White Bean Spread with Rosemary and Toasted Almonds

This dip is divine. I first tried it at a jewelry party I did for a friend. I couldn't stop eating it that night!

The rosemary adds a fragrant earthiness to the beans and the almonds add nuttiness and texture. I served mine with reduced fat pita chips. If you need an elegant appetizer to serve at your next cocktail party, this is a winner.

White Bean Spread with Rosemary and Toasted Almonds
Yield: about 2 cups/500ml
Souce: Heidi Swanson's Super Natural Every Day

• 1/4 cup (60ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 2 cups (12oz/340g) cooked white beans, or 1 (15oz/425g) can, rinsed and drained
• 3/4 cup (70g) sliced almonds, toasted
• sea salt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus more to taste
• 1/4 to 3/4 cup (60-180ml) hot water
• grated zest of 1/2 lemon

In a small saucepan, combine the olive oil, rosemary and garlic. Over medium-low heat, slowly warm the mixture until the oil just barely starts to sizzle, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside for 10 minutes. Pour the oil through a strainer and discard the garlic and rosemary bits.
In a food processor, combine the beans, two-thirds of the almonds, 1/2 teaspoon salt, the lemon juice and two-thirds of the rosemary oil. Pulse a couple of times to bring the ingredients together. Add the water 1/4 cup (60ml) at a time, pulsing all the while, until the mixture is the consistency of thick frosting. You might not need all the water; it really depends on how starchy your beans are and how thick you want your spread to be (I stopped at 1/4 cup). Taste the mixture and add more salt and/or lemon juice to taste.
Scoop the beans into a small serving dish and make a few indentations in the top. Sprinkle with the lemon zest and the remaining almonds and drizzle with the remaining rosemary oil. Serve at room temperature with bread, crackers, crudites, etc.

The Great Pumpkin...Seeds

Today was pumpkin carving day at our house. The kids went to a pumpkin patch with their grandparents on Monday to pick a couple out. 

My hubby did an awesome job of turning the pumpkins into spooky jack-o-lanterns. There were seeds and guts flying everywhere, it made the day very festive and got us all in the mood for Halloween.

The added bonus...roasted pumpkin seeds!!!

They are easy to make, great to snack on and loaded with nutritional value, click here to read about it.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Heat oven to 325 degrees F.

Put pumpkin seeds in a colander and rinse well with cold water. Remove as much pulp as possible. Dry them with a paper towel and put them in a bowl. Give them a light drizzle of olive oil and a light sprinkle of salt and pepper (or try cinnamon and sugar).

Toss with your hands until seeds are evenly coated.

Spread them out onto a baking sheet so they are not overlapping each other and roast for about 25-30 minutes or until slightly golden brown.

Granola girl...

We went to the Underwood Family Farm today with some wonderful friends. It's about 40 minutes away from us in a town called Moorpark. It was charming and somewhat clean for a farm. There were pony rides, train rides, tractor rides, hay rides. Rides up the wazoo! You could pick your own produce, feed and pet animals, watch an educational animal show and even climb a giant haystack pyramid. The kids had a blast. Heck, we all had a blast.

Last night I made some homemade granola bars to pack for today's trip. I watched my gal, The Barefoot Contessa, make them in one of her episodes and they looked easy enough. So I altered them a bit to appeal more to my kids. I also added some toasted flax seeds for extra nutrients.

They were enjoyed by both the kids and adults. Tons of protein, carbs, fiber and omega 3's all in one bar. And a great on-the-go snack. Best part is, I know exactly what is in them. I may never have to buy them from the store again.

Rockin' Granola Bars

• 2 cups organic old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup sliced almonds or almond slivers
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut, loosely packed
• 1/4 cup toasted flax seeds
• 1/4 cup of wheat germ
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup honey
• 3 tbsp light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup raisins

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Toss the oatmeal, almonds, and coconut together on a sheet pan and bake for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and stir in the flax seeds and wheat germ.

Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.

Place the butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.

Cook and stir for a minute, then pour over the toasted oatmeal mixture. Add the raisins and stir well.

Pour the mixture into a buttered 9 by 13-inch baking dish lined with parchment paper. Wet your fingers and lightly press the mixture evenly into the pan. Bake for around 20 minutes, until light golden brown. Cool for at least 2 hours before cutting into squares. Store in an airtight container.