Mr. Bean

photo by pwisenberg

Allow me to introduce you to Mr. Bean, he makes for a delicious dip. I made this last night as the perfect accompaniment to cold beers and a rousing game of Napoleon (think euchre, but with more rules). It is ridiculously easy to make, my only complaint being that there wasn't enough of it...

Spicy black bean dip
Serves 4

1 can black beans, drained (rinse 1/4 of the beans and set aside for later)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp jarred jalapenos
1 tsp juice from the jalapeno jar
1/2 clove garlic
1/2 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped

In a food processor, add 3/4 of the beans, oil, 1 tbsp of the jalapenos, jalapeno juice, garlic, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste. Pulse until well-blended, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl and top with the remaining beans, jalapenos and fresh tomatoes. Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy!

Wrap it up

photos by me

I woke up today all excited to make homemade hummus but, to my disappointment, we were all out chickpeas. What's a girl to do, you ask? Use lentils of course! I included all of the standard hummus ingredients but spiced it up by roasting a whole head of garlic first and substituting the chickpeas for some adorable little lentils- it turned out to be very tasty! It's great as a dip for fresh veggies or crackers but also works well in wraps. I decided to quickly roast some asparagus, peppers and mushrooms and wrap them all up with the lentil spread along with some fresh tomatoes and arugula. Healthy and yummy- a perfect anytime meal for any day of the week!

Homemade lentil and roasted garlic dip/spread
Makes about 2 cups

1 can lentils, drained not rinsed
1/4 cup tahini
1 whole head garlic, roasted
juice of one small lemon (about 1/2 cup)
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Slice the top off the head of garlic so the cloves are exposed. Drizzle them with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap in tinfoil and bake for about 45 minutes until soft and golden brown. Once the garlic has cooled, squeeze the roasted cloves out of the skin and add, along with the rest of the ingredients, to a food processor. Combine on low until smooth, about 3 minutes. Enjoy with just about anything!

Roasted vegetable wrap with garlicky lentil spread
Makes 2 wraps

2 large whole grain tortillas
1/2 bunch asparagus, trimmed
1/2 yellow bell pepper, sliced lengthwise
1 cup button mushrooms, halved
olive oil for coating
salt and pepper to taste
lemon wedge
1/2 cup tightly packed arugula
1/2 cup fresh tomatoes, chopped
4 tbsp garlicky lentil spread

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toss asparagus, peppers and mushrooms with olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes, squeeze with fresh lemon juice and set aside to cool slightly. Meanwhile, spread 1/2 the lentil mixture in the middle of each tortilla, leaving a one inch border. Add 1/2 the roasted vegetables, 1/2 the tomatoes and 1/2 the arugula to each. Wrap them tightly, tucking in the ends as you roll. Slice in half and serve warm or cool. Delish.

Have a sunny Tuesday everyone!