Deal of the Day - Classic Hummus

I like Deals of the Day that say what they mean, like Mediterranean Kitchen's Classic Hummus. That's it, just chick peas, tahini and a little water and oil, with a minimal amount of preservative.

It doesn't take much to make a cheap and delicious Middle Eastern snack dip. This vegetarian Hummus has been stocked in my local 99c only Store and Dollar Tree lately. Just go the the refrigerated glass case to find it. Usually my wife prefers the hummus at Trader Joe's, but this is a tasty change of pace. But for half the price I can recommend this Hummius.

(And click on the following recipe names to see a couple of my cheap$kate homemade Hummus recipes: a Plain Hummus and Eggplant Hummus.)

At only 7.5 ounces, it's easy to finish off half a container. I usually like to slice pita into small triangles to dip with, but if I have crunch veggies around, like carrot, then I'll mix it up. I can easily finish up what's left in a box of crackers with Hummus.

The Hummus texture is creamy. And the taste is bean and buttery with a touch of sourness. It's a decent version of a classic Hummus.

There's an expiration date for this Hummus, but that's no problem as the dip never last more than a couple of days, once it's opened..

If you are particular about your Hummus, this may underwhelm, but for the price and overall flavor, it think it's a good Deal of the Day worth a strong 7, based on my rating scale of 1 to 9, 9 being best.

I can recommend Mediterranean Kitchen's Classic Hummus to set out for yourself, or any guests.

Chicken, Chickpea & Kale Curry

I like curries of all stripes, and this one is of the unusual type. I combine canned chickpeas (or garbonzo beans) with sauteed kale and browned chicken, in a broth of India spices. It's a heady mix, but cooked together it makes nutritious and satisfying entree.

My curry broth is just flavored with ground cumin, chopped garlic and ginger. I used water with a chicken bouillon cube, but for a richer broth use a small can of coconut milk.

Unlike spinach, kale holds up well to slow cooking, so you can add it right away and allow it to obsorb flavors. My local Latin market is stocking kale for cheap prices, so I'm learning how to use it, both raw and cooked. And chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, are found cheaply almost anywhere.

Like the kale I get cheap chicken now at the same Latin grocery store. This recipe is perfect for cheaper cuts of poultry. Just lightly brown one side and start adding the other ingredients to dislodge the flavorful charred chicken bits.
 

My Chicken, Chickpea & Kale Curry is a one-pot meal that is better reheated the next day. Make sure to cook some rice, pasta or favorite grain to sop up the pungent flavorful curry broth.

Ingredients
4 pieces of chicken - I used thigh and leg meat. You can use any favorite combination.
1 bunch of Kale
15 ounce can of chickpeas - or garbanzo beans, drained.
1 whole onion - yellow or white, chopped.
1 teaspoon garlic - chopped fresh or from jar.
1 teaspoon ginger - optional. Chopped fresh or from jar. Okay to use powdered ginger.
1 tablespoon of ground cumin or curry powder - curry powder is more intense, but ground cumin is close enough and easier to find.
1 1/2 cup water or favorite broth
1 teaspoon cooking oil
Salt and pepper to taste
*For extra richness add a small can of coconut milk or cream. No water is needed.

Directions
Add oil to a medium hot pan. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Brown chicken on one side, about 5 - 10 minutes. You don't need to cook the chicken all the way through - you will finish cooking it later. Remove chicken and set aside.

While meat is browning you can chop the onion, garlic and ginger. Wash kale and remove the largest stems - roughly chop kale.

Add chopped onion and saute until it's soft and starting to turn light brown, about 5 minutes.

Sprinkle on cumin or curry powder. Saute it with the onions for a minute. Add ginger and garlic. Saute for another minute.

Add a handful of chopped kale at a time to the onions and spices. The kale will cook down quickly. It only takes a couple of minutes. Keep adding handfuls of kale until all of it fits in the pan. Should take about 5-10 minutes total.

Finally add a favorite broth or just plain water (or a can of coconut milk/cream.) Simplest broth is to add a chicken bullion cube to water. It will dissolve in the water as you break it apart. Bring broth with chicken, chickpeas and kale to a boil, reduce heat and low simmer.

Cook uncovered about 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked all the way. Turn the chicken over, half way through the simmering process. To check for doneness, just slice into the thickest part of chicken and make sure there is no red color or pink juices.

Serve it with rice, a favorite cooked grain, or pasta. You want something that will soak up the flavorful sauce.

Chickpea (Garbanzo Bean) & Sweet Red Pepper Salad

I noticed this salad at my local Italian deli. I didn't buy any, but just looking closely, it was easy enough to figure out. This bean salad is quick to make -- no cooking involved. All you need is a can opener and a good grip to twist open a jar of pickled sweet red peppers.

My Chickpea & Sweet Red Pepper Salad would go well with any favorite sandwich. You could also spoon it over a leafy salad to add more heft. And, of course, it's just plain good on it's own.

I like canned chickpeas, or garbanzo beans (they're the same thing.) chickpeas are cheap, and lighter in flavor than other beans.

I often find jars of pickled veggies in my local 99c only Stores. I used sweet red peppers, but you could substitute (or add) any favorite pickled veggie you find on sale.

I also use red onion and a little garlic for this recipe. And I finish it up with some vinegar and olive oil. There's not much too it, but it's sure is tasty. I like the tender chick peas and sweet peppers with the added crunch of chopped red onion - an excellent flavor combination.

And if you are looking for an easy pot luck dish to take along, then bring my Chickpea (Garbanzo Bean) & Sweet Red Pepper Salad. It's also travels well to your next picnic or neighborhood party. Be sure to make plenty - it's even better the next day, once the flavors have melded.

Ingredients (4-6 servings)

• 2 cans chickpeas or garbanzo beans - drained. Each can was about 15 ounces. Close to 4 cups total.
• 1 cup sweet red bell peppers - I used half a 12 ounce jar of vinegar marinated sweet peppers. Okay to use more or less to taste.
• 1/2 red onion - okay to use any cheap onion.
• 1 teaspoon of chopped garlic - fresh or from jar.
• 2 tablespoons of vinegar or marinade - I used the vinegar marinade from the sweet pepper jar. You substitute with fresh vinegar. Use any type: white, apple or rice vinegar. Okay to use less, to taste.
• 2 teaspoons of a favorite oil - I used olive oil. Again you can add more or less, to taste.
• Salt and pepper to taste - I only added a little black pepper, as canned and pickled ingredients have plent of salt for me.

Directions
Drain cans of chickpeas. Sometimes the liquid drains easily, but I've had cans were the liquid is like gravy, so you need to empty the can and rinse off the peas. Add them to a large bowl.

Add a teaspoon of chopped garlic, fresh or from the jar.

My jar of sweet red peppers sliced into strips, so I just cut the strips into smaller pieces. Some sweet peppers come in large halves, so you may need to do a little more chopping; but since the peppers are cooked and tender, that's easy enough to do.

Chop half an onion. I used a red onion for color and they are sweeter, but you can use any cheap white or yellow onion. I do a fairly fine chop. Add onion to peas, garlic and peppers.

Finally add a favorite oil and vinegar (or pepper marinade.) Mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste, if needed.

Hindsight
I used 2 cans of chickpeas for this recipe but it's easy enough to halve and just use one can. And, of course, reduce the other ingredients by half.

If sweet red peppers are not on sale, it's okay to use almost any cheaply priced pickled veggies, like: mushrooms, olives, cauliflower, artichoke hearts, or a medley veggie mixture.

If you have any fresh herbs, then add a chopped teaspoonful.

My Chickpea & Sweet Red Pepper mixture is a tasty side dish, but can also add some of this protein to a leafy green salad.

Chickpea Salad with Chorizo

I get recipes from everywhere - from websites to newsprint - but I never duplicate them word-for-word. Mainly, that's because a lot of recipes rely on expensive ingredients (which I must change,) or the list is so long that I have to take a machete to it! But, I've managed to pull a rabbit out of the pan more times than not. It's easy to substitute cheaper chicken for costly bovine, or peanuts for pine nuts. However, every once in a while I manage to find all the ingredients in a recipe for the right price.

I always look forward to the food section that's published every Thursday in our local newspaper, the Los Angeles Times. I've also gotten my share of recipe ideas from the Times' food blog Daily Dish (click here.) They generously encourage their readers to try out the published recipes. In the first week of January they highlighted the 10 Best Recipes of 2011 (for all the recipes, click here.)

One entree really caught my eye: Chickpea Salad with Chorizo, which uses Spanish Chorizo. This chorizo is a cured meat, somewhat  like prosciutto and salami. (But very different from easier-to-get Mexican Chorizo, which I've used for several recipes, like here.) I picked up a few packages of thin-sliced Chorizo at my local 99c only Store. For this entree, the chorizo comes straight from the package - just roughly chop and mix with veggies for a Spanish-style tapas. (A tasty cheap substitution would be easy-to-find salami.)

It's a luscious dish made with budget priced chickpeas (or garbanzo beans,) black olives, cherry tomatoes, parsley, green onion, and garlic; in a tart dressing of lemon juice and olive oil. Of course, I couldn't help changing the recipe a little bit -- you should feel free to do so as well (original recipe is here.) I doubled up on the amount of black olives and tomato. I served the recipe during an impromptu viewing party for the Golden Globes earlier this month, and it was a hit -- eaten up even before Ricky Gervais' opening monologue was through!

So, props to the Los Angeles Times food section for serving up another hit recipe -- and I get to bask in all the glory! You will too, if you give the chintziest of chef's latest recipe a try, literally ripped off the pages of my great daily big city newspaper.

Ingredients (about 2 servings)

• 1 can chickpeas (or garbanzo beans) - 15 ounce can drained.
• 1/2 package of chorizo - about 1.5 ounces. I used 1/2 package of Hormel brand Chorizo that was thin sliced. A tasty substitution is salami, or your favorite cured meat. Chopped or sliced.
• 1/4 bell pepper - L.A. Times recipe used red bell pepper. I used orange, but any color is fine.
• Handful of parsley - chopped, about 2 tablespoons. Optional. I have an herb garden so it's free!
• 2 green onions - chopped. Original recipe called for one -- not enough for me.
• 8-12 cherry tomatoes - slice tomatoes in half. Okay to use a regular medium tomato, chopped.
• 16 black olives - drained from a can. Original recipe called for 12, but I wanted more.
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic - fresh or from jar.

Chickpea Marinade

• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice - fresh or from a bottle. Okay to substitute with vinegar (any type.)

Directions
Drain chickpeas and lightly rinse. In a bowl, add chickpeas, olive oil and lemon juice (or vinegar.) Mix well and allow to marinate for a few hours, or overnight. (To be honest, I made this for a Golden Globes viewing party and just mixed everything together at once, then served it a half hour later -- it disappeared in a flash.)

Slice cherry tomatoes in half. Roughly chop the parsley and garlic (if garlic is fresh.) Slice the green onions. For the olives, slice depending on size - I left half of them whole and sliced the rest.

Real Spanish Chorizo comes as a link about the size of a jumbo hot dog wiener. The chorizo I found for 99.99 cents was thin sliced and quite large in diameter, so I just roughly shredded the slices into bite sizes. If you use hard salami (or a favorite cured meat,) then slice or chop into bite sizes.

Finally just add the marinated chickpeas (including the marinade) in a large bowl with all the other chopped and sliced veggies. Mix well. It's ready to serve at either room temperature or chilled. Store any leftovers (not likely) covered in the refrigerator.

Red Potato Salad with Chickpeas

I have to thank my neighbor Lori for the addition of chickpeas to a classic potato salad. I went over the other night to use their fax machine and caught her preparing dinner. While I sat at the kitchen bar drinking her husband Bob's Guinness beer (as he hooked up the phone line), I saw her dump a can of chickpeas into her mayo-based potato salad. She noticed my stare and offered a sample. It was great! She said chickpeas (or garbanzo beans) add a nice crunchy texture to typical soft fare. I couldn't agree more, and what a tasty chintzy addition - you know how I like to use 99 cent (or less) cans of garbanzo beans!

I like red, white or yellow potatoes -- they are firm and hold together better than russet potatoes. This recipe is mayo based, but you can add chickpeas to a German-style mustard, oil and vinegar dressed salad, as well. If you have a family potato salad recipe, by all means use it, just drain a 15 oz. can of chickpeas and add them -- you'll get an extra serving or two!

 
Ingredients (serves 4)

• 4 - 6 red, white or yellow potatoes - I like the skin on, but you can peel.
• 1 15 oz. can of chickpeas (or garbanzo beans)
• 2 boiled eggs.
• 1/4 finely chopped onion
• 1/2 stalk of celery - optional, but chopped finely it adds more crunch.
• 2 - 4 heaping tablespoons mayo - add a little at a time and stop at desired creaminess. Okay to use vegan mayo.
• Salt & pepper to taste.
• Water for boiling potatoes and eggs.

Directions
Submerge potatoes in a pot of water and low boil for about 20 minutes. Potatoes are done when pierced easily with a fork. Set aside to cool enough to handle. Boil eggs in small pot water for about 10 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool.

 
Finely chop celery, onion and peeled boiled eggs. Add to a large bowl. Roughly chop potatoes, and add them to the same bowl. Drain 15 oz. can of chickpeas, then add. Season with salt and pepper (I add an inordinate amount of crushed pepper in mine). Scoop in mayo a tablespoon at a time, mixing lightly until desired creaminess is reached.

 
If you have a favorite family potato salad recipe, try adding a drained can of chickpeas.

Jacaranda In Bloom & Eggplant Hummus - Video

Emblematic to LA is its grand boulevards lined with palm trees. This month a purple upstart enters the scene -- the blossoming Jacaranda Tree. Stand under its branches at full bloom and the perfume is overwhelming.

May is the month that launches millions of blossoms carpeting large swaths of sidewalk; drive along 6th Street near LACMA and it's blue for blocks. 

To keep the purple theme going I add cooked purple eggplant to a Hummus recipe. I have found roasted eggplant in oil at my local 99c only Store.

But you can roast or saute a fresh eggplant, too. Just click here to see how I do it.

Click on any photo to see larger.

My Hummus recipe is made with easy to get ingredients. I use sesame seeds instead of hard to find tahini, which is similar to peanut butter, just blander.

And cans of cooked garbanzo beans are cheap at any grocery store. Also add a little lemon juice, ground cumin, and olive oil.

It all comes together easily in a blender or food processor, just blend until creamy.

I like to serve Eggplant Hummus with triangles of pita bread. You can use a favorite cracker or fresh chopped veggies like celery, broccoli or carrot.

Eggplant Hummus & Jacaranda Blossoms - Video
 
Play it here. The video runs 2 minutes, 24 seconds.

To view or embed video from youtube click here.

Ingredients

• 1 small jar marinated grilled eggplant - Okay to use fresh baked or sauteed eggplant.
• 1 can garbanzo beans - 16 ounces, drained.
• 3 tablespoons sesame seeds - or 2 tablespoons of tahini.
• 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic - fresh or from jar.
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice - fresh or concentrate from a 99 cent plastic lemon.
• Pita bread slices - or favorite sliced raw veggies.

Directions
Drain can of garbanzo beans.

Add all ingredients (including oil from marinated eggplant) to blender or food processor and blend for 20 to 30 seconds until hummus is creamy.

Serve with sliced pita bread triangles and/or fresh chopped veggies (carrots, celery, red/yellow bell pepper, etc.) 99c only Stores also sell roasted red bell pepper in a jar, so try that sometime instead of eggplant.

If your local 99 cent or dollar store is out of bottled roasted veggies make a plain one with the above-mentioned ingredients and the addition of a 1/4 cup of 99 cent olive oil blend.

Hindsight
I use sesame seeds in this Hummus recipe. Usually, a paste called tahini is used, if you can find it then use it - about a tablespoon or two. Tahani tastes like bland peanut butter, so if you can't find sesame seeds or tahini then add a teaspoon of peanut butter.

I also have a recipe for Baba Gnoush that uses roasted eggplant. Just click here if you want to use fresh roasted eggplant, or if you can't find cheap marinated eggplant in oil. One eggplant should be plenty for this recipe. Eggplants are sometimes sold large-sized, but they shrink a lot when baked or sauteed.