Squash "hummus"

Wild rice

Squash and rice "hummus"

Hummus is an Arab "mash" or spread made out of cooked chickpeas, ground sesame (Tahini), olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and salt. Variations include additional red bell pepper, pine nuts, cilantro, jalapenos, etc. Store bought hummus is very expensive, but you can make it yourself with garbanzo beans from the store (usually about a dollar a can).

I created two completely different kinds of hummus--not really hummus because these are made with squash. Still, is an interesting dip. Regular hummus is about 80 calories per 2 tablespoons (or two chips worth). In the first variation, I sauteed two zucchines, then mixed them in a food processor with 2 cups of cooked wild rice, plus 2 T olive oil, pepper and garlic. The result is above (in the processor). It's sort of gummy from the rice starch, but not bad. It needs to be eaten warm.

Below is another type. I sauteed two zucchines with onions, tomatoes, garlic and 2T of oilve oil.

Below is tabouleh, a Middle Eastern "salad" made of bulghur wheat, with added parsley, rice flour, onion, mint, etc. I bought this in a box as the store. Simply add hot water and olive oil and let it set. After reconstitution it looks like the picture on the left.

Mix the prepared tabouleh with the squash, onions and tomatoes (in a processor or blender). It will not have the same creamy texture as hummus, but it still is interesting. You can add other items such as hot peppers, cilantro, etc. Eat with crackers, carrots or celery. Josh put a bunch on his sandwich.

Squash/tabouleh hummus with a Trisket





July Vegetables

A huge squash

The hot weather continues. It's been over 100 degrees every day this week. The vegetables are heavily mulched so I don't have to water too much at one time, but it's required every other day.

Cucumber vines latch on to the fence

A late squash plant. I put a twirley from the Dollar Store next to it to deter the rabbits and a funnel so water can reach the roots.

This giant squash looks like three fused together

A nice pick of peppers

Yellow squashes grow next to a watermelon

These tomatoes should ripen in a few days

Luckily the corn developed tassels before it got hot. It gets a drink every day but still looks stressed

A nice little bounty from this morning

Hot Vegetables

Sunshine peppers

It's about 102 degrees outside. I mulched my gardens in early spring so I only water every three days. Everything has survived this hot month, but it is going to be challenging to keep the plants going if we have another week of 100-plus days.




 

I planted way too many squash plants in these raised beds. Now I can't get in there to pick anything.

A look under the thick canopy. That little whirly is there to scare off rabbits--when the pants were only an inch high, that is. Now a small rabbit stays under the leaves all day. I feed it scraps and so far it hasn't nibbled on my plants.

Cucumber vines have found the ladder.

I picked a few things today, inclduing squash, a zucchini, and peppers. This year I planted several types of tomatoes: Manitoba, Alaskan Fancy, Black Pineapple, Cherokee Purple, Chocolate Cherry, Golden Cherry.

Taco Salad

My daughter Ari created this healthy version of a taco salad yesterday. Instead of using a white tortilla she substituted a tomato tortilla, then baked it in a large bowl instead of deep frying it--like restaurants do. She used vegetable protien crumbles by Morning Star in addition to shredded romaine, peppers, and salsa. She flavored the fake meat with cumin and chili pwder instead of the salty taco seasoning you can buy in packets.

Late Spring Garden

A lot of my vegetables are growing very well. The resident rabbits have stayed out of the big garden and so far, no squash bugs.

The tomato plants have dozens of blossoms.



Won't be long

 

I planted grapes three years ago and now the vines have taken over the arch and eastern fence of the big garden. 

Raspberries grow along the fences

Tosh graduated from Baldwin High this weekend. We had the celebration in the morning before the ceremony so he could run around and visit friends afterwards.  We prepared a variety of dishes, including grape and sweet potato salsa, cookie pizzas, venison and meatless burritos, tomato and corn salsa, lemon-raspberry ade, mimosas (champagne, orange juice and Triple Sec) for stressed parents,  with three types of chips: pita, whole grain, and veggie. I forgot to take pics of everything.

Grape Salsa: click here for the recipe

Sister-in-law Adele Mihesuah chops onions for the grape and sweet potato salsa

Ari cuts up grapes

Tosh, the Senior class president, gives a speech about the senior class gift.

Tosh's godfather Kevin Blake cuts scallions

We made a ton of sweet potato salsa.Click for recipe You can eat this with chips, roll in burritos, put on meats, or eat alone. I scrambled eggs with them the next day.

Fruit pizza was a hit. We made six of them.

Pure sugar. Cousin Jolene made the great cake. Purple shoes symbolizes Baldwin High School; the orange is Baker U.

Day 46

Professor Marty Reinhardt and his intrepid group of traditional eaters are on their
46th day of the challenge. You can read their interesting daily journals here:
https://share.nmu.edu/moodle/course/view.php?id=33

The food sounds terrific. Someone (ahem, Marty) might consider organizing a conference on traditional eating, or perhaps an indigenous "Chopped" or "Top Chef"-type competition. Without the crazy short time limits on cooking, of course.

Go DDPers!