We love hummus in my house, and I try to always have some on hand. I stumbled upon a quick and easy olive hummus recipe I found on The Healthy Foodie that sounded perfect because I had olives that needed to be used up. This tasty hummus was creamy, flavorful, and loaded with small bits of olives, which tasted great with flatbread and fresh veggies.

Olive Hummus

Ingredients:

• 2 (15-oz) cans of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed, drained, and skins removed
• ½ cup tahini
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 tbsp white vinegar
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• Sea salt, to taste
• ⅓ cup kalamata olives, chopped, plus more for garnish if desired
• ¼ cup Castelvetrano green olives, chopped, plus more for garnish if desired

How to Make Olive Hummus:

Remove the skins by placing the drained & rinsed chickpeas in a large bowl filled with water. Gently rub and pinch the beans together between your hands and fingers, which will allow the skins to slide off the beans and float to the surface.  Side Note: This step is optional but highly recommended as it creates an ultra-creamy hummus. 

Make the hummus by placing the drained chickpeas in the bowl of your food processor, along with the tahini, water, olive oil, fresh lemon juice, white vinegar, garlic, and sea salt to taste. Process until smooth and creamy, about 3-4 minutes. Scraping the sides, as needed.

Add the chopped olives and pulse only 5-6 times so they will still have texture.

Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes before serving.

To serve, sprinkle the top with parsley, additional chopped olives, and a drizzling of olive oil. Serve with flatbread and veggies. Enjoy.

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Olive Hummus

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Lebanese

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 3 cups +/-

Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• Food Processor

Ingredients

• 2 (15-oz) cans of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed, drained, and skins removed
• ½ cup tahini
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 tbsp white vinegar
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• Sea salt to taste
• ⅓ cup kalamata olives chopped, plus more for garnish, if desired
• ¼ cup Castelvetrano green olives chopped, plus more for garnish, if desired

Instructions

• Remove the chickpea skins by placing the drained & rinsed chickpeas in a large bowl filled with water. Gently rub and pinch the beans together between your hands and fingers, which will allow the skins to slide off the beans and float to the surface.  Side Note: This step is optional but highly recommended as it creates an ultra-creamy hummus.
• Make the hummus by placing the drained chickpeas in the bowl of your food processor, along with the tahini, water, olive oil, fresh lemon juice, white vinegar, garlic, and sea salt to taste. Process until smooth and creamy, about 3-4 minutes. Scraping the sides, as needed.
• Add the chopped olives and pulse only 5-6 times so they will still have texture.
• Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes before serving.
• To serve, sprinkle the top with parsley, additional chopped olives, and a drizzling of olive oil. Serve with flatbread and veggies. Enjoy.

I like to keep hummus, baba ganoush, dill dip, or veggie dip in the fridge for healthy snacking and a quick appetizer. Instead of my go-to dips, I made this lemon-garlic white bean dip instead. Perfect dipping with fresh veggies, flatbread, chips, or pita bread, this creamy white bean dip is healthy, delicious, and so easy to make! My daughter and I enjoyed this white bean dip with veggies & flatbread for lunch recently, and thought it was lemony, garlicky, and so delicious.

Creamy White Bean Dip

Ingredients:

• 1 (15-oz) can of white cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
• 2 tbsp good quality olive oil, plus more for drizzling at serving time
• Juice and zest of 1 large lemon (about 2 tablespoons of juice), or more to taste
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely grated
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• 2-3 tbsp ice water, if needed
• Fresh parsley, finely chopped

Serving:

• Carrot sticks, celery sticks, bell pepper slices, cherry tomatoes, radishes, etc.
• Flatbread
• Chips
• Pita bread

How to Make a Creamy White Bean Dip:

In a food processor, pulse together the white beans, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, lemon juice & zest, garlic, sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper, until creamy and smooth.

Add a few tablespoons of ice water if it’s too thick. Taste and re-season if needed.

Pour into a serving dish and drizzle olive oil over the top. Sprinkle with fresh parsley.

Serve with fresh vegetables, flatbread, chips, or pita bread. Enjoy.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

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Creamy White Bean Dip

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• Food Processor

Ingredients

• 1 (15-oz) can of white cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
• 2 tbsp good quality olive oil plus more for drizzling at serving time
• Juice and zest of 1 large lemon about 2 tablespoons of juice, or more to taste
• 2 cloves of garlic finely grated
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• 2-3 tbsp ice water if needed
• Fresh parsley finely chopped

Serving:

• Carrot sticks celery sticks, bell pepper slices, cherry tomatoes, radishes, etc.
• Flatbread
• Chips
• Pita bread

Instructions

• In a food processor, pulse together the white beans, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, lemon juice & zest, garlic, sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper, until creamy and smooth.
• Add a few tablespoons of ice water if it's too thick. Taste and re-season if needed.
• Pour into a serving dish and drizzle olive oil over the top. Sprinkle with fresh parsley.
• Serve with fresh vegetables, flatbread, chips, or pita bread. Enjoy.
• Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.

I was making carne asada tacos and spicy pinto beans for dinner, and instead of making guacamole, I switched it up and made this easy avocado sauce recipe I found on Recipe Tin Eats. It was creamy, tangy, and delicious on our tacos, and also as a dip for tortilla chips. This easy avocado sauce recipe was a hit with all of us, and I’ll be making it again to serve with tacos, tostadas, taquitos, enchiladas, quesadillas, chile rellenos, and flautas.

Avocado Sauce

Ingredients:

• 2 small, ripe avocados
• ½ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• ⅓ cup sour cream
• 1-2 tbsp avocado oil (or olive oil), to taste
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 small clove of garlic, minced
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

How to Make Avocado Sauce

Combine avocados, cilantro, sour cream, avocado oil, lime juice, garlic, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste in a food processor, blend until very smooth. (Or use an immersion blender or blender).

Taste and re-season with salt or lime juice as desired.

Keeps for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

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Avocado Sauce

Course Appetizer, Condiment

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4 - 6

Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• Food Processor, Immersion Blender, or Blender

Ingredients

• 2 small ripe avocados
• ½ cup fresh cilantro roughly chopped
• ⅓ cup sour cream
• 1-2 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil, to taste
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 small clove of garlic minced
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions

• Combine avocados, cilantro, sour cream, avocado oil, lime juice, garlic, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste in a food processor, blend until very smooth. (Or use an immersion blender or blender).
• Taste and re-season with salt or lime juice as desired.
• Keeps for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

We all, especially my kids, love having baba ganoush (aka baba ghanoush), creamy hummus, and flatbread on hand in the fridge for quick and healthy snacks. I decided to switch it up and make this roasted garlic baba ganoush with pomegranate seeds from Flavorry, which sounded fun and tasty. The roasted garlic gave a nice depth of flavor to the eggplant dip, and the pomegranate seeds added a lovely texture, crunch, and sweet tartness.

Roasted Garlic Baba Ganoush with Pomegranate Seeds

Ingredients:

• 2 medium globe eggplants, sliced in half lengthwise
• 1 small head of garlic
• ¼ cup tahini
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 3 tbsp olive oil, plus more for serving & roasting garlic
•  2 tsp fresh parsley, finely chopped, plus more for serving
• ½ tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp smoked paprika, plus more for garnish
• ½ tsp cumin
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, optional
• Pomegranate seeds, for garnish

Serving:

• Warm naan or flatbread
• Carrots, peeled and sliced
• Cherry tomatoes
• Baby bell peppers, sliced
• Cucumber, sliced

How to Make Roasted Garlic Baba Ganoush with Pomegranate Seeds

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.

Prepare the eggplants by slicing them lengthwise and placing them on the prepared baking sheet, cut-side down.

Prepare the garlic by slicing the top off the garlic bulb, drizzling it with olive oil, and wrapping it in foil. Place it on the baking sheet with the eggplant.

Roast the eggplant and garlic by placing the baking sheet in the oven for 60 minutes, until soft and golden.

Cool and strain by removing the eggplant and garlic from the oven. Flip the eggplant over to cool, and remove the garlic from the foil wrap.

Once the roasted garlic has cooled, squeeze the garlic from its skin and set aside until needed.

Once the eggplants are cool to the touch, peel and discard the skin, removing the clumps of seeds.

Place the flesh in a strainer set over a bowl and let stand for 20 minutes to remove excess water.

Finish the baba ganoush by placing the eggplant flesh, tahini, roasted garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, fresh parsley, smoked paprika, cumin, crushed red pepper flakes, and sea salt in a food processor.

Pulse a few times until combined.

Transfer the baba ganoush to a serving dish and sprinkle with fresh parsley, smoked paprika, and pomegranate seeds.

Serve with flatbread, naan, and fresh veggies. Enjoy.

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Roasted Garlic Baba Ganoush with Pomegranate Seeds

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Lebanese

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• Baking Sheet
• Food Processor

Ingredients

• 2 medium globe eggplants sliced in half lengthwise
• 1 small head of garlic
• ¼ cup tahini
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 3 tbsp olive oil plus more for serving & roasting garlic
• 2 tsp fresh parsley finely chopped, plus more for serving
• ½ tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp smoked paprika plus more for garnish
• ½ tsp cumin
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes optional
• Pomegranate seeds for garnish

Serving:

• Warm naan or flatbread
• Carrots peeled and sliced
• Cherry tomatoes
• Baby bell peppers sliced
• Cucumber sliced

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
• Prepare the eggplants by slicing them lengthwise and placing them on the prepared baking sheet, cut-side down.
• Prepare the garlic by slicing the top off the garlic bulb, drizzling it with olive oil, and wrapping it in foil. Place it on the baking sheet with the eggplant.
• Roast the eggplant and garlic by placing the baking sheet in the oven for 60 minutes, until soft and golden.
• Cool and strain by removing the eggplant and garlic from the oven. Flip the eggplant over to cool, and remove the garlic from the foil wrap.
• Once the roasted garlic has cooled, squeeze the garlic from its skin and set aside until needed.
• Once the eggplants are cool to the touch, peel and discard the skin, removing the clumps of seeds.
• Place the flesh in a strainer set over a bowl and let stand for 20 minutes to remove excess water.
• Finish the baba ganoush by placing the eggplant flesh, tahini, roasted garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, fresh parsley, smoked paprika, cumin, crushed red pepper flakes, and sea salt in a food processor.
• Pulse a few times until combined.
• Transfer the baba ganoush to a serving dish and sprinkle with fresh parsley, smoked paprika, and pomegranate seeds.
• Serve with flatbread, naan, and fresh veggies. Enjoy.

I was making some pork tacos for dinner, and instead of our go-to tomato salsa, mango salsa, or verde salsa, I decided to make something different. This refreshing and addictive corn salsa is made with raw fresh corn kernels, spicy and sweet peppers, onions, garlic, and lime juice, and it’s quick and so simple to make.  This tasty raw corn salsa tasted fantastic as a topping for our pork tacos, and it was also delicious with tortilla chips.

Spicy Corn Salsa

Ingredients:

• 2 ears of corn, shucked and kernels cut from the cobs
• 1-2 serrano peppers, seeded & deveined, and finely diced (depending on how spicy you want it)
• 2-3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped, to taste
• 1 small red bell pepper, finely diced
• ¼ red onion, finely diced   ***If too strongly flavored, soak in ice water for 10 minutes
• 1 green onion, sliced thinly
• 1 clove of garlic, finely minced
• Juice of ½-1 lime, to taste
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

How to Make Spicy Corn Salsa

Carefully cut the shucked, cleaned, raw corn kernels from the cobs and place them in a bowl.

Add the serrano pepper, cilantro, red bell pepper, red onion, green onion, garlic, lime juice, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.

Toss to coat evenly and taste. Add more seasoning or lime juice, if desired. Serve with tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, or tortilla chips. Enjoy.

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Spicy Corn Salsa

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• Sharp Knife

Ingredients

• 2 ears of corn shucked and kernels cut from the cobs
• 1-2 serrano peppers seeded & deveined, and finely diced (depending on how spicy you want it)
• 2-3 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped, to taste
• 1 small red bell pepper finely diced
• ¼ red onion finely diced ***If too strongly flavored, soak in ice water for 10 minutes
• 1 green onion sliced thinly
• 1 clove of garlic finely minced
• Juice of ½-1 lime to taste
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions

• Carefully cut the shucked, cleaned, raw corn kernels from the cobs and place them in a bowl.
• Add the serrano pepper, cilantro, red bell pepper, red onion, green onion, garlic, lime juice, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
• Toss to coat evenly and taste. Add more seasoning or lime juice, if desired.
• Serve with tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, or tortilla chips. Enjoy.

It’s been too hot to cook much lately, so I prepared this delicious strawberry salsa recipe for a light snack. Made from ripe strawberries, red onion, jalapeño, and fresh lime juice, it’s great served with chips, crostini, on tacos, and grilled meats.

Strawberry Salsa

Ingredients:

• 8 oz fresh strawberries, hulled and finely diced
• ¼ red onion, finely diced   ***Soak the diced onion in ice water for 10 minutes if its flavor is too strong
• ¼-½ jalapeno, seeded, deveined, and finely diced
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• Juice from 1 large lime

Serving:

• Chips
• Crostini
• Taco topping
• Grilled meats

How to Make Strawberry Salsa

Prepare the salsa by combining the diced strawberries, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, and lime juice in a bowl and mixing well.

Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the flavors some time to mingle.

Serve with chips, crostini, on tacos, or with grilled meats. Enjoy.

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Strawberry Salsa

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Allow flavors time to mingle: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• Sharp Knife

Ingredients

Salsa:

• 8 oz fresh strawberries hulled and finely diced
• ¼ red onion finely diced ***Soak the diced onion in ice water for 10 minutes if its flavor is too strong
• ¼-½ jalapeno seeded, deveined, and finely diced
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro finely chopped
• Juice from 1 large lime

Serving:

• Chips
• Crostini
• Taco topping
• Grilled meats

Instructions

• Prepare the salsa by combining the diced strawberries, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, and lime juice in a bowl and mixing well.
• Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the flavors some time to mingle.
• Serve with chips, crostini, on tacos, or with grilled meats. Enjoy.

The baba ganoush recipe I recently made disappeared quickly and was a nice snack to have on hand, especially for smorgasbord meals. This time, I made a smooth and creamy hummus recipe I found on Cookie and Kate, which uses an interesting method that I wanted to try. This easy homemade creamy hummus recipe was delicious, and the toasted pine nuts on top added a nice flavor and texture. This smooth & creamy hummus was a tasty dip for flatbread, naan, and fresh veggies.

Smooth and Creamy Hummus

Ingredients:

• 1 (15-oz) can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas,
• ½ tsp baking soda, if you’re using canned chickpeas
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from 1½ to 2 lemons), more to taste
• 1 large clove of garlic, roughly chopped
• ½ tsp fine sea salt, to taste
• ½ cup tahini
• 2 to 4 tbsp ice water, more as needed
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for serving
• 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
• Smoked paprika, optional, for garnish
• Fresh parsley, finely chopped

Serving:

• Cucumber, sliced on a diagonal
• Bell peppers, sliced
• Cherry tomatoes
• Carrots sticks
• Celery sticks
• Flatbread or mini naan bread
• Rice crackers or pita crisps

How to Make Smooth and Creamy Hummus

Place the garbanzo beans (chickpeas) in a medium saucepan. Add the baking soda, cover the garbanzo beans with several inches of water, then bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Continue boiling, reducing the heat if necessary to prevent overflow, for about 20 minutes, or until the garbanzo beans look bloated, soft, and their skins are falling off.  Side Note: As they cook, remove and discard as many loose skins floating on the water with a slotted spoon, if desired, but it’s not mandatory. 

Pour into a strainer and run cool water over them for about 30 seconds. Set aside. Side Note:  There is no need to peel the garbanzo beans for this recipe!

Meanwhile, in a food processor or high-powered blender, combine the lemon juice, garlic, and salt. Process until the garlic is very finely chopped, then let the mixture rest so the garlic flavor can mellow for 10-15 minutes.

Add the tahini to the food processor and blend until the mixture is thick and creamy, scraping down any tahini stuck to the sides and bottom of the processor as necessary.

While running the food processor, drizzle in 2 tablespoons of ice water. Scrape down the sides of the food processor, and blend until the mixture is ultra-smooth, pale, and creamy.  Side Note: If your tahini was extra-thick, you might need to add 1 to 2 tablespoons more ice water.

Add the cumin and the drained, over-cooked garbanzo beans to the food processor. While blending, drizzle in the olive oil. Blend until the mixture is super smooth, scraping down the sides of the processor as necessary, about 2 minutes. Add more ice water by the tablespoon to achieve a super creamy texture.

Taste, and season as necessary—I usually add a little more sea salt and fresh lemon juice.

Scrape the hummus into a serving bowl and use a spoon to create a few swooshes on top. Top with toasted pine nuts, a sprinkling of paprika, fresh parsley, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Serve with flatbread, naan, and fresh veggies. Enjoy.

Keep the leftover hummus in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

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Smooth and Creamy Hummus

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Lebanese

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 2 cups

Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• Medium Saucepan
• Strainer
• Food Processor or Blender

Ingredients

• 1 15-oz can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained, or 1½ cups cooked chickpeas,
• ½ tsp baking soda if you’re using canned garbanzo beans
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice from 1½ to 2 lemons, more to taste
• 1 large clove of garlic roughly chopped
• ½ tsp fine sea salt to taste
• ½ cup tahini
• 2 to 4 tbsp ice water more as needed
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp olive oil plus more for serving
• 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
• Smoked paprika or paprika optional, for garnish
• Fresh parsley finely chopped

Serving:

• Cucumber sliced on a diagonal
• Bell peppers sliced
• Cherry tomatoes
• Carrots sticks
• Celery sticks
• Flatbread or mini naan bread
• Rice crackers or pita crisps

Instructions

• Place the garbanzo beans (chickpeas) in a medium saucepan. Add the baking soda, cover the garbanzo beans with several inches of water, and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Continue boiling, reducing the heat if necessary to prevent overflow, for about 20 minutes, or until the garbanzo beans look bloated, soft, and their skins are falling off.  Side Note: As they cook, remove and discard as many loose skins floating on the water with a slotted spoon, if desired, but it's not mandatory. 
• Pour into a strainer and run cool water over them for about 30 seconds. Set aside. Side Note:  There is no need to peel the garbanzo beans for this recipe!
• Meanwhile, in a food processor or high-powered blender, combine the lemon juice, garlic, and salt. Process until the garlic is very finely chopped, then let the mixture rest so the garlic flavor can mellow for 10-15 minutes.
• Add the tahini to the food processor and blend until the mixture is thick and creamy, scraping down any tahini stuck to the sides and bottom of the processor as necessary.
• While running the food processor, drizzle in 2 tablespoons of ice water. Scrape down the sides of the food processor, and blend until the mixture is ultra-smooth, pale, and creamy.  Side Note: If your tahini was extra-thick, you might need to add 1 to 2 tablespoons more ice water.
• Add the cumin and the drained, over-cooked chickpeas to the food processor. While blending, drizzle in the olive oil. Blend until the mixture is super smooth, scraping down the sides of the processor as necessary, about 2 minutes. Add more ice water by the tablespoon to achieve a super creamy texture.
• Taste, and season as necessary—I usually add a little more sea salt and fresh lemon juice.
• Scrape the hummus into a serving bowl and use a spoon to create a few swooshes on top. Top with toasted pine nuts, a sprinkling of paprika, fresh parsley, and a drizzle of olive oil.
• Serve with flatbread, naan, and fresh veggies. Enjoy.
• Keep the leftover hummus in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

We have a local Lebanese restaurant with the tastiest baba ganoush (also known as baba ghanoush) that we all love, so I finally decided to try recreating it at home from a recipe I found on Love and Lemons. This easy baba ganoush recipe was creamy, smoky, and delicious, served with fresh veggies and warm naan or flatbread, and it was a great addition to our smorgasbord dinner.

Baba Ganoush

Ingredients:

• 2 medium eggplants, pierced with a knife or fork
• ¼ cup tahini
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ tsp sea salt
• Fresh parsley, finely chopped
• Smoked paprika
• Red pepper flakes, optional

Serving:

• Warm naan or flatbread
• Baby bell pepper, sliced
• Cucumbers, sliced
• Carrots, peeled and sliced
• Cherry tomatoes

How to Make Baba Ganoush

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Wrap the eggplants in foil, place on a baking sheet, and roast for 60-75 minutes, or until they are very soft and collapse to the touch.  Side Note: For a more traditional, smokier baba ganoush, cook the eggplant on the grill (no foil) until it is very soft and charred all over. Remove the charred skin and continue with the recipe instructions

Remove the eggplant from the oven and set it aside to cool.

Once the eggplants are cool to the touch, peel and discard the skin, removing the clumps of seeds.

Place the flesh in a strainer set over a bowl, and let stand for 20 minutes to remove excess water.

Place the eggplant flesh, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and salt in a food processor and pulse, scraping down the sides until creamy and smooth.

Transfer the baba ganoush to a serving dish and sprinkle with fresh parsley, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes.

Serve with flatbread, naan, and fresh veggies. Enjoy.

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Baba Ganoush

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Lebanese

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Draining Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• Baking Sheet
• Food Processor

Ingredients

Ingredients:

• 2 medium eggplants pierced with a knife or fork
• ¼ cup tahini
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil plus more for serving
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• ½ tsp sea salt
• Fresh parsley finely chopped
• Smoked paprika
• Red pepper flakes optional

Serving:

• Warm naan or flatbread
• Baby bell pepper sliced
• Cucumbers sliced
• Carrots peeled and sliced
• Cherry tomatoes

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Wrap the eggplants in foil, place on a baking sheet, and roast for 60-75 minutes, or until they are very soft and collapse to the touch.  Side Note: For a more traditional, smokier baba ganoush, cook the eggplant on the grill (no foil) until it is very soft and charred all over. Remove the charred skin and continue with the recipe instructions
• Remove the eggplant from the oven and set aside to cool.
• Once the eggplants are cool to the touch, peel and discard the skin, removing the clumps of seeds.
• Place the flesh in a strainer set over a bowl, and let stand for 20 minutes to remove excess water.
• Place the eggplant flesh, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and salt in a food processor and pulse, scraping down the sides until it's creamy and smooth.
• Transfer the baba ganoush to a serving dish and sprinkle with fresh parsley, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes.
• Serve with flatbread, naan, and fresh veggies. Enjoy.

We love all kinds of salsa–pico de gallo, tomatillo, restaurant-style, corn, peach, hatch chile, etc.! My daughter is the biggest salsa lover in the family and prefers smoky, spicy, tomato salsa so when I stumbled on this easy salsa tatemada (fire-roasted salsa) recipe on Muy Delish I made it for her. This charred salsa recipe is super easy to throw together and my daughter and the rest of us loved it! Perfect for serving with tacos, tostadas, homemade tortilla chips, and enchiladas.

Salsa Tatemada (Fire-Roasted Salsa)

Ingredients:

• 4 Roma tomatoes
• 2 serrano peppers, stems removed
• ½ medium onion, halved
• 2 garlic cloves, skins on
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro
• Fresh lime juice, to taste
• ½ teaspoon chicken boullion
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper,  to taste

How to Make Salsa Tatemada (Fire-Roasted Salsa)

To char the veggies, If using a cast iron skillet, preheat the skillet on the stovetop over high heat. 

If using a broiler, preheat the oven to high broil and line a baking sheet with foil.  Side Note: If possible, you can also use a grill on high heat to fire-roast the veggies. 

Place the veggies in the hot cast iron skillet on the stovetop over hight heat, or on the baking sheet and into the top shelf of the oven to broil.

Remove the lightly charred garlic after a few minutes and set aside to cool. Remove and discard the skin of the garlic once it is cool to the touch.

Flip the veggies once they are charred and continue to cook until all sides are lightly charred, 8-10 minutes.  Side Note: If the onions or peppers start to char, remove them earlier than the tomatoes. 

Cool the veggies by removing them from the skillet or oven and set aside on a plate to cool.

Blend the salsa by transferring the cooled roasted vegetables to a blender. Add the cilantro, lime juice, and chicken bouillon, and puree until smooth.

Taste and adjust the seasoning with more sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper if needed.

Serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator. Enjoy.

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Salsa Tatemada (Fire-Roasted Salsa)

Course Condiment

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Cooling Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 1 cup +/-

Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• Large Cast Iron Skillet or Baking Sheet or Grill

Ingredients

• 4 Roma tomatoes
• 2 serrano peppers stems removed
• ½ medium onion halved
• 2 garlic cloves skins on
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro
• Fresh lime juice to taste
• ½ teaspoon chicken boullion
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

Instructions

• To char the veggies, If using a cast iron skillet, preheat the skillet on the stovetop over high heat.
• If using a broiler, preheat the oven to high broil and line a baking sheet with foil.  Side Note: If possible, you can also use a grill on high heat to fire-roast the veggies.
• Place the veggies in the hot cast iron skillet on the stovetop over hight heat, or on the baking sheet and into the top shelf of the oven to broil.
• Remove the lightly charred garlic after a few minutes and set aside to cool. Remove and discard the skin of the garlic once it is cool to the touch.
• Flip the veggies once they are charred and continue to cook until all sides are lightly charred, 8-10 minutes.  Side Note: If the onions or peppers start to char, remove them earlier than the tomatoes.
• Cool the veggies by removing them from the skillet or oven and set aside on a plate to cool.
• Blend the salsa by transferring the cooled roasted vegetables to a blender. Add the cilantro, lime juice, and chicken bouillon, and puree until smooth.
• Taste and adjust the seasoning with more sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper if needed.
• Serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator. Enjoy.

My daughter loves eating frozen Indian samosas and I recently picked up a box of mini vegetable samosas from Trader Joe’s but they didn’t have a sauce. Since my girl is a sauce girl and loves to dip her samosas in cilantro chutney, I went to look for a recipe and found one online at Swathi’s Recipes. I adapted the recipe by using lemon juice instead of chaat masala because that’s what I had. This vibrant and flavor-packed cilantro chutney recipe (also known as coriander chutney) only uses a few ingredients but packs a punch–spicy, herby, garlicky, lemony, and so delicious. My daughter and her best friend devoured the box of samosas and this entire batch of cilantro chutney in one sitting and loved it.

Cilantro Chutney

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups of cilantro leaves, discard mature thick stalks & only keep young tender stalks & leaves, chopped
• ½-1 serrano chili or other green chili pepper, depending on how spicy you want it
• 2 tbsp water, or more to taste, if needed
• 1-2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
• 1½ tbsp roasted peanuts
• 1 large clove of garlic
• ¾ tsp dried cumin
• Sea salt, to taste

How to Make Cilantro Chutney

Place the chopped cilantro, serrano chili, water, lemon juice, roasted peanuts, garlic clove, cumin, and sea salt, to taste in a small glass jar that your immersion blender can easily fit inside.

Blend until creamy and smooth; if it’s too thick add more water, as needed. Taste and re-season with sea salt or lemon juice, if desired. Serve with samosas, snacks, or sandwiches.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Refresh the chutney with thick strainer yogurt if desired. Enjoy.

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Cilantro Chutney

Course Condiment

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• Small glass jar
• Immersion Blender

Ingredients

• 1½ cups of cilantro leaves discard mature thick stalks & only keep young tender stalks & leaves, chopped
• ½-1 serrano chili or other green chili pepper depending on how spicy you want it
• 2 tbsp water or more to taste, if needed
• 1-2 tbsp fresh lemon juice or more to taste
• 1½ tbsp roasted peanuts
• 1 large clove of garlic
• ¾ tsp dried cumin
• Sea salt to taste

Instructions

• Place the chopped cilantro, serrano chili, water, lemon juice, roasted peanuts, garlic clove, cumin, and sea salt, to taste in a small glass jar that your immersion blender can easily fit inside.
• Blend until creamy and smooth; if it's too thick add more water, as needed. Taste and re-season with sea salt or lemon juice, if desired. Serve with samosas, snacks, or sandwiches.
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Refresh the chutney with thick strainer yogurt if desired. Enjoy.