Hummus | Chili | Curry

Peanut Butter Hummus

1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1/3 cup warm water
4 T. peanut butter (I made my own PB first)
2 T. olive oil (+ a few drips of sesame oil)
3 T. lime juice
1 clove garlic
**I also added red pepper flakes and a splash of soy sauce

Blend all ingredients in a food processor. Serve with veggies.

Black Bean Chili
(I made this chili twice. The first time, we just had chili. Then the next day, we topped our baked sweet potatoes with the rest. Later in the week, I made a bigger batch of the chili but I added more spice, more veggies (zucchini, peppers, beans) and tofu.)

1/2 cup onion, diced
1 1/2 t. olive oil
1/2 cup green pepper, diced
1/2 cup Roma tomatoes, diced
2 t. garlic, minced
1/2 t. chili powder
1/2 t. ground cumin
1/4 t. sea salt
1/8 t. freshly ground black pepper
15 oz. black beans
1 - 8 oz. can tomato sauce

In a medium saucepan, saute the onion in the olive oil for 3 minutes to soften. Add the green pepper and saute an additional 3-4 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Add the tomatoes, garlic, and seasonings, and saute an additional 2 minutes. Add the black beans, tomato sauce. Stir well to combine, and simmer the chili for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings, to taste. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

Cashew Curry with Cauliflower
(This also made dual meals. When I ate this as leftovers, I added some extra cooked winter squash that I had on hand.)

1 cup coconut milk
1 - 2 tablespoons curry powder
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/2 large red onion, chopped
1 medium garlic clove, chopped
1/3 cup water
4 ounces firm tofu, cut into small cubes
1 1/2 cups cauliflower, cut into tiny florets
1/3 cup cashews, toasted
a handful of cilantro, loosely chopped

Bring half of the coconut milk to a simmer in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat. Whisk in the curry powder and salt, working out any clumps. Now stir in the chopped red onion and garlic and cook for a minute. Stir in the remaining coconut milk and the water, and then the tofu. Cook down the liquid for a couple minutes before adding the cauliflower. Cover and simmer for just about one minute, maybe two - or just until the cauliflower loses it's raw edge and cook through a bit. Remove the pot from heat and stir in the cashews. Taste and adjust the seasoning (salt/curry powder) if needed. Serve with a bit of cilantro topping each bowl.