Contributed by Tiffany McGregor
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This twist on classic hummus is basically a bean dip with a fancy name!  It’s super delicious, super easy to make, and a super snack for crowds that might include vegans or friends with gluten sensitivities. The roasted garlic and rosemary lend to the Tuscan feel of this recipe, but feel free to get creative! Craft your own with any combo of different herbs and spices and give it a name of your own! Buon appetito!
You’ll need: oven (if using roasted garlic), aluminum foil, food processor, knife, cutting board, bowl, measuring spoons
Prep time: 10 minutes (plus about 45 minutes if using roasted garlic)
Serves: a crowd (makes about 2 cups)
 
Ingredients:

• 2 (15 oz) cans cannellini beans*
• 2 Tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)
• Juice of 1 lemon (plus zest if you have a zester)
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
• Finely chopped leaves of 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Water, as needed
• 1 head of roasted garlic**

 
*The liquid that the beans are packed in can thicken the hummus as it blends in the food processor; sometimes that’s a good thing and other times not so much. You can choose to drain the beans or toss them in as is, gradually adding some water at the end in order to thin it out and achieve the consistency you prefer. For the first attempt, I would recommend draining the beans.
Directions:
Into the bowl of a food processor, add the beans, roasted garlic, tahini, lemon juice (and zest if you have it), cumin, paprika, and rosemary. Pulse a few times until the ingredients are roughly chopped and slowly drizzle in the olive oil while continuing to blend. If the mixture still seems too thick or chunky, gradually drizzle in some water a teaspoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top it with an extra drizzle of olive oil and a few sprinkles of the herbs and spices you used as a garnish. This hummus is great with raw veggies, pita crisps, or tortilla chips.
**To roast garlic: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Slice across a bulb of garlic, about ¼ of the way down from the pointy top, exposing the cloves inside. Toss away the top and pop the bulb onto a piece of foil, drizzle generously with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bundle the bulb in the foil and roast in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour. You’ll end up squeezing the caramelized cloves up and out of their husks, so allow enough time for it to cool before you handle it.
 
Pro Tip: If you don’t have an oven or the time to roast the garlic, you can use it raw, but you will use a great deal LESS! Roasted garlic is sweet and mellow, but raw garlic can be strong and spicy! If you are going raw, start off with one clove and give it a rough chop before throwing it into the food processor. You can always add more, but you can’t remove the garlic!

Contributed by Tiffany McGregor 

I’m not going to lie, I buy lots of jarred salsa verdé because I love salsa verdé, I use it for both snacking and cooking, and keeping a jar around is pretty convenient. Still, this recipe comes together so quickly and tastes so much better than any jarred variety that I have ever had that I really try to whip it up on my own whenever possible. It’s bright and tangy with just a little bit of spiciness and heat from the garlic and jalapeno, so it is great with tortilla chips or on top of grilled meats or fish.

Time: 20 minutes
Serves: a crowd
 
Tools: Oven, Foil, Blender, Baking Pan. Sharp Knife, Cutting Board
Ingredients:

• Tomatillos (2lb)
• Garlic (2-3 cloves)
• Jalapeno (2, seeded and roughly
•      chopped)
• White Onion (1/2, chopped)
• Cilantro (handful of leaves)
• Fresh lime juice (1/2 lime, to taste)
• Salt (to taste)

Instructions: 

• Peel papery exterior from tomatillos and wash well with cold water.
• Cut them in half and place cut side down onto a foil-lined baking sheet. Leaving them in their skins, throw garlic cloves in with tomatillos. Broil for about 7 minutes, until the tops of the tomatillos begin to brown and blister a bit.
• Remove from oven and cool long enough to handle garlic safely; remove garlic skins and add all ingredients to a blender or food processor.
• Pulse until blended but still chunky.
• Adjust salt and lime juice to taste.

Pro Tip: You can also boil the tomatillos or sear them in a pan on a stove top, but the roasting and charring really pump up the flavor.

Contributed by Sunny West

Beets! The green leafy portion of the beet can be eaten. The smaller leaves can be cut up and used raw in salads, while the larger leaves are most commonly served boiled or steamed; they have a taste and texture like spinach. You can boil, steam or cook them in a microwave. Beets can be eaten boiled or steamed and peeled, then eaten warm with or without butter. Beets can be cooked, pickled, and then eaten cold as a condiment, or even peeled, shredded raw, and then eaten as a salad. This recipe uses raw beets to create a healthy and delicious salad for on the go.

You’ll need: One mixing bowl, a knife, a cheese grater (optional), cutting board, measuring cups

Ingredients

• 1/2 beet
• 1/2 orange
• 1/2 avocado
• 1 handful slivered almonds (optional)
• Grain Blend of your chosing
• Fresh Spinach 
• Fresh Arugula 
• Olive oil

Directions

• Fill your bowl with spinach and arugula, and drizzle with olive oil or your preferred dressing.
• Mix in the dressing before adding the other ingredients. This ensures that it is evenly distributed among the greens, and it helps you make a little drizzle go a long way.
• Tear open the grain blend of your choosing and microwave it for 90 seconds (as per the instructions on the package).
• Cut the beet into thin slices. You can also use a cheese grater if you prefer shredded beets, or if you're skeptical of raw beets altogether, you can steam or roast the slices in the oven for a softer consistency. Whichever style you choose, you don't have to worry about removing the fiber-rich skin.
• Cut the orange and the avocado into slices, add all the ingredients to the bowl, photograph your beautiful creation, send it to your mom, and dig in.

Pro-Tips

• Drizzle: To pour melted butter, oil, syrup, melted chocolate, or other liquid back and forth over food in a fine stream.
• Grate: To rub foods against a serrated surface to produce shredded or fine bits

 
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