The ingredients of this popular Middle Eastern dish, commonly served as a dip or spread, deliver taste and  offer a variety of health benefits; for example, chickpeas are a great source of protein, tahini (made from sesame seeds) is a great source of calcium, and olive oil is loaded with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. It’s quick and easy – once you have the ingredients assembled, just throw them into a food processor or blender and you’re done!

What You’ll Need

• One 19 ounce can of chick peas (and 1/4 cup of the water they’re canned in)
• 1 to 2 garlic cloves (or more…suit your taste!)
• 2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
• 2 TBSP of tahini (if you don’t have any, the hummus will still be yummy)
• Fresh squeezed juice from one medium-sized lemon
• 1 tsp of salt (or to taste)
• 1 tsp of cumin (or to taste; optional)
• Fresh parsley (for garnish)

Directions

Drain and rinse the chickpeas, but reserve 1/4 cup of the water they’re canned in, then put all ingredients (including the 1/4 cup of water from the chick pease) into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth and creamy.

Serving

Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and cumin. This serving was topped with a cherry tomato! Rather than serving with pita bread, try Belgian endive leaves. They’re a very tasty gluten-/grain-free alternative…and besides that, it’s always great to find ways to get more veggies into us!

Enjoy!

It’s hard to visit a Farmers’ Market or grocery store at this time of year without seeing a wide variety of winter squash available.  These veggies are a great source of powerful antioxidants, such as beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. Winter squash are also a great source of pectins, which have been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and insulin-regulating properties.

Squash is so versatile! It can be baked, steamed, stir-fried, grated, added to baking, turned into ‘spaghetti’ with a julienne peeler, added to soups and stews, and more! Here is one of my favourite ways to enjoy squash. I hope you like it too!

What You’ll Need

• a medium-sized acorn squash
• 3 TBSP of softened or melted coconut oil
• 1 tsp of ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp of maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp of unrefined sea salt
• an oven heated to 350F

Prepping – Step 1

Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds.

Prepping – Step 2

I like to cut a little piece off the bottom of each half so that the squash will sit flat and level in the baking dish. This allows a more even distribution of the yummy coconut oil mixture.

Prepping – Step 3

Using a fork, repeatedly stab the inside of the squash until you’ve poked loads of holes. These will allow the coconut oil mixture to get into the squash.

Prepping – Step 4

Make the yummy coconut oil mixture by mixing together the coconut oil, salt, cinnamon, and maple syrup.

Prepping – Step 5

Spoon the coconut oil mixture into and over the squash. Use a basting brush to distribute it as evenly as possible. Some will naturally pool into the bottom of the squash.

Cooking and Serving

Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, until squash is very soft. You can test its doneness by inserting a fork into the flesh. It should go in very easily. Serve as is or cut into wedges and scoop out the flesh to enjoy, or scoop out the flesh and serve it mashed. For a beautiful and yummy serving twist, you can put the roasted squash half on a plate and fill it with your favourite stew, curry, or chunky soup.

Enjoy!

Avocados offer some pretty amazing health benefits. They’re loaded with antioxidants, as well as healthy fats that promote heart health and fight inflammation. Guacamole is a delicious way to enjoy all the health benefits of avocados. This recipe is quick and easy…and includes a tip for preventing your left over guacamole from turning brown!

What You’ll Need

• 3 ripe avocados
• 1/4 cup of diced sweet onion
• 1/2 cup of diced tomato
• 2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
• 1 TBSP lemon juice
• 1 TBSP lime juice
• 1/2 tsp unrefined sea salt
• cilantro (optional…but so delcious!)

Getting Started

Cut the avocados in half lengthwise. Using your hands, twist the avocado to separate the halves. Take the half that has the seed in it, and put it on a cutting board, seed up, then VERY CAREFULLY, whack the blade of a knife into the centre of the seed. Gently twist the knife. The seed should come loose and be stuck to the knife blade. To peel, cut the halves in quarters and peel off the skin, or scoop out the flesh with a tablespoon.

 Mash It Up!

Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mash it up until you get whatever texture you prefer – smooth or chunky!

Serving

Ditch the corn chips and use veggies instead. Bell pepper wedges work great and make for a great flavour combination. Belgian endive leaves are perfect too!

 Got Leftovers?

If you just put leftover guacamole in the fridge, the surface will turn brown. To prevent this from happening, put any leftovers in a glass container with a sealable lid and smooth out the surface of the guacamole. Squeeze a little fresh lemon juice over the top, then cover it all up with lemon slices. The citric acid in the lemon will prevent the avocado from oxidizing and turning brown!

Enjoy!