There’s a Hummus Among Us!

Yep, the title for this recipe is pretty lame. But I’ve had a weird week dealing with terroristic threats and what not, so anything that amuses me is rushing out quicker than I can close the dam.

I absolutely love hummus-I could eat hummus slathered on sandwiches, by the heaping spoonful, or with veggies if I feel like being a little more sophisticated. What I don’t love is paying $3 or more dollars for a tiny container that’s full of hard to pronounce ingredients.

So, off to the kitchen lab! And, within a few minutes, I had fresh hummus at my fingertips.

Here is what’s needed to make this Hummus Among Us Recipe-without tahini:

3 Cups Drained Garbanzo Beans (reserve juice if desired instead of the water)
3/4-1 Cup Water or bean juice (more or less depending on how tender/cooked your beans are)
1 TBS Lemon Juice
2 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp Toasted Sesame Seeds
3/4 tsp Chili Powder
1 tsp-1 1/2 tsp Garlic Salt (depending on your taste)
1/4 tsp Onion Powder
1/4 tsp Salt (not pictured, sorry…)
Food Processor/Blender

Pour the 3 Cups of Garbanzo Beans into the blender. Add 1 Cup of Water and hit the puree until the beans are smooth.

The Hummus should have this type of consistency-thick but still pliable.

Add the 1 TBS Lemon Juice to the mixture.

Next, add the 2 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Add the 1 tsp Toasted Sesame Seeds and blend again until smooth.

Now for the spices! Add the 3/4 tsp of Chili Powder-(or if you like things a little spicy, take the plunge and add a full 1 TBS).

Add the 1 tsp to 1 1/2 tsp Garlic Salt.

And finally, add the 1/4 tsp Onion Powder and the 1/4 tsp Salt. Blend again until all the ingredients are mixed thoroughly.

Put the hummus into a cute bowl and then add a little more chili powder that will show off your awesome hummus.

Serve with fresh cut veggies and enjoy the Hummus that’s Among Us!

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DIY Ant Deterrent

There are ants in my garden! Who invited them?

I’m trying to keep my garden as free from weed and bug killers as possible. These chemicals rob the soil of vital nutrients, making my job harder when it’s time to plant.

But, I still don’t want these guys around, either. They are pretty pompous and arrogant, in my opinion. They need to go.

And I have just the solution!

Here’s all that you need to make your very own Homemade Ant Deterrent:
Spray Bottle
Water
Mild Dish Soap

Fill the spray bottle with water. Add 4-5 drops of the mild dish soap and shake vigorously.

Spray the solution on the plant-wherever the offenders are and watch them slip and slide all the way to the ground. I usually do this either in the early morning or right before the sun goes down, to avoid scorching the leaves. After a heavy rain, you might need to re-apply the DIY Ant Deterrent solution.
This won’t harm your plant, but let’s see what it does to our ant friends….

I bid thee farewell, small ant. And take your brothers with you.

Simple, Healthy Salad Dressing

In March, I gave myself a month long challenge of ridding my house of nasty chemicals and high priced products that I can make myself. Here are a few of the things that I’ve been able to replace around the house:

Recipe for Facial Moisturizer
Cheap, Organic Face Wash
DIY Household Green Cleaners
DIY Organic Eye Makeup Remover
Simple, Organic Lip Balm

But the replacements must meet or exceed three important expectations for this frugal gal:
1. It must be easy to replace-no beakers or science lab experiments. Thank you.
2. It must be just as good or better than the current product I’m using and,
3. It must cost the same or less than the current product I’m using.

photo source unknown

If the product I create passes the final test-me using it for over two plus weeks to make sure it does its job-then I’ll be sharing it with you. I will break down the cost for you, provide you the recipe and give you my honest opinion of the final product.

Today, I have a recipe for Simple, Healthy Salad Dressing via my sweet mother-in-law. I tweaked the recipe a little and I subtracted the salt and pepper. I enjoy lots of pepper on my salad, but just a pinch of salt. (I figured I could add my own accoutrements expo facto.)

All that is needed to make this Simple, Healthy Salad Dressing is:
1 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/3 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 Cup All Fruit, No Sugar Strawberry Jam

In a liquid measuring cup, pour 1 Cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

In the same measuring cup, add the 1/3 Cup of Balsamic Vinegar. Watch the cool little bubbles float around for a minute and pretend you are in a CSI lab.

Measure out 1/4 Cup of Strawberry Jam. Lick your fingers.

If necessary, use a funnel to transfer the measured jam into the chosen dressing jar.

Next, pour the olive oil and balsamic mixture into the jar. This will get all the last little bits of jam left in the funnel, into the jar.

Place the lid on the dressing jar and shake vigorously. Pour a small amount on top of your favorite salad, grab a fork and dig in.

Add salt and pepper if desired. Enjoy!

Note-this dressing must be stored in the fridge and it will settle and separate. Shake the bottle before each use.

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Easy Baked Tortilla Chips

Biceps has a definite “sweet tooth”-he caves at the sight of brownies, chocolate chips, and ice cream. I, on the other hand, have a “salty tooth”-put a bag of chips in front of me and watch my will power crumble.

I (and my waistline) needed to find a replacement for store bought chips. I’ve often seen recipes that require frying tortillas in oil-which ups the calorie count considerably. I decided to experiment and bake my own chips.

Here is the calorie breakdown:

One Guerrero tortillas equals 55 calories and makes about 4 chips. There are even lower calorie tortillas-this was just what I had on hand. (Whole Food’s brand are a little less at 46 calories per tortilla).

Here is what you will need to make your very own Easy Baked Tortilla Chips:

Tortillas of your choosing-I used corn tortillas
Table Salt
Kitchen Sheers

Preheat your oven to 250 degrees. Stack 2-3 tortillas on top of each other and cut into fourths.

Lay the cut tortillas on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Dip your fingers into water and sprinkle the top of the tortillas.

With a dry hand, sprinkle salt onto the tortillas. (I failed to dry my hand off and the salt stuck to my fingers. Please forgive me and learn from my mistakes….).

Bake at 350 degrees for 5-7 minutes or until crispy, turning once.

Eat the chips while they are still warm, paired with your favorite salsa. Feel awesome knowing you did something a little better for your body.

Ole!!

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