I-Can't-Believe-It's-Healthy Three-Soy Hummus

I am in India for the next three weeks, but before saying goodbye I wanted to leave you with one of my most favorite and versatile dishes: my three-soy hummus.

I must admit I jumped the gun on this one when I posted my edamame pesto recipe. That recipe was actually inspired by this three-soy hummus which is a very easy, very delicious and very, very nutritious dish. It acts great as a spread for wraps or as an appetizer with whole-wheat pita or crackers, but I usually pick up a spoon and eat it like ice-cream. Yes, it's that good.

I would normally use soft tofu for the hummus, but I happened to only have some silken firm tofu in my refrigerator which has been depleted quite a bit because of the upcoming travel. The firm tofu worked very well and gave the hummus an interesting texture while not really taking away from that creamy mouth-feel.

I call this a three-soy hummus because of the three different soy products I use in it: edamame or soybeans, tofu, and mild miso. Miso is a paste made with fermented soybeans and is rich in enzymes that aid digestion. It is salty, so go slow on the salt in the hummus. I usually don't add any at all. Also, vegans and vegetarians might want to get a good look at the label when you buy miso, because some brands do use non-vegetarian ingredients.

I hope you enjoy this very special recipe.

Three-Soy Hummus

Ingredients:

2 cups shelled edamame beans, thawed if frozen then steamed with a couple of tablespoons of water in a microwave for a couple of minutes

2 cups soft or firm tofu, depending on how creamy you want the texture to be

1 tbsp mild miso paste

2 tsp cumin seeds, powdered

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tsp red chili flakes (use more or less per your taste)

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Salt, if needed

Place all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth and creamy. Could it be any easier?

Enjoy!

Goodbye, everyone, and I'll look forward to catching up with you when I return.

Rotini With Sun-dried Tomato Pesto

Pasta is a lifesaver on busy weeknights, and when I want to make it just a little more special without any extra effort, I mix up a pesto sauce.

I like playing around with pesto, a lot. I make it with all kinds of herbs and leafies, including spinach, cilantro, and mint, and sometimes even with edamame, or soybeans.

My sun-dried tomato pesto is a fresh twist on a classic favorite. It's a pretty straightforward recipe with minimum prep time, so I won't ramble on for too long either. Enjoy, everyone!

Rotini With Sun-dried Tomato Pesto

Ingredients:

1 lb whole-wheat rotini pasta, cooked according to package instructions until al dente.

2 ripe avocados, diced

1 cup artichoke hearts, steamed until tender

For pesto sauce:

1 cup sun-dried tomatoes with about 2 tbsp or more of the oil they were packed in. (If not using tomatoes packed in oil, you can just add about 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil)

1 habanero pepper, deseeded (this is a screaming-hot pepper, so use less if you are not into too-spicy food)

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted

1 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves, minced

Juice of 1 lime

Salt to taste

Place all the ingredients in a food processor and give them a spin until they break down into a paste. Drizzle in some more oil if too dry.

Toss the cooked rotini with the pesto sauce and the vegetables. I had avocados and artichoke hearts on hand but roasted red peppers, zuccini squash or asparagus spears would all work great in this.

Enjoy!

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I also wanted to share news of the Yummyblog award that four fellow bloggers, Uma, Sunshinemom, Shubha and Pearlsofeast, have chosen to share with me. The fact that each of these lovely ladies is a wonderful cook really sweetens the pot.

The award is meant for blogs with some of the most delicious recipes and photos, and I am also required to pass it on to four bloggers.

That decision was easy. I am going to return the compliment:

Uma, Sunshinemom, Shubha and Pearlsofeast: congratulations, ladies, and I cannot think of anyone who deserves this award better than the four of you! And I do mean it, because I cannot wait each day to see what tasty creation each of you will come up with. And although we've so far only communicated in the nebulousness of the blogosphere, I feel like each one of you is a good, good friend!

The award also requires me to list my four most favorite desserts. Although I would describe my sweet tooth as only middling, I won't deny that anything remotely delicious-- salty, spicy or sweet-- doesn't usually last long around me. Before I went vegan, I loved gulab jamoons, but I haven't found a way to veganize those yet. Until then, here goes:

Aamras (with almond milk, of course)

Jalebis

Kaju Katli

Apple Pie

Happy eating, everyone!