Grain/Gluten-Free Vegan Raw Garlic Zucchini Hummus

Oh hummus.  What can you not do with hummus?  You can dip, spread, indulge....bathe in it!  Just kidding on that last part, but sometimes I think I can eat an entire package of hummus - truth be told, sometimes I do!  Lets be honest....chickpeas (the base of hummus) gives you gas.  Sometimes it can even give you bloating.  That's no fun.  So!  This fixes that!  No chickpeas here!  This recipe is so delicious, 100% raw and full of yummy things like calcium and healthy fats.  Dip with Quinoa Tortillas, spread on flax crackers, sky is the limit!

Grain/Gluten-Free Vegan Raw Garlic Zucchini Hummus
1 good sized Zucchini, peeled and chopped (I use the julienne on a mandoline slicer)
1/2 cup Tahini
2 tablespoons Raw Sesame Seeds
Juice from 1 small Lemon
3 small cloves/1 large clove Garlic (vary depending on taste)
1/4-1/2 teaspoon Himalayan Salt (vary depending on taste)
2 dashes Cayenne (I use Herb Stop's 30,000 HU Cayenne)
1/4 teaspoon Cumin Powder
1/4 teaspoon Hungarian Paprika
1/4 cup (or so) of Purified Water
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Pine Nuts (optional)
Extra Paprika for color (optional)
Zahtar Seasoning to sprinkle on top (optional)

In a blender (I use my vita-mix) add all the ingredients except for water, olive oil, pine nuts, extra paprika and zahtar.  Start blending and add a little water at a time until the consistency is thick, but not clumpy and process until smooth.  Make sure to taste.  You may want to add more garlic, tahini, spices, etc.  Be creative :)

Place into a dish and make a well in the middle and add olive oil.  Sprinkle with a few pine nuts, a couple dashes of paprika and some zahtar.

ENJOY!!!

Grain/Gluten-Free Vegan Quinoa Tortillas

I don't want to call corn tortillas a waste of calories, but they kind of are - high in carbohydrates/sugar and not much protein..  So after slandering the good name of corn (sorry!) I must admit I love them!  I recently decided to become way more raw.  I have to remember to eat cooked foods (about 20%), because I'm eating mostly raw  feel so good that I forget that I need somethings cooked!  So these little puppies are my cooked food awesomeness as of late!  Plus - quinoa is full of protein and nutrition!

These little guys can be a little tricky to make at first, but I promise by your 3rd or 4th batch you'll totally get the hang of it :)  I have a tortilla press that works really well for this.  If you don't have one you can roll between well floured wax paper.

These remind me of whole wheat tortillas.  I don't know if that's true at all because I haven't eaten wheat in over 6 years, but somewhere in the taste part of my brain it says "wheat", lol.

Grain/Gluten-Free Vegan Quinoa Tortillas
1 cup Quinoa Flour (I use the flakes and grind myself)
Extra Quinoa Flour to be used to flour the press and coat the tortillas before cooking
1/4 teaspoon Himalayan Salt
1/4-1/2 cup Purified Water
2 squirts of Fresh Lemon Juice
1 teaspoon Grapeseed Oil

In a medium bowl, add quinoa and salt.  Mix well with a fork.  Make a well in the middle and add lemon juice, grapeseed oil and 1/4 cup of the water.  Using the fork, combine until the consistency is like a crumble top of a pie.  If there is dry quinoa flour slowly add more water - add by the teaspoonful.  If the dough becomes too sticky, it's nearly impossible to make tortillas.

Preheat two small cast iron skillets on the stove at medium to medium high. I have a gas stove and it's different than an electric range.  Start with medium and if the tortillas are not cooking and creating brown spots, adjust the temperature higher.  If the tortillas are burning, reduce heat.  Do not use oil.  This is a dry cooking process.

While the pans are heating up, it's time to make tortillas.  Make small balls - about 1 tablespoon or so - out of all the dough.  Using a piece of wax paper, make sure both sides of the tortillas press are covered.  Flour the bottom very well with the extra quinoa flour.  Take each ball and roll in the quinoa flour first.  Place in the tortilla press and press until flat.  Carefully remove and coat both sides with quinoa flour.   Place in the skillet for 2-3 minutes on each side.  Depending on your heat this will vary.  You will notice the color changes on the tortillas - that's perfect!  Flip and cook for a couple more minutes.  Continue until all those little balls have become tortillas!

YUMM!

perfect consistency

right out of the press

perfect little tortilla

ideas of what to do with these fun guys - salsa with a garlic sauce and salsa with an avocado

another idea - add a giant dollop of my zucchini hummus!  YUM!