Moroccan-Inspired Sweet Potato Hummus: A Simple Healthy + Delicious Recipe {One Photo Friday}

Here's a confession... I am not a big fan of sweet potatoes. Nutritionally, I can fully get behind them as they are so chock full of vitamins A and C, antioxidants, and a plethora of other nutrients. But flavor-wise, not so much. I think it's the sweetness that my taste buds try to tell me doesn't below in anything labeled potato. But, I have a habit of buying random vegetables and other healthy foods that I am not particularly fond of and challenging myself to find a way to like, maybe even grove to love them--in a way that doesn't involved deep-frying. ;-) This creamy, full-of-wonderful-Moroccan-inspired-flavors hummus might just be the ticket to me loving my sweet potatoes.

This hummus came from a happy accident. I steamed a lonely sweet potato that I needed to use up and was trying to decide how to enjoy it more. I had some homemade hummus that I had spiced up with a combination of sumac, cumin, and smoked paprika, so I slapped some on top of the sweet potato and sprinkled on toasted pumpkin seeds for crunch and thought "Hey, that's pretty good!" I thought it would be even better mixed into the hummus, and with some harissa for a bit of kick so I bought another sweet potato and hit the spice rack.  

It turned out to be fabulous--I think I like it even better than my Sunny Carrot Hummus because of its slightly spicy and smoky flavors. A great, vibrantly-colored, and healthy appetizer to put out for holiday parties. 
 
Moroccan-Inspired Sweet Potato
By Deb, Kahakai Kitchen
(Makes About 3 Cups)

1 sweet potato (roughly a pound), steamed until soft*
1 (15 oz) can chickpeas (low-sodium), rinsed and drained
3 cloves garlic
2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp sumac
1 1/2 tsp harissa (spice or paste), or to taste
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
salt and black pepper to taste
juice of 1 lemon, or to taste
1 tsp sesame oil  
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 to 1/3 cup ice water

Place all ingredients except ice water into a food processor and process until smooth, adding ice water as needed to get good consistency. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Serve with raw veggies of choice. (I like minis--kirby cucumbers, tiny carrots and baby bell peppers.)
 
(*Sweet Potato Note: I usually steam mine in the microwave because I am lazy. I wash the potato well, cut it into 1-inch cubes and put in a microwave-safe bowl with a Tablespoon of water and cover. I check after 7 or 8 minutes but it can take 10 or more depending on the microwave. It should be soft enough to mash easily. Let potato cool and remove skin.)

{One Photo Friday: Since I normally drag out my big camera and gear, take a bunch of photos of my recipes, and then spend time obsessing over them--I decided that for Fridays, I'll simplify by posting a recipe or something interesting and then just take one photo of it with my iPhone--no muss/no fuss.}

Happy Aloha Friday!
 

The Book Tour Stops Here: A Review of "The Red Book of Primrose House" by Marty Wingate, Served with (My New Fall Favorite) Pan-Fried Apple & Cheese Salad (+ Gift Card/Book Giveaway!)

It's a fun post today--a TLC Book Tour review of the gardening cozy mystery The Red Book of Primrose House: A Potting Shed Mystery by Marty Wingate, an easy recipe for a fabulous fall salad, and an opportunity to win a book and a $25 e-gift card to the e-book retailer of your choice.

Publishers Blurb:

In Marty Wingate’s charming new Potting Shed Mystery, Texas transplant Pru Parke’s restoration of a historic landscape in England is uprooted by an ax murderer.

Pru Parke has her dream job: head gardener at an eighteenth-century manor house in Sussex. The landscape for Primrose House was laid out in 1806 by renowned designer Humphry Repton in one of his meticulously illustrated Red Books, and the new owners want Pru to restore the estate to its former glory—quickly, as they’re planning to showcase it in less than a year at a summer party.

But life gets in the way of the best laid plans: When not being happily distracted by the romantic attentions of the handsome Inspector Christopher Pearse, Pru is digging into the mystery of her own British roots. Still, she manages to make considerable progress on the vast grounds—until vandals wreak havoc on each of her projects. Then, to her horror, one of her workers is found murdered among the yews. The police have a suspect, but Pru is certain they’re wrong. Once again, Pru finds herself entangled in a thicket of evil intentions—and her, without a hatchet.

Publisher: Alibi (November 4, 2014)

Sold by: Random House LLC

Earlier this year I reviewed The Garden Plot, the first book in this cozy mystery series (you can find my review and a fabulous recipe for Orecchiette with Goat Cheese and Artichokes here), so I was happy to dig into (pun intended) the second book. The Red Book of Primrose House takes up shortly after the first with Pru settling into her new job restoring the gardens at Primrose House. It's exhausting work and she's an hour away from Inspector Christopher Pierce, her love interest from the first book. Pru has to deal with her employer's copious notes--usually suggesting some outlandish requests and ideas for the garden. There's also her crew, a local newspaper garden blogger featuring the work on the Primrose House garden, and the gardener who was supposed to get the job instead and keeps showing up. Meanwhile she is also dealing with her own family secrets. When the garden starts get vandalized and then one of her employees ends up dead, Pru takes it upon herself to try and find the killer and solve the mystery. 

This is a fun series--even if you aren't a green thumb or know much about gardening. As much as I like the breezy escape of a cozy mystery, I like to learn a little something when I read. For example, I was happy to learn there really was a Humphry Repton--considered to be the last great English landscape designer of the eighteenth century, and he did write and present red books with his garden plans to his wealthy clients. Pru is a fun lead character--she's in early 50's, a good and loyal friend, and it is fun to see her navigate the relationship waters with Christopher. It is best to start with the first book in this series but not completely essential as the author provides enough detail to bring the reader up to speed. (You can enter for a chance to win a copy of the first book and a gift card at the end of the post.) Author Wingate also does a good job of balancing the gardening detail out well--enough to be interesting without being too technical. A great second offering--I look forward to more time with Pru and her gardens in future books.

Author Notes: Marty Wingate is the author of The Garden Plot and a regular contributor to Country Gardens as well as other magazines. She also leads gardening tours throughout England, Scotland, Ireland, France, and North America. More Potting Shed mysteries are planned.



Although set most often in and centered around Pru's gardens, there is food inspiration in the book. Lots of tea and various cakes and pastries, Christopher brings Pru takeout all the way from Gasparetti's--her favorite Italian restaurant, a roast chicken and risotto lunch, moussaka, hot soup, restorative curry, eggs and Pru's homemade biscuits with damson plum jam, even a supper of fish fingers and apple slices shared with a child. I decided to take my inspiration from apples since Pru planted antique apple varieties along the walls of the Primrose House garden, intending to 'espalier' them in different patterns. (Espaliering is the pruning and tying the branches of woody plants to a frame to train them to grow a certain way. See, I do learn a bit of gardening from these books!) 

I remembered a salad recipe from Nigel Slater's Real Fast Food that I have been wanting to try--where apples are pan-fried in a bit of walnut oil and used to top a salad along with cheese and walnuts. It sounded like a great autumn dish and something green and garden-like. I did make a few changes to the recipe which are noted in red below. 

Pan-Fried Apple and Cheese Salad
Adapted from Real Fast Food by Nigel Slater
(For 2 as a Snack or Light Lunch or Supper)

1 large or 2 small apples (I used Honeycrisp)
1 Tbsp walnut or peanut oil
2 Tbsp broken walnuts (I used glazed/candied walnuts)
2 handfuls of salad leaves of choice (I used baby spinach)
2 oz crumbly farmhouse cheese such as cheddar (I used local Naked Cow farmhouse cheddar)
1/2 lemon

Wipe the apple(s), but do not peel. Cut in half, then into quarters. Remove apple core and cut the fruit into thick slices--about 6-8 slices per apple. 

Warm the oil in a large shallow pan; when it is hot add the apples and walnuts. (Note: because I used glazed walnuts--I did not cook them with the apples.) Cook the apples for about 3-4 minutes, until they are golden, turning them once. Divide salad leaves on the 2 plates. Remove the apples from the pan with a metal spatula and scatter them among the leaves. Crumble the cheese over the hot apples--it will soften rather than melt. Squeeze the lemon juice into the pan and drizzle the resulting dressing over the salad. Eat immediately. 

Notes/Results: This is my new favorite fall salad--such a great combination of flavors and textures and it is pretty to look at too. Pan-frying the apples brings out extra flavor and enhances the sweet/tart flavor. I used my favorite Honeycrisp apples and they were brilliant. I may have to fry them up on a regular basis--salad or not. ;-) I was grabbing walnuts when I saw a small package of glazed ones. They turned out to be a wonderful touch adding a little sweet and spice to the mix. The cheese gets just slightly softened by the warm apples (this was a local farmhouse cheddar) and the bites of the apple and cheddar together were wonderful. You could use any lettuce or greens--I liked the hardiness of the baby spinach. A perfect salad for holiday entertaining--elegant but goes together in a snap, I can imagine doing a version with pan-fried pears, pecans and a mild blue cheese or goat cheese. A definite keeper recipe that I will make again (and again).

Note: A review copy of "The Red Book of Primrose House" was provided to me by the publisher and TLC Book Tours in return for a fair and honest review. I was not compensated for this review and as always my thoughts and opinions are my own.

You can see the stops for the rest of the Book Tour and what other reviewer thought about the book here.

***E-Giftcard/Books Giveaway!!!***

Kahakai Kitchen is joining in on the Rafflecopter giveaway for TLC Book Tour of The Red Book of Primrose House. The publisher is giving away a $25 e-giftcard to the e-book retailer of the winner's choice, plus 1 copy of THE GARDEN PLOT by Marty Wingate! Enter to win below.  

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

Niçoise Vegetable Stew with Rouille (With Fish or Without) for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

It has been grey and cool(er) this weekend which I am enjoying after too many days of humid evenings. It's still in the low to mid 70s at night which makes it ever amusing to hear the weather forecasters say to make sure you have a jacket because it will be 'chilly' at night. Still, I did sleep with a light blanket last night for the first time in months--which was lovely, and it is perfect weather for a big bowl of flavorful soup or stew like this Niçoise Vegetable Stew with Rouille.

I was attracted to this soup from Plenty by Diana Henry for a number of reasons--the assertive flavors, the sunny color, the use of saffron, potatoes and fennel, and the chance to make a new-to-me sauce--a variation of a Provençal rouille. It also fits our Mystery Box Madness Challenge for November at I Heart Cooking Clubs--where the selected recipe needs to contain at least three out of ten ingredients: Harissa, Eggs, Saffron, Pumpkin, Maple Syrup, Dates, Rose Water, Oranges, Spinach, and Chickpeas. The original recipe for this stew contains three of the ingredients--eggs, saffron and oranges. I made a few adaptations to the recipe (noted in red below) and added two more of the ten mystery ingredients--chickpeas and harissa. 

There is raw egg yolk in the rouille, so I used very fresh, local eggs. (It does make the soup even more special so definitely do it if you can get your hands on good eggs.) Henry serves this stew with grated Gruyère and croûtes or croutons which I think would be delicious, but Henry's talk of putting fish on the top before serving had me craving seared local ahi tuna steak sliced on top. Since ahi is expensive, this is a great way to make the soup more of a meal while also getting away with dividing a piece of fish or two between several people. Both the veggie version and the fish version (shown in the third and fourth photos) were fantastic. 
 

Henry says, "This is like a Provençal fish soup without the fish. It has a really gutsy flavor. if you want to make it a fishy, you can poach some fish in the soup at the end; or you can cook fish separately and put some on top of each serving. If you don't like rouille you can serve this stew with aioli (garlic mayonnaise) instead." 

Niçoise Vegetable Stew with Rouille
Adapted from Plenty by Diana Henry
(Serves 4 as Main / 6 as Side Dish)

For the Stew:
1/4 cup olive oil (I used 2 Tbsp)
1 lb small waxy potatoes, halved lengthwise
6 oz baby onions (I used a Maui sweet onion)
3 leeks, trimmed, washed and cut into chunks
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes
3 cups vegetable or chicken stock
good pinch of saffron threads
1 strip of orange zest (I used several thick strips of zest)
3 thyme sprigs
salt and pepper
2 small fennel bulbs, sliced lengthwise
(I added 1 medium carrot, thinly sliced into strips)
6 plum tomatoes, quartered
(I added 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas)
(I added some of the fennel fronds)
grated Gruyère cheese and baguette croûtes,to serve (optional) (omitted)

For the Rouille:
3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 egg yolks
2/3 cup olive oil
4 tsp tomato paste
lemon juice
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper  (I subbed in harissa)

Heat the oil and gently sauté the potatoes, onions, and leeks for about 15 minutes. It's nice if the potatoes get a little golden. Stir from time to time to make sure nothing is sticking. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté for another minute, then add half the stock.

Bring to a boil, add the saffron, orange zest, 2 of the thyme sprigs, salt, pepper and reduce to a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are just becoming tender, about 10 minutes. 

Add the fennel and the tomatoes (and carrots and chickpeas if using & the rest of the stock--see Notes/Results below). Stir well and cook until the vegetables are tender, another 10 minutes or so. Stir carefully every so often to make sure everything's well coated in the saffron juices, but try not to break up the potatoes. 

For the rouille, put the garlic and a little salt into a mortar and grind to a purée. Mix in the yolks, then add the oil drop by drop, beating all the time (with a wooden spoon or electric hand beater). The mixture should thicken. Don't add the next drop of oil until the previous drop has been incorporated fully and the mixture has thickened. Add the tomato purée, lemon juice to taste, and the cayenne, then adjust the seasoning. 

Strip the leaves from the remaining thyme sprig and add to the stew. (I added some of the fennel fronds too for extra color/flavor.) Serve in soup plates with rouille spooned on top. I sometimes also serve grated Gruyère and croûtes, as you would with Provençal fish soup. 

Notes/Results: Such a great bowl of soup, and although there are a few extra steps if you make the rouille and sear fish for the top, it actually goes together fairly quickly. I used a bit less oil for cooking my vegetables because the rouille sauce has quite a lot already. If you find your veggies sticking, add a little of the stock to them and keep stirring. Speaking of the stock, I could not find where it said to add the other half of the stock in the recipe so I added it in with the fennel and tomatoes. The cooked chickpeas are a good addition to make this dish more satisfying as a meal. You wouldn't necessarily need both them and the fish on top but it worked for me. ;-) I liked subbing in the harissa in the rouille--a nice amount of spice and a little different flavor than cayenne. The rouille sort of melts into the warm broth of the soup and gives it a silkiness and a big punch of flavor.

For the tuna, I just seared it in a hot pan with a little oil, salt and pepper (raw in the middle as good ahi really should be), ;-) then I sliced it and placed it on top of the soup with the rouille drizzled on top. So good! But, it was just as appealing without any fish or would be good using another kind fish if ahi is hard to find for you. The fish makes this soup a bit more elegant for company I think, but this recipe is a keeper for me even without it. I would definitely make it again.

As mentioned, this soup will be linked up to this coming week's Mystery Box Madness Challenge at IHCC once the post goes live. You'll be able to see what mystery ingredients and recipes people chose by checking out the picture links on the post.

It's a bit quiet in the Souper Sundays kitchen this week but we have two good friends with soups to share, so let's have a look. 

Tigerfish of Teczcape - An Escape to Food is here with healthy Cabbage, Brussel Sprouts, Baby Broccoli Pasta Soup (or "Brassica Oleracea-family" Pasta Soup). She says, "This bowl of soup is all part of the Brassica oleracea family which includes cabbage, brussel sprouts and broccoli (broccolini to be exact). If there is only one essential tip to share for making this soup a success, it is to not over-cook the brussel sprouts and baby broccoli when they are added into the soup. A warm, soothing, and satisfying soup for autumn and the coming winter months."

 
Mireille of Chef Mireille's East West Realm shares Gochujang Dak Juk - Korean Chicken Rice Soup. She says, "Congee or jook is the name for a rice porridge that is a common breakfast item in China. In Korea, it is called juk and with the addition of gochujang, I made a spiced up Korean version. I made this version a little looser consistency so it is closer to an American style soup than an Asian style porridge but this makes a perfect meal to enjoy as the temperatures start to dip."

Thanks to Tigerfish and Mireille for joining me this week. If you have a soup, salad, or sandwich that you would like to share, just click on the Souper Sundays logo on the sidebar for all of the details.

Have a happy, healthy week! 

 

Spiced Feta in Olive Oil and Persian Marinated Olives: Easy and Exotic Mezze Plate Components

For a simple, light and low-effort dinner, nothing beats a mezze plate--tasty little dishes with different Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavors. They are also great for holiday entertaining because with just one trip to a good grocery store, you can pick up most of the components and can just plop them into bowls and onto plates. And if you have a little extra time, you can prepare a couple of simple but exotic recipes like Diana Henry's Spiced Feta in Olive Oil and Persian Marinated Olives. Perfect to have on hand to jazz up a holiday mezze spread or just enjoy yourself as part of a mezze dinner. 

I had a large chunk of good, firm sheep's milk feta leftover from a Costco run, and Henry's spiced feta recipe sounded like a winner. There is something magical about feta when it is softened slightly by olive oil and flavored up a bit before being spread on a baguette. I also fell in love with the description of the Persian olives and their mix of lemon, chile and herbs. 

Also on the mezze plate, homemade hummus (slightly darker/different in color due to it being a mix of canned chickpeas and fava beans + a liberal use of sumac, cumin and smoked paprika) and store-bought dolmas and gigantes bean salad. With mini carrots and bread for dipping/spreading, it was like a little celebration for the taste buds.  

Henry says, "It's great to have a jar of this, because you can easily mix it with dips (hummus, taramasalata, spiced carrot puree, baba ghanoush) and bread to make dinner for one, or serve it as part of a spread of mezze."   

Spiced Feta in Olive Oil
Recipe from Salt Sugar Smoke by Diana Henry
(Fills 1 (pint) jar)

3/4 cup olive oil
juice of two lemons
leaves from 2 sprigs of thyme
1/2 tsp dried red chili flakes
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1/2 tsp white peppercorns
9 oz feta cheese, broken into chunks

Mix olive oil with the lemon juice, thyme and chili flakes. Put the fennel seeds and both types of peppercorns in a mortar and crush them lightly so that the spices are bruised and partly broken. Add to the oil mixture. 

Put the feta into a sterilized jar (make sure the jar is not piping hot--let it cool to warm or the feta will start to melt), and pour the oil mixture over it. Seal and keep in the refrigerator. Make sure the feta is always covered with a layer of oil and eat within two weeks. 

Recipe Note: Henry says, "The olive oil "sets" around the feta because it's being stored in the refrigerator, so let it come to room temperature before serving."

Henry says, "Fresh and green tasting, these are unlike most marinated olives, and they make a good contrast to a bowlful of inky black olives. They are especially nice as part of a mezze spread..."

Persian Marinated Olives
Recipe from Salt Sugar Smoke by Diana Henry
(Fills 1 (pint) jar)

5 cups unpitted green olives in brine (I used a variety of green olives from the olive bar)
1 small unwaxed lemon
4 garlic cloves, sliced
about 6 sprigs of dill, chopped
3 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
3 Tbsp chopped cilantro
2 green chiles, halved, seeded, and finely sliced
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more to seal

Make a little slit or cross in each olive (laborious, but it's the only way you can get the flavorings through the flesh). Cut the lemon into thin slices, then cut each slice into four.

Mix all  the ingredients together, then put into a sterilized jar, or if you will be eating them soon, just put them into a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours to marinate. Keep refrigerated and eat within one month (but cover with more oil to keep them this long).    

Notes/Results: Fabulous feta--the thyme, fennel and pepper give the cheese plenty of flavor without overpowering it. It has a nice level of peppery spice and spreads nicely onto the bread. I think this feta would be fab tossed into a green salad with the marinating liquid drizzled on as dressing. The olives are truly munchable--bright and sunny with the lemon's acidity and a kick from the chiles (I used serranos) at the finish. I love the mix of herbs in the olives--the dill plays the key role but you get the flavors of the cilantro and parsley as well. Perfect for munching on their own but, even better with the creamy feta. With both of these recipes, you will want to use a good quality olive oil as its flavor comes through. I will happily make both of these recipes again.

This post is linking up to "Stocking Your Exotic Pantry"--this week's theme at I Heart Cooking Clubs. You can see the exotic pantry items everyone made by checking out the picture links on the post.

 

The Book Tour Stops Here: A Review of "How To Bake a Man" by Jessica Barksdale Inclán Served with Nut Butter Cereal Crispies (No-Bake Cookies)

The office candy dish, morning meeting pastries, and the occasional cake for birthday celebrations are hard enough to resist--imagine if someone came by your office twice a day with a cart piled high with delectable homemade baked goods. It might be a recipe for some extra pounds, but it's also Rebecca Muchmore's idea for a small business so she drops out of grad school to start Becca's Best. How To Bake a Man is a funny food-filled novel by Jessica Barksdale Inclán and a review is being served up along with some no-bake Nut Butter Cereal Crispies as part of this TLC Book Tour.   

Publisher's Blurb:

When 27-year-old Becca Muchmore drops out of grad school, all she has left to fall back on is her baking. Ignoring her mother’s usual barrage of disapproval and disappointment, she decides to start a small business hand-delivering her wares. A friend introduces her to an office of hungry lawyers, who agree to give her a try. Her lizard-booted neighbor Sal is happy to help out when he can, and almost before she knows it, Becca’s Best is up and running. 

Before she can settle into a routine, things get complicated. The office ogress could easily be Becca’s sister and has absolutely no patience with cookies or other frivolities. Even worse, her boyfriend is the man of Becca’s dreams – kind, funny, successful, and brain-meltingly gorgeous. As the dark undercurrents threaten to pull her down, Becca swiftly finds herself neck-deep in office politics, clandestine romance, and flour. Saving her business (and finding true love) is going to take everything she’s got, and more.

Packed with charm, sparkling humor, and a genuinely unforgettable cast, this delicious tale of a woman struggling to find her path might just be Jessica Barksdale Inclán’s finest novel to date.

Paperback: 256 pages

Publisher: Ghostwoods Books (October 21, 2014)

This is definitely a chick lit book for food lovers with a sweet tooth--it is fun and as light and fluffy as an angel food cake. It will also make you crave a chocolate chip cookie, blueberry muffin, cinnamon roll or a slice of rum cake--maybe even all of them at once. I had not read anything by Jessica Barkdale Inclán before, but it is clear she writes food really well--each chapter starts with a recipe description that made me hungry, even for baked goods that aren't particular favorites of mine like gingerbread and cheesecake. (Many of these recipes can be found at the back of the book.) It did take me a while to warm up to the main character Becca--for a 27-year-old, I thought she lacked maturity and was quite the drama queen. At times it was amusing, at times her all-about-me-all-the-time focus got a bit old. More likable right away were the male leads--Jeff, the handsome attorney boyfriend of Jennifer, Becca's evil-acting doppelganger, and Sal, Becca's supportive and funny neighbor. Becca does grow through the book and her character becomes more appealing as she does (plus, you have to like someone who makes magic in the kitchen and takes the time to give her leftover products to the homeless each day). A quick and entertaining read--chick lit fans, lovers of foodie fiction, romance readers, and those looking for a cute story that comes with some mouthwatering recipes will enjoy this book.

Author Notes: Jessica Barksdale Inclan is the author of twelve traditionally published novels, including the best-selling Her Daughter’s Eyes, The Matter of Grace, and When You Believe. She has also published several ebooks and a women’s studies textbook, Diverse Voices of Women. Her work has been translated into Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, and Czech. Inclán teaches composition, creative writing, mythology, and women’s literature at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, California, and online novel writing courses for UCLA Extension. Find out more about Jessica at her website, jessicabarksdaleinclan.com.

There are of course plenty of delectable baked goods mentioned in the book--all manner of cookies, sweet and savory muffins, brownies, pie, bread, and cake. There are sixteen recipes in the back of the book, tried and tested by the author and her family. There are even a few non-baked goods food mentions--spaghetti, hamburger casserole, oysters, arugula and pecorino salad,  but, I really wanted to make something sweet and cookie-like. My challenge--I am currently ovenless. It hasn't been great for baking for a few months now, but it totally went out recently and I have yet to get in gear and get a replacement.  Since no oven = no bake, I decided to go with a batch of my favorite no-bake Nut Butter Crispies.

These cookie treats are quickly made in one bowl and full of goodies, so although they are actually pretty healthy in terms of ingredients, they taste like they should be bad for you which I like. They are also very adaptable to whatever you have on hand. I love using puffed millet for the crispy texture but I subbed in an easier-to-find brown crispy rice cereal instead. Can't have nuts? Use sunflower butter or soy 'peanut' butter and swap the almonds out for sunflower seeds. Want them vegan? Use agave instead of honey and vegan chips. Gluten-free? Use gluten-free oats and chocolate chips. Add coconut, chopped mac nuts, and dried mango or pineapple to give them a tropical feel. I make these a lot for cooking classes and demos and they are always a crowd pleaser. So I suppose they are an easy way for how to no-bake a man! ;-)

Nut Butter Cereal Crispies (No-Bake Cookies)

by Deb, Kahakai Kitchen

(Makes about 18) 

1/2 cup rolled / old-fashioned oats
3/4 cup crispy brown rice cereal, or puffed millet cereal

1/3 cup dried fruit pieces (I used cranberries)
1/3 cup dark chocolate mini chocolate chips

1/3 cup sliced almonds or other nuts

2 Tbsp chia seeds

2 Tbsp hemp seeds (or ground flax seeds, or wheat germ)

1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups natural peanut butter or nut butter of your choice) + more if needed (I used peanut butter and almond butter)
1/3 cup honey or agave (eye it, it's easier than messing with a measuring cup) + more if needed.

In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Add the vanilla extract, nut butter, and honey and mix thoroughly. 

(Mixing Note: You can start mixing these with a big heavy spoon but you'll probably need to get down and dirty and use your hands towards the end to get everything mixed together. Nut butters vary in consistency, the mixture should be a “moldable” texture and not too crumbly--add extra peanut butter or honey if needed to get it to the right texture. You can also heat the nut butter and honey if it is too crumbly to mix well--just make sure to let the mixture cool before adding the mini chips or they will melt. If mixture is too 'wet'--add extra oats.)

Shape mixture into small balls with your hands and place on a wax paper lined cookie sheets. With your palm, flatten each ball slightly into a disk shape. Place in refrigerator for at least 2 hours to firm.

Keep stored in an airtight container in fridge.

Nutritional Info: Per 1 Crispie: calories 145; total fat 9.8g; saturated fat 1g; carbs 10.6g; sodium 10 mg; sugars 5.8g; fiber 3g; protein 4.8g.
 

Notes/Results: Like a peanut buttery-rice crispy crunch, these are fun little treats best enjoyed right out of the fridge as they hold their shape best when chilled. They have a good texture--chewy, crisp and creamy. You can use any combination of dried fruit, nut butter and healthy grain cereal you like. Using freshly ground nut butters rather than jarred brands reduces the sugar and sodium counts. These are rich enough that one or two are very satisfying. I will make them again. 

Note: A review copy of "How To Bake a Man" was provided by the publisher and TLC Book Tours in return for a fair and honest review. I was not compensated for this review and as always my thoughts and opinions are my own.  

You can see the stops for the rest of the TLC Book Tours and Reviews here.

Creamy, Cheezy, Spinach-Artichoke Soup: 'Healthy Souping' of a Classic Guilty-Pleasure Dip for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

It's hard to resist the allure of a creamy, cheesy warm spinach-artichoke dip. A typical restaurant version can clock in at around 1600 calories and close to 100 grams of fat, and a day's worth of sodium. Even divided among 2 or 3 friends it isn't a pretty picture. Homemade versions often aren't much better in terms of health and nutrition. Still, it's so darn good. I was reading a book this week where spinach-artichoke dip was served at a party and then coming across a couple of recipes for vegan creamed spinach that were giving me cravings, I started to think about 'souping' this classic dip and making a healthy vegan version with no guilt.

I make a lot of dairy-free cheeze sauces using cashews, nutritional yeast and spices but for the soup, I wanted something both low-fat and creamy, so I decided to make a cheeze sauce with the current 'it' vegetable, and decided to use a cauliflower base. This is a two pot soup--one for the cheeze sauce and one for the onion, spinach and artichokes and putting it all together but it goes together easily and pretty quickly. The result is a soup that relieves a craving with a much healthier option, while still feeling decadent.

Creamy, Cheezy, Spinach-Artichoke Soup
An Original Recipe By Deb, Kahakai Kitchen
(Serves 4)

Cheeze Sauce:
2 1/2 cups cauliflower florets--frozen is fine
2 cups low-sodium veggie broth
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried mustard
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp celery seed
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1 Tbsp white miso
2 tsp lemon juice
salt to taste 

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 Tbsp each dried basil and dried oregano or 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1 pinch red pepper flakes
12 oz baby spinach, chopped coarsely
1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, chopped
non-dairy milk (almond or soy) to thin if needed (optional)

Make Cheeze Sauce: 
Place the cauliflower, veggie broth, garlic and spices through white pepper in a medium sauce pan and stir. Bring to a boil, place lid on pan and reduce heat to low. Simmer about 20 minutes or until cauliflower is very tender and "mashable" with a spoon.

Remove from heat and place into blender. Add nutritional yeast, miso and lemon juice and blend until smooth and creamy. (Always be careful with blending hot food/liquid.) Set aside while you finish soup.

While Cauliflower is Cooking, Make Spinach Artichoke Mixture:
In a large sauce pan / soup pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute, stirring occasionally about 6-7 minutes, until onion if soft and translucent. Add garlic and saute another minute or two, then stir in dried herbs and cook another minute, or until fragrant.  

Reduce heat to medium, add spinach and stir. Cover pan and cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until spinach is mostly wilted. Add artichoke hearts and cook another minute or two until they are warmed through and spinach is completely wilted. 

Put Together the Soup:
Over low heat, pour the cheeze sauce into pot with spinach-artichoke mixture and stir to thoroughly combine. Taste for seasoning and add additional salt and freshly ground pepper as needed. You can adjust the consistency of the soup to your liking by using an immersion blender to slightly puree it and/or adding non-dairy milk to thin. I like mine thick and chunky so it approximates the texture of the dip--but make it how you like. ;-) Heat through, stirring occasionally. 

Serve with crusty bread for dipping and sprinkled with a little smoked paprika and freshly-ground black pepper. (Serving it in min bread bowls would be fun too.) Enjoy! 

Notes/Results: Rich, creamy, lots of flavor--this is a fun soup with a cheesy-ish vibe. Non-dairy cheeze sauces don't result in that ooey-gooey, strings of cheese texture that dairy cheese does but, they also don't melt with an oil slick of saturated fat that clogs up your arteries--so you can enjoy them all the more. I made my soup thick enough to almost (but not quite) be dip-like, which I prefer as it makes dipping chunks of bread fun. I did puree it slightly, to break up some of the larger chunks and to blend the flavors even more. About 1 1/2 cups of the soup clocks in at less than 130 calories and 4 grams of fat and it is extremely satisfying without being heavy. Good for carnivores as well as meat-free eaters--I would call this dip successfully 'souped' and I would happily make it again.

Let's visit the Souper Sundays kitchen and see who is here this week. 

Judee of Gluten Free A-Z Blog brings a vegan Fall Harvest Soup and says, "This light savory fall harvest soup has a warming broth and a rich satisfying flavor. It is easy to make, (like all of my soups) and even includes some homemade pumpkin puree. I was looking for a good soup for Halloween eve when it's usually damp and chilly. We were 8 adults and 4 kids. Before everyone left to trick or treat, the pot of soup and everyone's soup bowls were licked clean. It was a good soup!"

Tigerfish of Teczcape - An Escape to Food shares this Warm Beets Salad and says,"Beets are in season right now (beets is also a fall/autumn produce in addition to pumpkin squash, carrots) but when I saw this convenience organic beets pack from Costco, I decided to try the product, at the same time, try to incorporate beets as much as I can to our meals. As "convenience" goes, they can be consumed straight from the pack so I do not have to do any peeling. Beets (or beetroots) is an excellent source of folic acid and rich in fiber, manganese and potassium."

Janet of The Taste Space made this savory Indian-Inspired Roasted Cauliflower & Quinoa Salad and says, "While we typically eat the apples as snacks and in our morning oats, this time, I added it to a savoury autumn salad. Roasted cauliflower is combined with quinoa with Indian-inspired flavours such as roasted coconut with a touch of sweetness from the apple and raisins.  I then drizzled my favourite curried maple tahini dressing, which I usually reserved for my chickpea and carrot salad with excellent results. I needed to double the dressing since this salad was so voluminous."

Debbie of The Friday Friends shares her family's Spinach Salad with us this week saying, "We made this for years in our family. My Aunt gave it to us years ago. She wrote down a copy of it in a cookbook she gave me for a wedding gift. It's funny---after all these years, that is the only wedding gift I can remember. ... I love this spinach salad. It has cottage cheese in the dressing. Sound weird? Okay it probably is weird---but it's also very good!"

Thanks to everyone who joined in this week. If you have a soup, salad, or sandwich that you would like to share, just click on the Souper Sundays logo on the sidebar for all of the details.

Have a happy, healthy week!