Hummus

Of the many challenging questions we’re confronted with at 180 Church, there is one that no one ever seems to have an answer to. You would think we’d get better at it, considering that we face this question daily, but the usual responses are an indifferent “I dunno,” a shrugging of shoulders, or an angry “Don’t ask me!” Not surprisingly, on a late Thursday night after small group, a bunch of us stood on the sidewalk pondering this very question…“What the heck should we eat?” Not only did we stand there for at least a half hour, we changed our minds on the way to the restaurant we decided to go to, parked our cars, walked into that new restaurant, walked out of there in a matter of two minutes, and then proceeded towards our original destination. Such decisive people we are, huh? Eventually, we found ourselves sitting in an East Village joint, Café Mogador. What a charming little place! If you’re craving for some hummus, falafel, grilled lamb, or any other kind of Moroccan/Mediterranean food, this is definitely the place to go. Every person at the table enjoyed their dish, including the hummus that was served with warm, fluffy pita bread. I think we licked that plate clean. For those of you who don’t know what hummus is, it’s basically pureed chickpeas and it’s so incredibly easy to make at home! You can add different ingredients to spice it up however you like-roasted red peppers, roasted garlic, olives, sundried tomatoes…just to name a few- and serve it with pita bread, pita chips, carrots, celery, crackers, or chips. Isn't it such a great, healthy alternative to a party dip or midday snack?

Hummus

Adapted from allrecipes.com

Ingredients

1 (15 oz) can or 2 cups of garbanzo beans, drained

2 Tbsp tahini*

1 Tbsp lemon juice*

1 teaspoon salt

3 cloves garlic, halved*

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon paprika**

1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley

*You can adjust the amount of each ingredient to your preference.

**If you want a little more spice, use cayenne pepper or jalepenos instead.

Directions

1. Place the garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, salt and garlic in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Transfer mixture to a serving bowl.

2. Drizzle olive oil over the garbanzo bean mixture. Sprinkle with paprika and parsley.

Granola winners!

Hi!

Thank you all for your comments. They were very helpful in giving us more ideas!

Our lucky winners were Sarah Kang Kim, Cindy Truong, and Nancy Xu. Enjoy the granola!

Stay tuned for more free giveaways...

Homemade Granola

In honor of all the participants of the League of Macho Men (and Women), 180 Food Network will be sharing recipes that are both delicious AND heart healthy throughout the duration of the competition. I know we all miss the convenience of chicken mcnuggets or junior bacon cheeseburgers, the taste of crispy fried chicken or a fresh baked chocolate chip cookie melting in your mouth…(I’m drooling already). But, how many of us are already feeling more energized, liking the way you’re toning up and shedding those pounds, and maybe most importantly, pooping regularly now without all that fried, artificially flavored, processed stuff in your system? Yea, I thought so. :)

Healthy food doesn’t have to taste bad or be hard to make. Exhibit A- homemade granola. It can be breakfast or a (guiltless) midday snack. When you’re having one of those crazy mornings, you can grab it on the go. When you actually have time to sit down, you can eat it with yogurt, milk, or on its own. The best part of it is that you can easily change the ingredients to your liking- the possibilities are endless!

Homemade granola

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups rolled oats

2 Tbsp honey

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

2 Tbsp granulated white sugar or brown sugar

Pinch of salt

1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

¾ cup craisins or golden raisins

½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

½ cup toasted coconut flakes (optional)

¾ cup dried apricots, chopped (optional)

Procedure:

1. In a small bowl, combine and mix honey, oil, sugar, and salt. Set aside.

2. Heat a large skillet or sauté pan over medium high heat. Add oats to the hot pan and stir constantly until lightly toasted. Pour the oats onto a baking sheet.

3. Using the same pan, add the walnuts and toast, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat.

4. Combine toasted oats and honey mixture in a large bowl. Thoroughly mix with spatula or hands until the oats are coated. Stir in the walnuts and craisins.

5. Pour mixture onto baking sheet and let it cool (the granola will harden as it cools). When cool, transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature.

Also, because we’re nice, because we love you, because we want you to try this amazing granola,we’re giving away 3 jars of granola. Just comment below with questions, requests, or anything that you would like to see (i.e. I love desserts and I can’t live without them. Can you share any healthy dessert recipes? OR Are there any healthier alternatives to X ingredient/food?). Winners will be randomly selected.

UPDATE: 10/17/10 Giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to our winners Sarah, Cindy, and Nancy! Hope you enjoy the granola :)

Strawberry Muffins (with Basil)

Pictures by Ms zing bowl

Post and recipe by: P.Ladle

Inspired by: Strawberries, basil, Nathan, Mud Coffee and Ms. Julie Brunch. 

Strawberry Muffins with Basil. Yup, Basil! 

It's good. So simple, yet so delicious! It's definitely going to be a new favorite around here. 

Ingredients: 

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 cup milk

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1 cup chopped strawberries

(optional)

3 leaves of basil chopped

1tsp lemon zest

Directions: 

• Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F. 
• Oil an 8 cup muffin tin or use paper liners. 
• In small bowl, combine oil, milk and egg. 
• Beat lightly. 
• In a large bowl, mix flour , salt, baking powder and sugar.  
• Toss in chopped strawberries and stir to coat with flour. 
• Add chopped basil and the lemon zest.
• Pour in milk and stir together.
• Fill muffin cups. 
• Bake at 375 degrees F for 25 minutes or until the tops bounce back from the touch. 
• Cool 10 minutes and remove from pans. 

P Ladle's "Dakdoritang": Korean Spicy Chicken Stew

This is a pretty popular dish in our family. My mom used to make this for us when we were younger, and when I got married, I called her up one day and asked her for the recipe, but of course, she didn't really have a set recipe. Everything was a little bit of this, and that and stir and fry this and that, so I did just that. I experimented a lot over the last 7 years and I guess you can say this recipe is my own rendition of the "dakdoritang." It's spicy, sweet, and very very savory. Enjoy~

Ingredients:
 Chicken, a pack of this size.
 2 Potatoes
 1 Small piece of ginger
 4 cloves of garlic
 3 Scallions
 2 Carrots
 2 Onions

For the sauce: 

3 Tbsp Soy Sauce, 

1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil, 

2 Tbsp Sesame oil, 

2 Tbsp Brown Sugar, 

2-3 Tbsp Korean Pepper Flakes, 

2 tsp Black pepper, 

2 tsp Salt, 

2 Tbsp Cooking Wine(mirin)

1/2 cup of water 

1.First, let's make the sauce:

Get all these ingredients into a bowl.

 Mix it together and set aside the sauce.

2. Let's prep the Chicken and the vegetables now.

Chop the potatoes, carrots and onions, and mince the ginger.

Mince the garlic. Ever use one of these? It's really convenient to use.

Chop the scallions.

3. Let's start cooking!

Heat the pot in medium heat, pour some cooking oil, then pour in the chicken, (I've already trimmed any excess fat and skin off and salted and peppered the chicken slightly. 

Don't use too much salt, just about a tsp.)

start browning the outside of the chicken. 

Throw in the minced ginger. 

(Putting ginger in now helps take away any stinky chicken smell out)

Close the pot and let it cook for about 5 minutes in medium heat.

Pour in the vegetables into the pot.

Stir and cook.

Close the pot and let it cook for 5 minutes.

Open the pot and pour the sauce in and stir and coat the chicken and vegetable well.

Cover and let it cook for about 10 minutes or until the chicken is almost cooked.

Open up and pour the water in.

Cook and stir again.

Close the lid and cook for 20 minutes in low-medium heat, stirring occasionally. 

Watch the potatoes and carrots from sticking to the bottom. 

Stewing, Stewing, the flavors all Soaking... 

 Stewing, Stewing, the flavors all Soaking... 

( my little stewing song)

tick tock, tick tock....

 Add in the last ingredient, our scallions.

Stir in together, and turn the heat off. 

You are done!

Scoop yourself a bowl of rice and some kimchee. 

And voila~ 

Your meal is served!

All gone!

Hope you try it. 

Enjoy!

Strawberry Almond Tart

Recipe and Pictures by "Ms. Pie"

Ingredients are:

Crust:

• 36 honey graham crackers (about 9 sheets) Crust
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 4 teaspoons water
• Cooking spray

Filling:

• 2/3 cup light cream cheese
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Topping:

• 6 cups small fresh strawberries, divided
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

Crust:

2.To prepare crust, place crackers in a food processor; process until crumbly.

3.Add 2 tablespoons sugar, butter, and water; pulse just until moist.

4.Place mixture in a 9-inch round removable-bottom tart pan coated with cooking spray, pressing into bottom and up sides of pan to 3/4 inch. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Filling:

5.To prepare filling, combine cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, and extracts in a medium bowl; stir until smooth. Spread mixture evenly over bottom of tart shell.

Topping:

6.To prepare topping, place 2 cups strawberries in food processor; process until pureed.

7.Combine strawberry puree, 2/3 cup sugar, and cornstarch in a small saucepan over medium heat,

stirring with a whisk.

8.Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; cook 1 minute.

Remove glaze from heat, and cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.

9.Combine 4 cups strawberries and juice; toss to coat. Arrange berries, bottoms up, in a circular pattern over filling. Spoon half of glaze evenly over berries (reserve remaining glaze for another use).

Sprinkle nuts around edge. Cover and chill 3 hours.

Voila!

Note: You can use either an 8 x 12-inch rectangular pan or a 9-inch round tart pan. The recipe also works with a 9-inch springform pan and a 10-inch pie plate.

Stuffed Mushrooms- pics and post by P Ladle

On Saturday, I made stuffed mushrooms again using a recipe that a friend of mine shared with me when I was craving them one day on facebook. This is my second time making them, because I loved them so much last time. I went to the store to buy strawberries for my beach picnic with Nathan and Stephanie and saw that mushrooms were on sale for $1.99 a pack. So, I grabbed two packs, and as soon as I got home from the beach, I hurried into the kitchen and made these delightful, delicious treats! Give it a try. It's really simple.

Ingredients:

2 Packs of white button mushrooms

2 tbsp of olive oil or butter

2-3 cloves of garlic

2 small or 1 medium sized onions

pinch of salt

cooking wine or white wine

Directions:

1. Wash well, and pull off the bottoms. Don't discard the bottoms, but set aside to chop.

2. Chop 2 small onions, mushroom bottoms, and 2 cloves of garlic

3. add olive oil, a pinch of salt and sautee them in a non-stick pan

until mostly cooked.

4. In a bowl pour the cooked onions, garlic and mushroom bottoms. Add the bread crumbs with the cooking oil or white wine. Mix well, and begin stuffing the mushroom tops with mixture.

5. Cover them with shredded mozzarella cheese. Place them on a pan into the oven, 350 degrees. Cook 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese turns golden brown.

6. Let cool and pop 'em in your mouth!

Enjoy!