Roasted Carrot and Garlic Hummus
In-season vegetables: carrots and parsley
Recipe notes: Roasting carrots and garlic brings out the natural sweetness out of the vegetables. Boiling and peeling canned chickpeas makes the hummus smooth.
Ingredients
- 2 15-oz cans chickpeas
- 5 small or 3 large carrots, leaves and stem removed
- 1 head of garlic
- 1 tsp honey
- 2.5 tbsp olive oil, separated
- 1 whole lemon
- ¾ cup tahini
- Ice-cold water as needed
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Paprika and chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Cut the top of the head of garlic off and rub olive oil on the exposed garlic, leaving the peel on. Wrap in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet. Place carrots on the same baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil, honey, salt and pepper. Bake for 40 minutes or until carrots are soft and easily pierced with a fork.
- (Optional) While vegetables are roasting, boil chickpeas in covered in water for 8-10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water, then peel chickpeas to achieve a smoother texture.
- In a blender or food processor, first combine lemon juice and tahini and blend until smooth. Add salt, pepper, 2 tbsp ice cold water and half of the head of roasted garlic by gently removing the peel.
- Add carrots and chickpeas and blend until smooth, then slowly drizzle in 1 tbsp olive oil to incorporate. Add more ice-cold water to get desired consistency.
- Garnish hummus with paprika, chopped parsley and 0.5 tbsp olive oil and serve with cucumbers, peppers, whole wheat pita or other desired dip vessels.
Roasted Asparagus with Lemon and Parmesan
In-season vegetable: asparagus
Recipe notes: Fresh and light side dish perfect to pair with grilled chicken or fish. Roasting asparagus at a high temperature for a short time allows it to retain its vibrant color and some water for a nice crunch. It also brings the nutty flavors out while avoiding the sulfurous-based compounds’ smell to take over. Garlic powder is used rather than fresh garlic as it would burn at 500 degrees F.
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 1 bunch asparagus
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp shaved parmesan
- ½ lemon
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
- Trim the stem off the asparagus and toss in olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Bake for 7-9 minutes, depending on the thickness of the asparagus.
- Top with lemon zest, juice from ½ lemon and shaved parmesan.
Braised Beet and Orange Salad with Goat Cheese and Walnuts
In-season vegetables: beets and arugula
Recipe notes: Refreshing but earthy appetizer or salad. The dressing is heavier in oil than vinegar as the salad is full of citrus, but a store-bought plain vinaigrette would also taste great. Wearing gloves and avoiding white clothing can be helpful when preparing beets as their bright pigment is known to stain skin and clothing.
Serves 2
Ingredients
For the salad
- 4 beets
- 4 naval oranges
- 2 blood or raspberry oranges
- 1/8 cup goat cheese, crumbled
- 1/4 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
- A handful of arugula leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the dressing
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp shallot, finely chopped
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Clean and scrub beets, removing any dirt or debris. Trim leaves off but leave root intact.
- On an aluminum-lined baking sheet, place beets along with the juice and zest of one naval orange, salt and pepper. Cover with aluminum foil and fold the edges tightly with the base foil. Roast beets for 45 minutes or until fork-tender. Let cool, remove top foil and gently remove skin from beets using your fingers. Slice beet to ¼ inch or desired thickness.
- While the beets are braising, remove the peel from the orange varieties using a knife. Slice oranges to ¼ inch or desired thickness. Place on a plate with beets.
- Combine all dressing ingredients in a blender and drizzle on salad.
- Garnish with arugula leaves, goat cheese, chopped walnuts and salt and pepper to taste.
Author: A Healthier Michigan
Our mission is to help everyone in Michigan get healthier from the inside out. This means everything from giving you resources to help you make better decisions about diet and exercise, as well as information on creating and sustaining nurturing communities and successful businesses — everything you need to help create a healthier Michigan.
Our mission is to help everyone in Michigan get healthier from the inside out. This means everything from giving you resources to help you make better decisions about diet and exercise, as well as information on creating and sustaining nurturing communities and successful businesses — everything you need to help create a healthier Michigan.
