Here's the Hummus. Lime Series Part 1

Reading Cathy's "No Excuses" post this morning reminded me that I've been on a diet, starting tomorrow, for quite some time now (PS check out her pictures, they're fabulous). While training for the half marathon, I was ravenous at all hours of the day as I was burning so many calories and loving every moment. It was like high school all over again - the glory days of eating with immunity. Seriously, I used to eat an ice cream sundae for lunch.

Well, after the race, my appetite has remained that of a teenage boy, though unfortunately I'm not running anymore, taking a much needed break from strenuous exercise to give my knees a vacation. So at this point, I'm pretty much on an anti-diet: carb loading for the race that isn't to come. Yikes! So, in honor of my diet starting tomorrow, I'm bringing you a healthy, wholesome treat.

Today's recipe is courtesy of a truly humorous food blog, Urban Drivel. The hummus is lower in fat, but loaded with the 'good fats' & it uses my favorite ingredient of the moment: limes. I've become obsessed of late with using limes in my cooking. I realize limes are not an earth shattering ingredient and cooks everywhere have been enjoying their zesty taste for quite some time now. I"m not sure why they haven't joined my repertoire sooner, but because I'm a little OCD, I'm on a lime kick & the next couple of recipes will all use my star ingredient.

This Cilantro Lime Hummus is amazing. I pretty much stuck to the original recipe, though taking a cue from my friends at CLBB, I used the chickpea juice instead of water and also used a tad more garlic. Check out the original recipe here.

Low Fat Cilantro Lime Hummus

Adapted from Urban Drivel

1 (15 oz) can chickpeas drained and rinsed. Reserve juice.

juice of one lime

zest of one lime

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

2 Tablespoons tahini paste

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

3/4 tsp salt

1 small garlic clove, minced

1. Process the garlic in the food processor until chopped. Add chickpeas, lime juice, lime zest, cilantro, tahini, 2 tsp of the oil, salt and garlic together in the food processor. Pulse 2-3 times. Add reserved juice from chickpeas until hummus reaches desired consistency (about 6 tablespoons). Process until very smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.

2. Transfer the hummus to a serving bowl; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the flavors meld, about 30 minutes. (The hummus covered can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature and season with additional lemon juice, salt, and cayenne as needed before serving).

You Want What for Dinner?!

...spaghetti & meatballs of course.

You see, I have a bad habit of pestering hubby about helping me come up with dinner ideas. I say 'pester' because with as much time as I spend perusing cooking blogs and participating on boards, I really shouldn't need too much of hubby's input for dinner ideas. Though it is nice from time to time, the poor man couldn't pick out leeks and rhubarb from shallots in a lineup.

So, after a particularly stressful day and an inability to think straight, I forced hubby to come up with our Sunday dinner and of all things, he chose homemade spaghetti and meatballs. Though this would probably be the last thing I order in an Italian restaurant, I couldn't scoff at the idea and come off as the crazy wife who requests opinions but doesn't like any of them. Well, actually I suppose this happens all the time, but who's keeping track?

For hubby, spaghetti & meatballs reek of nostalgia - family dinners and quality homemade food with fresh ingredients. For me, I think of $5.99 all-you-can-eat church spaghetti dinners. Growing up in an Asian household, I get nostalgic over things like nasi goreng, lemper ayam, and kue lapis. Dishes like spaghetti & meatballs usually came from Mr. Chef Boyardee, a sauce packet or the local Pasta House. Nonetheless, I forged on and began my search for a true, hearty & homemade recipe.

I wasn't quite sure where to start but as usual, a simple Google search resulted in a bevy of delectable recipes from fellow food bloggers. After reading through a few, I chose Chelley's spaghetti sauce from Sugar and Spice since I had over-zealously plucked my basil plant and needed to use dried basil. Then, knowing how much hubby likes Italian sausage, I found Elise's meatball recipe from Simply Recipes that uses both ground beef and Italian pork sausage. Plain breadcrumbs are used in the original recipe, but I tried Italian style breadcrumbs to give the meatballs an extra flavor kick.

Like many wonderful things in life, good things come to those who wait. Though we live in an instant gratification society, this homemade sauce is best when simmered all day, or at the very least a few hours. You'll be rewarded with tempting aromas wafting through your house and a sauce that is so much better than any kind you could buy in the store. Since I was at first skeptical, but certainly won over by this recipe, I'm submitting it to this week's Presto Pasta night.

While not the most sophisticated of dishes, homemade spaghetti & meatballs is ultimate comfort food. Sorry, Chef Boyardee.

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
adapted from Sugar & Spice

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large sweet onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 28-oz. can tomato puree
1 28-oz. can tomato sauce
2 ½ teaspoons dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
Water from rinsing extra sauce and puree from inside of cans
2 teaspoons salt
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 bay leaf

1. Saute onion and garlic in olive oil over medium-low heat until onion is tender.
2. Add tomato sauce, tomato puree, parsley, basil, water, salt, sugar, pepper and bay leaf.
3. Stir and lower heat to a slow simmer. The sauce is best when simmered for at least 2 hours. Remove bay leaf before serving

Italian Meatballs

(adapted from Simply Recipes)

1 lb ground beef
½ lb fresh sweet(mild)Italian pork sausage, casings removed
2 Tablespoons finely chopped basil (I used 2 tsp dried basil)
2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
½ cup finely chopped crimini brown mushrooms
2 eggs, lightly beaten
¾ cup Italian style bread crumbs
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 ½ teaspoons Kosher salt
2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil

1. Prepare the meatballs. Mix by hand in a large bowl beef, Italian sausage, basil, parsley, mushrooms, eggs, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper until well mixed. Use small melon baller, or teaspoons to form 1-inch round meat balls. Roll and compress into tight balls. (We made ours a little larger).

2. Heat frying pan over high heat and add olive oil. Sear and brown meat balls on all sides, about 2-5 minutes depending on size of meatballs. You may need to brown two batches of the meatballs. Do not crowd the pan by stacking the meatballs. Cook in a single layer and do not over-cook as these will simmer with the sauce.

3. Add meatballs to spaghetti sauce, and gently stir. Simmer sauce and meatballs for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Bored, much?

I spent the weekend in Kansas City to celebrate my older brother's birthday. Though he and his friends are anywhere from 3.5 - 7 years older than me, they seriously know how to PARTY. After several days of drinking and eating to excess, I'm absolutely pooped today and struggle to keep one eye open. I do have some fun recipes and stories to share - especially one of trying to cook a birthday dessert in a bachelor's apartment. Available ingredients: think old spaghetti sauce, stale chips and moldy cheese....sounds like a bachelor cliche, but I have photographic evidence.

In the meantime, I've seen a couple of these Flickr searches and was inspired by Sweets By Sarah's post. This saves me from trying to write in complete sentences as well. Enjoy!

The rules are simple:
1. Go to http://www.flickr.com/.
2. Type your answer to each question in the “search” box.
3. Using only the first page, pick an image.
4. Copy and paste the picture into your blog.

1. What is your first name?
   

   
   

2. What is your favorite food?
   
   Particularly appropriate since it's 'fake' sushi made from rice krispy treats. Rice krispy treats & sushi are my favorite foods

3. What high school did you go to?
   

   
   

4. What is your favorite color?
   

   
   

5. Who is your celebrity crush?
   

   
   

6. What is your favorite drink?
   

   
   

7. What is your dream vacation?
   

   
   

8. What is your favorite dessert?
   

   
   

9. What do you want to be when your grow up?
   

   
   

10. What do you love most in life?
    

    
    

11. What is one word to describe you?