A
simple homemade hummus that’s 100% from scratch! This hummus is thick,
smooth and creamy, with toasted sesame and garlic flavors
Yield: 

about 6 cups of hummus
Ingredients: 

16 ounces dried garbanzo beans/chick peas OR 4 cans (15-ounce cans)
1/4 cup sesame seeds
2-4 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt or more, to taste
Instructions: 

1. Cook garbanzo beans according to package instructions.* When beans are very tender, remove from heat and drain.

2. Heat a heavy (like cast iron) or non-stick skillet over
medium-high heat. Toss the sesame seeds into the heated pan and cook and
stir for a couple minutes, until lightly browned. (Don’t get them too
dark, or they will taste burnt.) Remove from heat and allow to cool.

3. In a food processor (or blender), blend the toasted sesame seeds
with the garlic and a tablespoon or so of the oil, until smooth. (This
might take a couple minutes.) Add more of the oil and some of the cooked
garbanzo beans and blend until smooth.

If you have a big food processor or a good blender, you may be able
to blend everything at once (in that case, add the rest of the
ingredients and blend until smooth!).

If you have a smaller food processor, blend the beans in 2 batches,
saving some of the oil for the second batch, and stirring every minute
or two as needed. Then, stir everything together in a bowl.

4. Add more salt if needed. Store hummus in an airtight container in the fridge. Serve with pita chips, unleavened bread, corn chips, or veggie sticks!

This recipe was taken from Tammy’s Recipes.

Jalapeno halves stuffed with cheeses and cilantro and baked for a fabulous appetizer or snack!
Yield: 

24 pieces
Ingredients: 

12 large jalapeno peppers
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
6 ounces (1 1/2 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup (packed) finely chopped cilantro leaves
1/8 teaspoon salt
Bread crumbs or Parmesan cheese, optional
Instructions: 

1. Wearing protective rubber or plastic gloves, slice jalapenos in half lengthwise and remove the meat and seeds.*

2. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the cheeses, cilantro, and salt
until creamy. Spread into halved peppers. If desired, dip or roll the
tops of the peppers (the open cheese-stuffed side) in bread crumbs or
grated parmesan cheese.

3. Place peppers cheese-side-up on a baking sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes or until hot and lightly browned on top. Serve and enjoy!

This recipe was taken from Tammy’s Recipes.

Thin, crisp homemade crackers with a delightful rosemary flavor!
Yield: 

Two large sheets of crackers
Ingredients: 

2 cups all-purpose flour*
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2/3 cup warm water
1 tablespoon dried Rosemary (or 2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh Rosemary)
1/3 cup olive oil or vegetable oil
Salt, for sprinkling
Instructions: 

1.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder.
Add the water, rosemary, and oil and stir until a thick dough forms.
Knead several times until dough holds together.

2. Grease 2 large baking sheets (13×18-inch) or 3 smaller baking
sheets (11×13-inch). If you have silicone baking mats to line your
sheets, you can skip greasing the sheets and use the mats instead.

3. Divide dough into two (or 3) equal portions and press or roll onto
the prepared sheets. (When your dough fills the sheets, you’ll know
it’s thin enough!)

4. Sprinkle lightly with salt and use a pizza cutter to cut into
squares or strips. (If you cut into strips, after crackers are baked you
can break them into smaller pieces for a rustic look.)

5. Bake crackers in a preheated 400-degree oven for 12-15 minutes,
until crackers are lightly browned and crisp. Cool on a wire rack. (If
you cut into strips rather than squares, break the strips into
crackers.)

Serve plain, with cheese spread, or with homemade yogurt or kefir cheese!

This recipe is taken from Tammy’s Recipes.

Yield: 

6 large pretzels (6-inch) or 12 small pretzels (4-inch)
Ingredients: 

Dough ingredients:

1 cup warm water (110-115 degrees F)
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour

For boiling:

12 cups water
1/4 cup baking soda

For topping:

1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon water
Coarse salt, to taste
Instructions: 

1.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar. Stir
and let rest for 5-10 minutes, until foamy. Stir in 1 cup of the flour.

2. Add the oil and salt, and then stir in another cup of flour. Add
the rest of the flour as needed and stir, then kneading (in the bowl or
on a lightly-floured surface) to make a smooth, elastic dough. Place
dough in the bowl, pat oil over the top of the dough, and cover bowl
with a clean towel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size,
about 60 minutes.

If you have a bread machine, you can make this dough using the DOUGH
cycle. Add ingredients in order listed EXCEPT add the yeast last (on top
of the flour). Start the dough cycle; when dough cycle is finished,
continue with step 3 below.

3. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. In a large saucepan or stock pot,
bring 12 cups of water to a boil on the stovetop. Stir in the baking
soda and keep water at a simmer.

4. Gently deflate the risen dough, and then turn onto a lightly
floured surface. Divide the dough into 6 or 12 pieces, depending on the
size of pretzels you wish to make.

5. Roll each piece of dough into an 18-inch long rope, kneading out
air bubbles if needed. If dough shrinks back during forming, let it rest
a few minutes and then continue shaping.

6. Form pretzels from the ropes, twisting to desired shape(s) and
pinching ends to secure. (Optional: Cut the ropes into 6-8 sections and
form into balls to make “pretzel bites”. Decrease baking time to ~6-8
minutes if making pretzel bites rather than larger pretzels.)

7. Immediately after shaping, drop pretzels a couple at a time into
the simmering water for 10-15 seconds. During the last 5-10 seconds,
gently hold the pretzel under the water with a wide slotted spoon or
spatula.

8. Remove pretzel from the water, let drain for a moment on the
spoon, and place on a greased large (11×13-inch or larger) baking sheet
(or baking sheet with a silicone liner or parchment paper). Continue
boiling the remaining pretzels and place them at least an inch apart on
the baking sheet.

9. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and water, using a
fork. Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the egg wash over the
pretzels. (You may not need all of the egg wash.) Lightly sprinkle the
pretzels with coarse salt.

10. Allow pretzels to rest and rise for 5 minutes, then bake at 475
degrees for 10-12 minutes, until pretzels are golden brown. Cool on wire
racks at least 5 minutes before eating.

Serve with homemade nacho cheese sauce, honey-mustard, or just enjoy them plain!

Store extra pretzels in an open bag.

Yield: 

12 large breadsticks
Ingredients: 

1 cup warm water (110-115 degrees F)
1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
Pinch of sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose or bread flour
3/4 cup fresh shredded Parmesan cheese
Garlic salt, for sprinkling
1/3 cup melted butter, for brushing
Instructions: 

1.
Combine the warm water, yeast, and pinch of sugar in a medium-size
mixing bowl (or in a bread machine pan). Stir and let rest for about 10
minutes, until foamy.

2. *Add 1 cup of the flour and stir; then add the salt and another
cup of flour. Stir well, and add additional flour as needed until you
can turn the dough onto a lightly-floured surface and begin kneading.
Knead for about 5 minutes, until dough is smooth and elastic. Place
dough back in mixing bowl (scrape out residue first if needed) and
lightly oil the top of the dough. Cover with a clean cloth and let rise
in a warm place until doubled in size (60-90 minutes).

3. Gently deflate dough. Turn onto a lightly-floured surface,
kneading out large air bubbles if needed. Then, roll dough into a large
rectangle, about 12×16 inches or even slightly larger. Be sure the
bottom of the dough is lightly floured so it doesn’t stick to the
counter when you try to lift the breadsticks later.

4. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over one half of the rectangle
lengthwise. Sprinkle lightly with garlic salt. Fold dough in half
lengthwise, to enclose the Parmesan cheese.

5. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut dough from top to bottom (starting at the fold) into 12 equal strips.

6. Grease a large baking sheet (13×18-inches) or two smaller baking
sheets — or, use a silicone liner (my favorite!). Pick up each strip of
cheesy dough and twist several times, pulling into a breadstick about
12 inches long as you twist. If any of the cheese falls out, just roll
the bread stick in it after it’s twisted to pick up the cheese that
fell. Place breadsticks on the baking sheet, allowing 1/4 to 1/2 inch
between each breadstick.

7. Cover with a clean towel and let rise in a warm place for about 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

8. Uncover breadsticks and brush lightly with the melted butter. Sprinkle with additional garlic salt. Bake breadsticks for 15-20 minutes, until lightly browned on top and “springy” to the touch. Serve hot or warm.

Yield: 

7-8 cups of salsa
Ingredients: 

1 large ripe peach
1 large ripe mango
3 medium-size tomatoes
1/2 sweet onion
1/2 green, red, or yellow bell pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons (or more) minced fresh Jalapeno pepper
1/2 cup (or more) freshly chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
Instructions: 

1.
Peel the mango (and peach, if desired) and chop both into small chunks
(remove pits). Dice the tomato, sweet onion, and bell pepper into small
chunks.

2. In a mixing bowl, stir together the peach, mango, tomato, onion,
bell pepper, garlic, Jalapeno pepper, and cilantro. Add the lemon juice,
salt, and sugar and stir well to coat. Let rest at room temperature for
15 minutes for flavors to combine, or refrigerate until needed.

This salsa keeps for 2-3 days in the fridge, or can be frozen for later use!

Serve with your favorite chips, grilled chicken, grilled fish, or taco fixings! 🙂

A creamy soft cheese made from kefir or yogurt. Easy to make and a perfect substitute for sour cream, cream cheese, and more!
Yield: 

Varies
Ingredients: 

8 cups (or more) homemade kefir or homemade yogurt

Supplies needed:

Strainer
Bowl
Cheesecloth or thin dish towel
Instructions: 

1.
Place your strainer in the bowl. (Ideally the bottom of the strainer
should rest at least a few inches above the bottom of your bowl.) Line
with the cheesecloth (2 layers of 90-count cheesecloth works perfectly!)
or clean thin dish towel.

2. Pour your kefir or yogurt into the cheesecloth or towel. Allow to
grain for 15-20 minutes. Carefully and gently tie the towel ends
together to cover the kefir (or yogurt). Allow kefir to drain for an
additional 8-24 hours (can be kept out on the counter or in the fridge
while draining), until the cheese is the consistency desired.

For a sour cream consistency, I like to drain for about 8 hours. This
makes a creamy spreadable texture, perfect on tacos, beans and rice, or
spread on crackers!

For a thicker cream cheese consistency, drain for 18 hours (approximately). This is great for cheese balls or cheese spread.

Drain for 24 hours or so for a thick soft cheese copnsistency.

Add herbs if desired! Store cheese in fridge until used (keeps for several weeks).

4 capsicums (they are ‘peppers’ for our international guests!)
500g chicken breast or mince – mince the chicken breast in a food processor
500g cauliflower – cut up finely or blitzed in a food processor
1 brown onion
2 cloves of garlic
400g chopped tomatoes
250g water
1/2 cup roughly chopped parsley
1 tablespoon smoked Spanish paprika
1 teaspoon olive oil

Wanting to make this recipe for 2? Just halve the ingredients 🙂

Preheat the oven to 200deg
Cut the tops off the capsicums and scrape out the seeds (set the empty capsicums and tops aside)
In a large/deep frypan heat the olive oil and cook the garlic and onion for 10 minutes on a low heat to caramelise the onions.
Add the chicken mince to the fry pan and brown the mince, while stirring it into the onion and garlic mix. After a few minutes add the paprika.
Once the chicken is cooked, add the cauliflower, chopped tomatoes and water. You might need a little more water – you want the liquid to just cover the chicken and cauliflower mix. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
The liquid will evaporate leaving you with a delicious stuffing, but first, mix through the parsley and some salt and pepper.
Stuff the capsicums as full as you can and stand up in a baking tray.
Drizzle a little olive oil over the capsicums and bake in the oven for approximately 30 minutes – but please note that this is going to depend on the size of capsicums you have.
When the skin has blistered (see photo) you will know they are ready!

Sliced banana, spread nut butter on outside, roll in chia seeds, coconut, crushed pretzels, or walnuts.  Serve.