Autumn Pumpkin Spice Series III {Pumpkin Hummus & Spiced Pita Chips}

It is Halloween! I hope all you ghouls and goblins are preparing to scare up a storm this evening and gather pillow cases worth of candy! I remember very fondly, how excited my sister and I would get dressing up in wacky costumes and getting out in our neighborhood to knock on those doors and in unison declare, "Trick-or-Treat!" at the top of our lungs, grab our loot and run away! The good houses gave away full chocolate bars or cans of pop (my parents were known for that) and the bad houses gave healthy snacks (Ew, gross!). But by the end of the evening after running around the block and gorging on candy, chocolate and chips, we often ended up with sore bellies.
 
As the final post in the Autumn Pumpkin Recipe Series, I wanted to do a snack that was healthy to have perhaps, before going out for Halloween, or for the day after, when those treat-filled bellies needed a little pick-me-up!

This is a very easy recipe but is really satisfying. I brought this into work a few weeks ago and everyone loved it, so it is co-worker approved!

Pumpkin Hummus & Spiced Pita Chips

Pumpkin Hummus

1 can of chickpeas, plus 1/4 cup of liquid from the can
1/2 cup roasted pumpkin
2 tablespoons tahini
3 cloves garlic
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

In a food processor, add all of the ingredients together. Blend together until the mixture becomes a very smooth and almost fluffly like texture. You may need to add a bit of water to loosen the mixture in the food processor.

Serve in a nice bowl, with a drizzle of olive oil on top and a sprinkle of paprika. I also topped mine with some great salty pumpkin seeds that I made.

Spiced Pita Chips

Pitas
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
Paprika
Cumin

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Prepare your pitas by brushing them with olive oil. I used whole wheat pitas for this recipe. I also used locally made pitas from a Middle Eastern bakery. Once brushed with olive oil, sprinkle the pitas with salt and pepper, paprika and cumin. If you would like a more spicy flavour you can also add cayenne pepper on top.

Stack the prepared pitas on top of each other and cut into eighths. Arrange them on a baking sheet and bake in the pre-heated oven for about 15 minutes or until golden and cripsy. I didn't use an exact recipe for this snack because you can make as little or as many pitas as you want, using this method. In my experience, its best to make more, because they get eaten up pretty darn quick (just ask my beau!).

Serve these pita chips with the pumpkin hummus. These chips are delicious and even good as a snack on their own.

Happy Halloween!

Enjoy!

-Tina (Turnip)

Food Crawl {A 50th Birthday Surprise}

Surprises, particularly birthday surprises are wonderful. I like to be caught off guard with special gifts, but planning the unexpected is really where I get my kicks! Birthdays, holidays, Tuesdays; I really enjoy celebrating the big and small life events with surprises.

On September 27th, 2013 my mom turned 50! Half a century old, is not just a little feat! For months, my dad and I had been scheming to plan something special for her. We concocted a gift that would encompass all of her favorite things: adventure, new experiences, food and drinks. We decided on a food crawl!

Essentially, I was tasked my by dad to choose 3-5 restaurants that I thought she would like and we would go to each and order a drink and a couple plates to share. And since it was a 50th birthday present, money in this case, would be no object! I was in my glory!

The restaurants were chosen, my parents were in Ottawa, the weather was perfect. We were ready to go. I even prepared an Ottawa Foodie Passport for my mom - a small booklet, where she could record the restaurants visited and what was ordered - which she loved!

My wonderful mum with her Ottawa Foodie Passport, sitting at the bar
at Town enjoying her drink, in front of the iconic octopus painting. I hope I look this amazing at 50!

We ended up going to 4 restaurants, but not necessarily the ones I had originally chosen. The problem (although not really a problem) was that it was a gorgeous Friday night and we didn't make reservations since we wanted to leisurely go from location to location.

Here are the restaurants that we did go to, and what we ordered:

Town

Our first stop was Town. The restaurant was bustling, but still inviting with a warm atmosphere and a buzz of Friday night conversations between couples and friends. I was greeted at the door with a smile and was informed that they were completely booked up for the evening, but there was room at the bar to sit. We jumped on the opportunity!

As a first stop on what would be a rather gluttonous evening, we decided on something lighter. We each ordered a drink:

• Vanilla porter
• Helmut
• Grapefruit fizz

The drinks were lovingly crafted right in front of us and when we asked any questions, the bar tender was happy to give some insight!

For food we ordered the 3 cheese plate and had:

• Grey Owl from Quebec
• Highland Blue from Ontario
• Taleggio from Italy 

Being cheese lovers, all 3 were excellent cheeses and the accoutrements served with the cheeses including apple chutney, local honey, bread crisps and spiced nuts were outstanding. The favorite cheese of the three, however, by far, was the High Blue - creamy, velvety, tart.

Oz Cafe

We arrived at Oz Cafe, off to the side of Elgin St, down the stairs, and were saw what looked to be a full restaurant. Luckily, it was such a beautiful night, the patio was open and available to sit at. The cheese plate was fabulous at Town, but by this time with some walking and a drink under our belts we were developing an appetite. We decided on ordering something more substantial to share. Since the food at Oz Cafe has a Asian inspiration to it, we decided to drink a Sapporo - light, crisp and satisfying. For food we ordered:

• Smoked trout sashimi
• Edamame
• Corn on the cob

When we ordered the food, the waiter told us that it might be a little bit of a wait because the kitchen was so busy. But we ordered and were served within about 20 minutes, so no complaints there! The smoked trout was light, delicate and had the perfect hint of jalapeno kick. The edamame were the best I have ever had; buttery, salty and totally addictive. Finally, the corn. For my family, corn on the cob holds a special place in our hearts as being a summer barbecue essential, fresh picked from my grandparents garden. The corn at Oz Cafe is something extraordinary. As my dad put it, "It tastes like steak!". The char grilled taste and salty, spicy peanut crumble on top, made it the favorite dish of the whole evening!

Johnny Farina's

This is the part in the evening that took a bit of a turn. We had planned to pop across the street from Oz Cafe over to El Camino for some tacos and tequila (my mom's favorite). Unfortunately, on our arrival, and because of the nature of our food crawl not allowing us to make reservations, we were confronted with a one and half hour wait. We have heard such amazing reviews, we were disappointed, but it will be a place to try another time! Thinking ahead, we called to the next restaurant and made a reservation. It was still another hour away, so we strolled down Elgin St. and popped into Johnny Farina's for a drink and an appetizer.

Johnny's (as my former co-workers loving called it) is a decent restaurant, with good food, great service (in my experience) and even a lunch counter (to get good food on the go)! It is a place where I used to have lunch about once per week and holds a special place in my busy former life.

We ordered a few beers and a dry gin martini (with an olive) for my mom. We also ordered the calamari to snack on while we enjoyed our drinks and caught some baseball highlights on television. Cannot say enough about their calamari. Super delicious and huge portion for the price! Definitely the perfect accompaniment for a tall, cold glass of Kichessippi beer!

 Union 613

Our last stop of the evening was Union 613. Admittedly, I had only been once before, to their basement speakeasy and was just dying to try their southern inspired food. The restaurant for 11:00 pm was at a low rumbled of people laughing and talking over their delicious smelling food and drinks. The dark and dim atmosphere is so inviting. We all especially loved the lighting in the restaurant. I have to get some of those recycle bottle chandeliers!

We were seated at one of the common tables in the back of the restaurant near the kitchen. My dad sat on the end and was fascinated the whole time, peaking into the plating station, watching all of the food go from kitchen to tables. We discussed our food and drink options at length while gorging ourselves on the briny, boiled peanuts served (which, by the way, are just beyond addictive). The service from start to finish was impeccable! To drink we ordered:

• Bourbon lemonade
• Apple pie
• 2 bourbons to taste (after dinner)

The lemonade was really great and super refreshing, but the apple pie drink was, in my opinion, one of the best drinks I have tasted. There isn't much to it, and there isn't much to say except that it tastes like apple pie, but it is heaven served in a little mason jar! My parents, after dinner, also tasted two bourbons recommended by our very knowledgeable waiter. Both were enjoyed!

For food we decided to order three things off their late night menu:

• Yard bird
• Fried green tomatoes
• Shrimp and grits

We cannot say enough about how great the food was. The fried green tomatoes were perfect; fresh, salty, cheesy and spicy. The fried chicken was so moist and satisfying. And the shrimp and grits was just perfection. The grits actually tastes like mac and cheese, which is pretty darn yummy in my books!

After Union 613 our bellies were so full, we almost couldn't move. The food crawl birthday present was a resounding success!

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This is a great idea to do with a bunch of friends and allows you to try a bunch of different dishes at a number of restaurants without breaking the bank! Sharing is key here and it makes the evening even more fun! I am already planning my next food crawl adventure!

Happy 50th birthday to my mom! I hope you have 50+ years more of adventures!

-Tina (Turnip)

Mango & Poblano Salsa

Sometimes mid-week, I need a bit of a pick-me-up to get me through until Friday... glorious Friday! This week that jolt of life, came in the form of some needed girl time with lady friends and a flavorful Wednesday dinner.

Alex and I met up with a friend for beers and dessert. Yes, that's right beers and dessert! Actually we had Fruli and delightful raspberry chocolate cheesecake and decadent banana peanut-butter chocolate cake at Pub Italia in Little Italy! But, before we indulged our sweet tooth and our guilty pleasure of gossiping, we decided to have dinner together. Alex, made some great spicy refried black beans, which we wrapped up in warm tortillas with some fresh, julienned raw vegetables (cucumber, red peppers, carrots and avocado). To accompany the beans I agreed to make a salsa. I wanted something with a kick, so I decided to make a mango salsa. I found some nice mangoes at the Byward Fruit Market; they were super sweet and perfectly ripe. I also picked up a poblano pepper for some spice! This turned out to be an excellent salsa and would be equally great with fish or chicken, or even just scooped up with some warm tortilla chips!

Mango & Poblano Salsa 

 

1 ripe mango, diced
1 ripe tomato, diced
1/2 medium sized poblano pepper, minced
3  green onions, sliced thinly
Juice and zest of one lime
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of cumin
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl. Let sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to combine well.

That's it! Super easy recipe!

Enjoy!


-Tina (Turnip)

Garlicky Hummus

I love hummus - it's my dip of choice and I find it makes any raw veggie infinitely tastier (we're talking carrots, cucumbers, peppers, broccoli, celery...you name it, hummus will taste good on it!). It's also tastes amazing with fresh pita bread, and can be used as a healthy alternative to mayo on your favourite sandwich or wrap. Hummus is also incredibly versatile! You can use different beans for the base, and you can also switch it up with a variety of spices.

I am a bit of a sucker for the President's Choice line of hummus spreads (has anyone else out there tried PC's masala hummus? It's devine!), however, I have been striving to make all of my favourites at home from scratch. It's a great way to save money, and you can alter the content and intensity of the flavours to your liking. Plus, it's incredibly easy, so why not?! This recipe can be whipped up in about 10 minutes. It uses canned chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans), but feel free to use dried chickpeas in their place (here is a quick how-to on soaking and cooking dried chickpeas). This is a fairly traditional hummus recipe utilizing chickpeas, tahnini, lemon juice and garlic. I am hoping to eventually emulate the PC masala hummus recipe and once I perfect it I will share it in a post.

Garlicky Hummus Spread

1 540 mL can chickpeas/garbanzo beans 

juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup tahini (sesame paste)

2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle on top

3 cloves garlic (if you aren't a big fan of garlic feel free to scale this back a bit)

1/4 tsp. cumin

generous pinch of salt (I used the Selsi Prairie Pink Salt I bought at the St. Lawrence Market during my last visit to Toronto)

1/2 cup of water

Paprika, to sprinkle on top

Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Combine all ingredients, except for water (and paprika) in your food processor or blender. Add water and puree the ingredients until smooth. I used my tiny $25 blender and spread the blending over two batches. You may need to stir the ingredients to ensure even blending. The finished product should have a smooth and creamy consistency. 

Scoop your hummus into a bowl and drizzle olive oil and paprika on top. Enjoy!

- Alex (Bean)

Note: Check your local grocer's international aisle for tahini - it is usually located in the Middle Eastern section. 

Garlic & Savoury Quickbread Focaccia

You know when you suddenly get the craving for a snack late a night? You run to the cupboard, open it up and...nothing. You clasp the refrigerator door handle, close your eyes and quickly throw open the door, peak open one eye and...nada! I thought, I could go out to the corner store, but that would have meant bundling up in warm clothes. To quote Liz Lemon, "Blerg!"

After about ten minutes of sulking, I mustered up enough energy to step back in the kitchen and look through the cupboards again. Chickpea flour. Hmm. Garlic and savoury. Hmm. It took me a few minutes but I came up with a super fast snack! This rustic treat is garlicky, salty and very satifying, especially when eaten warm, right out of the oven. And, let's face it, who would really wait for it to cool down?

Garlic & Savoury Quickbread Focaccia

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cups chickpea flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cup olive oil

warm water

1/2 teaspoon dried savoury

1 clove garlic minced

sea salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. In a shallow, medium sized bowl or directly on your counter mix the all purpose flour, chickpea flour, baking powder and sea salt, creating a mound with a well in the centre. In the centre of the well pour the olive oil and slowly add the warm water into the centre, while incorporating the flour. Only add enough warm water until the dough is moist and not too wet. If you add too much water, simply add a bit more all purpose flour. Knead the dough for about a minute. Coat a pan with a small amount of olive oil and press the dough onto the pan in a circle shape making small indents into the top with the tips of your fingers. Spread the minced garlic, savoury and salt and pepper to taste on top of the dough. Bake in the oven for approximately 15 minutes or until just golden on top. 

This is a perfect late night snack, but will also go great on the side with a salad or soup - especially the Curried Sweet Pepper Soup that Alex made.

Enjoy!

-Tina (Turnip)

Curried Sweet Pepper Soup

Sometimes after a long day at work the last thing I want to do is cook. Today was no exception - I wanted something that was healthy, fairly quick and simple, and I only wanted to use ingredients that I already had in my apartment.

I was out of town on a business trip last week and I had left behind some mini sweet peppers in my fridge. They were starting to look a little wrinkly upon my return and I figured they would work best in a soup. This soup turned out quite tasty! It has a slight curry flavour and a bit of creaminess from the greek yogurt I used. It definitely hit the spot after a long day at work and I have plenty left over to bring for lunch tomorrow. If you would like to make this soup a little more substantial, I feel as though some rice or shredded chicken would make a nice addition.


Curried Sweet Pepper Soup

1 tbsp salted butter
1/2 large spanish onion, diced
4 cups various sweet peppers, chopped (I used red, orange, and yellow mini peppers)
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 tsp paprika
1 tbsp curry powder
approx. 2 cups canned diced tomatoes (or one 14.5 oz. can)
1 cup plain greek yogurt


In a large saucepan or dutch oven, melt 1 tbsp of butter on medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for approximately 5 minutes, or until translucent.

Add the chopped peppers, cover the pot and cook for 15 - 20 minutes or until soft, stirring occasionally. Add more butter if your peppers or onion start to burn.

Add the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, paprika, and curry powder and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and allow to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. I kept the lid on the pot for this portion as well.

Use an immersion blender to blend the soup. Add the plain greek yogurt (you can blend this in as well, or just put a dollop on top).

Serve and Enjoy!

- Alex (Bean)