A few days ago, I was sitting on the subway when one of New York’s iconic subway mariachi bands boarded and began to play. As I stared around at the bemused and tolerant faces of the passengers around me, I thought to myself, “this could never happen in D.C..”

It couldn’t. For one thing, it’s forbidden to drink coffee on the D.C. subway, let alone sing, dance, and make merry. For another, D.C. doesn’t quite have New York’s adoration of street artists and musicians; “bohemian” isn’t the word I’d use to describe the city. The words I usually use are “Ann Taylor Loft” (not that there’s anything wrong with ATL, whence my Mom just got me a holiday gift. It’s just a very sensible look).

Don’t get me wrong: I’ve come to like my life here in the District. I really have. And it is a city with plenty of fine arts, which I’m lucky to be around. It’s just…well, it’s not New York. At the tail end of my publishing career, I remember sometimes feeling annoyed with hipsters. Having now been in D.C. for about eight months, let me tell you: I’d pay good money to see a few more hipsters around these parts. Or unconventionally dressed folks. Or mariachi bands on the subway.

But I digress. The point is that I came home yesterday, to D.C., in a state of some wistfulness. I thought about how I wouldn’t see my mother, my childhood friends, or Candle Café for another few months. Let alone an efficient public transportation system. And then I came home to this:

Hello, Hobbit House

I also came home to about ten texts from the other post-baccs, who are filing into the District for another semester. And as it occurred to me that I’d be seeing them all today, tomorrow, and all semester long, I was also struck by how much I’ve missed them. The other post-baccs are like family to me, and they’re one of many reasons that I can now call D.C. “home” without hesitating.

In the spirit of homecoming, I decided to make a recipe that screams “comfort” to me. Inspired by the extraordinary zucchini and almond hummus I gobbled down at Gingersnap’s Organic, I decided to pay homage to with a zucchini almond concoction of my own. I’ve made both zucchini hummus and almond hummus (Karen Knowler’s recipe) and I thought this was a really lovely in between: very rich, but lightened up by the zucchini base. Thanks to the chef at Gingersnap’s for planting the idea!

Zucchini Almond Hummus (raw, vegan, gluten free, soy free)

Makes about 4-5 servings

1 cup almonds, soaked for about 8 hours (or overnight)
2 small zucchini, chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 clove garlic (optional–I didn’t use, but it’ll taste traditional)
2 tsps cumin powder
1 tsp salt (or more, to taste)
Black pepper to taste
Juice of 1 large lemon (2-3 tbsp)

1) Place all ingredients in a Vitamix or other high speed blender, putting the zucchini at the bottom.

2) Blend on high, using the tamp attachment, till the mixture starts to get smooth. Resist the urge to add water. You’ll want to, but try first to let the tamp do the work, so that you don’t end up with a watery mix. If it’s not blending, then go ahead and add water very slowly, tablespoon by tablespoon, to get the hummus moving!

3) Keep blending till mixture is very smooth. Taste for seasoning, and add more salt or pepper if desired. Remove from blender and serve with raw crackers, in a wrap, with salad, on toast, with raw veggies, or however you like to eat your hummus.

This hummus is truly delicious: lemony, fresh, and fragrant from the cumin. It’s also great to know that there’s a vegetable packed into every single bite!

Zucchini hummus holds a tender place in my heart, because it was one of the first recipes I made for myself when I was in my “experimental” early phases of raw foodism. I remember being so sure it wouldn’t work, and then so happy when it did. I can’t think of a better recipe to welcome myself home to D.C. with—a raw food classic, a personal favorite, and a recipe that is loaded with sentimental value.

With that, CR readers, it’s back to the grind I go. Tomorrow begins a new semester, and Orgo II is at noon. I won’t be able to be quite as present as I’ve been on the blog and on Twitter, but I’ll be here. And I’ll be back to tell you how the first day of Spring 2012 went tomorrow.

xo

My friend Rose and I have a dinner tradition. We meet at Moustache Pitza in Greenwich Village, and we feast on hummus. A lot of hummus. Unseemly, unladylike, unfathomable amounts of hummus. See this spread, below?

That’s a fairly average first course for us. The hummus servings at Moustache are quite liberal. You will notice that we’ve ordered three of them.

Though technically much more than a hummus joint, Moustache is worth going to solely for its pureed chickpeas, which are perfectly seasoned, silky smooth, brightly flavored with lemon, and dusted with good olive oil. The babaganoush is also a thing of beauty: so incredibly smoky and sweet (I have yet to make a batch of babaganoush the authentic way: I’ll have to try). When you’re like me, and you consider hummus a food group, dining at a place like Moustache is a rare treat. I usually just order 2-3 hummus servings, and eat them with a simple salad and pita or a chickpea and spinach dish. When food is this flavorful, you don’t need it to be fancy.

I found myself at Moustache two nights ago, catching up with Rose for the first time in months. As I’ve mentioned before, Rose is very dear to me—one of my closest friends, and also one of the smartest and most insightful people I know. I have missed her tremendously in DC, so it was wonderful to sit, to feast on hummus continually for hours (we ordered more tomatoes and pita so that we could keep dipping and dining), and to talk about 2011. And the folks at Moustache allowed us—as they always do—to linger long into the evening.

While not explicitly vegan, Moustache also offers a number of cooked vegan dishes and pitza options—just check out the menu, here. If you’re in NYC or visiting, and you want to dine someplace that’s omni friendly but focused heavily on pureed legumes, I can’t recommend this cozy, charming space enough. It’s always a first stop when I get home.

Today, I traded cumin for curry, and came up with the following oh-so-simple slaw. As I’ve mentioned, my Mom hasn’t got any fancy raw kitchen gear here, so I’ve been focusing on salads, soups, and slaws. This salad—curried carrot and raisin slaw—isn’t exactly creative, but I’d never made one like it before, and it was very tasty. I made it to serve 2, but you could double the recipe easily. And like most slaws, flavors will improve and deepen if you let it sit overnight.

Curried Carrot Raisin Slaw (vegan, raw, gluten and soy free)

Serves 2

8 carrots, grated
2 oz raisins (about a heaping 1/3 cup)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp agave
1/4 tsp sea salt
pepper

1) Mix carrots and raisins. You may need to give the carrots a squeeze to remove some excess moisture.

2) Whisk together oil, vinegar, curry, agave, and salt.

3) Pour dressing over carrots and let marinate for at least a few hours.

Simple and delicious.

Though not a meal sized salad by any means, this could go nicely in another salad, or you can serve it as a fresh, raw side dish to any raw or cooked meal. It’s tangy, sweet, and hits an unexpected note with the curry—no boring mayo slaw dressing here!

With that, I get to meet the wonderful Melissa for dinner at Blossom tonight. Can’t hardly wait. Thanks for the great feedback I’ve gotten so far on the new FAQ’s—please keep it coming! Very helpful to me. See you back here tomorrow.

xo

Well, I suppose it’s Monday again. After a nice long weekend of frolicking in NYC, it’s time to get serious again—about finals, about life. I returned from a lengthy Orgo lecture today, feeling just a little glum about getting back-to-business after my Thanksgiving respite. A delicious and energizing snack plate was in order.

The problem was, I was fresh out of my juice pulp crackers (which are a normal snack of choice). I was also out of rice cakes (a frequent substitute), and snack bars. What I did have were some flax crackers that I was sent some time ago (I won’t tell you how long ago—these things don’t readily expire, OK?) by the nice folks at Foods Alive. When I originally got these, I gobbled up the maple cinnamon and regular salted crackers in a jiffy. Can you guess why one bag lingered on?

I’ve gotten much, much cozier with both onions AND garlic this year, let the record show. But I’m still not exactly bosom buddies with either, and the idea of a cracker marketed as being dominant in both was a little scary to me. With courage and resolve, I opened the bag, and tried one. My verdict? Really good, actually. And in spite of the fact that there’s no mistaking either the garlic or the onion in these crackers, I didn’t have any terrible aftertaste from them, which is my usual fear!

These crackers are rightly sold as being a source of Omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for our health and are customarily underrepresented in most peoples’ diets. Do keep in mind, though, that flax seeds are essentially indigestible in whole form, so these are the sorts of things you have to chew pretty well. (This is why flax meal is so popular, or it’s one of the reasons.)

The onion and garlic put me in a slightly Mediterranean mood, and I puzzled over what to dip these in. My first thought was my famous raw “pizza cheese,” which I haven’t made in far too long. But I was craving something a little more carb- and protein-dense, so I decided to do a legume-based version of that old school CR fave. Out came the chickpeas and the food processor, and so began my first ever stab at homemade sundried tomato-basil hummus. There’s no going back now.

Sundried Tomato and Basil Hummus (vegan, gluten free, soy free)

Serves 4

1 can (or two cups) chickpeas, rinsed
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp tahini
1/8 tsp sea salt (or more)
Black pepper to taste
Water
1/3 cup sundried tomatoes (either soaked in warm water or in oil), chopped
1/2 cup rinsed and dried basil (or, use 3 tbsp pesto and omit 1 tbsp tahini)

1) Place chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini, salt, and pepper in a food processor and process quickly. Let the motor run and add water in a thin stream, until the hummus reaches a creamy, yet thick consistency.

2) Add the tomatoes and basil. Pulse well to combine it all. Serve with crackers, bread, or veggies. Or, you know, a spoon

I added a few of my homemade kale chips for good measure:

Now that’s what I call snacking.

Sometimes, a bit of good food is all you need to face the week again. Can’t wait for these hummus leftovers!!

Want to know what else I made today? Chocolate date paste. Looks gross, but is genius.

And I’ll tell you all about what I did with it back here, tomorrow.

xo

Q: What’s scarier than a Halloween horror movie?

A: A 7 pm Orgo exam!

Yes, my friends: this is not a particularly festive Halloween for the Georgetown post-baccs, who are quivering with dread at our second Orgo test. It is, however, one of my favorite holidays (you had me at pumpkin and horror movies), and it would be remiss of me not to at least post something orange.

I haven’t gotten everything right in my return to student life, but one thing I have managed to do admirably is to maintain wholesome and pleasurable eating habits. Even on my busiest days, I try to whip up at least something that’s as tasty as it is healthy. Yesterday, this was one of the speedy snacks I made to keep me company in the library: a seasonally orange sweet potato hummus and beet nori roll.

As you all know, I have an untraditional approach to nori rolls: I rarely ever make them with rice, but I often make them with nut pates, hummus, jicama or parsnip rice, and even leftover juice pulp. I also always add veggies: this is a great way to use up odds and ends from your raw veggies, and it’s also a nice way to finish off some leftover salad (I often stuff kale salad into my nori rolls). Nori rolls are fast, easy, and they’re a nice, raw alternative to regular whole grain wraps, without having to go through the trouble of dehydrating a raw wrap recipe. Plus, you get the added benefit of a nutrient-dense and iodine rice sea vegetable: what’s not to like?

I love the color of this beautiful and unique roll. It’s not quite Halloween coloring (I’d have to find a black vegetable, which is rare and doesn’t sound particularly appealing to me), but it is vibrantly autumnal. Additionally, sweet potatoes and beets taste fabulous together, and the touch of sesame in the hummus recipe makes it all sing.

Sweet Potato and Beet Nori Roll (semi-raw, vegan, gluten and soy free)

Serves 1

1 sheet untoasted nori
1 recipe sweet potato hummus
About 8 raw or cooked beet matchsticks (I adore raw beet, but it’s an acquired texture)
Baby greens of choice

1) Spread about 1/3 cup hummus over the bottom half of your nori sheet.

2) Add the beet matchsticks and greens to the center of the hummus. Roll the nori sheet up, starting at the bottom edge and moving to the top, and seal the nori with some water. Cut into slices, and serve.

A quick, easy, veggie-packed, and flavorful snack. This is also a great lunch component, and would be a fantastic accompaniment to a nutrient dense salad our soup.

With a little creativity (that is, thinking to stick some hummus into a nori roll) and color (orange+scarlet) it’s easy to make even the busiest of days a little brighter.

And on that note, I have absolutely no business blogging today. Wish me luck this evening, and Happy Halloween! Tomorrow’s post will feature a Halloween themed sweet treat, which I promise you will be more tempting than leftover trick or treat candy.

xo

A few weeks ago, when Valerie and I had dinner at Open City, Val ordered the tofu scramble and pointed out that the restaurant’s addition of tahini to the scramble gives it a distinctly “feta” like flavor. Curious, I took a bite: feta was one of the animal foods I used to enjoy, and I love the idea of re-creating its saltiness and creaminess in a vegan dish.

Well, Valerie was quite right: the tofu scramble at Open City tastes a whole lot like feta, but without the cheese itself. For the last few days, I’ve been mulling over how I might create my own spin on a chickpea+tofu scramble using tahini; a tofu-hummus scramble, if you will, since those are the dominant flavors. I came up with the following recipe, which is simple, quick, and extremely tasty. It’s fantastic for vegans who are (for whatever reason) being mindful of their protein intake, since it marries two plant protein powerhouses, chickpeas and tofu.

I rarely experience “protein cravings” (whatever those are; I’m never really sure what others mean when they refer to them!) but I do often crave something dense and filling after a good workout or simply at the end of a busy day. I’d imagine that, whether you’re new to veganism and trying to maintain a protein intake that suits your body, or whether you simply enjoy something warm and grounding now and then, this is the dish for you. It’s convenience and satisfaction can’t be beat!

Tofu Tahini Scramble (vegan, gluten free)

Serves 2; for athletes, growing boys and girls, or anyone who’s super hungry, 1 serving is fine, too

6 oz tofu, cut into squares
1/2 cup chickpeas
1/3 cup cherry tomatoes
1 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp hummus of choice
1-2 tsps tamari
1 tbsp lemon juice
Coconut or olive oil

1) Brown your tofu in about 1 tsp of coconut or olive oil (or, if you have the spray, you can use that)

2) Add the chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, tahini, hummus, tamari, and lemon. Sautee until the mixture is thoroughly warmed and soft.

3) Serve. I love this over a giant green salad!

What a fantastically satisfying and savory meal! I’d love to hear what you all think. Even my mom—tofu shy as she is—was impressed.

Before I go, I have a winner of the Peas and Thank You cookbook giveaway! The lucky reader (chosen by random.org) is #504, Beth! Beth wrote, “MMMMMMMMM Sauce! I would LOVE to win this. pick me,pick me,pick me! Yay for well-coiffeured, funny-to-read vegan chefs!”

Beth, please contact me at gena@choosingraw.com to coordinate your free copy!

And speaking of giveaways, remember my Take Back Your Health Giveaway? Well, if you entered and didn’t win, the chance remains! Valerie is giving away another free ticket to this exciting DC health conference (in October of this year) on her block. Check it out! 

Finally, thanks for all the lovely commentary on yesterday’s post about restaurant dining after life with an ED. Such insight!

xo

One of my favorite early summer recipes this year took the form of my scrumptious (and simple) ginger-lime edamame sweet potato burgers. Sure, the name is a mouthful, but the burgers themselves were/are really easy to make, and they’re bursting with flavor.

The ginger really animates the flavor of an otherwise basic bean and potato burger recipe. A few days ago, as I was whipping up some hummus with shelled edamame—a higher-protein variation I’m very fond of—it occurred to me that ginger and lime might work beautifully in a thick, creamy summertime dip, too.

I think I was right.

Ginger-Lime Edamame Hummus (vegan, gluten free)

Serves 6

1 can BPA-free, organic chickpeas (or 2 cups)
1 cup shelled, organic edamame
Juice of 3 large limes
1/3 cup tahini
1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 clove garlic, minced (or garlic powder to taste)
Pepper to taste
1 heaping tsp powdered ginger (you can use fresh, but this speeds up the recipe)
1/2 tsp cumin
Dash Tobasco sauce
1 tbsp olive oil (optional, but I like the subtle effect)

1) Place the beans, lime juice, tahini, salt, garlic, pepper, ginger, cumin, and Tobasco in a food processor fitted with the "S" blade. Pulse to begin combining.

2) Run the motor to begin blending the hummus. As you blend, add water in a thin stream, just to help get the mixture moving. Be careful not to add too much. If you’re using olive oil, now is the time to drizzle it in, too.

3) Keep blending, stopping to scrape the bowl and add more water as needed, till the hummus is very creamy and warm.

As usual, I served up this delectable bean dip with some kale salad and some of my almost raw carrot and sunflower seed crackers, shaped this time into flatbread:

What a tasty lunch! And if edamame isn’t your thing, don’t worry: there’s a CR hummus for you. You may want to give my famous sweet potato hummus a try!

Thanks to everyone who chimed in yesterday about joining the science club. I thought it was a nice little digression. Tonight, I’m afraid I have to write and run: I’ve got a midterm at 8:15 am sharp tomorrow.

Wish me luck!!

xo

Last week, I told you all about my lovely friendship with Kathy, who is one of the most enterprising and talented vegan chefs I know. I also alluded to a special project that Kathy and I were cooking up, which I’m ready to unveil today: The Kathy and Gena show!

Yes, that’s right: I’m banishing my camera-shy side to the curb. All of you who’ve asked me to do cooking videos, your wish is granted! Now you get to see just how goofy and awkward I am in person.

Of course, none of this would ever have been possible without Kathy, who is a tech mastermind and has the patience of a saint. In spite of the fact that we faced a number of tech issues in this, our first video, Kathy plugged away at the editing process and left us with two fun, entertaining, and beautifully put together videos. Kathy, you are amazing! Thank you for this, and for your watermelon frosty recipe, which is possibly the best thing I’ve tasted this summer so far.

So what was the theme of our video? As you’ll see in a moment, our goal was to share some raw and cooked, vegan summer recipes that would be quick and easy for entertaining, but pretty to serve, too. Most of all, we wanted to give you a few useful how to’s, including:

• How to “massage” kale salad (finally! I owe you guys a demo)
• How to wrap a wrap (seriously, how many of you don’t quite know how? I’ll be the first to admit that Kathy blew my mind here)
• How to make a summery frosty that doubles as a margarita base (AND succeeds in making Gena, the Watermelon Skeptic, love everyone’s favorite summer fruit)

Excited yet? I hope so!!! Todays featured recipes include two CR classics: my hemp hummus (which appeared on the blog this week in some cute zucchini wraps) and my massaged kale salad with outstanding miso sesame dressing, which I’ve eaten nearly every single day for a week! It also includes Kathy’s amazing frosty and photos of her bruschetta trio, which didn’t make it onto the video intact, but were absolutely delicious. The recipes can be found in Kathy’s recap! Our recipes come together in this amazing wrap: the GK wrap! Stuffed full with hummus, kale salad, mango chunks, and shitake mushrooms, it’s a cornucopia of flavor and texture! Wrapped to perfection by the wrapmistress herself, Ms. Kathy.

Enough talk: it’s time for you to see for yourself how all this stuff comes together. Let us show you!

Video 1: Hemp Hummus, Kale Salad, and the “GK Wrap”:

Video 2: Kathy’s Watermelon Frosty!

That’s it, guys! The “real me!” As you can see, I’m more of a goofball than the measured prose would suggest!

And if you need a refresher on the recipes:

High Protein Hemp Hummus (vegan, gluten free, soy free)

Makes 4-5 servings

1/4 cup shelled hemp seeds
1 can chickpeas, drained, or 2 cups freshly cooked (heat before blending for ideal consistency)
1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
2-3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp tahini (optional)
1/2 tsp cumin
Water

1) Place the hemp seeds in the bowl of a food processor and grind till powdery.

2) Add the chickpeas, salt, lemon, garlic, tahini, and cumin, and begin to process. Add water in a thin stream (stopping to scrape the bowl a few times) until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

3) Garnish with hemp seeds and serve.

Outstanding Miso Sesame Dressing (high raw, vegan, gluten free)

Makes 1 2/3 cups

1/2 cup mellow white miso
1/3 cup agave nectar
1/2 cup tahini (raw is preferable, but roasted is fine, and less costly)
3-4 tbsp tamari
1/2 inch fresh ginger (or 1/2 tsp dry)
1 1/4 cup water

1) Blend all ingredients together on high. Add more water if the mixture is too thick.

To make the kale salad pictured, begin with:

1 bunch curly kale
1 large beefsteak tomato, chopped
1 large bell pepper (or 2 small), chopped

1) De-stem, chop, and wash kale well

2) Add about 1/3-1/2 cup of the miso dressing to the kale. Using your hands, "massage" dressing into salad well, till it’s a little wilted in texture.

3) Add tomatoes and peppers, and toss. Serve!

And now, time for some feedback! What do you want to see more of from the Kathy and Gena show?? We’re so excited about future episodes and want to take reader requests. Send them now!!

And now, I’m returning to what has been a so far blissful first day home in NYC. Tomorrow morning, I’ll start recapping all of my dining adventures for you!! See you then.

xo

Thanks as ever for some kind responses to yesterday’s post! Things are looking up, and I have some new food photos to show you. I also have a newfound appreciation of electricity.

One of my favorite recipes of this past year is my hemp hummus, which is a perfect answer to the age old question of “where do you get your protein?” It’s a higher-protein spin on traditional hummus, which already offers protein in the form of chickpeas, because it throws hemp seeds into the mix. These little nutrition bombs deliver complete protein, essential fatty acids, and Vitamin E. They have a very distinctive taste (that doesn’t appeal to everyone) but here, in this recipe, they’re softened by the familiar flavors of a bright, lemony hummus. If you like hummus, I challenge you not to like this hummus.

So how do I usually serve hummus? It’s a good question: I make so much of it here on CR, but I don’t always talk about what I do with it. There is an obvious first answer: I snack on it, with veggies, or in these kinds of post-class snacky plates:

I also stuff them into collard leaves:

And put it in sandwiches:

I dump it onto salad:

…and maybe I cover it with a raw spinach burger:

Or, I might do the following.

These little raw wraps look complicated, but they’re actually super easy, and a nice way to keep things high-raw if you’re getting tired of the same old Ezekiel tortillas every day (I love them, too, but can only eat so many). The procedure is so, so simple, and the taste is more user-friendly than raw collards!

Begin with three thin, long zucchini strips:

Place about 2 tbsp hummus into the top portion:

Cover it with a tomato slice or two:

And roll away:

Nice snacks, but even better on a good salad!

Not really a recipe, per se, but a fantastic new technique for the aspiring raw foodies who want some easy lunch options. So much of raw food making is in the mastery of simple, surprising little ideas like this one.

On that note, it’s a quiet night for this veggie freak. See you back here tomorrow!

xo

Hey all!

Thanks for such nice remarks about the camera debacle on Saturday. I’m glad that you enjoyed what leftover photos I did get, and that you’ll give the recipes a try. I’m proud of them!

Today was my first day as a student at a brand new place:

And tomorrow is the start of my twenty-ninth year, so it feels like the right time for new beginnings.

The day itself began with a smoothie of banana, frozen dark cherries, cinnamon, and dark cherry juice that was leftover from the big party this weekend. A little sweet, but the cherry + cinnamon combo was great, and I think I’ll put the finishing touches on this one and share the recipe soon!

Soon it was off to campus for me. I admit, I was a little nervous: Columbia is really the only experience I have of university life, and the more I see of other schools, the more I realize how unrepresentative it was. Don’t get me wrong: I loved Columbia, and I loved the student body, but I loved the school precisely because it was so very unlike your typical collegiate environment. It was quirky and urbane; the student body was full of eccentrics (along with some non-eccentrics, of course, but I think the most idiosyncratic among us flocked to the English department). Few of us knew anything about Greek life, or even about campus socializing. And sports? Forget it.

Georgetown looks a whole lot more like the university campuses of movies: it’s gothic and spread out over rolling hills. A large track field is nestled into one corner, while little quads dot the rest of campus. There are baseball caps and lots of team t-shirts and lots of support for the Hoyas, a team name that is derived from the Latin chant of “Hoya Saxa!” (“what rocks!!”).

Um, ok. Sure.

The Latin phrase that really speaks to me, if I’m to be honest, isn’t that one, but rather “cura personalis,” which means “care for the entire person.” This is the motto of Georgetown University Teaching Hospital, an institution I’ll be tied to closely, physically and ideologically, during my time as a post-bacc here. I don’t think any phrase could better sum up the approach I hope I’ll take to health care one day. Many of us feel that one of the shortcomings of contemporary allopathic medicine is its tendency to be overly specialized; to treat particular symptoms, rather than a living, breathing individual. I love that the GUH slogan prioritizes the whole person, rather than the illness as an abstract.

I also love the architecture of the place. Check it out!

I’m excited to be here.

After a few hours of chem lab, in which we were told that skirts, dresses, sandals, and shorts would be off limit all summer (I can feel the sweat now), I made my way to the library to check out some books. My friend Laura reminded me, when I became a student again, that the nicest thing about student life is all of the free resources. She was right: I cannot wait to start reading for free again (ah, publishing industry perks, how I miss you!).

I returned back to my hobbit house after class for some unpacking, and soon enough it was time for a pre-bday dinner with M. We’d settled on Middle Eastern fare, because no special day is special for me without copious amounts of hummus:

Lucky for me, Lebanese Taverna has a “make your own hummus” option, where you choose a flavor, topping, and dippers. I went with classic hummus, tomatoes on top, and veggie sticks and rice crackers as my dippers. I also got some very delicious grape leaves, stuffed with rice and pistachios:

And a fattoush salad, full of cucumbers, tomato, onions (icks), pita, and red wine vinaigrette:

Loved it.

In all, a good start to a new semester—and, very nearly, to a new year. Things will be even better in less than a day, when I get to see Chloe right here in the district. Till then, have a good night!

xo

Thank you to everyone who commented on the Green Recovery post yesterday. It’s one of the most moving submissions I’ve gotten, and I’m so thankful to the anonymous writer for sharing her story. And please keep the submissions coming! Do note that the focus of the series truly is on vegan diets and their relationship to recovery, so posts should specifically address how veganism helped to redefine your relationship with food in a positive way.

Today’s recipe for hemp hummus is probably as exciting as things’ll get around here for the next five days: with two enormous finals looming, my capacity to get creative in the kitchen is slim. Fortunately, I have an audience that appreciates the power of simple food, and so I’ll try to stop apologizing. And anyway, there’s not much to apologize for when it comes to hummus!

Lately, I’ve been thinking that hummus and smoothies have a lot in common. Weird? Yes, but hear me out. We all love smoothies because we can use them to pack in some of the healthy stuff we might not eat otherwise: protein powder, greens, maca, spirulina, seaweed, flax oil—you name it, if you don’t love it on its own, chances you’ll like it in a smoothie. The same goes, I think, for hummus, even if it’s less intuitive to most people to stuff their hummus recipes full of nutritional boosts. I’ve put hemp, blackstrap molasses, nutritional yeast, kelp flakes, and even maca in my hummus, and each time, the taste of the hummus itself far outweighs the taste of these little supplementary ingredients, which aren’t always delicious on their own. (OK, nooch is always delicious. But maca? Crikey.)

A few weeks ago, I shared a recipe for hemp hummus that got tons of enthusiastic feedback. It made a lot of sense: instead of using the traditional sesame seed paste in hummus, why not grind up some hemp seeds—which are far more nutrient-dense—instead? Today, I’m sharing a shortcut on that recipe, which employs hemp protein powder in place of actual hemp seeds. I suspect this will appeal to three kinds of readers:

• People in a rush. The recipe eliminates one step from my original one—grinding the hemp seeds. And who doesn’t like saving a minute or two when hunger strikes?
• People who are watching their fat intake. Lately, this seems like a lot of my readers. I have mixed feelings about the trend, but my readers know what’s best for their bodies. If using low-fat hemp protein powder vs. full fat hemp seeds allows some of my readers to maximize plant-based protein intake while also limiting fat, cool.
• People with budget food processors. The protein powder is pre-ground, so it can work in a mini or low-power food processor better than whole seeds can.

In this recipe, I used hemp protein powder from Manitoba Harvest.

I’m a big fan, but I also use the Nutiva and Navitas Naturals hemp protein, and like those brands a lot, too. You really can’t go wrong with hemp protein: it has a balanced amino acid profile, it’s rich in Omega-3s, it provides 10% of your daily iron, and it’s a raw, whole food.

In fact, the only downside of hemp protein is that a lot of people just can’t get down with the taste, which can only be described as, well, hempy. Hemp has a unique, nutty flavor that you either love or you don’t: I do, but I came up with this recipe specifically to help out my readers and clients who don’t. It’s hard not to like anything that comes dressed up in chickpeas, lemon, tahini, cumin, and salt, and this is no exception.

Protein Powder Hemp Hummus (vegan, gluten free, soy free)

Yields 4 servings

1 can BPA-free chickpeas, or 2 cups freshly cooked
3 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp lemon juice, fresh
1/4-1/2 tsp salt
Pepper to taste
1 tsp cumin powder
6 tbsp hemp protein powder
Water as needed

Blend all ingredients together in a food processor, adding water in a thin stream till the mixture is thick, creamy, and the right consistency for your taste. If you like, drizzle with some hemp oil to serve!

Will this still taste a bit like hemp protein? Sure. Will you really care as soon as you stuff it into a delicious collard wrap, or between two slices of sprouted grain bread, or scoop it atop a nutrient dense salad? Probably not. This is a hempy recipe to be sure, but it’ll also be very familiar and tasty to any hummus lover.

And last time I checked, nearly all of us were hummus lovers.

With that, it’s back to the studying grind. I’ll be back tomorrow or Friday with more whining about my finals tasty recipes. Till then, have a great night—and if you need some added reading material, check out this article on five major myths about veganism from Carol J. Adams, which I enjoyed.

xo