Dice up the pineapple and remove seeds (or not) from the jalapeno and dice that up too

Toss it all (minus a few little pieces of garnish if you want) into that creamy dreamy hummus.

Pulse pulse pulse until the chunks of stuff are all incorporated . Make it super chunky or super smooth, up to you. I like mine kinda chunky, but not too chunky, if you know what I mean.

Into a big bowl, topped with a few little diced up pieces of jalapeno and pineapple, you know, for prettiness. And lots of cracked pepper.. Lots.

Now eat. With whatever ( I like veggies or just give me a spoon, Ican eat hummus all by itself)

Hummus for life!

-C

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Pineapple Jalapeno Hummus

Makes about 2 1/2cups

• 2 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (one can)
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 cup fresh pineapple
• 1-2 jalapenos
• salt and pepper

Rinsed and drain chickpeas. Add garlic and a little olive oil to the food processor and pulse until the garlic is a little minced. Add in the drained chickpeas,  tahini, a sprinkle of salt ans pepper, the juice of the lemon and another tablespoon of olive oil and blend until smooth.

Dice up pineapple into smaller chunks and remove seeds (if you want) from the jalapeno and chop that into smaller pieces . Add to the hummus and pulse until combined. You can leave it chunky or blend until smooth. Just stop blending when you reach you desired consistency . Garnish with more chopped pineapple and jalapeno and lots of freshly ground pepper.

Serve with whatever you eat your hummus with.

Store left over (there probably won't be any) in a container in the fridge.

Sunday Happy

I am now starting to rethink my current state of feeling like crap. This can't possibly all be allergies, I have been nearly hacking my lungs out all week and its just not right. I need it to stop, like today so that s that plan. make it STOP. That and we are borrowing my brother in laws truck today and going for a drive to the northern parts of Vermont to pick up, what is hopefully going to be, our new cast iron radiators!!! I am really excited because for one, I found them on craigslist and I love finding awesome stuff on there, and two, cause it's suppose to be kinda crappy today so a nice drive that is also productive while I am making it (sickness) stop... Win win win!  And I cannot forget to get my butt to the library and return the massive stack that has been accumulating next to the door. I have been reading a lot, but instead of returning books when I am done, I just keep taking more out.. I might be maxing out my allotted amount of books I can take out at once.  And I am pretty sure there are a few overdue ones in that stack.....

How about you? Planning any super fantastic spring style fun stuff today,? Maybe getting out into the garden and doing a little planting or maybe busting out the summer clothes and spending the afternoon trying on all your old favorites that you forgot you had? Whatever you do, enjoy it, even if it involves doing absolutely nothing while eating your weight in popcorn. That is totally legit.

Internet from the internet.

-So I am kinda obsessed with finding a sweet ass retro/vintage stove like one of these right now,,,,lets see if this is a passing thing.

-A dating site to hook up Trump hating Americans with Canadians, you know, just in case we need to flee the country come November. (so smart)

-IF YOU'RE REFRIGERATING THESE FOODS, STOP

-These are some crazy shinny cakes.

-What Is 'Natural' Food? A Riddle Wrapped In Notions Of Good And Evil

-I have a thing for anatomically correct hearts, and these crochet wired hearts are super cool

-Colored Front doors are the best. I am thinking bright ass pink or orange for the new house.

- Sometimes being an adult sucks. 20 One-Sentence Reminders Every Reluctant ‘Adult’ Needs To Hear Right Now

- I love this. 30-Foot-Tall Dayglow Totems Places in the Desert

-Thinking about cross country trip and staying in a few tree houses, Glamping Style, on west coast (we are totally doing it1)

Loveliness in pictures.

Have a great day.

-C

Rainbow Slaw Salad

It was summer for a day and it was great. Then it rained a bunch the next day and that was equally as great cause I love warm rainy days.  And then the weather lady said that there is a chance of snowflakes in the valley Sunday night. (really?) It's ok, one more cool day will be kinda nice because we all know it's going to get hot and we will be looking back on this cool weather fondly. But until then, the lilacs are blooming and the trees are like POW with so much green... It's all happy and pretty and just what I have been needing.

With all this nice weather lately, the mr and I have been spending a lot of time working on outdoor stuff (fencing trimming trees, moving plants) When it's as nice as it has been, I don't feel like going inside for a long lunch to feed myself and the food that I do eat, I want to be light and fresh, you know, like summer food. Nothing heavy or that can make me feel gross in warm weather. So my go to for lunch these days. A big ass bowl (usually a jar) of shredded veggies coated in mustard, vinegar, and salt and pepper, all the best things. (the best things being that it's quick and easy and so tasty and pretty) 

And note about this salad slaw. It is great when made and eaten right away, but also travels really well. So if you need food to bring on the go (like to the beach, on a hike, or to the airport), this is what you should pack. It only tastes better the longer it sits.

The Stuff. Zucchini, summer squash, a beet, a few carrots, onion, and some cabbage (I used red and green but one or the other is good). Also need yellow mustard, red wine vinegar, and salt and pepper.

Shred, shave, or julienne all you veggies.. no precision, just do it.

All the pretty colors in a big bowl ( they don't need to be separated, I just wanted to see the pretty)

And then it gets tossed all around. Add in a good sprinkle of salt and pepper, a glug glug of vinegar and a big ass scoop of yellow mustard. Give it another big toss.

And you good to go, or, let this sit for a while, it only ends up tasting better.

Just look at that.

So simple and easy, but so good. Eat it as it is or toss it with greens, some lentils, on a sandwich or into some rice. Possibilities are endless.

Summertime here we come!

-C

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Rainbow Slaw Salad

Serves 1 as a meal, 2-3 as a side

• a small zucchini
• a small summer squash
• a beet
• a few carrots
• a small onion
• 1/2 a head of cabbage (red or green or a little of both)
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
• 2-3 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• salt and pepper

Note. Feel free to add more or less of your favorite veggie into the mix, even add one that isn't on the list. And not a fan of yellow mustard, use stone ground or dijon or some fancy kinda of your liking.

Grab a bowl and all the veggies. Shred, shave, or julienne all of them into the bowl and mix around. Add in the mustard, vinegar and season with salt and pepper and toss around until evenly coated..

Can eat right away but tastes better after sitting for at least 10 minutes. 

Maple Banana Walnut Oat Squares

Every year I play this game with myself.. Is it allergies or am I sick. The past few days I have been feeling kinda crappy, waking up with itchy, gunky eyes. My throat hurts, my head is like a balloon, and I am just feeling beat.. 

I think it's that I am sick (because I don't want to have allergies) but whatever it is, it sucks, but usually goes away after a week (like every year because its really allergies). Blah.

But enough about my balloon head, lets talk these maple banana walnut oat squares. These yummy gems of the oat square world are just what you need in your life. Healthy, protein packed, nutty, and a touch sweet. No junk, just good stuff all made with little to no effort. If you like banana bread, you will be all into them. I was inspired to make these by the extremely ripe bananas that need to be eaten asap and the mr's lack of eating a healthy breakfast (I want him to eat, and I want it be oatmeal). I know him well enough that if I make a snack like thing and leave it out to eat, that he will eat it. For breakfast.

So weather or not you are looking for a good way to get in some good stuff into your tummy or just want some good tasting stuff in your mouth, this is the breakfast/dessert for you.

The stuff. A couple of ripe bananas, a bunch of rolled oats, some yummy walnuts, real maple syrup, cinnamon, baking soda and a wee bit of water.

Start with the walnuts in a food processor. Turn it on and process until....

You got this walnut butter. Do not eat it, it's for the squares (it is so good).

Add in the oats, cinnamon and baking soda and turn the processor back on until you get a nice unified crumbly mixture.

Now in goes the bananas and the maple syrup. And you guessed it, blend some more. While you are blending, if the mixture seems to dry, add in a splash of water, to wet, just toss in another handful of oat. The mixture should be like a muffin batter consistency.

And that's it. If you want some nut chunks, add in a handful more of walnuts (do it) and pulse just to get them mixed into batter.

Then pourthe mixture into a well greased 9x9 baking pan and spread out evenly. Toss those suckers into the oven to bake.

Oh so good bananas give off the best smell when baking. After about a 1/2hour, these bars are nice and golden brown and a fork stuck in the center comes out clean, which means, they are done.

Cut into square , eat one or two, and save the rest. Eat for breakfast, as a snack, or for dessert. And a smear of peanut butter on top is aces too!

Later dudes.

-C

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Maple Banana Walnut Oat Squares

• 3 cups old fashion rolled oats (gluten free ones to keep in GF)
• 1 cup plus a a small handful walnuts
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 2 rip bananas
• 1 /2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

Place 1 cup of walnuts into a food processor and blend until it turns into walnut butter.. about 3 minutes. Add in the oats and blend together until it becomes a crumbly mixture. Add in the maple, baking soda, cinnamon and the bananas (break into chunks) and blend until incorporated. If the mixture seems lie its too dry, add in a splash of water, and if to wet, add in another handful of oats. The batter should resemble a muffin batter.  Once blended, mix in the remaining walnuts and pulse just to mix them in.

Pour mixture into a well greased 9x9 baking pan and stick into the fridge for 10ish minutes and preheat oven 350

And after the time in the fridge, remove the pan and slide them into the oven. Bake until golden brown and a tester stuck into te middle comes out clean. (about 30 minutes)

Remove and let cool. Pop out of pan, cut into square, and eat to you face.

Squares will last 3-4 days in a airtight container or freeze them and they will last until you eat them.

Sunday Happy

Oh yes, It is Sunday and man oh boy, am I beat. Yesterday the mr and I spent the day digging 2 1/2 foot holes for fence posts at the new house. It was actually pretty great because we got to spend the day outside and it was the most lovely day, all sunny and warm. The only problem we had was that the fence line landed on top of all the most gnarly tree roots and it took about an hour of hacking away per hole. We got to 6 and have 11 more to go (Ouch!) SO yeah, a little sore, but luckily the hardest part is done and we are going to take today off from fencing and be hang with the fam (cause it;s mothers day)

Which brings me to a my, "Happy Mothers Day to all you ladies out there being mommas and all out wonderful human beings!" You have the hardest job of all and today you deserve all the breakfast, lunch, dinner, flowers, naps, macaroni necklaces and then some. Take the day and do you forget about the to do list. IT can wait until tomorrow.

As for me, I am not an actual mom, but I have enough litttles in my life that I am kinda like a part time momma. So after an afternoon of family and mom ladies and feeding them all lunch, I am going home, walking the pup (I am his momma) and taking a nap myself. I am greatly looking forward to it.

Again, Happy Mothers Day, (especially you mom.. Love you!)

The internet fun stuff from the week.

-If you are one of those people who leaves everything (the phone and computer plugged in all day, read this. Just How Much Power Do Your Electronics Use When They Are ‘Off’?.

- Funny, kinda sad, but really cool. Eat Your Heart Out. A series of words remembered
from break-ups reimagined as something sweet.

-I keep looking at these boots. The ease of off and on with all the style of a rubber sole and brown! I really want them... someday.

-Bathroom Inspiration. We are doing bathroom next!

- The broccoli is my favorite. Japanese Lego Master Builds Delicious-Looking Creations From Blocks

-Perception vs. Reality. Perception is its own reality when you’re eating.

-All sorts of pretty. Cherry Blossoms Flood the Inokashira Park Lake in Tokyo

-Check out these DUCKS!

-I am freaking obsessed with this wood flooring.If I had a million dollars to blow, I would put it throughout the whole house.

-Awesome photos from the 2016 National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest

Pictures of all the great things this week. So much color!

Have the greatest of days.

-C