Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.
― Winston Churchill
I am constantly amazed day in and day out at the power of our words, and the capacity we have to lift each other up or down with them. I’m talking not just about the words we write (for those of you who share blogging as a thing we ‘do’) but also the words we speak.
As a child, I longed to leave the country surroundings I grew up in to live in the ‘big city’ – you know that place that was full of people and possibility? It’s crazy to think that 20 years later, after leaving a place where it seemed that nothing ever happened for a life of what I see today….people…and possibility. It’s hard to imagine I could ever feel like I don’t want to be around people — I sometimes say this but truthfully there is no where I’d rather be than surrounded by other folks, and lots of them.
Everyday we have possibility. A possibility of touching someone’s life, or of making a bad day into a good one. How often do we walk past people and look directly at them without taking a second to smile? Or pass strangers on a run or jog and avoid looking them in the eye? A simple smile or a twinkle of the eye can go a long way in this world. Better yet, telling someone how nice they look, or something positive you noticed are little things, but they can make all the difference to a day, and you just never know what might be going on behind those eyes opposite yours.
I recently received some lovely messages from readers who shared with me some of their thoughts. The written word is such a wonderful form of sharing, as we can edit and re-write without the pressure of our all too quickly passing moments in life. I want to thank all of you who take the time to drop a line, or to leave a comment. Sometimes I can see your smiles, and sense the twinkles in your eyes. I hope you can see mine too.
Life passes quickly. I try to remember to seize the opportunities while I can, no matter how big or how small. After all, you never what’s possible when you bring people together to collectively let our lights shine.
This fantastic & sophisticated little riff on hummus came to me this month courtesy of Bon Appetit, my new monthly subscription courtesy of my ever-lovely mother in law (who is always a ray of positive light).
The minute I laid eyes on it I knew I would make it, as who can say no freshly cooked chickpeas and cumin in any form? Vegans can easily play with dairy-free yoghurt options here, and I for one love the lightness that comes from omitting the traditional tahini. I changed a few things here and there, but the premise is still the same: delicious.
The Less:
Less store-bought packaged dips means fresher, better taste & nutrition. Less packaged foods means less waste, and cooking beans from scratch means better flavor, nutrition and texture too. Less cost on the basics means you can spend more on something else, so spreading the love becomes easy, delicious, and downright pretty.
The More:
More high protein chickpeas means more grounding starch & plant-based protein. More full fat dairy means you need less to stay satisfied. More foods you can make from scratch means more ways to stay inspired, so creating soul foods from very little becomes an art.
Chickpea Yoghurt Dip:
Adapted from Bon Appetit
- (3) cups cooked chickpeas
- (1/2) cup thick full fat plain yoghurt
- (1/2) of one raw shallot
- (3) tbsp olive oil
- (2) tsp red wine vinegar
- (1) tsp ground cumin
- (1-2) tsp salt
- black pepper to taste
- olive oil, fresh mint leaves and pomegranate seeds to garnish
If you are cooking your chickpeas from scratch, put up 1.5 cups of dry garbanzos up to soak for 6-8 hours in cold water to cover. To cook the beans, drain and rinse the soaked beans under cold water well and place in a large pot. Cover the beans with 3-4 inches of fresh cold water and bring to a boil. Add a pinch of two of salt to the water as it heats up. Once the water is boiling, turn the heat to medium-high and keep the water at a gently rolling boil for 1-1.5 hours, until the chickpeas are soft. Drain and rinse with plenty of fresh water before using.
Canned beans are a pantry staple and are indispensable for quick, convenient meals. However, with a little forethought, cooking beans from scratch saves pennies (lots of them) over time and the end result is a far superior product than the shelf stable canned stuff. Less salt, less waste, less cost. More taste and a creamy texture? Yes please. A win if you can for sure and easy as can be.
Combine all ingredients except for mint & pomegranate seeds and blend until smooth and creamy. You can use either a food processor or blender for this job, and both work well and require little in the way of help to create a tangy, smooth, and nutritious protein-rich dip.
Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with olive oil, pomegranate seeds & fresh mint leaves.
Keep this little number tucked away in the fridge for a few days and it gets better with age. Enjoy it with fresh romaine hearts for dipping, or raw carrots, cucumbers or snap peas.
You could even top a steamed veggie bowl or brown rice with this. Perfect, easy protein.
On another note, I wanted to make note of a little blogging event I will be taking part in on April 8th. I wrote in yesterday morning to sign up for Food Bloggers Against Hunger, hosted by Nicole over at The Giving Table.
This event is being held to raise awareness around the fact that an alarming 1 in 4 American kids go hungry everyday, a statistic all too echoed the world over, even here at home, where we are hard at work on this very issue.
She is hosting this in co-ordination with the launch of an important new movie, and one that speaks to me closely: ‘A Place at The Table’ is brought to you by the same studio that gave us the important food film Food Inc.
Check it out, and if you food blogging buds out there want to join us, I’d love to see you there 
Yours in Less,
Wow, that looks amazing! A a real humus lover, I can’t wait to make this!!
I hope you do Mirjam – thanks!
Thanks for helping spread the word about Food Bloggers Against Hunger! I love the idea of adding some pomegranate seeds to hummus. Will have to try that next time.
My pleasure Nicole!
This looks so delicious I want to lick my screen!
Come on up Emmy! It’s just a short drive
This is one fantastic-looking hummus, Shira. I know the pomegranate seeds add color and texture but I like the olive oil garnish. A fine olive oil is such a nice way to finish a dish, especially a dip. Very nicely done, Shira.
Thanks John! I couldn’t agree with you more – olive oil makes everything better
My Van-city buddy…
1. I cannot believe 1 in 4 American kids goes hungry EVERY DAY. What a frightening statistic.
2. Slightly more flippantly, but still important, I want to come over to your neck of the woods and get a lesson in photography. Love your images! (And, couldn’t we have some fun?)
3. I may not be able to try this particular recipe, but I can tell you pomegranates are THE BOMB!!!
Cheers to you!
Jx
Cheers J! I’d love to have you come for a visit – though I am hardly qualified to share points on much other than how to be a food nerd
Haha! Love you from here – hope all is well!
Since I LOVE creamy hummus I think this would be right up my alley, as I’m sure the yogurt lends even more creaminess to hummus. Yummy!
Yes Anna – it was so lovely, especially after sitting a while in the fridge!
Now I know what I am going to do with all these chickpeas I have. Thanks Shira. It looks yummy.
thanks LuAnn! I can’t help myself when it comes to dips – I love that you are the same! xo
As dorky as this will sound, the first word that came to mind when I saw the photos was: sensuous. Silky, smooth, creamy…dotted w/ pomegranate seeds..sigh.
I’ll join you in that sentiment Annie – I totally agree! xo
That is SO pretty and I am sure out of this world delicious, Shira
You are so right! Just a little smile, a tiny compliment and a warm hug can change the world. It takes so little and it means so much!
Thank you for the link as well to Food Bloggers Against Hunger!
Thanks Anne! I hope to see you there on the 8th! xo
Thanks for letting us know about Food Bloggers Against Hunger! I’ve just signed up as well. I’m really looking forward to participating in such a worthwhile blogging event.
Fantastic Katie! So glad to have you join in! See you there
I just came across this recipe on Foodgawker. Lovely photos, and I really adore your concept. Just amazing! I can’t wait to see more.
Thank you Rachael! Thank you for taking the time to leave such a kind note – so glad to have you here! xo
Such a delicious post! I will honestly be trying this asap!! Looks amazing!!
I think I need to re-dub you as the HUMMUS QUEEN! I’d love to do this blogging event, just gotta get my ducks in a row and get organized.
Would love to see you there Somer!! What can I say? Me and blended chickpeas get along well! XO
I really enjoyed your post Shira. It comes at a time when I need to be more uplifting with someone I love.
Your hummus looks great as well! My daughter loves hummus, but is allergic to tahini, so this will be a nice variation to try for her!
Thanks Lauren – I am so glad to hear that! I loved this nut-free version – light and tangy! xo
Hi Shira! I saw this recipe in my Bon Appetit and thought it looked good. Of course it didn’t speak to me the way it did once I read your post! I read this in my car on my phone just before going on my morning run on my local beach trail in San Clemente, CA. I was inspired in two ways. First…I made it a point to make eye contact and smile at a few of the people running past me. Second, I made this hummus and used it for a spread in some very yummy veggie wraps that I made with lavash for dinner for my family. I would have posted them but they got gobbled up way too quickly to take pictures. Next time! The hummus was so good!! Just made my second batch for our St. Patty’s day company tomorrow.
Thanks for inspiring me, as usual!!
Rhonda, this is so fantastic, and makes me so happy to read! Not only is it great to hear the recipe is a hit (those guys nailed it!) but that the words I write make an impact on people’s days – so awesome! I hope you had a fantastic weekend! I always love to hear from you.
I never would have thought to add pomagranite seeds to humus, but now I can’t wait to try it out! Thanks for sharing the idea!
Thank you Reia! I wish I could take credit but I can vouch for the fact it is delicious!
What’s up everybody, here every person is sharing these kinds of experience, therefore it’s fastidious to read this website, and I used to visit this web site everyday.
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