I am a food lover, baking addict and full-time mom, fascinated with new ingredients, vegan food, hassle-free cooking and travel. Follow my adventures and discoveries here on the blog and instagram!
A humble Lemony Potato Salad get a punch of flavor from lemon juice, lemon zest and parsley. Keep reading to get the recipe.
To be honest, this recipe has been sitting on my drafts for over a month now. I made it when the days where way too hot, so it was sitting there while I tried to bring other more “summer friendly” dishes to my table and the blog.
At the end of the day I posted a very fresh Grilled Eggplant & Avocado Salad two weeks ago, and then decided to take a week off as I was setting up the website for the home-based cake business I just started. Yay!. That was a little bit stressful.
I think this came to be actually the perfect time to post this Lemony Potato Salad because this salad portraits the transition on the weather I am experiencing here right now. It has the bright lemony flavor characteristic of sunny days, but it is also satisfying and filling, sort of a comfort food you’ll want to eat on a much cooler, rainy days.
Let’s talk about the ingredients…
Simple ingredients. Great results
For this Lemony Potato Salad I used the most humble ingredients you can think of, but they blend beautifully to give you the perfect, but not overpowering, tangy lemony flavor that goes very well with potatoes.
To get the most amount of juice from the lemon don’t forget to press a little bit against the kitchen counter.
For this particular salad I peeled the potatoes, and cook until they are fork tender. The reason why I peeled is because I want to mash a bit of the potatoes, and that little mash, when mixed with the egg yolks, mayo and mustard, will add to the creamy texture without adding too much mayonnaise.
To get perfect hard boiled eggs for this, or any recipe, place the room temperature eggs on a pot filled with water (make sure the water covers the eggs) and put over medium high heat. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat, and let it cook for 6 minutes. Get off the heat and cool off the eggs with cold water. Peel off and they are ready to use. When you cut in half you should be able to see a beautiful, perfectly cooked, creamy and bright yellow yolk.
Mayo, mustard, onion and lemon are the main seasoning for this salad. I love how these 4 ingredients marry together to compliment the creamy potatoes.
Yes! I also chopped the stalk of the fresh parsley
Finally, we have sweet peas and parsley. The fresh parsley has a peppery taste that goes really well with the lemon juice and zest. That combo is what gives you the bright flavor of this salad.
On the other hand, the sweet peas add a little bit of sweetness and a pop of color. I always put the frozen sweet peas to a strainer, and then add the hot potatoes on top. While the potatoes cool down, the sweet peas will defrost.
How do you love your potato salad? Let us know across social media with your delicious pictures and by sharing with your friends and family!! Follow on instagram and pinterest where we share our favorite quick and easy recipes from the blogosphere! We appreciate your support!
Today is the day for a scrumptious Grilled Eggplant Avocado Salad; so flavorful and fresh; perfect for summer days.
When I was a kid, I pretty much hated eggplants. and it wasn’t until I was like 15, when I discovered middle eastern cuisine, that I started to eating different eggplant recipes with certain enthusiasm.
Quickly I wanted to start to experiment by myself. I had big expectations but I was quickly disappointed, specially because I used to compare my poor skill to those of my mom, who is an eggplant master. This is one of the reasons why, when someone asked me if I like eggplants, I would literally say: “I don’t like eggplants except for the recipes my mom prepares”.
I was so intimidated by those weird creatures. To my eyes they were flavorless and gross, until that magical day I tried babaganoush for the first time. I was hooked by the smoky flavor. From that day on, I started to love smoky and grilled eggplants. (yes, I don’t love other methods 😛 For example, I don’t know if I would be able to swallow sweet eggplants in syrup (a middle eastern sweet delicacy), but I am willing to try at least once.
Ingredients for Grilled Eggplant Avocado Salad
When I made this salad for the first time a couple of weeks ago; it was so hot! That particular day was so incredibly hot and humid that I couldn’t think about eating what I normally eat. Things like rice and beans, plantains, yuca, or even a piece of bread, seemed so heavy; so I decided to make either salad or eat plain watermelon the whole day.
This Grilled Eggplant Avocado Salad (or salsa) ended up being the perfect companion for some Spicy Roasted Potatoes. So, light and fresh. Or if you prefer, you can eat as salsa over some toasted bread slices.
This Grilled Eggplant Avocado salad can be done in a few minutes and with minimum and cheap ingredients, which is a real plus. The ingredients are so humble, but don’t let this fool you, because this salad is full of flavor.
I looked into my fridge and tried to think in a fresh combo. Quickly I chose the ingredients in my head: tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, onions, lemon, lots of parsley… but, I didn’t want a plain old green salad…
What could I add to make it more interesting?… Since grilled food is the theme of the summer, and I had two lonely eggplants on the fridge starring at me, I decided to add grilled eggplants to the mix, to get into the summer theme.
The avocado came in last, as I was considering to add some creaminess. An avocado dressing would be an interesting dressing for this salad (super easy, I will share in another post!), but I was lazy. This hot-humid weather has me like “I just want to be under cold water 24/7!!, lol. If you are like me you can just add chopped avocados.
How to make Grilled Eggplant Avocado Salad
As you can see, this Grilled Eggplant Avocado Salad comes together in a blink. I know, you think it doesn’t because you have to cook the eggplants, but they actually cook pretty fast.
I like to remove just a little bit of the skin from the eggplants so they hold their shape and don’t become a puree.
While the eggplants are grilling, chop the rest of the ingredients. Chop and let cool down a bit befofre adding to the rest of the ingredients as you don’t want the other fresh veggies become mushy.
You can add some finishing touches to this Grilled Eggplant Avocado Salad, like extra virgin olive oil and other spices or herbs if you prefer. Check out the recipe below.
Love this recipe? Let us know across social media with your delicious pictures and by sharing with your friends and family!! Follow on instagram and pinterest where we share our favorite quick and easy recipes from the blogosphere! We appreciate your support!
Hello there! Today, I am sharing with you the most amazing Spicy Roasted Potatoes. Super easy to make and super flavorful. Spicy Roasted Potatoes are the best side dish for any occasion and team up really well with any dip or even salad.
Let me start by saying, I LOVE Roasted Potatoes! They are so versatile and can be paired with pretty much anything you please, and even though, potatoes have to deal with some criticism for being “high” in carbs, in the end they are not so different than sweet potatoes!
Let me continue by saying that even though I am not a person who loves (or even can eat) spicy food, this spice blend bring the whole potato game to a whole new level!
The other day, I went to a Morocco shop and while looking for za’atar, I found a shawarma blend.
This blend has chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, all spice, oregano, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. My first thought was using it for some chicken but a few days later, it happened…
We already pointed out, I am a fan of potatoes specially those with Za’atar (a middle eastern blend made of sumac, thyme, oregano, lemon zest and roasted sesame seeds). I usually just sprinkle the za’atar over the potatoes, drizzle with a little olive oil and salt; and to the oven they go.
But, this time, when I was about to enter the potatoes in the oven, it hit me: why not to add shawarma blend to the potatoes? So, I did. It was so incredibly good, the next day I tried again to take notes and take some pics 😛 Between those two days I certainly had a potato overdose 🙂 but it was oh-so-worthy!
The Spice Blend
To make these spicy roasted potatoes I used two blends: za’atar and shawarma mix, but don’t panic; you can always make those blends at home with the right ingredients.
As I mentioned before, za’atar is a delicious mix of sumac, thyme, oregano, lemon zest and toasted sesame seeds (at least the one I got from Israel). I haven’t personally made this myself as I haven’t had the opportunity to find sumac but, you can easily find za’atar seasoning already prepared in middle eastern shops or in the ethnic section of some supermarkets.
The shawarma mix, is easier to make as the ingredients are more common. I found this recipe for shawarma mix with similar ingredients of the blend I bought, although it doesn’t contain garlic or onion powders, but you get the idea.
I also added some paprika for color sake, some dill weed I dried myself, just because 😉 and, of course, some salt.
What potatoes to use?
To be honest, I don’t know much about potatoes. The most I know is that I want these spicy roasted potatoes to hold their shape well, be crusty on the outside (this is one of the reasons I leave the skin on) and soft (but not mushy) on the inside.
For those reasons mentioned above, I usually go for Yukon potatoes for roasting or I will just pick up any kind of potato as long as is not russet (because I find those too starchy, and the final texture is too mushy, so not the best for roasting).
Once you’ve got your potatoes, you know how it goes: mix in some spices and herbs, add some olive oil and bake.
I added a great deal of spices, so the potatoes ended up with spice “clusters” all over so to speak, but it was awesome because they were like little bombs of flavor in your mouth. So good.
Do you love recipes like this? Let us know across social media! We are on instagram and pinterest sharing our favorite quick and easy recipes!. Don’t be shy and also share with your friends and family. We really appreciate it!
Hello, there! Today I was feeling the blues, so here we are with another “Caribbean Vibes” post about Cassava Pancakes. Never heard about Cassava or Yuca? Don’t worry, you’ll learn a bit about it today.
What about Cassava?
Cassava (also known as yuca, tapioca or manioc), is a perennial bush, native to the tropical area of the Americas. Its main edible part is the root, although the leaves are also suitable for animal and human consumption. Its exterior is brown, often sold covered in wax for longer shelf life, and its interior is white.
In Dominican Republic it was used by the Taínos (indigenous people that lived in what is today Dominican Republic-Haiti before the arrival of Columbus in the 15th century) as the main ingredient for casabe (crunchy flatbread made from finely shredded cassava, with the starch removed). Today, cassava remains an important part of the diet in the island, and its starch is used in the textile industry and to manufacture paper and adhesives.
Cassava is the perfect ingredient if you need a simple food that will keep you full for a long time, because it is rich in complex carbs – starch (which we dominicans love!); and, with no gluten involved which makes it easily digested.
Buying and Storing Cassava
The best cassava you can find on the market is smooth and bright white inside, with no bruises or black veins. Only way to know in you spotted good cassava is by snapping the ends or by asking kindly to the vendor to cutting it in half.
If for some reason you buy cassava and it has some minor black veins, it won’t be good for boiling to make purees or stews; but you can still use it for hash browns or pancakes, as long as it doesn’t smell bad.
To preserve the cassava for longer time, you can always peel and rinse, then cut lengthwise to remove the woody core and freeze.
When cooking in stews, you can add it from the freezer straight away to the pot. If, on the other hand, you are preparing these pancakes, let the cassava thaw a little and follow the directions as normal.
Preparing the Cassava
There is no rocket science needed to make Cassava pancake. You literally need just 4 ingredients, maybe 5; if you want to get fancy, and you’ll also need a guayo (box grater) or a food processor, to finely shred the cassava. The process is super straight-forward: peel, grate, mix, cook, enjoy!
For those of you who don’t know, this is the guayo… 🙂
To peel the cassava, cut off both end; then, cut lengthwise through the brown bark and under the pink skin that is under the bark. Pull off with a kitchen knife to loosen the skin. Rinse with cold water before cooking.
How to make Cassava Pancakes
This recipe is incredibly easy to make. You just need grated cassava, egg (or flax egg, to make vegan), salt and pepper.
To make a flax egg, mix 1 Tablespoon of flax seeds meal with 3 Tbsp of warm water, and let sit for about 5 minutes. By that time it will have a thick, gel-like consistency. Add this to the cassava.
To shape the pancakes, I took a spoonful of the mixture and placed it in a hot skillet with a teaspoon of coconut oil. I flatten it out the “dough” with the back of the spoon and let it cook on medium low until the bottom was golden. Flip and let cook for another 2 minutes on the other side, and they are ready for you to enjoy.
This recipe yields 6 pancakes but you can easily double or triple according to your needs.
Meatless meat in the making
Cassava is very forgiving and goes well with pretty much anything, but to accompany these cassava pancakes I made some “beefless ground beef”, basically because I was trying to get the idea out of my head . The ingredients and directions are the same as the ingredients of our Ultimate Vegan Meatballs, with a few tweaks:
Make just half of the recipe
Substitute quick cooking oats with a mix of ground almonds and walnuts.
Don’t add the extra water (I wanted a more chunky consistency, so the water wasn’t necessary).
Follow the directions up until the food processor part, then, put it back on the pan, mixed with the ground nuts and cooked for an extra 2 minutes.
If you want more details on how to make this beefless ground beef, go and visit the Ultimate Vegan Meatballs post 😉
I have to say that the combo of cassava pancakes with the meatless ground beef was excellent and it seriously kept me full for the whole day! Total win!
This is it for today, guys. Hope you enjoy this extremely easy recipe as much as I enjoy sharing it with you (and eating it! lol) If you want to see more recipes like this, let us know in the comment section or head over instagram to let us know! We are also on pinterest, sharing our favorite recipes from the blogosphere! Don’t forget to share with your friends, and why not, make them some cassava pancakes 😉
Hello, everyone! Today I want to share with you this yummy hybrid: The super creamy, thick and luscious Garlic Hummus with Black Beans Puree as an interesting addition. Finally, another hummus post! Yay! 😀 Alongside our classic hummus, this combo will go well with any chips, toast, veggies or anything crunchy really, plus, you’ll get an extra protein boost!
This is a child or grandchild of hummus with ful 🙂
I remember, when we were in Israel last year, specifically when we went to Yerushalayim for the first time, we bought hummus with ful. It was super yummy! and, of course I knew I wanted to make this recipe at home so I asked about the details about it to the vendor, but, back at home and I couldn’t find the dried broad beans for the ful, so this draft has been sitting there, in the blog dashboard for over a year.
When I decided I wanted to make hummus with ful, for shabbath, I went to the turkish shop and couldn’t find it either. Probably, being late and with a hungry child were factors! But I wanted to dress up the hummus anyways do I picked up the nearest thing I could think off: black beans and make delicious hummus with black bean puree. Obviously, I don’t want to pretend I made the “original stuff”, we will end up with more hummus recipes on the blog when I get my hands onto the dried broad beans! 😛
That hummus with black bean puree ended up being a hit and can be a meal all by itself (protein bomb baby!) And the best part? There is no real secret about this hummus with black beans puree. Only thing you need to do really and nail the classic hummus which is not that difficult anyways! So you have a super easy, relatively quick recipe and oh, so delicious!
I don’t want to fill this up with the classic hummus recipe so, for more information on how to make it go to this page
Making Hummus with Black Beans Puree
For this obviously, you’ll need black beans. To make the puree I just sauteed some garlic cloves and cumin until fragrant, then adding 200grs of very soft black beans that can be either homemade or canned, and finishing up with some lemon juice and some sea salt before pureeing with an immersion blender.
Easy right?
Do you love hummus?Like the idea of adding black beans to the king? What other toppings you add for your hummus? Let us know in the comments section below!And, don’t be shy and follow on instagram and pinterest (we don’t bite, yet!)
If you love this recipe and other recipes from the blog, spread the love by sharing with your friends and family! It really means a lot to us!
Easy and refreshing Cucumber Salad; perfect for these sunny days!
Easier Salad Ever
Growing up when I heard or thought about the word “salad” in my mind I always saw a bowl full of variety of vegetables. Maybe that is the reason way I used to think salads were kind of “complicated”. That was until I met my husband.
We were recently married and for our first Shabbath dinner I made a boring salad of lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber (up to that point that would be “a green salad” for me). Next Shabbath, he made the salads and this was one of them. I couldn’t believe such a yummy salad can be made with just 5 ingredients!
He also made Moroccan Carrot Salad, Creamy Carrot Salad, Tomato Salad, Beets Salad and others. I couldn’t believe my eyes! So easy to make and you can level up a very simple meal, and fill up your shabbath table with a variety of foods without even notice! I love it!
For this Cucumber Salad you just need 4 ingredients: cucumber, onions, fresh dill, lemon juice, and salt. Optional you can add extra virgin olive oil.
Even though this recipe won’t take more than 5 minutes to mix up, I personally like to mix onions with the lemon juice, olive oil and salt and rest for like an hour in the fridge, before adding the sliced cucumber. That way the onion is less sharp and a bit softer. I add in the cucumbers and dill right before serving so the cucumbers are crunchy and the dill is fresh, green and beautiful.
You can also mix all ingredients and let them rest altogether in the fridge. The cucumbers soften up a bit, and the dill doesn’t look as green but also have a milder flavor, which some people may prefer.
We usually have the “crispier version” for Shabbath dinner, and the second version for shabbath lunch (because we usually have leftover that has rested overnight on the fridge). Either way is still delicious.
When you make this recipe or any other from the blog, use the tag #kasheribbean to share on social media and, don’t forget to follow on instagram and pinterest to keep up with our easy recipes from us and the blogosphere!
The day before my last trip, I wanted to make some brioche to take to the airport (When traveling with kids you just have to be creative) but I realized I didn’t have butter or milk as the original recipe call. I thought, why not to substitute those ingredients with coconut milk and coconut oil and make a brioche with coconut flavor? I love coconut so the answer was “Let’s do it!”. Let me show you how how to make Coconut Brioche with Chocolate Chunks.
For this recipe you will need: bread flour, yeast, sugar, salt, coconut milk, coconut oil and some chocolate.
Bread baking is a therapy for me; specially when I knead the dough by hand. But because we are talking about coconut brioche and this dough can be super sticky, you’ll need a stand mixer.
I haven’t made this specific recipe by hand, but as soon as I do I will post an update. Let me know if you do it first!
Bread flour, Yeast & Chocolate
The most important ingredient here is the bread flour. Bread flour is very different from other flours (aka. all purpose, cake flour, etc) because it has a higher protein contain (gluten) which means that once you have mixed the dough, and the fermentation process begins, your dough will be more stable and trap more air, resulting in a better crumb and fluffy bread.
You’ll also need yeast. For this recipe I used instant yeast that is widely available in the supermarket. The difference between “instant” and “dry yeast” is simple: you don’t need to proof instant yeast in warm liquid, you can add it directly to your flour. On the other hand, dry yeast (aka: granulated dry yeast) needs proofing in warm water that helps to activate and dissolve the bigger granules. Instant yeast is usually also marketed as rapid rise yeast.
Keep in mind that there is another type of yeast, most commonly used by professional bakers which is called baker’s yeast and this is usually sold in blocks. If by any chance you have baker’s yeast at hand, you can use that, just triple the amount of yeast called in the recipe and, dissolve it in a tiny bit of warm coconut milk, before adding to the dry ingredients.
I personally love dark chocolate (74%) and is what I used for this recipe to balance the little sweetness of the bread, but feel free to use whatever chocolate you like (semi sweet, milk chocolate or even white)
Dry ingredients: Bread flour, sugar, salt & instant yeast.
Liquids: Coconut milk, Eggs & Coconut Oil
For this Coconut Brioche I substitute the milk in the original recipe with coconut milk. Because I wanted a more strong coconut flavor, I also added Unrefined (Extra Virgin) Coconut Oil. I guess you can use the refined version of coconut oil, but in that case I will add some coconut flavoring.
Because fats in the coconut milk tend to solidify when cooled, warm the milk a little in the microwave or stovetop and then cool to room temperature, before adding to your dry ingredients. The same applies to the coconut oil. Weight it and leave at room temperature until has a spreadable consistency. You don’t want the coconut oil to be hard or melted.
Eggs should also be a room temperature.
Liquids in: lukewarm coconut milk and eggs
Mixing & Kneading
Once you start mixing the ingredients you will see the dough foming into a hot mess. Don’t worry. At this point the main goal is to incorporate dry and wet ingredients the best that you can. Make sure to use an spatula to mix in any dry flour that may be at the bottom of the bowl and continue to mix on low speed until there is no big lumps of dry flour.
Add the coconut oil, and knead for 5 to 7 minutes, until you have a silky smooth beautiful dough.
Liquids mixed in, before coconut oil.
Coconut mixed in. Dough ready for bulk fermentation.
Once the coconut oil is mixed in and the dough is kneaded, I added some chocolate chunks but forgot to take the pic. Arrg! Add the chunks and pulse for a few times until the chocolate is incorporated.
Bulk fermentation & Shaping
Transfer this baby dough to a lightly oil bowl, cover in plastic wrap and let it rest for at least one hour, or until is double in size.
Ready to Roll!
The bulk fermentation can also be achieved in the fridge, it will just take a little longer for the dough to double in size; but this comes in handy if you need to go out for an hour or two. I don’t recommend more than that because the dough can suffer and deflate.
Once the bulk fermentation is done, punch the dough and start dividing the dough into your different baking pans.
From this dough I’ve got 1 medium loaf (500 gr) and 22 buns (30 gr)
Once you divide the dough, brush some egg wash and, you can also sprinkle the top with some fine shredded coconut (optional).
Don’t make the same mistake I did of preparing my muffin tin with paper cups because I was out of baking paper. That went so horribly wrong! They stuck to the bottom of the buns and were a complete pain to peel off. Avoid the pain by greasing your pan generously.
Second fermentation & Baking
Your loaf and buns are ready for the final fermentation and then baking.
Cover the pans with a light wet towel and let rest until double in size. As in bulk fermentation, this can vary depending on the weather and your kitchen temperature, but it should be around 1 hour. If so, Once the dough has rested for 40 minutes, turn on the oven to 180°C (350°F) so that it can reach the correct temperature by the time the dough is ready to bake.
The loaf is ready after 30-35 minutes and the buns in 20-25 minutes, or when the top is golden brown and the bread has registered an internal temperature of 85°C-88°C (185°F-190°F).
You did it! You are now ready to devour your homemade Coconut Brioche with Chocolate Chunks!
If you have any question regarding this recipe let us know in the comments section below. We love to hear from you!
Finally, don’t be shy and show your Coconut Brioche with Chocolate Chunks on instagram with the hashtag #sisterblissdiary. If you love this recipe don’t forget to follow on instagram and pinterest to keep up with our lastest recipes, and of course, share with your friends and family! It really means a lot to us!
Hey, there lovelies! Today I want to share with you my recipe for classic hummus. Super easy to make, thick and creamy. Will be the perfect match for anything you eat with spread!
Hummus: Simple yet exquisite
Apparently hummus is “the spread” of the century because is everywhere, and of course, there are reasons for that: It is so easy to make, ingredients are easy to find no matter where you live, it is creamy, it is vegan, has no gluten, dairy or added sugars, I mean… if glory has flavor, it will probably be hummus.
When I tried hummus for the first time I was hooked. I loved the creamy, thick and with simple ingredients. I wanted to do it right away, but well, we didn’t have internet back then, and the recipe I found forgot to mention the tahini (sesame paste) so I ended up with chickpeas puree. Still a good, but not hummus.
At that time we didn’t have internet at our fingertips as we do now so I just kept changing my ratios of garlic, oil and lemon hoping that some hummus will came out, but obviously that didn’t work.
I was about to give up on hummus when I was in my college library one day during my free time, which I used to explored every cookbook and culinary art book I could find there, and I saw this eye-catching book with a title I don’t recall. I randomly chose a page and started reading. In a few minutes I read something like this: “Tahini or Tehina, a sesame paste used to make hummus and other middle eastern recipes“, and my eyes lit! I went excited to the supermarket to find this “weird” ingredient, and after a couple of visits I found it!… so crazy expensive for my broken college student pocket so I decided to make my own.
Ingredients & How-to
Tahini (Sesame paste)
This was my first batch of homemade tahini. For this one I used unhulled (whole) sesame seeds which I toasted lightly and then, processed in a blender with some oil (Ratio: 1 cup seeds + 1/4 cup oil). I made hummus with this tahini and it was good. It was a total revelation that I could finally make my own hummus and tahini, but still, the flavor wasn’t right. It was too strong and kind of bitter at the end because of the sesame seeds I used.
After some trial and error I finally made the huge discovery that they are not just the unhulled (whole) sesame seeds, which are very common in DR, but also the hulled version of the sesame seeds that results in a tahini with a lighter flavor and color which is perfect for making classic hummus.
Also, I realized that you don’t really need the extra oil because toasting the seeds will bring out some of the natural oils in them and it will blend smooth with some patience and a good blender. In fact, once your homemade tahini has rested for a few hours, you’ll see the oil separated on top (and now I am thinking, Why I haven’t made sesame oil? Oh, well! lol). If this happens, just mix your tahini well before using.
In case you are freaking out thinking you can’t make your own tahini because you don’t have a Blendtec or Vitamix, freak no more because I made countless tahini batches in a $25 blender for years!, so it is totally possible as long as your blender can process seeds.
Garlic
When I first started making hummus, I used raw garlic, which is fine, but now I do prefer to use roasted garlic because it has a deeper flavor without the sharpness of the raw garlic, that will bring your classic hummus to a whole new level.
As I explained in the Cauliflower Mash post, making roasted garlic is as easy as charring, in an open low flame, a garlic head.
The Rest of the ingredients
For this recipe you will need some lemon juice to bring the flavors together and add some tanginess. And, you will also need chickpeas brine to process the chickpeas. You can use olive oil instead of the brine (aquafaba) but you can save some calories by adding a little bit of olive oil as garnish instead. Finally, you’ll need some spices and herbs to brighten up your plate when serving. My go-to spices for hummus are cumin and paprika plus parsley for garnish.
I think is worth mentioning that to make this delicious classic hummus you don’t really need to take the skin off the chickpeas. I mean, doing that will literally transform making hummus into a labor intensive task. Just be patient and process until you have achieved the desired consistency and the mixture is smooth.
Have homemade thick, creamy, flavorful and hundred times better than store-bought hummus when you want is priceless, and it couldn’t be more easy to do. I love to eat hummus with anything crunchy: toasts, chips and crackers, but also baked potatoes or sweet potatoes, cucumber slices, broccoli or peppers. The choice is yours!
Do you love hummus? What do you eat it with? Let us know in the comments section below! Also, don’t be shy and follow on instagram and pinterest and tag us with the hashtag #kasheribbean so we can delight our eyes with your versions of this humble but exquisite middle eastern spread.
If you love this recipe and other recipes from the blog, spread the love by sharing with your friends and family! It really means a lot to us!
Let’s face it! At least once in a lifetime, you will hear somebody saying “eating healthy is just too expensive”. I have heard that countless of times and I used to believe that myself, until I was forced to try when facing a tight (very tight) budget. Today I want to share with you some tips and recipes ideas so that you can eat a more balanced, healthier diet even if your budget sucks (with bold capital letters!).
Eating healthy is easier than you think
Don’t let social media fool you into think that “healthy” just means “fancy” foods that are often overpriced. Eating that way can be extremely difficult and overwhelming for a lot of people. It is also expensive, so the average earner can’t keep up. We all love times of bonanza, but economic crisis and personal finance struggles can happen to anyone, and during such times, you don’t have to trade your health.
Before I start I want to note that I understand “eating healthy” has such a broad meaning. For you it can mean eating paleo, or keto, or going vegan; but for the matters of this post, and in general terms, when I refer to “eating healthy” I mean “natural, less or non-processed food”. Whatever that you cook yourself that is made with natural ingredients (aka: not boxed ingredients) and doesn’t involve massive amounts of fat can easily falls within this category.
It doesn’t matter if you do paleo, keto, vegan or something else, as long as you eat as natural as possible, and take into account your own dietary requirements, you are all set (my condolences to those yummy Paleo cookies out there labeled as healthy and all).
Processed Foods cost a fortune
Many people often complain that eating healthy costs, and it can seem that way when you can grab a “full meal” at Mc Donalds for $5. But when you look at it in the long wrong, you’ll notice that eating processed foods is costing you way more than you think.
One visit to the store is more than enough to find out how expensive processed foods really is. I mean, a bag of crackers or chips can easily cost $3 and I can buy pasta or rice plus some veggies for the same price and have a decent homecooked meal on a tight budget.
Let’s take apples as an example. They are nutrient dense, have carbs, provide fiber and a whole lot of vitamins and minerals; while a bag of chips is full of sodium, additives and other stuff that are simply not good for you in the long run. So, my first recommendation for when you are trying to eat healthier on a tight budget is consider the “real value”, and not just focus on “the cash value”, which is obviously important at this point not as important as the real value which is the nutrition you get versus the cash you pay.
Understanding the "Real Value"
When you are on a tight budget, finding the balance between eating healthy and stretching your cash can sound difficult, but it really isn’t if you so the following exercise:
The main factor to consider here is obviously the nutritional value; you can do this by answering the question: “What will give me more nutrition for less?” In the example, apparently, you have to pay more for a bag of apples but you are actually getting a whole lot of nutritional benefits that you obviously won’t find in a bag of chips, and for so little cash. So, again, focus on the real value and eat as real, natural, whole, non-processed foods as possible for you. It will not only make you feel great and bright, but you will be satiated and it will help your budget even more in the long run, as you get more experience.
But, how to actually eat healthy on a budget?
Look for sales, then plan!
I’ve read this a million times: “plan your meals” and then, “stick to your list” and I tried and tried and tried really hard to do it, for years!, but IT. JUST. DIDN’T. WORK. FOR. ME. Sigh!
It is important to understand the value of meal planning, but when you are on a tight budget you can often plan an amazing budget friendly menu for the week and then find out in the store what you are looking for is sold out or too expensive. It’s the most frustrating thing ever! It has happened to me enough so now I do the exact opposite and I advice you to do the same: first look for sales in your local grocery store; then, plan your meals around what you’ve found.
Use your freezer
When going to the grocery store or farmer’s market you can sometimes find a really good deal on seasonal fruits and vegetables. This is a great opportunity to get those veggies prepped for the freezer. This make it really easy to prep a healthy meal on a budget, and will be available to you at not extra cost.
Learn to cook with less
Pure and simple; learn to cook with less ingredients. It sounds pretty obvious, but I think is worth mentioning. When on a tight budget I found out I could make most of my favorite recipes with 5 ingredients or even less, so I started to simplify. Most foods don’t need a lot of ingredients to taste good, they just need some extra time so the flavor can develop.
For instance, you can make a delicious rice with spinach with 5 simple ingredients: onions, salt, pepper, spinach & rice. The secret for it to taste yummy? Caramelize the onions very well by cooking over a low to medium flame before adding the rest of ingredients. Or, you can make an incredible easy Chickpeas Curry that tastes great with just curry powder and coconut milk. Just heat the curry powder over a low flame for a few seconds until is fragrant and once you add all the ingredients, let it cook on medium low for some time.
If at any given time you are out of ideas, go to your search engine and type: “3 ingredients (or 5 ingredients) _____” (fill in the blanks). You’ll be surprise of how many people have tried already cooking with less. Just be creative and open to this new culinary experienc
Buy on the local Farmer’s Market
Going to the farmer’s market has its challenges (like, when you go with kids and they want everything they see, lol) but it can be a great way to save money, so take your time and explore your local farmer’s market.
When I started going to the local farmer’s market, I found out fairly quickly that in the entrance prices were much higher than in the rest of the market, specially the back. You can easily find more for less, or even half the price; so, go straight to the back and explore prices there first.
Paying attention to every inch of your FM can save you a lot of money in the long term. In my local FM there is a stand were they sell everything for $1 or less. I wouldn’t have discovered this stand without some exploring. They sell mostly baked products and sweets that expired the day before or are about to expire in the next couple of days. Once I found 500gr of organic quinoa and 1Kg of Spelt flour for 50 cents each (usually priced $2.99+ each in the local supermarket). After this discovery I will usually go there first.
Pay a visit to the local ethnic shops and budget-friendly grocery stores
Don’t be afraid to go to the local ethnic grocery store. Sometimes you can find cheaper produce or special ingredients for an affordable price.
There are also some budget friendly grocery stores like Lidl & Aldi, where you can find great deals on produce and they often sell whole grains and alternative GF, and organic ingredients with a reduced price tag
Learn to use those stems and leaves
Now that you found those great deals on the Farmer’s market, please, don’t throw half that in the garbage in the form of leaves, stems or even skins! Be creative with what you bought. Our Apple Peel Chutney for example, was the result of having huge amount of apple skin after making an Apple Crisp for Rosh Hashanah one year and now it is something I always make! It’s delicious!!
Broccoli and cauliflower stems, are a great addition to stir fries. I usually remove the roughest outer skin of the stems with a potato peeler, and chop or cut into strips. It taste delicious and I love it for added texture and crunch. I also use it in soups, curries, stews and veggies rice. Broccoli and cauliflower leaves are a great addition to stir fries and soups as well. You can use onion, garlic and carrot peels to make a delicious broth. You can use carrot peel in carrot soup, or as a topping after seasoning and baking until crisp. Just think out of the box.
Repurpose those leftovers
If you have been following for a while, you have probably read this post and this one, where I talked about food waste and re-purposing leftovers.
I used to be so mortified when I had leftovers but now I actually plan to have some to play with. Yes, I am a fan! If you have leftover spinach you can make some spinach rice, mix it into pasta, or curry, or make a fritatta; with mixed veggies you can make stews, curries, veggies nuggets, or simply add some soy or tamari sauce and make a quick fried rice. Do you have leftover apple pie or crumble? transform it into a delicious cake.
Consider eating more veggies
Veggies are the way to go when eating healthy, and specially on a budget because meats and fish can be quite expensive.
Vegetables are incredibly versatile and as such, should always be on the top of your shopping list. You can eat them as salad or as a main dish. You can blend them into a smoothie or make a creamy soup. You are more of a wrap person? You can blend things like carrot, corn, spinach with a couple of eggs and you’ll have an easy wrap, add some sautee veggies and there you have an easy quick lunch. You can also serve fresh veggies, like cucumbers, or roasted ones, like sweet potatoes, as a snack with hummus on the side. Nowadays you can even turn veggies into sweet treats, if you are into that!
Don’t forget to add legumes, like beans, lentils and chickpeas to your menu for added protein. Nuts and seeds are a great source as well.
Do you happen to have some fresh or leftover veggies that you can cut into stripes (julienne) or into cubes?… Use them to make an easy stir fry, and add some tofu, tempeh or eggs for a budget-friendly meal.
Eggs, even organic, are one of the cheapest protein sources. You can take advantage of to cook a milliard of things. If you don’t eat eggs, you can make a fritatta with chickpea flour, which is another great source of protein.
Rice Noodles are a great alternative for those who loves noodles (like me!) but want to escape the same pasta and sauce combo. You can also substitute noodles for zucchini noodles if you wish 😉
I love love love this Minimalist Baker’s recipe for Veggie Sliders. It is so full of flavor and so easy to make and you just need 7 ingredients. Looking for a nut-free option? Try our Ultimate Vegan Meatballs.
And that’s it for today folks! Hopefully you now feel relieved knowing that eating balanced and healthy is possible, even when you budget sucks.
Want to share your money-saving tips or recipes for tight budgets with us? Share it on the comments section below! Looking for more ideas and inspiration? Follow our Pinterest Board, Healthy Eating on a Tight Budget, and don’t forget to follow on instagram to keep up with other easy recipes.
