Friday 27 March 2015

Healthy Snacks: Stepaniak's Black Bean Hummus Stuffed Baby Bell Peppers (vegan&gluten-free)

Rocket & Roses Kitchen Play List:

Melissa Etheridge ~ Sympathy
Joss Stone ~ I've Fallen In Love With You
Norah Jones ~ One Flight Down
Natalie Clein ~ Schbert:Arpeggione Sonata in A Minor
Amy Le Vere ~ Washing Machine
Sandi Thom ~ Time
KORN & Amy Lee ~ Freak On A Leash (Live)
Foo Fighters ~ Friend Of A Friend
Robert Palmer ~ I Didn't Mean To Turn You On
The Cult ~ Lil' Devil
Rob Thomas ~ Lonely No More
Beth Hart ~ Stay
HAIM ~ If I Could Change Your Mind
Thunder ~ Like A Satellite

We recently had a small celebration here at Rocket & Roses HQ.  We shared the celebration with our closest family and friends and it was a lovely afternoon/evening affair. We offered a table filled with vegan fare (and a few bits for ML and the other non-vegans..you know, those strange folk!..) Ahem...I was very happy to see the little ones tucking into the food and the vegan lemon and raspberry jelly shot glasses were a huge hit. A foodie moment of happiness for me was sitting with my brother G as he sampled everything from the table. He asked questions about the ingredients without being offensive like we all know some folks can be, eh? One of the offerings on the table was a trio of hummus served with a large tray of freshly chopped veggies and a jug of breadsticks. I served today's hummus recipe along side a Hummus bi Tahini and a White Bean Hummus that had a lot of freshly chopped coriander/cilantro in it. G really enjoyed the Black Bean Hummus and went back for a couple of servings. I was one seriously happy sis. So where did I get these three great recipes from....

Vegan Deli by Joanne Stepaniak is where. I have a deep affection for this cookbook and the recipes found between its covers. I have made almost all that is on offer and have never had one that was a dud. Well ok maybe one...Red Pepper Lox which ML devoured and gave a scoring of 11/10.  I couldn't get along with the oiliness of the skinned pieces of roasted peppers...but that is purely a personal preference issue and no fault of Ms. Stepaniak's recipe. Whenever I am hosting a party of any kind, Vegan Deli is always one of the first cookbooks I pull from my shelves. The list of chapters is extensive and have everything you would hope to find in your dream vegan deli...and they are almost all easy to make for yourself. If you are a dedicated vegan foodie...treat yourself and buy a copy of this book for your collection. 

There are a few reasons I love this hummus recipe. The first...it's black beans and I crave black beans. I like them for how versatile they are as an ingredient and for the health benefits from eating them. I like that it has substantially less fat than regular hummus as it has only 2 tbsp tahini and no other added fats. I also enjoy the depth of flavours from the Braggs (or soy sauce if you can have that) to the ground spices and then you get the final hit of flavour from the balsamic vinegar. It's flavours are intense and wholesome. 

I recently picked up a rather large bag of baby bell peppers from the supermarket and yesterday I cleaned them, removed the seeds and membrane and then smeared some of this hummus into the prepared halves. The deeply flavoured hummus combined with the crispy, crunchy freshness of the baby bell peppers were a perfect combination and made for a great mid-afternoon snack. It felt almost luxurious...

Healthy & Delicious Snacks: Stepaniak's Black Bean Hummus Stuffed Baby Bell Pepper

Stepaniak's Black Bean Hummus   Makes 1 1/2 cups
(Recipe from Vegan Deli/Stepaniak)

1 2/3 cup drained cooked black beans
2 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp Braggs (or soy sauce)
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp crushed garlic
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground ginger
large pinch of cayenne pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a food processor fitted with a metal blade, and blend into a smooth paste. 

Stuff into the prepped baby bell pepper shells and serve.

Enjoy the munching...

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your weekend is a great one...

~Red~ 

NB: This is not my recipe and therefore I take no credit for it. It is the hard work and creation of Joanne Stepaniak and I thank her for sharing such great recipes. ~R~