You’re going to want to drizzle this tahini sauce on everything, from salads to falafel to bowls … the possibilities with this lemon tahini dressing are endless.

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Why You’ll Love Lemon Tahini Dressing
• Ingredients
• Adaptations/Variations
• How to Make Lemon Tahini Dressing
• Tips for Success
• More Sauce & Condiment Recipes

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

I discovered the magic of tahini dressing years ago when I created this broccoli apple salad with a tahini dressing instead of a heavier mayo-based dressing. I was hooked!

Since then, I’ll often keep a jar of lemon tahini dressing in the fridge to dress up crisp summer veggies like tomato and cucumber salad or sautéed zucchini. It’s also perfect on roasted vegetables (I love it with my sheet pan tofu & veggie dinner!) And this lemon tahini sauce completely seals the deal for falafel bowls and other buddha bowls.

Why You’ll Love Lemon Tahini Dressing

• Creamy without being heavy – No mayo, heavy whipping cream, or any other heavy, creamy ingredient needed. All you need is tahini to create that magical creamy consistency!
• Easily vegan – If you’re eating vegan, just swap out the honey for pure maple syrup and you’re there!
• Quick & easy to make – Just 5 minutes and a handful of ingredients for a creamy tahini dressing you’ll want to use on everything!

Ingredients

• Tahini – If the oil has separated from the tahini, be sure to give it a good stir to mix it all together before measuring.
• Lemon juice – You’ll need 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, which usually takes one or two juicy lemons.
• Garlic – Just one clove, very finely minced or grated, adds so much flavor to your lemon tahini dressing.
• Honey – Adds a touch of sweetness which balances out the acidity from the lemon. Feel free to use agave syrup or pure maple syrup instead.
• Salt & pepper – Highlights all of those nutty, bright, sweet, savory flavors!
• Water – Adjust the quantity as you wish. Use less water for a thicker sauce, or more water for a thinner, pourable dressing.

Adaptations/Variations

• Vegan Tahini Dressing – Just use pure maple syrup or agave syrup instead of honey.
• Spicy Tahini Dressing – Add a few pinches of cayenne pepper to give your lemon tahini dressing a touch of heat.

Tips for Success

• Mix your tahini! If it’s separated, your tahini dressing might end up being too oily.
• Grate your garlic. If you have a Microplane zester (affiliate link), that’s perfect for getting that garlic into tiny, flavorful bits that permeate every bit of lemon tahini dressing.

I hope this Lemon Tahini Dressing becomes as much of a staple in your kitchen as it is in ours! It’s so versatile and adds so much flavor to so many veggies and dishes. It’s a keeper!

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Creamy Lemon Tahini Dressing

So versatile and absolutely delicious! Tahini makes the most lusciously creamy, magic dressing that you'll want to drizzle on salads, roasted veggies, bowls, and so much more.

Diet Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Keyword lemon tahini dressing, tahini dressing, tahini sauce

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 67kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup tahini mixed well
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice from 1-2 large lemons
• 1 medium clove garlic finely minced or grated on a microplane zester
• 2 teaspoons honey or pure maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 – 1/3 cup water

Instructions

• Place all ingredients except the water in a small bowl. Whisk together until smooth. Pour in the 1/4 cup water and whisk together until smooth. Add additional water if you prefer a thinner dressing. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Notes

Yields about 3/4 cup of dressing. I’ve estimated each serving to be around 2-3 tablespoons. Store lemon tahini dressing in the fridge in an airtight container for up to one week. 

Nutrition

Serving: 2tablespoons | Calories: 67kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 149mg | Potassium: 57mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 7IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 0.5mg

More Sauce & Condiment Recipes

• Homemade Tartar Sauce
• Balsamic Reduction Syrup
• Honey Dijon Mustard Dressing
• Creamy Vinaigrette
• How to Make a Simple Vinaigrette (with endless ways to customize!)
• Homemade Thousand Island Dressing
• Peanut Sauce
• Vegan Alfredo Sauce
• Avocado Hollandaise

The post Lemon Tahini Dressing appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

These 3-Seed Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies are extraordinary, and I am SO excited to be sharing this cookie recipe with you today!

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Developing This Recipe for Tahini Seed Breakfast Cookies
• Ingredients
• Adaptations/Variations
• How to Make Tahini Seed Chocolate Chunk Breakfast Cookies
• Tips for Success
• How to Store
• Can I Freeze Tahini Breakfast Cookies?

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

Every August for the past 10 years, our family has headed up to Salt Spring Island in British Columbia for a week of relaxation and fun. It’s the most gorgeous place, tightly packed with tall evergreens along narrow winding roads that open up to blue water vistas.

My kid is there for pretty much solely for a week in the lake at the center of the island, and to catch up with friends who return to the same place every year, too. But for me, one of the best things about Salt Spring is that it’s a straight-up foodie paradise.

One of the reasons for that is that there are farm stands along the sides of the roads everywhere, and in August, these stands are usually overflowing with the locals’ garden abundance.

While some farm stands are what you’d expect – a cart and a roof with maybe some eggs in an ice chest, flowers, a few squash and other vegetables – some are a full-on experience.

Last year, we discovered a huge covered farm stand tucked up a hill on the side of the road. Once we’d parked, climbed up, and picked out homemade cupcakes, we turned around and were greeted by the stunning blue of the bay below us. A long, rustic slab of wood served as a bar facing the view, with stools lined up underneath. We sat down, enjoyed our cupcakes, sipped coffee, and enjoyed the quiet and the scenery.

This past August, I decided to head out by myself late one morning to see what types of squash and other goodies I could find at the local farm stands. After a few stops, I entered the gate of Stowel Lake Farm, crunched up the gravel drive, and parked, then wandered up the flagstone path surrounded by flowers that are always buzzing with butterflies and bees. As usual, this farm stand had gorgeous plants, lots of produce, and a few baked goods.

And it was here that their Tahini Seed Cookies stopped me in my tracks.

There was one left. It was huge, glorious-looking, and mine. Forgetting about everything else, I tucked my four dollars into the honor slot, grabbed the cookie, and carried it back to my car. I quickly decided I was going to wait to find the perfect oat milk latte before I ate it, so I ventured down the road and, as luck would have it, found a coffee stand pretty quickly. They made me the most excellent latte, and I sat down at one of their umbrella-covered tables and dug into the latte and the cookie.

Ohmygosh. This cookie.

It was a vanilla-and-sea-salt-laced cookie PACKED full of seeds, a hint of cardamom and tahini, and a glorious chocolate chunk now and then.

I immediately knew I wanted to recreate these cookies at home, but there is no recipe like that out there – all I had to go on was the list of ingredients on the side of the cookie jar. Stowel Farm’s website mentions their popular cookies, but no recipe.

Soooooo … I set out to recreate this incredible seed cookie that I just had to have in my life year-round. And that’s how these Tahini Seed Chocolate Chunk Breakfast Cookies came to be!

I have to note that it took me awhile to realize that these tahini cookies are actually what’s considered to be a breakfast cookie. Which makes perfect sense because I have found myself grabbing one or two for breakfast – and felt great about it because of all of those glorious fiber-and-protein-and-omega-packed seeds. They’re excellent for a satiating snack, too!

Developing This Recipe for Tahini Seed Breakfast Cookies

I knew straight away that this was not going to be a normal cookie recipe. For one, these cookies clearly didn’t have any flour (and were labeled at the farm stand as gluten-free, too). But thankfully, the cookie jar at the farm stand listed the ingredients in the cookies (just not the quantities), so I had somewhere to start.

I stirred together some rolled oats with a bunch of seeds (sunflower seeds, pepitas [pumpkin seeds], and sunflower seeds), along with some dark chocolate chunks, vanilla, salt, and cardamom. Then I added what seemed like a good amount of tahini along with some honey.

The “dough” was not dough-like at all, but I persevered, scooping balls onto my baking sheet, then pressing them gently flat.

I shrugged and baked them, figuring it was going to be an epic fail.

I pulled them out of the oven, and they had actually puffed up a little and held together! From there, I let them cool all of the way on the cookie sheet.

Then I lifted one up, and it miraculously held together! I knew that the tahini and honey would act as a binder, but I was still floored that it actually worked. Better yet, the cookie was delicious!

I went through many iterations of this cookie before I settled on the recipe I’m sharing here today. This, in my opinion, has the perfect amount of vanilla and cardamom, holds together well, and tastes amazing!

The inspiration cookies had coconut, by the way, but when I tried adding coconut, the cookies suddenly had a moist quality that had them falling apart by day two. I didn’t feel like it added much to the flavor, so I continued developing the recipe without coconut. I have a hunch that toasted coconut flakes might work, though, I just haven’t tried it yet.

Ingredients

Okay, so what do we have in these little gems?

• Tahini – You want a runny, creamy tahini that you can stir together well so that it is nice and homogenous when you add it to your cookies.
• Honey – Any honey will work, use your fave.
• Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract is what I use. I want to try these breakfast cookies with vanilla bean paste or fresh vanilla bean but haven’t yet.
• Cardamom – Ground cardamom goes perfectly with the sesame taste of tahini and the mellow sweetness of the vanilla.
• Kosher salt & flaky sea salt – Kosher salt for in the cookies, flaky sea salt like Maldon for sprinkling over the top.
• Oats – I like to use thick rolled oats which I think stand up to the seeds well and add to the hearty quality of these breakfast cookies.
• Pepitas – Also known as pumpkin seeds, these green seeds are so good for you and just so good! I use raw, unsalted pepitas.
• Sunflower seeds – At the time I was testing this recipe, I had the hardest time finding raw sunflower seeds! So I used roasted, salted sunflower seeds. I’m sure raw sunflower seeds will work just as well.
• Sesame seeds – You’ll want raw sesame seeds. They’re found in the spice section of most grocery stores.
• Chocolate chunks – I like dark chocolate chunks for these tahini cookies, but you can use whatever chocolate chips or chunks you like.

Adaptations/Variations

• I plan to test this recipe with other nut butters and seeds/nuts, but haven’t yet. I suspect cashew butter/cashews will be lovely.
• Make ’em vegan: Honey is not vegan, but you can swap in pure maple syrup for a fully vegan version of these breakfast cookies.

How to Make Tahini Seed Chocolate Chunk Breakfast Cookies

I think you’re going to LOVE how easy these breakfast cookies are to make.

Preheat your oven, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and grab a medium-sized bowl. Add the tahini, honey, vanilla, cardamom, and kosher salt to the bowl and mix it together until well combined.

Now, pile in all the seeds and the chocolate chunks. Stir until completely combined. The mix will be somewhat loose and will require a bit of muscle to get everything combined.

From there, scoop balls onto your baking sheet. I like to use a two-tablespoon cookie scoop.

Space them about two inches apart, and flatten them gently with your fingers. They’ll be a little fragile, just press the sides back in as you go.

I like to add a couple of extra chocolate chunks to the top of each cookie for presentation, but that’s totally optional.

Then, bake them until the edges are golden. Pull them out of the oven, sprinkle with flaky sea salt if you like, and let them sit until completely cool on the cookie sheet. They’ll adhere together as they cool.

Tips for Success

• Mix the wet ingredients together first. This helps to make sure all of the flavors of the vanilla, salt, and cardamom are evenly distributed.
• Let them cool completely on the baking sheet! This is where the magic happens – they bind together the rest of the way while cooling off.

How to Store

Store your tahini seed cookies in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Can I Freeze Tahini Breakfast Cookies?

Yes! Not only can you freeze these tahini seed cookies, they’re absolutely delicious straight out of the freezer. Just keep them in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to one month.

I hope you love this unique cookie recipe as much as we do! It’s been so fun to discover a new way to make delicious cookies that are so chockfull of good stuff that we feel good about eating them. AND after talking about them, I’m off to my freezer to snatch one up and eat it with my coconut creamer coffee! 🍪✌️

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Tahini Seed Chocolate Chunk Breakfast Cookies Recipe

Densely packed with seeds, dotted with chocolate, held together with tahini and honey and flavored with vanilla and cardamom. I LOVE these slightly sweet, full of flavor, seedy-in-the-best-way, healthy cookies!

Keyword breakfast cookies, flourless seed cookies, seed cookies, sunflower seed cookies, tahini cookies

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 14 minutes minutes

Servings 15

Calories 146kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup tahini mixed well
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2/3 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup raw unsalted pepitas
• 1/2 cup roasted salted sunflower seeds raw will work too
• 2 tablespoons raw sesame seeds
• 1/3 cup chocolate chunks or chocolate chips; plus a few more for topping if desired
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt flakes for sprinkling on top; optional

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Add the tahini, honey, vanilla, cardamom, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt to a medium bowl. Stir together until completely combined.
• Add the dry ingredients except for the flaky sea salt, which you'll sprinkle on after they bake. Mix with a sturdy wooden spoon or spatula until thoroughly combined.
• Scoop rounds of the cookies onto your baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. I like to use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, and as I'm scooping, I really try to push the cookie dough together to help it stick together.
• With your fingers, gently press the edges of the cookie together while pressing down to flatten it. You might have a few errant seeds fall out; this is okay and normal! Just do your best to push it back into the side of the cookie.
• If desired, top each cookie with two or three more chocolate chunks.
• Bake for 10-13 minutes, until ever so slightly puffed and the edges of the cookie are turning golden.
• IMPORTANT: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet until completely hardened and cool, about one hour. They harden and stick together as they cool.
• Remove the cookies from the parchment and serve. Store in an airtight container at room temp for up to 5 days.

Notes

Total time does not include one hour cooling time. 

Storage & freezing notes

Store your tahini seed cookies in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Not only can you freeze these tahini seed cookies, they’re absolutely delicious straight out of the freezer. Just keep them in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to one month.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 146kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 0.2mg | Sodium: 153mg | Potassium: 120mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 8IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Tahini Seed Chocolate Chunk Breakfast Cookies appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

This Summer Chickpea Curry is a super simple way to enjoy summer produce while also ushering in cooler fall days. Perhaps begrudgingly. But at least deliciously.

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• About this Summer Chickpea Curry Recipe
• More Chickpea & Bean Curry Recipes

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Reviews & Comments

The Story Behind the Recipe

So how’s your garden doing? Mine is happy in some places, sad in others. It’s been a cool summer here in the Pacific Northwest, so my pea crop was glorious. My zucchini, on the other hand, is still puny and sad.

Yesterday was Sneak Some Zucchini On Your Neighbor’s Porch Day (have you heard of it? Totally a thing). Sadly, as I went out to my garden and gazed upon my struggling zucchini seedling, I resigned that I wouldn’t be able to participate. Okay, so I’ve never participated. But I’d like to think I could if I wanted to!

Did your neighbor sneak some zucchini onto your porch yesterday? Lucky! I’ve got the perfect recipe for a couple of those bad boys: This Creamy Coconut Chickpea Curry with Sweet Corn & Zucchini. This is the ultimate August recipe – fresh yet comforting, summery yet alllllmost fall-ish. But not quite. Because we ARE NOT ready to go there yet.

About this Summer Chickpea Curry Recipe

This Creamy Coconut Chickpea Curry starts with a base of onion, garlic, ginger, and mild curry powder. You can adjust the heat by adding cayenne or using a hotter curry powder, but I like mine pretty mild. Then, saute the zucchini, add that glorious fresh corn, chickpeas, and VERY GENTLY simmer in an incredible coconut milk-tahini-brown sugar-lemon juice situation.

I originally adapted this recipe from the blog Half Baked Harvest. I know tahini is an unusual ingredient in curry, and I’m not sure where the idea first originated, but I definitely recommend this non-conventional addition. It adds a creamy, nutty backbone to this flavorful chickpea curry.

But the best part? Quite possibly the Persian cucumber garnish. It seems odd at first, but that crunchy, cool counterpoint to the creamy, spicy curry is on point. Did I just use “on point” correctly? If I have to ask, I shouldn’t use it, but there it is.

More Chickpea & Bean Curry Recipes

• These Curried Baked Beans are the perfect summer BBQ side.
• Chickpea & Tomato Curry comes together so quickly and easily. I love this one.
• Slow Cooker Red Lentil & Pumpkin Curry is perfect for fall.
• This Crock Pot Lentil & Chickpea Curry with Potatoes & Peas is super easy – just dump, go, come back, and enjoy!

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Summer Chickpea Curry

This summery curry is quite possibly my favorite, no matter the season! Chickpeas, zucchini, and corn swimming in a warmly spiced, creamy coconut milk sauce. The cool, crunchy Persian cucumber garnish is a welcome counterpoint.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Indian

Keyword curry

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 546kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

For the curry:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
• 1/2 medium yellow onion diced
• 2 medium cloves garlic minced
• 1 thumb-sized piece ginger peeled and minced
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon mild curry powder
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper + more to taste optional – for a bit of heat if your curry powder is extra mild
• 2 medium zucchini quartered and sliced
• 2 cobs of corn kernels cut off
• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained
• 1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice from about half a small lemon
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

For serving:

• 2 cups cooked white Basmati rice
• 2-3 Persian cucumbers sliced
• 2 scallions sliced
• Chopped cilantro
• Black & white sesame seeds

Instructions

• Start your rice first thing so that it’s ready when your curry’s ready.
• Set a large saute pan over low heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. When warm, add the onion along with a pinch of salt. Cook, continuing over low heat, stirring occasionally, to sweat the onions (make them tender but not browned), about 8 minutes.
• Increase heat to medium. Add 1 more tablespoon of oil along with the garlic, curry powder, and cayenne if using. Stir frequently until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Add the ginger and zucchini along with another pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini begins to get tender, about 3 minutes.
• Add the chickpeas and corn and cook, stirring, until warmed through, about 2 more minutes.
• Reduce heat to low. Add the coconut milk, tahini, brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Stir to combine. The tahini might appear to be clumpy, but it will meld in with the ingredients when warm.
• Bring to BARELY a simmer – do not let boil! If you let the curry boil, the coconut milk gets too hot and the curry will have a grainy appearance. Cook low and slow, stirring occasionally, until warmed through and the zucchini and corn are tender, 6-8 minutes.
• Stir in lemon juice and cilantro. Taste and add more salt if desired (it will probably need another 1/4 teaspoon at least – I intentionally call for a small amount of salt so that you can adjust to your tastes at the end). At this point, you can also stir in more cayenne if you’d like a bit more heat.
• To serve, divide rice between bowls, then spoon curry over the top. Garnish with cucumbers, scallions, cilantro, and sesame seeds.

Notes

Adapted from Half Baked Harvest

Nutrition

Calories: 546kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Sodium: 258mg | Potassium: 850mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 480IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 5mg

The post Summer Chickpea Curry appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Well, look no further. Curried Pumpkin Hummus has it all. Flavor, heartiness, flavor, color, and flavor. Okay, fine. Especially flavor. 

I adore this pumpkin hummus recipe. It’s not too pumpkiny tasting – I didn’t want it to be, because a savory dip that tastes of pumpkin didn’t sound terribly appealing to me. But it’s not a wimpy amount either. It’s Goldilocks-y. Just right. 

And then we have curry powder. I love how it adds so much kicky flavor to this hummus, plus helps with that vibrant hue. 

This curried pumpkin hummus is good with most any traditional dipper you throw at it – pita chips, tortilla chips, veggies … 

Oh, and if you want to have fun with it, you can totally smooth it on a plate the shape of a pumpkin and add a celery “stem.” 

(I hope your celery is prettier than mine, but you get the idea). 

You can even surround your pumpkin with blue-corn tortilla chips for the full-on Halloween effect, if you like. 

That’s kinda fun, right?

Or, just add to a bowl and eat with a spoon.

Not really.

Okay, maybe a little.

More Hummus Recipes

• Simple & Easy Classic Hummus
• Big-Batch Make-Ahead & Freeze Hummus
• Loaded Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
• Jalapeno Black-Eyed Pea Hummus
• Green Hummus
• Olive Hummus
• Roasted Beet Hummus
• Sunbutter Hummus

Print

Curried Pumpkin Hummus

Harvest hummus to the fall potluck rescue! This easy app is perfect to bring along to parties, or just keep a batch in the fridge to enjoy for yourself.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained (but reserve the liquid!)
• 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/3 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 medium cloves garlic peeled
• 1 to 3 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste

Optional garnishes/toppings:

• Pumpkin seeds
• Cilantro
• Parsley
• Olive oil
• A celery stick for a pumpkin stem if you like!

Instructions

• Add chickpeas, pumpkin, tahini, lime juice, garlic, 1 teaspoon curry powder, cumin, pure maple syrup, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt to the pitcher of a high-speed blender. Puree, adding reserved chickpea liquid a couple of tablespoons at a time until the hummus is still thick but flowing smoothly. Taste and add additional curry powder and salt if desired. Continue to puree until very smooth, about 2 more minutes. Smooth into a bowl or onto a plate and garnish as desired.
• Keeps covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

The post Curried Pumpkin Hummus appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Show of hands, please. Who here loves hummus? (Raising my hand). Who here would eat homemade hummus every single day if they could? (Raising my hand again). Who here has seriously toyed with the idea, perhaps even several times, of starting a new food blog called “Hummus is My Buttercream?” (Yeah … raising my hand.)

Here’s the thing though. I am far from a hummus snob. Yes, a sublime whipped hummus is a glorious thing, but no-muss no-fuss hummus? Also absolutely delicious! So I skip peeling the chickpeas (yeah, no) and, for that matter, often skip cooking my own chickpeas. Isn’t it enough that I’m making my own hummus? I really shouldn’t have to spend 6 hours on it, right?!

Speaking of time wasted (and time saved), recently, I started making huge batches of hummus, saving a bit out to use, and freezing the rest.

But wait!

Can you freeze hummus?!

Yes, you can! Hummus freezes gloriously. It’s true! Here’s how I make one batch of hummus in one swoop, freeze it in portions, and enjoy my life that much more. Because now I can have hummus in it all. the. time. And what is life without hummus?

Okay, so here we have my classic hummus recipe, but the batch is tripled. I make it in my 14-cup food processor because my Vitamix? Well, let’s just say it doesn’t like the extra work (I thought I broke it, to be honest, but apparently it just went into thermal override mode – a safety feature that helps prevent the motor from overheating).

Point being: Break out your food processors for this one.

We have all of the usual suspects here: Chickpeas, tahini, fresh garlic, lemon juice, salt, and chickpea brine or water. Super simple.

Blend it all up and divide between freezer-friendly containers.

Label if you’re like me and would otherwise look in the freezer a week later and wonder what that stuff is. Or worse, two years later. Um, not that I’ve ever done that.

When you’re ready for your next batch of hummus, pull it out and put it in the fridge. It’ll thaw after about 24 hours, and you’re in the hummus zone again!

Here’s the downside of freezing your hummus: I do find that once it’s frozen and thawed, it does tend to be a bit grainier. I don’t mind this because it still tastes delicious, but if you want gloriously smooth hummus again, throw it in the food processor or high-speed blender (it doesn’t mind smaller batches) and add a couple of tablespoons of water. Puree for a minute or so and it’ll smooth right out.

Mmmm. Hummus is totally my buttercream.

Especially when I am able to make a month’s worth of the stuff at a time!

More Hummus Recipes

• Simple & Easy Classic Hummus
• Pumpkin Hummus
• Loaded Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
• Jalapeno Black-Eyed Pea Hummus
• Green Hummus
• Olive Hummus
• Roasted Beet Hummus
• Sunbutter Hummus

Print

Big-Batch Make-Ahead-and-Freeze Hummus

Meal-prep hummus? Why not?! This recipe makes a huge batch of classic hummus that you can keep in the freezer until you’re ready to enjoy. So easy!

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 5 cups cooked chickpeas or 3 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained [but reserve the liquid]
• 1 cup tahini
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice from 2-3 juicy large lemons
• 5 medium cloves garlic
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt plus more to taste if desired
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin optional
• 1/3 cup – 1 cup water or chickpea brine

Instructions

• To the bowl of a large food processor fitted with the “S” blade, add the chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, cumin if using, and 1/3 cup water or chickpea brine. Puree until smooth. If the hummus is too thick, gradually add more water or chickpea brine until the hummus has reached the desired consistency (I like a nice spreadable yet peak-and-valley consistency like buttercream). Taste and add more salt if desired.
• To freeze, divide between freezer-safe containers. Top with air-tight lids and add labels (key if you’re forgetful like me).
• To thaw, transfer from freezer to refrigerator. The hummus should be thawed in about 24 hours. If the thawed hummus seems too grainy, puree in a high-speed blender with a tablespoon or two of water until smooth.
• Keeps well in the freezer for up to 3 months.

The post Big-Batch Make-Ahead-and-Freeze Hummus appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

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Forever and a day ago, I was chatting over a bowl of restaurant gazpacho with a good friend of mine. She had spent some college time in Spain, and it was there she learned that authentic gazpacho has stale bread in it. “Bread!” I thought. “Gross!” I thought. “Uncool,” I also thought.

Okay, so I had a lot of one-word thoughts about this whole thing. I was not a fan of this hare-brained idea, hmmph, soggy bread in cold tomato soup. No freakin’ thanks. But I convinced myself (quite easily, I admit) that I was not eating an authentic, bread-logged version, and polished off my bowl.

Gazpacho is a refreshing chilled summer soup made with garden tomatoes, cucumbers, garlic, and other tasty veggies. If you’ve never been inclined to try cold soup, I beg you to try gazpacho. You’ll never look back.

And honestly, I now know that you probably won’t be able to tell if yours has bread in it. It’s used to add thickness and body to the soup. And I can totally appreciate that it does that.

But if I’m making soup at home, bread is going to be a dipping mechanism only, thanks. And up until a few days ago, I was fine with enjoying my own homemade gazpacho on the breadless, thinner side. Until. Until! I had an idea. What if. What if!!! I blended a few chickpeas into the mix to add that thickness and body back into the mix? And even better? What if I added other classic hummus ingredients, too?! Some creamy tahini; lemon juice. Garlic. Cumin. And a few roasted chickpeas on top for good measure.

Creamy Chickpea Gazpacho was born.

To give credit where credit is due, I was inspired by this stunning soup from Andrea, the wonderful farmer-blogger over at Dishing Up the Dirt. It wasn’t much of a leap to take her blended-in tahini and chickpea topper over to gazpacho land. Thank you, Andrea, for inspiring me to chickpea-up some cold soup!

I think this soup is pretty wonderful, and it’s not just because I’m biased and semi-blissed-out by its breadlessness.

The chickpeas and tahini lend a creaminess that makes this soup pretty dang addicting. A shallot adds a bit of heat, garlic lends its signature bite, and lemon makes it zing.

Creamy Chickpea Gazpacho Soup is one of the best ways to enjoy fresh-off-the-vine summer tomatoes, and that time is now, my friends! My gosh, I love tomato season. Bring ’em on. In every color of the rainbow, please.

And then I’ll whir them into chilled summer bliss, piled high with salty-crisp roasted chickpeas, diced tomatoes, and crisp cucumbers. This soup will be happening a lot this summer. Bread on the side.

(more…)

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I think my word for 2017 is going to be “flourish.” It’s a bit of a lofty word, and maybe it’s silly but that makes me a little nervous. But I think that only good things can come of striving toward flourishing more in life – be it my own personal health, our family, friendships, and work.

I suppose I can tie the word “flourish” into hummus because hello, hummus is a totally delicious superfood and having it around always helps me eat healthier. And flourish. Clunky segue. Sorry.

This Loaded Roasted Red Pepper Hummus just about the most irresistible hummus I’ve ever made.

I was inspired by this loaded hummus recipes, and wanted to pile one high with kalamata olives, roasted red peppers, and more. Ultimately, I decided that the roasted red peppers needed to go in the hummus, too. I love the smoky addition and the gorgeous orange hue it gives the whole shebang.

And then we pile it on. Toasted pine nuts, fresh basil, red onions, chickpeas, olive oil … good gracious, once you get started loading up your hummus, it’s kind of hard to stop.

Wait. Would it be weird if I change my 2017 word to “hummus?”

More Hummus Recipes

• Simple & Easy Classic Hummus
• Pumpkin Hummus
• Big-Batch Make-Ahead & Freeze Hummus
• Jalapeno Black-Eyed Pea Hummus
• Green Hummus
• Olive Hummus
• Roasted Beet Hummus
• Sunbutter Hummus

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Loaded Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Smooth, full-of-flavor hummus smothered in Mediterranean toppers. Dip away!

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained, but reserve the liquid
• 1/2 cup roasted red peppers either homemade or from a jar
• 1/3 cup tahini
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice from about one large lemon
• 2 medium garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt plus more to taste

Toppers:

• 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
• 2 tablespoons diced roasted red peppers
• 1/4 cup chickpeas
• 2 tablespoons chopped kalamata olives
• A few fresh basil leaves diced
• 2 tablespoons chopped red onion
• A drizzle of good olive oil

Instructions

• Add the chickpeas (not the liquid), roasted red peppers, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and salt to the pitcher of a high-powered blender or food processor fitted with the “S” blade.
• Blend, adding the chickpea liquid about 2 tablespoons at a time to get and keep things moving, until the mixture is silky smooth.
• Taste and add additional salt if desired.
• Scoop into serving bowl and add toppers. Serve with pita wedges and/or fresh veggies (I love this one with sliced cucumbers).

The post Loaded Roasted Red Pepper Hummus appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Developing this Hummus Recipe
• Ingredients for Hummus
• How to Make It
• What to Serve with Hummus
• How to Store Hummus
• More Hummus Recipes

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Reviews & Comments

The Story Behind the Recipe

We’ve all seen a lot of hummus recipes pop up over the years. I know I’ve created a bunch of spins on hummus, personally! And they’re all great, but sometimes it’s good to get back to the basics. Traditional, classic hummus is classic for a reason – it’s the best!

Developing this Hummus Recipe

Clearly this hummus recipe is not an original, Kitchen-Treaty-exclusive recipe. Chickpeas have been around for 10,000 years, and hummus, a Middle-Eastern creation, wasn’t far behind (source).

I’ve seen a few hacks and secrets and surprise ingredients that apparently help lead to the best hummus ever, and if you want to make use of any of those, go for it! Me, I’m lazy. Some would say efficient! Some would say lazy.

Most notably, the whole peeling-your-chickpeas thing. Apparently it results in the smoothest, creamiest hummus you’ll ever lay your mouth on. But can I just be honest and say no thanks? Who has time for that?!

I find this Simple & Easy Hummus recipe to be perfectly silky just the way it is, peels and all.

I’m all about the easy.

And the tasty.

Ingredients for Hummus

We are getting back to the basics with just 5 ingredients for hummus – and that includes the salt. We’ve also got a few extras, if you want – notably, cumin if you’d like to add it to your hummus, and a few toppings/garnishes.

This is also an oil-free hummus recipe, making use of the chickpea liquid to thin it out instead of olive oil. Note, however, that I do love a good drizzle of olive oil over the top of mine. But that’s totally optional!

We’ve got:

• Chickpeas – canned, and we use some of the liquid from the can.
• Tahini – sesame seed paste, a must in hummus.
• Lemon – fresh lemon juice.
• Garlic – fresh garlic as well.
• Salt – a must!
• Cumin – an optional addition, but delicious in classic hummus.
• Olive oil, paprika, and parsley for topping – optional but pretty!

How to Make It

First, add the chickpeas to a high-speed blender without any of the liquid. Add the remaining ingredients and blend together, adding the bean liquid about 2 tablespoons at a time to keep everything moving. Keep blending for a good minute or two until the hummus is completely smooth and forms stiff peaks, kind of like whipped cream.

Then, just smooth it into a bowl, drizzle with a little olive oil and paprika, and serve!

What to Serve with Hummus

Serve your hummus alongside veggies and pita wedges, or use a dollop on your veggie burger, spread a bit on your avocado toast, scoop a bit into your grain bowls, even use it as an oil-free salad dressing substitute. Yummus! (Sorry. So sorry.)

How to Store Hummus

Transfer your hummus to an airtight container and keep it in the fridge. It will last for up to a week. Did you know you can also freeze hummus?! In fact, I wrote a whole recipe around making a big ol batch of hummus and freezing it until you’re ready to enjoy.

More Hummus Recipes

Mix it up with these hummus variations!

• Pumpkin Hummus
• Big-Batch Make-Ahead & Freeze Hummus
• Loaded Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
• Jalapeno Black-Eyed Pea Hummus
• Green Hummus
• Olive Hummus
• Roasted Beet Hummus
• Sunbutter Hummus

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Creamy Hummus Recipe

Simple, straightforward, perfect, classic hummus. 5 ingredients and 5 minutes to perfection!

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained, but reserve the liquid
• 1/3 cup tahini
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice from about one large lemon
• 2 medium garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin optional
• A drizzle of good olive oil and a dusting of paprika for topping optional

Instructions

• Add the chickpeas (but not the liquid), tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and cumin (if using) to a high-powered blender or food processor (I have the best results with my Vitamix).
• Blend, adding the bean liquid about 2 tablespoons at a time to keep things moving, until the mixture is your desired consistency (I like hummus to be almost like a thick peaked whipped cream – it forms peaks but is still light and luscious).
• That’s it! Scoop out and serve! I love it topped with a liberal drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of paprika.

First published on November 21, 2009. Updated and republished June 6, 2016. 

The post Creamy Hummus Recipe appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

This salad is SPICY. But then you also have the icy cucumbers and that cool tahini-based ranch. And one sort of tries to counteract the other, but ultimately, the heat wins out.

No worries; just have a few more sips of beer, because it’s perfect with this thing. Then the burn will be gone before you know it and only the “WHEN will I get to have that again?!!” feelings will remain.

In this Article

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Buffalo Chickpea Salad Ingredients
• How to Make It
• What to Serve with Buffalo Chickpea Salad

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

I’ve been dreaming about this recipe concept for awhile. At first, I roasted the chickpeas and then stirred in the buffalo sauce, but it felt a little too overly laborious (and when you’re hangry, roasting takes way too long).

Then I discovered these buffalo chickpea wraps and saw how a quick saute made for spicy-hot sauced chickpeas in a fraction of the time. Duh!

That made this salad even easier to whip up, and the chickpeas this way add more sauce and sass to the whole endeavor.

Buffalo Chickpea Salad Ingredients

This vegetarian and vegan buffalo chickpea salad is made up of three components: The spicy chickpeas, the salad veggies, and the ranch dressing.

For the chickpeas, we have:

• Chickpeas – one can of them. Feel free to use cooked-from-scratch chickpeas too! You’ll want about two cups.
• Red hot buffalo sauce – Yep, the red stuff in the bottle.
• Garlic powder – you can use fresh garlic, too.
• Salt & pepper – the classic flavor enhancers.

For the ranch dressing, the ingredients are:

• Tahini – I love tahini-based ranch. It is so good! It lends a creaminess without needing any dairy ingredients.
• Almond milk – any non-dairy milk will do, just keep it unsweetened. Or if you’re okay with dairy, dairy milk will do just fine too.
• Lemon juice – a bit of acid gives a nice kick.
• Onion powder, garlic powder, salt, & pepper – flavor flavor flavor!
• Fresh parsley and fresh chives – homemade ranch calls for fresh herbs!

To make a faster buffalo chickpea salad, feel free to use store-bought ranch. Just stick with a dairy-free/vegan brand if you need to.

Then, we put it all together with these salad ingredients:

• Shredded romaine lettuce – feel free to sub in another favorite green, though romaine is nice and sturdy and holds up perfectly to a pile of buffalo chickpeas. I like adding in some red leaf lettuce for some color and variety.
• Celery – gotta have celery for the full buffalo experience!
• Cucumber – I love the cooling counterpoint that cucumbers provide.
• Avocado – for a creamy texture. So good!
• Red onion – I love the bite of red onion in this salad.

How to Make It

First, make the dressing (or skip this step if you’re using a store-bought ranch dressing). Just whisk everything together in a bowl and set aside.

Next, whip up those saucy-spicy chickpeas. You’ll add some olive oil to a saute pan and warm over medium heat. Add the chickpeas and all of the other ingredients, holding back a bit of the buffalo sauce. You’ll cook until they’re warmed through and golden, then remove them from the heat and stir in the remaining buffalo sauce.

Then, you’ll arrange your veggies in a big salad bowl and pour the chickpeas right over the top.

Drizzle with ranch and dig in!

What to Serve with Buffalo Chickpea Salad

This salad is pretty much a meal in itself, but if you’d like some bread alongside (and you’re okay with dairy), these Brown Sugar Garlic Mozzarella Breadsticks hit the spot.

For dessert, something cooling is always welcome. How about some no-churn Sea Salt & Honey Ice Cream?

I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it and loved it (or even if you didn’t!) please come back and leave a review. That helps others know that this recipe is worth making, and helps me make any needed adjustments to the recipes I put out in the world.

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Buffalo Chickpea Salad

Addicting chickpeas, drenched in red hot sauce, served over crisp lettuce, and drizzled with ranch. This Buffalo Chickpea Salad is SO good!

Course Main Course, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword salad

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 432kcal

Author Kare

Equipment

• 1 medium saute pan
• 1 small bowl
• 1 large salad bowl

Ingredients

Cool Tahini Ranch:

• 1/3 cup tahini
• 3-4 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper + more to taste

Spicy Buffalo Chickpeas:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas drained
• 1/4 cup red hot buffalo sauce divided
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder can substitute 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Salad:

• 5 cups shredded romaine lettuce or a combo of romaine and red leaf lettuce
• 1 batch Spicy Buffalo Chickpeas
• 1 celery stalk diced; [about 1/2 cup]
• 1/2 medium cucumber peeled and diced [about 1 cup]
• 1 medium ripe avocado peeled and sliced
• 1/2 small red onion sliced into half-rounds [soak in a bowl of ice water for 10 minutes if you prefer to reduce the bite]
• 1 batch Cool Tahini Ranch

Instructions

Make the dressing

• Add all dressing ingredients to the bowl of a small food processor or blender. Puree until blended, adding additional almond milk if needed to thin it. Set aside.

Cook the chickpeas

• Set a medium saute pan over medium heat. When hot, add the olive oil. Add the chickpeas, 2 tablespoons of the buffalo sauce, garlic or garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring, until warmed through and golden brown in places, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in additional 2 tablespoons buffalo sauce. Set aside.

Assemble the salad

• In a large salad bowl or on individual plates (your choice), arrange a bed of lettuce. Scoop the warm chickpeas over the top. Arrange celery, cucumber, avocado, and onion over each. Drizzle generously with dressing. Serve immediately.

Notes

A note on servings

I’d say this serves 2-3 as a hearty main course, and more like 4 as a side. 

Nutrition

Serving: 4g | Calories: 432kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Sodium: 792mg | Potassium: 899mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 5500IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 135mg | Iron: 5mg

‘Cuz it’s, well, grubbin’.

The post Buffalo Chickpea Salad appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

You know I have to start off a black-eyed peas post with a little Black-Eyed Peas. Where are the Black-Eyed Peas these days, anyway? And Fergie for that matter? I’m kind of missing her.

I’m digressing, hard. I will say, though, that I know exactly where the black-eyed peas are – the ones in this Jalapeno Black-Eyed Pea Hummus, at least.

I’m way, way too stoked about this black-eyed pea hummus recipe. For years, I’ve been determined to eat black-eyed peas at New Year’s. They’re supposed to bring good luck, after all! I’ve tried several renditions of Hoppin’ John, and I could barely choke down a couple of bites every time. Not my cup of tea.

So this year, I thought, why not see if I can puree these bad boys into something more palatable? Hummus it was; jalapenos needed to happen, too. Plus, the peppers kind of look like coins. Bonus luck?! (My daughter also thinks they look like animal faces. I, too, see a panda in the top slice and a cute puppy in the second. Is it just us?)

I do love this hummus. It actually tastes very similar to classic hummus, with just a smidge more earthy flavor thanks to the black-eyed peas. The jalapeno gives it a little kick and the cilantro cools it down a bit. Addictively dippy.

The black-eyed peas will, I hope, bring you luck. The jalapenos will bring spiciness. Both welcome in the new year, if you ask me!

Happy New Year!

More Hummus Recipes

• Simple & Easy Classic Hummus
• Pumpkin Hummus
• Big-Batch Make-Ahead & Freeze Hummus
• Loaded Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
• Green Hummus
• Olive Hummus
• Roasted Beet Hummus
• Sunbutter Hummus

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Jalapeno Black-Eyed Pea Hummus

A fun twist on classic hummus, with lucky black-eyed-peas in place of the chickpeas. Spicy jalapenos add the perfect touch of heat!

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1 15-ounce can black-eyed-peas, drained, but reserve the liquid (you may also want to reserve a tablespoon or so of the black-eyed peas for garnish if desired)
• 1/3 cup tahini
• 1-2 fresh jalapenos seeded and roughly diced (more or less to taste)
• 3 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
• 2 medium garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt plus more to taste; I prefer kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons – 1/4 cup fresh cilantro to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• Optional garnishes: fresh cilantro sliced jalapenos, black-eyed peas, a drizzle of olive oil

Instructions

• Add black-eyed peas, tahini, jalapenos (start with less then add more if more heat is desired), lemon juice, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, cilantro, and cumin to the pitcher of a high-powered blender or to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the S-blade. Puree until smooth, adding the reserved liquid as needed to keep everything moving. Taste and add additional jalapeno pepper, cilantro, and salt, if desired.
• Spoon into a bowl and smooth the top. Scatter on optional garnishes, if desired, and drizzle with olive oil. Serve with pitas, pita chips, veggies, or whatever else you like to dip in hummus!
• Keeps refrigerated in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

The post Jalapeno Black-Eyed Pea Hummus appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.