Recipe: Tahini-free Hummus

My daughter loves chickpeas.  She is a fan of hummus.  Chickpeas are cheap.  Tahini is not so cheap.  So, I made this Tahini-free Hummus for her, and it's really simple and delicious.  Lots of variations are possible - sundried tomatoes, more spices, roasted red peppers... use your imagination and have fun!

Tahini-free Hummus

1 can chickpeas, drained with liquid reserved
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp cumin
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp garlic powder

Combine chickpeas, lemon juice, cumin, olive oil, and garlic powder in food processor or blender (I used the small bowl of my food processor).  Mix until combined.  While blending, drizzle in liquid until the mixture is thick but spreadable, and continue blending until smooth.  Store in the refrigerator.

Lunch: 9.3.09

Snack is a zucchini blueberry muffin, grapes, and 100% juice (not shown).  I put a cute little pick in one of the grapes.

Lunch is yellow and orange baby carrot sticks with ranch dressing, a plum (cut in half and de-pitted), babybell with a butterfly cutout, some ham on skewers, cinnamon sugar bagel stick, strawberry gogurt, and teddy bear shaped egg.

Recipe: Blueberry Zucchini Muffins

I made these when we had gone blueberry picking and the zucchini were throwing themselves at our doorstep (which is still happening).  The kids love them.  I love them.  You can't taste the zucchini at all.  Just lovely.

Blueberry Zucchini Muffins

3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 c vegetable oil
1/2 c applesauce
3 tsp vanilla extract
2 c white sugar
2 c shredded zucchini
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1 pint fresh blueberries

(Optional topping: Oats sprinkled with cinnamon sugar)

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, oil, applesauce vanilla, and sugar. Fold in the zucchini. Beat in the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Gently fold in the blueberries. Transfer batter to greased or lined muffin pans. If you are using the topping, sprinkle on top of batter.


Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean.

Tip: Using a Hard Boiled Egg Mold

I posted a picture of my hard boiled egg molds in my Gear post, and I thought I would show you how they work.

First, you have to boil your eggs.  I bring water to a boil with eggs in it, then cover and turn the heat off and let the eggs sit for about 10 minutes.  There are probably better ways of boiling eggs, but this is the way that works for me.

After the eggs are boiled, while they are still hot, peel them and place them in the mold.  Close the mold and put in the fridge until cold.  I usually make 3 at a time and store them in the fridge until it's time to put them in lunches.

You can color them if you want to with food coloring or food color markers, but I usually skip that.  I did make a green egg for St. Patrick's Day last year, but it's not an everyday thing.

(For picture of a molded egg, see lunch posting)

Lunch: First Day of School 9.2.09

Snack is mini pumpkin zucchini muffins and grapes with a juice box. (note the cute little pick)














Lunch is a cinnamon whole grain bagel stick with light cream cheese, a gogurt (she loves those things, even though the thought of sucking yogurt through a tube makes me gag a little), a babybell with a butterfly cutout, a skewer of ham, a bunny hard boiled egg, raisins (in the rectangular container), a nectarine (I scooped out the center and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, and used the skin as a container.  Hope that she eats it.  Nectarines are new to her), carrot flowers (I found yellow carrots at the supermarket!  Way too cute) with ranch dressing in the little red container.  I send her with water for lunch.

(A note about the hard boiled egg - I leave it in the mold in the fridge overnight and put it in the lunch in the morning.  This way, it doesn't make the whole thing taste like egg, and I've heard that the shapes can un-mold if left for too long out of the mold.  Hard boiled egg mold tutorial coming soon)

Recipe - Nut-Free Soft Granola Bars

We found out today that one of the kids in my daughter's class has a peanut allergy.  Because of this, their classroom is nut-free.  (They can still have nut-containing things in lunch, because there is a table for people with nuts in their lunch, and for those who have allergies.  All kids can bring friends to sit with them, as long as they don't contaminate each other, if that makes sense, so I think it's a great system).

I thought I would do some research into some nut-free treats to make for my daughter's snack.  I found (and modified) this recipe for Nut-Free Soft Granola Bars and I think they are going to be a hit.  They were super yummy, too!

Next time I might try using half margarine or butter and half canola oil.  They are very buttery tasting.  I'm not complaining, just saying... and I used light corn syrup instead of honey, but half and half might also be good.  I suspect that using all honey would be way too sweet.



Nut-Free Soft Granola Bar

3 c rolled oats
1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 c wheat germ 
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1/4 c margarine 
1/4 c butter
1/2 c honey or corn syrup
1/2 c raisins

In a large bowl, combine oats, sugar, wheat germ, and cinnamon. Cut in margarine until mixture is crumbly. Stir in honey/cornsyrup. Mix well until combined. Stir in raisins. Press into greased 9" square pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Cut into bars (this made 18 for me)

Note - I used my food processor to combine everything and it was super easy.  I pulsed instead of mixing full speed, so as not to pulverize all the ingredients.

Recipe Update - Healthy Whole Grain Mini Bagels

UPDATE:  I made mini bagels and bagel sticks in preparation for the new school year.  The last time I made them was quite a while ago.  I think they turned out better this time

I've changed the recipe to reflect the changes that I made.