Golden Horseradish Hummus

Golden Horseradish Hummus

by | Le Blog, Recipes and Culinary Nutrition

Golden Horseradish Hummus

Golden Horseradish Hummus

Hummus needs chickpeas. I’ve met modern interpretations at restaurants and was disappointed when I could find no trace or taste of it.

Chickpeas have a distinct flavor and, culturally, if chickpeas are subbed out for other beans, you have bean dip, not hummus. Hummus “means chickpea in Arabic” so if you want authenticity, stick with the chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans).

Tahini, sesame paste, is also a sign of authenticity in hummus. For “proof”, click to see a short video spoof on commercially made versus homemade hummus–Warning the tune is addictive (earworm alert):

Authentic hummus “It’s all about the paste”

However, getting off my high horse on hummus etiquette, there are fun non-traditional flavors that make traditional hummus playful. In this version, I’ve swapped out garlic for a horseradish hummus. Horseradish is a root vegetable in the mustard family. Its root heritage makes it a piquant spice plus it offers multiple health benefits.

This recipe also includes turmeric which blings out the color with a golden hue as well as adding interesting nutritional qualities. Lastly, this version has about half the oil as most hummus recipes without sacrificing flavor or texture.

Golden Horseradish Hummus

 Golden Horseradish Hummus 

Makes about 2 cups

Ingredients:

  • 1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans (about 2 cups drained)
  • 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
  • 2 tablespoons “prepared horseradish” (see notes below)
  • ¼ cup tahini
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt

Steps:

  1. Drain the chickpeas and rinse. Reserve a few whole garbanzo beans for garnish.
  2. Combine the chickpeas with the rest of the ingredients in a food processor and blend to a creamy purée. You want a very smooth texture. If the texture is too thick, add a bit more water or olive oil. Tahini comes in varying degrees of textures.
  3. Taste and season further if needed.

To serve, spread in a platter or put in a shallow bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, some chickpeas and serve with warmed flat breads or pita bread cut into quarters or with vegetable crudité.

  Golden Horseradish Hummus

Substitutions: Taste and Nutrition considerations:

  • Horseradish “heat”: as with some other root vegetables, horseradish spicy or piquant notes increase with the amount of processing such as chopping, grinding, grating. A very finely grated horseradish will be spicier than the chopped root. The “heat” is from a volatile oil compound called isothiocyanate.
  • Types of Horseradish: “Prepared” or jarred horseradish” varies significantly in ingredients used, quality and flavor profiles. Refrigerated (fresh horseradish) has a shorter shelf life than the non-refrigerated options.
  • Ingredients: Shelf-stable options can include a variety of additional ingredients with some brands include eggs, artificial flavoring, preservatives such as sodium benzoate and extra oils. Also check the ingredient list for sugar or corn syrups (preservative roles) which can add an odd flavor to hummus.
  • Options: These extra ingredients aren’t offering any health benefits and alter the natural flavor and texture of horseradish. For a better quality product, consider the refrigerated versions which are most likely simply grated horseradish, salt and vinegar. The vinegar helps stabilize the volatile oils (released from grating the root) so that the “heat” doesn’t continue to evolve.

More horseradish info at Food & Nutrition Magazine Savor Horseradish

  • Instead of a dip, use as a sandwich condiment spread
  • Use as in a layered veggie salad dish alternating the hummus with cucumbers, shredded carrots, peppers etc.
  • Use as a “mash” type of substitute to serve with other foods e.g. roasted vegetables or chicken.
  • Storage: Whether using prepared or homemade horseradish store in the refrigerator for 4-6 months or in the freezer for longer. I’ve kept fresh roots in the vegetable tray for up to 6 weeks.

Thank you, horseradish, for being neither a radish nor a horse.

What you are is a liar food.

Jimmy Fallon

    About Me

    The pleasure of food, good health and well-being through simple habits for eating well and flexitarian low-key cooking.
    Michele Redmond

    Michele Redmond

    French-trained Chef, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist & Food Enjoyment Activist

    It's about Making Food First

    Get Eat Well Academy periodic updates on easy ways to choose and cook foods that satisfy your appetite, nurture your body and make eating well a pleasure.

    Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Sumac

    Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Sumac

    by | Le Blog, Recipes and Culinary Nutrition

    Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Sumac

    Roasted cauliflower with sumac

    Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Sumac

    Pan-seared cauliflower steaks work great, yet often require finishing in the oven. This cauliflower steak with sumac option shortcuts the pan-searing for a longer, but less fussy, roast in the oven.

    While these “C-steaks” may not satisfy a meat eater as a substitute, they will satisfy their appetite and offer meaty texture characteristics. The main stem of these veggie steaks offers a satisfying dense texture that contrasts with the crunchy outer florets and buttery softness of the smaller stems. So whether your diet is veg only or omni, cauliflower steaks can satisfy as a side or as a main dish when paired with complementary foods (see serving notes below).

    Sumac is from dried and ground sumac berries. It’s a unique flavor, but you can use a combination of lemon juice and zest to mimic sumac’s lemon notes (see taste notes below) or use any seasoning or spice mix you prefer. Think about balancing cauliflowers sweet notes with something that offers a hint of sour and/or spicy heat.

    Roasted cauliflower without sumac

    Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Sumac

    Ingredients

    • 1 large cauliflower (2½-3 pounds)
    • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • Few pinches of fine sea salt (about ⅛ teaspoon)
    • 1 teaspoon ground sumac (optional but adds a soft tart or lemon flavor note)
    • A pinch of cayenne (about ¼ of an ⅛ teaspoon)

    Steps:

    1. Preheat the oven to 425°F and arrange a rack to be on the lowest level.
    2. Pull off the outer leaves of the cauliflower but do not cut out the core of the cauliflower. Trim the stem a bit if this helps stabilize the base of the cauliflower flat against a cutting board.
    3. With a chef’s knife, slice the cauliflower from top to base in one nice cut (avoid see-sawing the blade back and forth to keep florets from breaking off the stems). Depending on the size of the head, you may be able to cut 3-4 steaks sized at ¾ inch-thick “steaks” from the main stem and larger branches. As you cut, some florets will fall off which you can also roast or keep for another use.
    4. Place the cauliflower on the baking sheet, drizzle both sides or each steak with the olive oil and then season with salt. If you prefer to use less oil, brush oil onto steaks with a pastry brush.
    5. Place the baking sheet on the bottom rack and cook until cauliflower is browned (about 12 minutes).
    6. Remove from the oven and, with a spatula, gently turn the steaks over. Sprinkle the sumac onto the steaks—the side facing up.
    7. Place back on the bottom rack to finish cooking (about 10-12 minutes) or until browned on both sides and stems feel tender—the thicker branches should yield to a knife when pierced.
    8. Serve warm or room temperature.

    Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Sumac

    • Cauliflower is a high satiety food with good fiber content, high protein content and low calorie values (107 calories for 4 cups chopped).
    • Glucosinolates and isothiocyanates phytochemicals and antioxidants found in cauliflower may be beneficial for inflammation-related health problems and play a role in its particular aroma and flavor.
    • Sumac adds bright red-purple colors and subtle hints of lemon or tang. It’s a great spice option for many dishes when lemons aren’t available or lemon juice isn’t the best form for delivering this taste and flavor element. Plus, lemons can add bitter notes.
    • Serve as a base for cooked grains or seeds such as quinoa
    • Top the steaks with a warm cannellini bean salad
    • Serve with salmon, chicken or fish
    • Serve without the sumac and instead a sauce like garlic walnut and herb sauce
    Roasted cauliflower

    “Cauliflower is nothing but Cabbage with a College Education”

    Mark Twain

      About Me

      The pleasure of food, good health and well-being through simple habits for eating well and flexitarian low-key cooking.
      Michele Redmond

      Michele Redmond

      French-trained Chef, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist & Food Enjoyment Activist

      It's about Making Food First

      Get Eat Well Academy periodic updates on easy ways to choose and cook foods that satisfy your appetite, nurture your body and make eating well a pleasure.

      Parsnip Puree Soup and Crisps

      Parsnip Puree Soup and Crisps

      by | Le Blog, Recipes and Culinary Nutrition

      Parsnip Puree Soup and Crisps

      Parsnip puree soup | thetasteworkshop.com

      Parsnip Puree Soup with Crisps

      You’re so sweet, you’re so fine, but a sugar bomb in wintertime. Okay, the song doesn’t go this way but, in winter, cold converts parsnip starches to sugar at high levels and if the parsnips freeze before harvest, they become even sweeter.

      This sweet taste quality can make parsnips particularly popular with kids. However, for some adults, parsnips can taste too sweet unless savory or piquant, spicy ingredients are added. Another option, since parsnips are available year round, is to try them outside of the winter holidays as with this recipe which is using Spring parsnips.

      This pureed soup relies simply on parsnips plus onion and garlic as the aromatic ingredients. Salt balances the sweet and enhances parsnip’s nutty flavor qualities. So feel creative with adding any contrasting or complementary flavors.

      This recipe is also in honor of National Nutrition Month and its compelling theme of “Savor the Flavor of Eating Right”.

      Serves 4-6 (makes 5½-6 cups)

      Ingredients

      • 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
      • 1 medium (7-8 ounces) yellow onion, roughly chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
      • 2 large garlic cloves, minced
      • 4 medium parsnips (about 2¼ pounds), peeled, chopped into ½ to 1-inch sized pieces (to make some crisps, reserve a 3” segment from a middle or end piece of a parsnip)
      • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt
      • 4 cups water (stock can substitute, but see the tasting notes)

      Optional: Garnishes and spices—serving option notes

      Puree Steps

      1. Over medium heat, warm the oil, then add the onions, garlic and salt. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
      2. Add 4 cups of water to the pot, and while it is heating, peel and chop the parsnips (except leave a segment if making chips) then add to the water. Cook the parsnips at a rapid simmer for about 20 minutes or until the parsnips are butter soft.
      3. Blend directly in the pot with an emulsion blender or blend in a counter-top blender.

       

      Parsnip Crisp Steps

      1. Use a knife or a mandolin to create very thin (less than 1/8 inch) potato chip slices.
      2. To a medium-sized pot, add enough cooking oil (see notes) to have ½” of oil. Heat over medium-high heat until you see the oil begin to ripple (see notes), then add enough slices to nearly cover the surface of the oil, but not so the slices overlap.
      3. These will cook fast, so be close by with a slotted spoon to pull them out as they start to brown and place them on a paper towel to cool.
      • Smoke point temperatures: for frying, select a cooking oil with a high smoke point. Examples include refined (not cold pressed) organic canola oil, grape seed oil or vegetable oil.
      • Smoke point signs: What’s your oil telling you? To avoid having a hot oil smoke, for health and taste reasons, catch the oil just before it smokes. Look for signs on the surface such as ripples, dimpling or waving activities.
      • Stock versus water: Not all soups require vegetable or animal-based stocks. In fact, these can create distracting new flavors for vegetables, particularly ones with delicate flavor profiles. To make this parsnip soup more savory, chicken stock would work. Vegetable stock can also work but some vegetable stocks have too much carrot or other sweet flavors that don’t do parsnips any favors.
      • Serve with a few crispy pan-fried parsnip chips layered on top
      • Sprinkle on some smoked paprika and /or Aleppo chili flakes to balance the sweet notes
      • Drizzle on some flavorful Garlic Walnut Green sauce
      Parsnip puree soup | thetasteworkshop.com

      “For…we can make liquor to sweeten our lips of pumpkins and parsnips and walnut-tree chips.”   American Colonist around 1630, a poem excerpt Ancestors in aprons 

        About Me

        The pleasure of food, good health and well-being through simple habits for eating well and flexitarian low-key cooking.
        National Nutrition Month

        National Nutrition Month 2016

        Let’s Connect

        Michele Redmond

        Michele Redmond

        French-trained Chef, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist & Food Enjoyment Activist

        It's about Making Food First

        Get Eat Well Academy periodic updates on easy ways to choose and cook foods that satisfy your appetite, nurture your body and make eating well a pleasure.

        Almond and Hazelnut Dukkah

        Almond and Hazelnut Dukkah

        by | Le Blog, Recipes and Culinary Nutrition

        Almond and Hazelnut Dukkah

        Almond and Hazelnut Dukkah

        Dukkah, a savory spice and nut mix, has Arabic roots and worldly applications. Traditional key ingredients are nuts, coriander, cumin seed, salt and sesame seeds, but it can also include other seeds such as fennel and peppercorns. The word Dukkah is attributed to Arabic references to crush or turn to powder which can be done with a mortar and pestle or an electric spice grinder.

        • 1/3  cup whole unroasted hazelnuts
        • 1/3  cup unsalted whole unroasted almonds
        • 2  heaping tablespoons of sesame seeds
        • 2  tablespoons coriander seeds
        • 1  tablespoon cumin seeds
        • 1  teaspoon fennel seeds
        • 1  teaspoon black peppercorns
        • ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt (fleur de sel is nice)

        Steps: Preheat oven to 375°F

        1. Distribute the hazelnuts and almonds each to their own baking trays to control for cooking differences
        2. Toast nuts in the oven or toaster oven until lightly browned for 4-8 minutes, then remove from oven to cool. Rub the hazelnuts together in batches between your palms to remove most of the skin
        3. Chop the nuts into ⅛” size bits and add to a bowl. A bread knife helps to keep nuts from escaping
        4. Heat a skillet over medium heat and toast the sesame seeds until golden, remove
        5. Toss the spices into the skillet, shaking it a few times and heat the spices until they become aromatic
        6. Put the sesame seeds and spices in an electric grinder or mortar and pestle grind to a coarse powder
        7. Add the mixture to the chopped nuts. Sprinkle in the salt and stir.
        • Nutrient-dense food with high-satiety protein & healthful spices
        • Because of the natural oils in the nuts and sesame seeds, dukkah does not have a long shelf life but can be stored for a month in the refrigerator.
        • A spice blend of savory and nutty with hints of sweet and heat
        • Coriander adds a hint of lemon and wood notes
        • Crunchy textures from whole and crushed nuts and spices
        • Use as a dip for crudité: radishes, cucumbers, sweet peppers, green onions, jicama, carrots
        • Use as an dip for bread by combining olive oil with the Dukkah
        • Use as a seasoning topping for flat bread
        • Sprinkle on roasted vegetables
        • Add to a fresh grated carrot salad

        “A popular spice blend that modern Egyptians enjoy just as their ancestors did thousands of years ago”

         

        History.com Spice of Life in Egypt

          About Me

          The pleasure of food, good health and well-being through simple habits for eating well and flexitarian low-key cooking.
          Michele Redmond

          Michele Redmond

          French-trained Chef, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist & Food Enjoyment Activist

          It's about Making Food First

          Get Eat Well Academy periodic updates on easy ways to choose and cook foods that satisfy your appetite, nurture your body and make eating well a pleasure.

          Garlic and Walnut Herb Sauce with Nutritional Yeast

          Garlic and Walnut Herb Sauce with Nutritional Yeast

          by | Le Blog, Recipes and Culinary Nutrition

          Garlic and Walnut Herb Sauce with Nutritional Yeast

          Garlic walnut herb sauce with nutritional yeast

          Garlic and Walnut Herb Sauce with Nutritional Yeast

          This sauce is a creamy pesto-like sauce with parsley, walnuts and extra garlic but instead of cheese or added salt, it uses nutritional yeast.   Some people call this “nooch”, to give it a more affectionate, shorter name. Despite the technical, yet correct, ingredient name or its cutesy nickname, nutritional yeast offers authentic nutrient benefits and culinary options as a cheese substitute, low-sodium ingredient and thickener.   I don’t typically use products to substitute for authentic or “real food” ingredients, but I make an exception periodically with nutritional yeast. In addition to its great amino acid and fiber profile, has surprising savory, umami notes when cheese isn’t an option (see the tasting section below).

          Garlic and Walnut Herb Sauce with Nutritional Yeast

           Makes 1 cup

          Ingredients

          • 5-6 garlic cloves, peeled and the hard stem base is removed
          • ⅔ cup unsalted walnut pieces
          • 1½ cup tightly packed fresh parsley ( 1½-2 ounces w/ stems)
          • ½ cup tightly packed fresh basil (a bit over ½ ounce w/ stems)
          • ¼ cup nutritional yeast (picture posted below)
          • ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil (plus 2 tablespoons if a more liquid sauce is desired)
          • 1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
          • ¼ teaspoon salt

          Optional: ⅛ teaspoon cayenne (resist the temptation to add a lot more cayenne since it will mute the herb and nutty flavors)

          Prep Steps:

          1. Add the garlic and walnuts to a blender and pulse a few times for a course mixture.
          2. Rinse and dry the herbs. Destem the herbs, but some of the thinner parsley stems won’t be a problem.
          3. Add the herbs, nutritional yeast, olive oil, lemon juice and salt. Blend until sauce is smooth.
          4. Serve immediately. If storing in the refrigerator for later use, place plastic wrap directly on the exposed surface area to reduce oxidation which will turn the bright green color to a more muted army green color.

          Garlic and Walnut Herb Sauce

          • Nutritional yeast provides the full range of essential amino acids, but most importantly (since it has to taste good!), it offers savory umami attributes due to glutamic acid.
          • In this recipe, the perception of umami is further triggered by the use of walnuts, also high in glutamatic acid.
          • Nutritional yeast adds salty notes to the sauce despite its minor sodium contribution of 5 mg for 3 tablespoons. Three tablespoons of this brand also offers a nice fiber boost at 5 grams.

          I used KAL Brand of Nutritional Yeast Flakes purchased from Whole Foods and available in bulk at some grocery stores. I have no preference for brands; however, there are some taste, texture and quality differences.

          • Serve as a topping for roasted veggies
          • Excellent as a dip for roasted cauliflower florets or raw vegetables
          • Use as a sauce for pasta, rice, salmon, sautéed tofu or poultry
          • Use to garnish tops of creamy soups
          Nutritional yeast spoon

          “A nickel will get you on the subway, but garlic will get you a seat.”

          ~Old New York Proverb

            About Me

            The pleasure of food, good health and well-being through simple habits for eating well and flexitarian low-key cooking.
            Michele Redmond

            Michele Redmond

            French-trained Chef, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist & Food Enjoyment Activist

            It's about Making Food First

            Get Eat Well Academy periodic updates on easy ways to choose and cook foods that satisfy your appetite, nurture your body and make eating well a pleasure.

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