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Tag: moroccan

  • Moroccan Roasted Carrot Hummus

    Moroccan Roasted Carrot Hummus

    One of my favorite things to make at work (in a health food store deli) is hummus.  It is not my usual job, I am the one who makes salads, vegan soups and vegan hot bar, but when I have all of my stuff done, and they need help making hummus, I always volunteer.  We make really good hummus, red pepper and regular, and of course, we always have to taste test it to make sure it is fit for the customers.  Which is why I love to make it.  It has plenty of lemon juice, sea salt, and a little bit of a kick, which is the way I love it, and the way I usually make it at home.  A few days back my coworker was making it and I said to myself, you know what sounds good for dinner?  Hummus with a big plate of veggies.  So, that is exactly what I made when I got home.  I decided to make a new flavor of hummus though, because I like to keep it interesting.  Raw Guru had recently sent me some Dastony Sesame Tahini so, it was the perfect time to make hummus!  Their tahini is super smooth and creamy, not bitter like tahini sometimes is.  So, it made for some rich and delicious hummus!

    I decided to make a Moroccan roasted carrot hummus, because I was in the mood for something with plenty of spices and I had carrots on hand.  When deciding what to make, I almost always try to just use what I have on hand at home already.  This way I never waste food, and I save money which is a win all around.  I roasted the carrots until they were tender in the oven, bringing out their sweet flavor, and then combined them with cooked chickpeas for the bulk of the hummus.  I always have cooked chickpeas on hand for things like this, because I cook up a big batch, then freeze them in portions so that they are ready to use. It is more cost effective than using canned, plus I think they taste a little better.  I added  the smooth Dastony Sesame Tahini to the hummus, and it was so silky smooth!  All it needed were the aromatic spices.   I chose garlic, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, coriander and turmeric.  Also some cayenne for heat.  It smelled sooo good!

    I could not wait for dinner!  I just had to cut up all of my veggies.  It didn’t take long because I am a veggie chopping expert, and I was hungry for that hummus!  The flavor was delicious!  A little sweet from the carrots, and the blend of aromatic spices a bit warming with that rich tahini texture…it was sooo good!  I ate the whole plate of veggies and hummus.  This is one of my favorite Summer meals, and I always have to make it a few times.  But if I am not ambitious about cutting that many veggies, the hummus just makes the perfect afternoon snack with some cucumber slices after work.  I hope you are all having a fabulous Summer so far, if you are a hummus fan like me, give this one a try!

    Moroccan Roasted Carrot Hummus
    Makes about 2 1/2 cups

    Ingredients:

    • 2 large organic carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
    • olive oil
    • 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
    • 1/2 cup Dastony Sesame Tahini
    • juice of 2 large lemons (1/4 cup)
    • 1 garlic clove, minced
    • 1/2 tsp Raw Guru Himalayan salt or sea salt (or to taste)
    • 2 tsp ground cumin
    • 1 Tbsp smoked paprika
    • 1/8 tsp cayenne (or more if you like spicy)
    • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp coriander seed
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • filtered water as needed

     

    1. To roast the carrots, preheat the oven to 400F degrees.
    2. Toss the carrots with just enough olive oil to lightly coat them, and spread out on an oiled sheet pan.  Place in the oven and roast until the carrots are tender, about 30-40 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool.
    3. Place the carrots in a high speed blender or food processor, along with all of the other ingredients, and blend until smooth, adding filtered water as needed to create a smooth consistency.
    4. Enjoy!  Keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

     

  • Vegan Moroccan Lentil Meatballs

    Vegan Moroccan Lentil Meatballs

    vegan moroccan meatballs

    My Mom really enjoys the Moroccan meatballs at a local restaurant (she is not vegan), and she was saying recently that I should make some vegan ones.  I have made her other vegan meat balls in the past, and she actually prefers them to the ones made with meat, so I thought this would be easy, and fun!  It really was pretty simple, and I have a feeling many a meat eater could be won over with the meatballs I made.

    vegan moroccan meatballs 2

    I used a lentil walnut base bound together with oats, and they turned out tender and delicious as they should be.  Not mushy or too tough at all like some plant based meatballs.  I spiced the mixture with Moroccan aromatics like cinnamon, cumin and paprika.  It was good even before I baked it, so I knew these were going to be awesome.  I made a sauce with those same flavored echoed in it.  All together, it was a delicious combination.  I served it with some saffron quinoa, and it was a lovely meal.  My Mom loved it, and said the “meatballs” were even better than the ones at the restaurant.  I love it when I can recreate a vegan dish better then the original!

    vegan moroccan meatballs 3

    Vegan Moroccan Lentil Meatballs

    Serves 4

    Meatballs:

    2/3 cup uncooked French lentils
    filtered water
    1 tsp olive oil
    1 small onion, diced
    2 garlic cloves, minced
    2 Tbsp tamari or shoyu
    1/4 cup organic tomato paste
    1 Tbsp miso paste
    1/4 tsp sea salt
    1/2 tsp ground cumin
    1/4 tsp cinnamon
    1/2 tsp smokey paprika
    2 cups chopped walnuts
    1 cup gluten free rolled oats

    Sauce:

    2 tsp olive oil
    1/4 cup chopped onion
    2 garlic cloves, minced
    1/2 tsp ground cumin
    1/2 tsp cinnamon
    1 tsp smokey paprika
    1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
    1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
    1/2 cup tomato paste
    3/4 cup filtered water
    1/2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
    1 Tbsp maple syrup
    2 Tbsp lemon juice

    chopped parsley or dried parsley for garnish

    To make the meatballs, add the lentils to a pot, and cover them with enough water to have a few inches above the lentils.  Bring to a simmer, and cook for about 40 minutes until the lentils are tender.  Drain, and set aside.

    In a pan, heat the olive oil and onions, and cook until the onions are softened and tender, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and sautee a minute more until fragrant.  Add to a food processor, along with lentils, and all other meatball ingredients.  Pulse until everything is blended but not completely smooth.

    Preheat the oven to 375F degrees.  Roll the meatball mixture into one and a half inch balls, and place them on a lined baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until firm, but still soft in the middle.

    Meanwhile, to make the sauce, heat the oil in a non-stick skillet, and add the onions.  Sautee for about 5 minutes until softened, over medium heat, then add the garlic and spices and cook a minute more.  Add the tomatoes, water, and sea salt, and bring to a simmer.  Cook for about 10-15 minutes until the flavors have combined.

    When the meatballs have finished cooking, toss them with the sauce, and serve garnished with parsley!