Instant hummus mix

Sorry for only one post this week but I've had another horrible blast of the morning sickness that just won't die. It's making my food aversions out of control, which makes it hard to cook and eat!

One thing I've been craving the past 2 weeks though is anything inside a pita. Shawarma , falafel and souvlaki have been big hits lately, but it's been getting expensive to eat out so much. To save money but not get put off by the preparation I've just been buying my own stuff and making pitas with lettuce, tomato, avocado, pickles, hummus and Italian dressing.

Homemade hummus is cheap and good, but it's a lot of work. I really dislike cleaning my blender. The store bought kind is often too garlicky these days for my poor nauseous tummy to handle. I wanted a way to customize my own hummus without all of the work and when I saw little boxes of hummus mix I knew I had to mix it up!

Instant hummus mix

1 cup chick pea flour
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Chick pea flour is available at any Indian grocery store as well as bulk food and health food stores. It's also used in my falafel mix which is one of my favorites!

What else you'll need

1 cup boiling water
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup seed or nut butter (tahini, almond, peanut)
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Combine mix with boiling water, stir and cover for 5 minutes. Add in remaining ingredients and stir. Eat as is or cool in the fridge first.

The boiling water is to 'cook' the chick pea flour to make it more palatable. Otherwise your hummus will have a chalky sort of flour taste and give you incredible gas.

This hummus isn't quite as good as the totally homemade kind but it's a lot faster and there are no blenders to wash after! I even had a little tub left to send in my husband's lunch tomorrow!

Korean BBQ Marinade Mix

I have a friend staying in China right now and the day Kim Jong Il died he told me that they all went out for Korean BBQ to celebrate. My first 3 thoughts in this order were:

1. I'm so ronery.
2. Oooh what's Korean BBQ? It sounds really tasty.
3. I wonder if I can make a mix of that...

Turns out I could....

Korean BBQ Marinade Mix

2 tablespoon dried green onions
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon garlic flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried ginger powder
1/4 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoon pepper

What else you'll need

2-4 pounds of lean steak (sirloin or flank steak works well)
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/4 cup of shredded kiwi, apple or pear (applesauce works too)

Combine mix with soy sauce, vinegar, oil and fruit and mix well, then marinade the meat in it for 24-48 hours depending on the thickness of the cut. I tried this recipe once using whole sirloin steaks and cut them up once they were grilled and then again using flank steak that I sliced thinly in advance before marinading. I preferred the flank steak but both were good. The whole steaks are a good option if you hate cutting up raw meat.

Once well marinaded grill or stir fry the meat. I used my handy grill pan both times, because I really don't enjoy grilling outdoors when it's -30 degrees with the wind chill, but I think next time I use flank steak I'll just flash fry it in my wok.

The first time I made it I used shredded kiwi, the second time I used apple sauce, mainly because I had all the other ingredients and realized I had forgotten to buy more kiwi. I did not notice a significant difference in flavor, although I think the kiwi might be a better tenderizer overall.

Both times I served it over a bed of rice noodles and steamed stir fry veggies, although next time I plan to try it with regular rice.

It was very delicious, and today I used the leftover meat to make myself a wrap for lunch (just like the other day I used the leftover fried chicken to make one as well). My latest pregnancy craving has been pitas stuffed with lettuce, tomato, pickles and leftover meat and doing it this way is much cheaper than running out for Shawarma every day!

Fried Chicken Coating Mix

I've still got morning sickness, and my smell aversions to chemical smells are still going strong (I gag every time the neighbors fire up their dryer... even when our windows are shut!), but I can tell I am turning the corner because the smell of cooking food is appealing to me again.

We live down the street from KFC and while we're too afraid to actually eat it, the smell wafts its way to us now and then. Both pregnancies I remember noticing at some point that I was suddenly drooling from the sweet greasy smell of fried chicken instead of holding my nose and gasping.

This time I decided to satisfy the craving but still keep it healthy and home made. So...

Fried Chicken Coating Mix

1 1/2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon sage
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon rosemary
1/8 teaspoon thyme
pinch marjoram
pinch pepper

What else you'll need

1 cup flour
Up to 16 chicken pieces
1 eat beaten for coating

Combine mix with flour and stir or shake well. I divided mine in half to make it twice because I never cook more than 4 full size (or 8 fillet sized) chicken pieces at once.

Coat chicken pieces in egg and then dip in the flour mixture until it's evenly coated. I can't eat eggs so I have to omit the egg and as a result not as much batter ever sticks to my food. I used boneless, skinless chicken fillets, but you can use anything you want.

Fry the chicken pieces in oil on medium heat in a frying pan.

I served mine like chicken fingers with plum sauce! They weren't as greasy as KFC as they were lacking the skin and they had less batter, but they sure were tasty!

Honey Garlic Sauce Mix

Chinese take out= delicious, overpriced and so so bad for you. Especially honey garlic spare ribs. Making them at home doesn't make them all that much healthier, but it does make them a lot cheaper, and without MSG.

I ordered some beef short ribs from the farm recently and wanted to do them in the slow cooker, but I'm not a big fan of BBQ sauce so I thought that honey garlic sauce might be nice. I also thought it was something I might be able to make into a mix.... and boy was I right!

Honey Garlic Sauce Mix

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried chili flakes

What else you'll need

1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons water

Combine mix with other incredients and stir well. The mixture will fizz and froth a bit when the baking soda meets the vinegar.

Pour the sauce over what you're cooking (ribs, wings, tofu, chicken breasts, ect) and use the sauce to cook in for full flavor.

I used ribs but am going to try it with wings as well. I used my slow cooker but I'm sure it would work well to bake it in the oven in a pyrex dish as well. I slow cooked my ribs on low in the sauce for 8 hours and they were fall off the bone tender.

I served mine with steamed baby carrots and 'David Hasselhoff potatoes' (they are really called hasselback potatoes but somehow the other name stuck).

The ribs were amazing, they tasted exactly like Chinese take out but at a tiny fraction of the cost. I can't wait to try the sauce on wings next!

Marshmallow Hot Chocolate Mix

I am so sorry for not posting at all last week, but I had strep throat. To make it even worse it went untreated for quite some time because I was trying to convince myself that it was just the same cold that everyone else had and the reason I was so much sicker was because I was pregnant and already felt terrible to begin with.

Anyway, some penicillin later and I'm feeling much better. A tiny bit of morning sickness lingers but I know it will be gone very soon, just in time for Christmas! I have missed this blog very much, so I'll be posting regularly again very soon!

While I was sick certain things were put off... like preparing for Christmas! So this next few days is going to be an insane rush to shop, cook and mix it up before we're hit with back to back family events and house guests.

Yesterday while finally Christmas shopping I was standing in line in the store when something caught my eye. A gift box with some mugs and a jar of hot chocolate mix... with marshmallows! I have done hot chocolate mixes before with my basic hot chocolate mix and my mint hot chocolate mix. I've also done other beverage mixes like chai tea mix (which I've also been using as a gift this year), and Italian mocha espresso mix. But.... hot chocolate with marshmallows is so.. fun! It's such a great gift.

So....

Marshmallow Hot Chocolate Mix

1 cup powdered milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup mini marshmallows
3 tablespoons cocoa powder

Combine 1/4 cup of mix with 1 cup of boiling water and stir well.

This mix recipe makes enough to fill about one 2 cup (500 ml) Mason jar to give as a gift (or keep for yourself). Each jar will make 8 cups of hot chocolate. I made a double batch knowing I would want a couple to give as gifts.

There was a little bit of mix left over after making up the jars, just enough for a sample... delicious!

Mix It Up Christmas Gifts

It's here, that gluttonous time of year that everyone enjoys but regrets come January. It would be fine if it just meant a big Christmas dinner (or even three). But it's not. It's a month of food laden parties, baked goods at work, and the one that keeps on going long after you've had your Christmas fill- token gifts.

Token gifts are the ones you ones you give and receive with people you like but don't know extremely well. Teachers, neighbors, extended family, casual friends. It's a way of saying 'Hi, I think you're nice. Merry Christmas!' And while the feeling is there, the problem is these gifts can't be all that personal. That's why they usually end up being edible. Either boxed chocolates or baked goods.

Everybody loves chocolates and baked goods. But the timing is just so WRONG. Anyone who gets a box of chocolates or a plate of cookies randomly in say... May, would be overjoyed. But in December when you've spent the entire month stuffing your face with high calorie foods and cooped up indoors, sometimes MORE sweets make you feel a little green. It also doesn't help that in reciprocating you're usually baking something yourself- which involves a bit of taste testing- both batter and finished products.

This year I decided to do away with holiday baking. I am going to give something that is impersonal, edible, yet more PRACTICAL than the rice crispee squares of last year and the cookies of the year before. This year I'm mixing it up!!!!

Because the first 'exchange' is in less than a week, I decided to get myself started today. I ventured to the dollar store and stocked up on some pretty glass jars.

I have decided to make salsa mix for people this year because it's one of my favorite mixes and is perfect for holiday entertaining.

This one cup glass jar fit exactly one 'big batch' recipe of salsa mix, which is enough to make a 2 cup batch of fresh salsa six times.

Depending on how 'big' the mix is you can use different sized jars or containers. A seasoning mix might only require a regular sized spice jar, while a baking mix might fill up a bigger plastic container used to store flour or sugar. Pick your mixes depending on personal taste- a diabetic isn't going to want something sugar laden, while someone with an ulcer isn't going to want something spicy. The best thing about mix gifts is you can somewhat personalize the impersonal gifts.

Some mix ideas....


Beverage Mixes

Hot chocolate mix
Chai tea mix
Italian mocha espresso mix
Mint hot chocolate mix

Snacking mixes

Dill pickle popcorn seasoning
BBQ popcorn seasoning
Ranch popcorn seasoning
Nut free trail mix
Falafel Mix
Brushetta mix

Dip Mixes

Lemon dill dip
Pesto bread dipping oil
Herb and garlic bread dipping oil
Herb and garlic cream cheese
Spinach dip
Tapenade
Crab dip
Bacon chili cheese dip


Meal mixes

Fajita seasoning
Teriyaki seasoning
Taco seasoning
Lemon chicken sauce


Later on I'm going to either buy some sticky labels or cardboard tags to attach with ribbons. These will give the name of the mix and any instructions for preparation (for instance you use 3 tablespoons of salsa mix for every 2 cups of chopped tomatoes). The good thing about these mixes is you can also give instructions on refills. Just give them a link to my blog where they can find the mix recipes :)

If you're tired of the calories consumed from eating batter and broken cookies from holiday baking, or the green half smiles from your recipients, try mixing it up instead this Christmas. Be unique, give a tasty mix.

(ps... to the neighbors who bake us cookies- we don't mean yours! WE STILL WANT THEM! YOUR COOKIES ARE LEGENDARY!)

Herb and Garlic Biscuit Mix

It's December! Comfort food weather! I'm really into homemade soups at this time of year and I like something hearty to dunk in them. Crackers just won't do, I need... BISCUITS!

Now most biscuit mix recipes and boxed biscuits mixes are made with shortening, which is loaded with enough trans fat to kill you twice. My recipe uses only oil, which is not only healthier, it's also cheaper! Yet my biscuits still have that crispy biscuit taste that makes them so delicious.

Herb and Garlic Biscuit Mix (single use- makes 6 biscuits)

1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup powdered milk
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried garlic flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon rosemary
1/8 teaspoon sage

What else you'll need

1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup water

Combine mix in a bowl and stir, then stir in the oil until the mixture is as smooth as possible. Mine is a bit lumpy because I was pressed for time but it still turned out ok.

Add in water and stir until a dough forms. Spoon the dough into 6 portions on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes or until tops start to look a bit golden in places.

Serve hot or cold. I find they go well with any messy crock pot food- chili, stew, gumbo, ect. They also make a great topping crust for pot pie casseroles. I like to make a big batch of mix and quickly make biscuits right before dinner whenever I want. It's so easy and so fresh!

I ate two right away and although my poor pregnant tummy is now regretting the garlic, it was totally worth it!