Recipes

Chef Leander's Authentic Hummus

• Preheat oven (or toaster oven) to 425℉. In a small cooking dish, drizzle 2 garlic cloves with olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. CHEF'S SECRET: While you're at it, why not roast a bunch and store in oil in a small sealed jar in the refrigerator!?
• Food Processor: Put the garlic and lemon in the food processor and pulse until the garlic is finely chopped. Add the garbanzo beans, tahini, olive oiil, salt, and smoked paprika and process until it is smooth and creamy.

Chef Leander's Authentic Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus

• Process the sun-dried tomatoes until they are chopped finely, but not pureed. Remove from the work bowl.
• Make Chef Leander's Authentic Hummus as directed above.
• Add the reserved sun-dried tomatoes and oil from the jar and pulse 5 times to mix. Be carful not to over process.

Chef Leander's Authentic Kalamata Olive Hummus

• Make Chef Leander's Authentic Hummus as directed above.
• Drain the Kalmata olives. Add to the hummus and pulse the food processor 10 to 15 times so the olives are incorporated and chopped into large morsels of salty Italian goodness! Yumm!

• Put a metal or silicon trivet in your Instant Pot so the glass jar(s) is not sitting on the on the bottom of the pot. Pour 1 cup (250 ml) of water in the bottom of the pot.
• Put the dried beans in the bottom of a glass jar. Fill the jar with water. Put the jar in the Instant Pot. My Instant Pot will hold multiple glass jars, so I often multiply this recipe and cook several at one time. Note: you don't need to increase the water on the bottom of the Instant Pot.
• Seal the Instant Pot and close the steam release valve. Press the Multigrain button, and set the timer for 60 minutes. It will take about 30 minutes to pressurize. When the Instant Pot is finished wait for the pressure to release naturally. Time to make hummus!!

• For the most reliable results, be precise in your measurements.
• In a high-speed blender, "grind" the split lentils until they become the texture of flour. This typically takes about a minute.
• Put the lentil flour, the thyme and the oregano into a medium bowl and add the water. Let is sit for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally with a whisk, to let the flour absorb the water. Consider adding changing out the herbs depending on the flavor palette of the accompanying meal.
• Heat a drizzle of avocado oil in a medium hot (310º) non-stick skillet. Pour in 1/2 c of the batter. Cook until the bubbles rise to the surface and the "pancake" releases from the pan. Turn over and cook another couple of minutes until brown.
• Turn out onto a plate.
• As written, this recipe serves 2 people with 4 hearty flatbreads.

• Traditional Method: Put your mixing bowl on a damp paper or cloth towel (to keep it from sliding away).
• Put everything except the oil in the mixing bowl and whisk lightly to disperse the mustard and agave.
• Put the avocado oil in a small carafe. Whisk the lemon mixture briskly, and add the oil in a small stream. This will allow the oil and the acid (lemon juice) to bond so they won't separate on the salad.
• Pour the dressing into the carafe and place on the table with the salad.
• Blender Method: Put the lemon, agave, and mustard in the blender. Blend quickly for 5 seconds. Drizzle the avocado oil in the top opening slowly. Pour the finished dressing into a carafe for serving.

• In a covered saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add farro and salt, and return to a boil. Lower heat to simmer and set timer for 20 minutes. Drain and fluff with a fork. Let cool.
• Prepare the salad ingredients. Start by shredding the spinach with a chiffonade.
• Cut the ends off the snap peas and cut them in half or thirds.
• Dice the red onion.
• Measure the shredded carrot.
• Peel and segment the orange!
• Rinse and drain the beans.
• Mince the parsley and add the sunflower seeds to your ingredients.
• Assemble the salads: Divide the spinach among the plates. Put a scoop of farro in the middle of the plate and surround the farro with beans. Sprinkle on the minced onion, carrot, and snap peas. Place the orange segments in a wheel or fan on the top for a splash of color and mouthwatering taste. Add fresh Lemon Salad Dressing. Garnish with the parsley and the sunflower seeds.