Kim brought some Hummus and pita bread to enjoy it with. It does have tomato in it, so it actually fits the theme.
Hummus
By Joanne Garlow, Programmer, NPR Online
16 ounces canned chickpeas -- drained
1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
4 garlic cloves -- (to 6 garlic cloves)
1/4 cup fresh parsley -- leaves only
1 tablespoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne -- (to 1/2 teaspoon)
1 teaspoon paprikasalt and pepper -- to taste
8 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
Throw everything except the tomatoes in a food processor. You can add more garlic if you prefer - I think you really can't add too much garlic. Add about half of the tomatoes and blend until smooth. If it is too thick, add a little more tomato until you are happy with the consistency. Taste and adjust the proportions accordingly.
Joanne Garlow's notes: When my husband and I lived in Istanbul we ate a lot of hummus. This very non-traditional recipe is adapted from Gabe Mirkin, and it has the advantage of being low in fat and high in garlic. It is a big hit at parties, because there is no guilt at all in this dip. Serve with pita bread and/or vegetables. This can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to a couple of weeks.
from "NPR Cooks! Our Favorite Recipes"
[Lauren] I made Jamaica Margaritas using Hibiscus blossoms. This fit the theme if I count the Hibiscus (Jamaica) as a fruit, but it also worked because it has lime juice in it. I have wanted to try this recipe for a while and I thought the color was beautiful. Here is a link to the recipe from Cooking Light: http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1197144
The Mango Gazpacho Cindy made was very good.We all agreed that we want to make this one again. Here is the recipe:
Mangospacho
By Steven Raichlen
Serves 6
Preparation time: 30 mins
Ingredients
* 1/2 red bell pepper, very finely diced
* 3 large or 5 to 6 small mangoes, peeled and very finely diced (about 6 cups)
* 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and very finely diced
* 1/4 cup finely chopped, fresh cilantro
* pinch of salt (optional)
* 1 to 2 tablespoons brown sugar, or to taste
* 1 teaspoon Asian hot sauce, such as Thai Sriracha
* 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 1/2 small red onion, very finely diced
* 1 cup cold water, or as needed
* 3 tablespoons rice vinegar, or to taste
* 2 tablespoons finely chopped, fresh chives, or cilantro
Cooking Instructions
1. Combine the diced mangoes, cucumber, pepper and onion in a mixing bowl and toss to combine. Place 2/3 of the mixture in a food processor (reserve the remaining 1/3 for later) and grind to a smooth puree. Work in the water, vinegar, oil, hot sauce and sugar. If the mixture is too tart, add more sugar. If too thick, add more water.
2. Strain the mixture into a bowl and stir in the cilantro and the reserved diced mango, cucumber, bell pepper and onion. Correct the seasoning, adding vinegar or sugar to taste, or even a pinch of salt. The soup can be served right away, but it will taste better if you refrigerate it for 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend.
3. To serve, ladle the mangospacho into bowls and garnish each with a sprinkling of chives or cilantro.
And here is the link to the recipe on the FoodFit.com website. Cindy originally found the recipe in a book called Diabetes Fit Food by Ellen Haas.
Rebecca made a Mixed Green Salad with Blueberry Vinaigrette from Cooking Light. The salad was made up of mixed greens, red onion, feta cheese and fresh blueberries and served with a vinaigrette made from home-made Blueberry Vinegar.
[Lauren] I also made pork with Blackberry Sage Sauce. The sauce, which is not shown, was a rich dark purple color similar to that seen in the blueberry dessert below. This came from the June 2009 issue of Cooking Light. The recipe can be found at: http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1898555
Kim also brought the Tomato and Cheese Tart. She had hoped to be able to use fresh tomatoes from her garden, but the weather this year has been uncooperative. Instead, she bought a nice mixture of red cherry and sungold cherry tomatoes at the farmer's market.
Tomato and Cheese Tart
By Rose Murray
1 9-inch pastry crust
Prick pastry base all over with a fork. Line pastry crust with parchment paper; arrange pie weights or dried beans in the pie crust. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 375 degrees. Remove weights from pie crust; prick pastry with a fork. Bake 15 minutes or until pastry is golden brown. Cool on a rack.
Cut tomatoes in half; arrange cut side down on paper towels. Set aside while you prepare remaining ingredients.
Spread pie crust with mustard; sprinkle with half the cheese. Arrange tomatoes, cut side up, on top of cheese; sprinkle with basil, thyme and pepper. Sprinkle remaining cheese evenly over tomatoes; drizzle with oil. Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes or until cheese melts. Let cool slightly in the pan on a rack; remove crust from pan. Serve warm, cut in wedges.
[Lauren] I also made a dessert using Syrah, Pepper, and Blueberries. I added a dollop of Greek yogurt with Honey to the top to add creaminess. You can get lowfat/nonfat greek yogurt from Trader Joe's that already has the honey in it. It would look even better with a sprig of mint decorating the top. Here is the link: http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1227791
