Terra Americana

Sue comes up with the best recipes to try.  She will walk in the door and say things like  "Have you ever tried beet hummus?"  And then I have to...

This recipe has been a staple in my fridge for a month.  I keep making it with the beets I pickled in September.  In the rush up to the holidays it was probably the one truly healthy addition to my grab and go diet.

Okay, you may be put off by the idea of beets and mung beans, but if you like hummus it is worth of a try.  Mung beans are full of potassium, magnesium, folate, fiber, and vitamin B6, which are nutrients that help us combat stress and soothe tired bodies.  In addition to what mung beans bring to the table, beets also contain phosphorus, iron; vitamins A, B & C; beta-carotene, beta-cyanine; folic acid.  While the Ancient Romans swore by their amorous overtures, today's nutritionists tout their ability to cleans the liver and blood, boost mental health and revive your energy.

• 1 1/2 cups cooked mung beans
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
  1/2 cup tahini paste
  1 large clove garlic, peeled & smashed
• 1 tsp Fish Sauce or sea salt
  1/3 cup water, more if needed
• 1 tsp Lemon Ginger Curry or Herbs de Provence
• 1 tsp White Pepper
• 1 cup pickled beets, chopped or torn
• 2 tbsp beet juice, from the pickle

Blend or grind mung beans until they are fine crumbs crumb.  Scrape the bean paste from the corners once or twice, add the lemon juice, tahini, garlic, and Fish Sauce. Blend again, another minute or so. Make sure the beans do not form a dough ball inside the processor. If they do break apart and  start adding the water a splash at a time. Blend until it is aerated and creamy. Add the spices, beets and beat juice.  Blend until the consistency is to your liking.  Some times I like it a bit chunky.

Serve with carrots, celery, broccoli florets and torn Pita Bread or Naan.

More healty recipes to dip into:

The  "Old Fashioned" cocktail was said to have been first made at the Pendennis Club, a gentlemen's club founded  in Louisville, Kentucky. A bartender created it in honor of  James E. Pepper, a prominent bourbon distiller.  So thrilled was Pepper, to have a cocktail made for him, he brought the recipe with him on a trip to the big apple and had it recreated at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel bar.  The rest,  as they say, is HISTORY.

As a long fall day wound down, I decided to toast its passing with an Old Fashioned.  Baked apple slices fresh out of my oven begged to be a part of the festivities.  Their addition meant little to no sugar was really needed to make this libation sweet.  For the sake of history and the flavors of fall filling my kitchen a decided a dash of brown sugar would do the trick, and so it did.  Beth calls it "A drunken apple crisp."

• 4 dashes Angostura Bitters
• 1/4 tsp brown sugar (optional)
• 1 Orange wheel
• 4.slices baked apple slices (reserve 1 for a garish)
• 1 splash Club soda
• 2 oz Bourbon (we love Maker's Mark)

In an Old Fashioned glass, muddle the bitters, sugar, orange wheel and apple. Remove the orange rind, add the bourbon and a splash of soda water, then fill with ice. Garnish with a slice of apple.

More Fall Favorites:

• Spiked Cider

• Tomato Martini

• Cranberry Crush

• Vodka Gimlet

Photo Credit:  Julie Cecchini