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israeli

Classic Creamy Hummus (vegan, gluten free)

May 4, 2020 by Dafna Leave a Comment

With the world stocking up on all the dry goods and everyone doing all the snacking, it felt high time to share my favorite recipe for a Classic Creamy Hummus. This recipe, like all traditional hummus, uses dried garbanzo beans and tastes exactly like what you’d expect to find at a hummus or deli stall in an outdoor market in Israel. It’s made with just the basic, traditional ingredients and becomes a hummus that is wonderfully balanced between fluffy, creamy, and lemony. And it’s the perfect thing to make if you’re not wanting to make a run to the market to buy your favorite hummus, trying to buy less packaged goods, or just want the best hummus you’ve had in your life! Okay, that’s a bit unfair. I don’t know where you’ve been, what you like, and what you’ve eaten. But I can say, with certainty, that this hummus is very good and will not disappoint.

You will need a food processor for this, while I’m sure this can be made in a high powered blender or even possibly with an immersion blender, I do not recommend them unless you simply do not have the option. I promise it’s worth the extra dishes. The food processor will give the hummus the most even blend, at an appropriate speed that cannot be replicated from another machine.

We like our hummus topped with a bit more whole garbanzo beans if we have them around, lots of good quality olive oil, and a healthy smattering of za’atar or paprika (for the more traditional route). Don’t want to wait to soak the beans or just prefer to use canned? I have a recipe for that here!

vegan, gluten free, grain free

If you make this, I’d LOVE to see your creation! Please tag me on Instagram @freshlydafna and use #freshlydafna.

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Classic Creamy Hummus

This is a traditional hummus recipe that will not disappoint! Made from dried garbanzo beans but simple to make and utterly delicious. It's the perfect balance of creamy, fluffy, and lemony. Use as a delicious dip or spread on your favorite sandwich!

vegan, gluten free, grain free

adapted from Ottolenghi's recipe in Jerusalem.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cup dried garbanzo beans
  • 1 tbsp baking soda
  • 1 cup tahini plain sesame seed paste
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/3 cup filtered water
  • toppings of your choice: olive oil, paprika, za'atar, z'hug.

Instructions

  1. Place the dried beans in a large bowl and add enough water (filtered if possible) so that the beans are covered with a few inches of water. Soak overnight or at least 8 hours.

  2. After the beans have soaked, drain and rinse well.

  3. Place the garbanzo beans in a large sauce pot, add the baking soda, and cook on high for 3 minutes.

  4. Add about 6 cups of water to the pot, the beans should be well covered with water, and bring to a boil.

  5. Let the garbanzo beans cook, scooping off any froth or skins that float to the top of the pot. Cook the beans until they are soft but not mushy. This will depend on how long you soaked the beans and can be anywhere from 15-30 minutes.

  6. Once the beans are done cooking, carefully strain them.

  7. Place the beans into a food processor and blend for about 1 minute or until a thick paste is formed.

  8. With the food processor on, add the tahini, lemon juice, and salt to the garbanzo bean paste. and blend until smooth.

  9. Then add the water and continue to blend for another 2-3 minutes or until hummus is smooth and fluffy.

  10. Place in an airtight container and let set up in the fridge for 30 minutes. The mixture will thicken a bit once refrigerated.

  11. When ready to eat, top with a healthy dose of good quality olive oil, paprika or za'atar, spicy z'hug or whatever your heart desires! Use as a spread for a sandwich or classic dip!

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Filed Under: Savory, Vegan Tagged With: chick peas, dairy free, dip, garbanzo beans, gluten free, grain free, hummus, israeli, lemon, mediterranean, savory, sugar free, tahini, vegan, vegetarian

Crunchy Summer Salad (paleo, vegan, keto)

July 6, 2017 by Dafna Leave a Comment

My guy first made this crunchy salad for me when we just started living together in Tel Aviv. We mostly ate at home and would frequently cook for each other, showing off our kitchen skills. When he presented me with this dish it BLEW. MY. MIND. To be honest, I almost never enjoy any cruciferous vegetable in it’s raw state so when I saw him chopping up the cauliflower for this raw salad I was skeptical. But as soon as I took my first bite I was hooked, and after seeing my pure delight in eating this dish he told me he would make it for me anytime I wanted! And that’s when I knew – he’s a keeper. Anyways enough with the mushy stuff, time to get down to the details about this dish.

This salad is easy and simple, perfectly crunchy, is packed with some of my favorite veggies, light and lemony and is excellent for the summer time. It’s also quite possibly my favorite dish of all time and could eat it anytime of day year round. It needs to sit overnight in it’s juices but it’s SO worth the wait, I promise. It’s wonderful as a side to whatever you’re eating. Add some tahini on that plate and you’re in business babe.


paleo, vegan, low carb, dairy free, soy free, grain free, gluten free

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Crunchy Summer Salad

This salad is easy and simple, perfectly crunchy, is packed with some of my favorite veggies, light and lemony and is especially perfect for the summer time. It needs to sit overnight in an excess of lemon juice, but it'll be worth the wait. 

paleo, vegan, low carb, dairy free, soy free, grain free, gluten free

Ingredients

  • 3 carrots medium
  • 1 kohlrabi
  • 1 bell pepper
  • 1/4 head cabbage
  • 1/2 head cauliflower
  • 4 lemons freshly juices
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 2 tbsp pepper

Instructions

  1. Slice the veggies into the pieces/strips and place in large bowl with a cover

  2. Add juice from the lemons to the large bowl. Add salt and pepper. Cover with the lid. Shake vigorously. 

  3. Let sit in the fridge overnight. 

  4. In the morning shake it again, taste, and adjust seasoning accordingly. Shake/stir before serving. 

Recipe Notes

I love this version of the dish because it is simple and the flavors are clean and perfect. But this is SUPER versatile so you can mix it up by playing with the ratios, adding in different veggies like fennel or jicama, maybe some apple, green instead of purple cabbage, or throw in some celery seeds for an extra oomph.

Slice (you can make any size, but I always make thins strips from all the veggies):
3 medium carrots
1 kohlrabi
1 bell pepper
1/4 head cabbage
1/2 head cauliflower

Put in a large bowl, add juice from about 4 lemons, about 1 tbsp salt, 2 tbsp black pepper. Cover and shake it all up. Let it sit in the fridge overnight. Shake it again in the AM and taste for seasoning add more salt or pepper as necessary. Shake again more before serving.  I enjoy this the most on day two!

OPTIONS OPTIONS OPTIONS:
I love this version of the dish because it is simple and the flavors are clean and perfect. But this is SUPER versatile so you can mix it up by playing with the ratios, adding in different veggies like fennel or jicama, maybe some apple, green instead of purple cauliflower, or throw in some celery seeds for an extra oomph.

Filed Under: Savory, Summer, Vegan, Vegetables Tagged With: cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, dairy free, gluten free, grain free, israeli, keto, low carb, paleo, refined sugar free, salad, sugar free, vegan, vegetables, vegetarian

Whole Roasted Cauliflower (vegan, keto, low carb)

May 4, 2017 by Dafna Leave a Comment

An incredibly delicious way to enjoy cauliflower! This whole roasted cauliflower recipe is super easy to make and the perfect healthy side dish for any meal! Suitable for almost every diet.

I love all the cruciferous vegetables. I do find myself mostly eating brussel sprouts. But I think my favorite might be the humble cauliflower. While it’s so unassuming yet can be lent to such a wide range of applications: from pizza crust, to a low carb rice replacement, and even as an addition to smoothies!

And while all those uses of cauliflower are wonderful ways to get more plants into a diet they seem to either disguise the cauliflower as something else or cover it with other more dominant flavors. This way, however, truly makes the cauliflower itself shine.

I love this recipe because there’s no prep cutting and super straight forward. And there’s tahini sauce. Which is always welcome on my plate. I might have a mild tahini addiction… and I’m ok with that. This recipe is acceptable for almost all diets and food sensitives/allergies.

plant based/vegan/paleo/keto/vegetarian/gluten free/low carb/grain free

 

SHARE THE LOVE!

If you made this recipe, please spread the love by leaving a review or rating down below. And I’d LOVE to see and share your creation! Take a picture and tag me on Instagram @freshlydafna in your feed or stories and I will share on my account!

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Whole Roasted Cauliflower (with Lemony Tahini Sauce)

plant based/vegan/paleo/keto/vegetarian/gluten free/low carb/grain free

This dish showcases the cauliflower in all it's glory and is a great side for any meal.

Ingredients

  • Cauliflower head
  • Avocado Oil
  • Sea Salt
  • Tahini paste
  • Lemon juice fresh squeezed
  • Water

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400.

  2. With a steamer (or pasta pot w/built in strainer) steam the whole head of cauliflower. Once a knife can pierce through the base of a floret, remove from the heat. Careful not to overcook.

  3. Place cauliflower on baking sheet. Brush (or massage as I do) the cauliflower with avocado oil. Sprinkle about 1 tbsp of sea salt over the cauliflower. Cook the cauliflower until it becomes a golden brown color and smells amazing, about 20-30 minutes, this will depend on the size of your cauliflower. In the meantime prepare the tahini sauce. Mix 2 parts tahini with 1 part lemon juice and 1 part water. Add water and or lemon juice until it is the desired tartness and consistency.

  4. Once the cauliflower is done, remove from the oven, place on serving dish. You can either eat it by cutting off the florets from the base and dipping in the tahini or spread the tahini over the top and then cut or rip off the florets. 

 

Filed Under: Savory, Vegan, Vegetables Tagged With: cauliflower, dairy free, gluten free, grain free, israeli, keto, low carb, mediterranean, paleo, sugar free, tahini, vegan, vegetables, vegetarian

Perfectly Simple Hummus (gluten free & vegan)

April 28, 2017 by Dafna Leave a Comment

A quick and easy, but delicious hummus recipe made from canned chickpeas. This hummus is thick and creamy just perfect as a spread or dip!

A Simple Take on The Classic Dip

Hummus, the almost essential snack table dip, has exploded in popularity in recent years and it seems that there are almost endless varieties. I am always seeing new and inventive recipes for creative and different hummus recipes like white bean, black bean, beet, and even avocado hummus. While I love seeing all the beautiful colors of these tasty spreads I’ve always been a purist when it comes to hummus. Maybe I’m just being a stickler for appropriate labeling, but I’m not of the mind that everything can be hummus-ified.

What is Hummus?

Hummus is an Arabic word for chick pea/garbanzo bean. And in the Middle East hummus refers to both the actual pea/bean and the tasty dip. Hummus is traditionally served as the focal point of a meal in which a big plate of the fluffy dip is served with a side of pita, pickled vegetables, a raw onion, and topped off with olive oil. While ordering hummus there may be a few varieties, but this will almost always refer to what tops the hummus, which can be whole garbanzo beans, pine nuts, za’atar, garlic, or spicy z’hug. Hummus will of course differ in technique and ingredient proportions according to the maker but it does not really stray from these basic ingredients: tahini, garbanzo beans, lemon juice, and garlic.

Making Hummus from Canned Chickpeas

My husband loves his hummus and always makes a point of stopping by one of the hummus spots at shuk hacarmel (the open market) in Tel Aviv while I meander the markets aisles ogling all the fruit and veggies. On occasion, when we are home in California, I will make him traditional hummus from dried chickpeas but sometimes I just don’t have the time (or foresight) to make it for him from scratch. So I decided to create a recipe using the canned beans so I could whip him up a batch on a whim. This is quick to make, perfectly creamy, fluffy and just super tasty.

SHARE THE LOVE!

If you made this recipe, please spread the love by leaving a review or rating down below. And I’d LOVE to see and share your creation! Take a picture and tag me on Instagram @freshlydafna in your feed or stories and I will share on my account!

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Classic Creamy Hummus

A quick and easy, but super delicious hummus recipe. It's as traditional as can be, but uses canned instead of dried chick peas to make this come together in a flash. This hummus is the perfect balance between fluffy, cream, and lemony and sure to be a huge hit with all who try it!

vegan, gluten free, grain free

Ingredients

  • 1 can garbanzo beans
  • 1/4 cup tahini plain sesame seed paste
  • 1/2 tsp chopped garlic optional
  • 2 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp water
  • Optional toppings: olive oil, paprika, za'atar

Instructions

  1. Combine all the ingredients (except the water) together in a food processor and blend for 30 seconds or until fluffy and smooth.

  2. Add the water and pulse until well combined. Place in a large bowl, top with good quality olive oil and any additional toppings and serve!

Recipe Notes

Keep any leftovers in fridge in airtight container.

 

Filed Under: Savory, Vegan, Vegetables Tagged With: chick peas, dairy free, dip, garbanzo beans, gluten free, hummus, israeli, sugar free, vegan, vegetarian

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Dafna Ben-Zeev

Dafna Ben-Zeev

Freshly Dafna
Hi there! I'm Dafna! I'm all about piles of veggies, healthified baking, breaking a sweat as often as possible, yoga, the beach, snacks, farmers markets, and dogs. And I'm so excited to share my recipes with you!Read more...

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