The Color Purple - Recipes & The Jacaranda Tree

Emblematic of L.A. 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. 

Purple is a mix of the colors blue and red. I have a few recipes using Purple Onion, also called Red Onion. It leans to the red side of purple.

I first had Yuca & Mojo Sauce with Purple Onion at a local Cuban Restaurant. Yuca or Cassava is similar to a potato. My version of Mojo Sauce is a sweet and sour accompaniment.

When I make a Bagel, Cream Cheese, Onion, with Tomato, the raw onion of choice is, of course, purple. Purple Onion is peppery in flavor with a sweet aftertaste. 

When I make Mexican-style fresh fruit Salsas, I splurge with Purple Onion, as it is usually more expensive than yellow or white onion. Anytime I arrive at a potluck, they are always a hit and disappear in no time. Click on any of the recipe names to be directed to my recipes of Mango Salsa, Peach Salsa, Pineapple Salsa, and Kiwi Salsa. If I had to pick a favorite, it would be Mango Salsa.

I first purchased Purple Cauliflower only a few years ago from the late, great 99c Only Store.

It tastes the same as typical white Cauliflower. I made a simple Vegan Cauliflower Soup with Almond Milk. Check out the video below.

An Eggplant is the deepest, darkest purple. I added some to a Hummus recipe. I used to find roasted eggplant in oil at my local 99c only Store.

But you can roast or sauté a fresh eggplant, too. Just click here to see how I do it. Leave on the purple skin to add color.

My Sister, Denise, visited this cheap$kate brother and showed me her purplish Eggplant Veggie Burger Recipe.

Of course, we started with an ingredient shopping spree at my local 99c only Store. Click here to check out her recipe details.

For a soothing and creamy vegan dip, go with my version of Baba Ganoush. Of course, it's made with purple Eggplant. Get out the gluten-free, organic, multi-grain, low-sodium crackers for this one.

Eggplant Parmesan is a cheesy mess of deliciousness. I coat slices of eggplant in breadcrumbs and bake it with tomato sauce and cheese. My cheap$kate riff on an Italian Classic dish is here.

My Stuffed Eggplant recipe will float your boat. It's a purple shell loaded with ground meat, sautéed veggies, and, of course, cheese.  More yummy photos and tasty text are here.

My Purple Hummus recipe is made with easy-to-get ingredients, including canned garbanzo beans, lemon juice, olive oil, and ground cumin. 

I use sesame seeds instead of hard-to-find tahini, which is similar to peanut butter, just blander. If you can't find sesame seeds or tahini, it's okay to use a tablespoon of creamy peanut butter.

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 carrots.

So watch my meditative recipe video below. To get things started, I give you a tour of some favorite jacaranda trees and blossom sightings in Los Angeles, then the recipe follows.

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 sautéed eggplant.
• 1 can garbanzo beans - 16 ounces, drained.
• 3 tablespoons sesame seeds - or 2 tablespoons of tahini. Okay to substitute with 1 tablespoon of creamy peanut butter.
• 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic - fresh or from the jar.
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice - fresh or concentrated from a 99-cent plastic lemon.
• Pita bread slices - or your favorite sliced raw veggies.

Directions
Drain a can of garbanzo beans.

Add all ingredients (including oil from marinated eggplant) to a 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 the 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. Tahini 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 Ganoush 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 sautéed. Below are Japanese Eggplants, which are smaller than a regular Eggplant.

The Color Purple - Recipes & The Jacaranda Tree

 Emblematic of L.A. 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. 

Purple is a mix of the colors blue and red. I have a few recipes using Purple Onion, also called Red Onion. It leans to the red side of purple.

I first had Yuca & Mojo Sauce with Purple Onion at a local Cuban Restaurant. Yuca or Cassava is similar to a potato. My version of Mojo Sauce is a sweet and sour accompaniment.

When I make a Bagel, Cream Cheese, Onion, with Tomato, the raw onion of choice is, of course, purple. Purple Onion is peppery in flavor with a sweet aftertaste. 

When I make Mexican-style fresh fruit Salsas, I splurge with Purple Onion, as it is usually more expensive than yellow or white onion. Anytime I arrive at a potluck, they are always a hit and disappear in no time. Click on any of the recipe names to be directed to my recipes of Mango Salsa, Peach Salsa, Pineapple Salsa, and Kiwi Salsa. If I had to pick a favorite, it would be Mango Salsa.

I first purchased Purple Cauliflower only a few years ago from the late, great 99c Only Store.

It tastes the same as typical white Cauliflower. I made a simple Vegan Cauliflower Soup with Almond Milk. Check out the video below.

An Eggplant is the deepest, darkest purple. I added some to a Hummus recipe. I used to find roasted eggplant in oil at my local 99c only Store.

But you can roast or sauté a fresh eggplant, too. Just click here to see how I do it. Leave on the purple skin to add color.

My Sister, Denise, visited this cheap$kate brother and showed me her purplish Eggplant Veggie Burger Recipe.

Of course, we started with an ingredient shopping spree at my local 99c only Store. Click here to check out her recipe details.

For a soothing and creamy vegan dip, go with my version of Baba Ganoush. Of course, it's made with purple Eggplant. Get out the gluten-free, organic, multi-grain, low-sodium crackers for this one.

Eggplant Parmesan is a cheesy mess of deliciousness. I coat slices of eggplant in breadcrumbs and bake it with tomato sauce and cheese. My cheap$kate riff on an Italian Classic dish is here.

My Stuffed Eggplant recipe will float your boat. It's a purple shell loaded with ground meat, sautéed veggies, and, of course, cheese.  More yummy photos and tasty text are here.

My Purple Hummus recipe is made with easy-to-get ingredients, including canned garbanzo beans, lemon juice, olive oil, and ground cumin. 

I use sesame seeds instead of hard-to-find tahini, which is similar to peanut butter, just blander. If you can't find sesame seeds or tahini, it's okay to use a tablespoon of creamy peanut butter.

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 carrots.

So watch my meditative recipe video below. To get things started, I give you a tour of some favorite jacaranda trees and blossom sightings in Los Angeles, then the recipe follows.

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 sautéed eggplant.
• 1 can garbanzo beans - 16 ounces, drained.
• 3 tablespoons sesame seeds - or 2 tablespoons of tahini. Okay to substitute with 1 tablespoon of creamy peanut butter.
• 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic - fresh or from the jar.
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice - fresh or concentrated from a 99-cent plastic lemon.
• Pita bread slices - or your favorite sliced raw veggies.

Directions
Drain a can of garbanzo beans.

Add all ingredients (including oil from marinated eggplant) to a 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 the 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. Tahini 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 Ganoush 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 sautéed. Below are Japanese Eggplants, which are smaller than a regular Eggplant.

Chilaquiles & Eggs - Tortilla Chips, Salsa, Cheese, and Eggs

My latest recipe is one pungent breakfast.  If you like salsa with your eggs, then this recipe might be for you, and if you have leftover tortilla chips lying around (I seldom finish a bag in one or two sittings), then fry some eggs and mix it all together for a classic Mexican breakfast of Chilaquiles & Eggs.

My version uses a green salsa called Salsa Verde, which is a combination of tomatillos (green tomatoes) and green chiles. Another version is made with Salsa Roja, a red salsa that is a combination of red tomatoes and red chiles. These salsas go by a few names, but basically look for a combination of tomatillos (green tomatoes) plus green chiles, or tomatoes plus red chiles.

Both types of salsa can be found in small cans or jars in the Latin or International section of large grocery supermarkets. Actually, any favorite or easy-to-get salsa will do, whether green or red.

The other main ingredients are Cojita Cheese and Tortilla Chips. Plain Tortilla Chips are best, as there are many over-the-top flavors around these days. If you want to experiment with flavored tortilla chips then go for it.

Cotija Cheese is similar to Feta Cheese (a good substitute). It's not as tart as Feta, but the texture and color are almost the same. Of course, you can use any favorite cheese you have on hand or a dollop of sour cream.

       Click on any photo to see larger.

Eggs have increased in price since the devastating Bird Flu. You can make this recipe with one or two eggs.

The basic recipe is to heat the salsa in a frying pan and then mix in the tortilla chips. While salsa and chips are heating, fry a couple of eggs over-easy or sunny-side up. Finally, combine it all with a favorite cheese. To keep it authentic, use crumbly Mexican cheeses called Cotija or Queso Fresco.

For a Mexican-style breakfast, I make Huevos Rancheros the most, but when you leave out the bean you have delicious Chilaquiles & Eggs that are just as good.

Chilaquiles & Eggs - VIDEO

Play it here, video runs 2 minutes, 37 seconds.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

Ingredients

• 1 or 2 Eggs - Fried eggs or Over-easy eggs.
• Tortilla Chips - about 12 Tortilla Chips or a handful.
• Cotija Cheese or Queso Fresco - add as much as you like. Use Mexican cheese that is semi-soft and crumbly, similar to Feta Cheese. Okay to use any favorite cheese or sour cream.
• Salsa Verde - A green Salsa made with tomatillos (smaller than green tomatoes) and chile peppers. Okay to use any favorite Salsa. Salsa Roja is a red salsa also used in Chilaquiles & Eggs.
• Oil - 1 teaspoon for frying an egg or two.
• Salt and Pepper - for eggs.

Directions

Add Salsa Verde to a medium heated pan. Cook until simmering for a minute, then add tortilla chips.

Coat tortilla chips with Salsa Verde, turning tortilla chips a few times. Heat Salsa Verde with tortilla chips for a couple of minutes until hot. 

Keep warm while frying an egg or two. Fry the egg any way you like.

Assemble Chilaquiles and Eggs. Add tortilla chips and Salsa Verde to a plate. Crumble on Mexican Cotija cheese. 

Finally, top with a Fried Egg or two. Could you scramble the egg? Sure, why not?