Recipe: Zucchini Hummus

Totally stolen but slightly adapted from http://makeeverydayraw.blogspot.com/2007/06/zucchini-hummus.html

1 large zucchini in summer or 2 small zucchini in winter (I ended up using 1 large and 2 smaller zucchini because the tahini flavor was too strong)
1/2 cup Tahini (I’d lessen significantly, then add back in to taste)
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Cumin
1 Large Garlic Clove (I used three or so)
Sprinkle of Paprika (for garnish)

Peel the zucchini until all the green skin is removed. This is very important! Not peeling the zucchini will make it chunky and green, not like hummus at all. Slice peeled zucchini into smaller pieces.

Combine all ingredients except Paprika into food processor and blend until creamy and thick. Taste. Add things if needed. Done!

If not desired consistency add a little bit of water while blending. Sprinkle with paprika for garnish.

Read Full Post »

Brunch Recipe: Zucchini Pumpkin Bread

For Saturday’s Paleo Potluck Brunch, I wanted something very traditional–a warm, crumbly muffin. I also wanted veggies, so naturally I thought of zucchini. And since it’s fall/winter, pumpkin was a must. Some googling revealed a bread recipe that got rave reviews, so I figured I could easily just adapt it to muffins.

Perhaps this wasn’t the best idea. The flavor was fantastic, but the texture left something to be desired–instead of warm and melty, it was squishy, a little too wet, and while the tops were brown and crunchy, the muffins had the feel that they weren’t baked all the way through. Since the bread called for an hour in the oven, I went for 20 minutes, but ended up leaving them in for about 30. Still, they didn’t seem all the way done.

When you read through the recipe, you can probably think of your own ways to remedy these issues, but here are my suggestions (untried):

– Dry your shredded zucchini off

– Reduce the amount of pumpkin

-Reduce the amount of egg

Without further ado, the recipe:

From http://kitchen-parade-veggieventure.blogspot.com/2005/09/day-169-zucchini-pumpkin-bread.html

ZUCCHINI PUMPKIN BREAD
Hands-on time: 15 minutes
Oven/cooling time: 90 minutes
Time to table: Overnight
Serves 16

Preheat oven to 350F.

1/2 cup vegetable oil (I used coconut oil)
1 cup sugar (I used dates + applesauce–might use less applesauce next time)
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup canned pumpkin puree

2 cups whole wheat flour (I used 1 c. hazelnut flour, 1 c. almond flour)
1 tablespoon cinnamon (increased from 1 teaspoon, bumps up the flavor)
2 teaspoons nutmeg (an addition, adds nuttiness in the background)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt (increased from 1/4 teaspoon, again, heightens flavor)

Optional: toasted walnuts, currants or raisins, lemon zest (I added raw cacao nibs)

In a large bowl, combine the oil and sugar with an electric mixer (obviously, I did this in the food processor because of the dates/applesauce). Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until mixture turns lemony yellow and almost syrupy. Add the zucchini and pumpkin and beat until completely incorporated (that’s because from here on, you want to mix only enough to incorporate the dry ingredients, if there’s too much beating, the bread will develop holes).

Combine the remaining ingredients. Combine dry ingredients into the wet batter, beating only until just combined. Stir in, preferably with a spoon so not to overbeat, nuts, currants, etc.

Transfer to a greased bread pan and bake for 1 hour. Insert a knife into the center, if it comes out clean the bread is done, if it doesn’t, bake for another 5 minutes at a time until the knife does come out clean.

Let cool for 15 minutes. Turn onto a rack and let cool completely. Wrap in foil and let rest at room temperature for flavors to meld overnight or for about 8 hours. (I did not do this. Though I mixed the batter and refrigerated it overnight due to Friday afternoon happy hours …)

If you try a variation, by all means, please share!!

Read Full Post »