Paper Palate

The May-June issue of Vegetarian Times has lots of ideas and recipes for seasonal pleasures from healthy adapations of hearty Southern-style family reunion recipes to how to stay in shape while you travel to cool, overnight marinated salads that help you beat the heat (and avoid the stove). 

“Soul-Satisfying Food” is what the family reunion article promises and the recipes by Liza Hughes really deliver.  Try oven-fried okra, cornbread and pulled “pork” barbecue sandwiches (made with shredded seitan) even if you don’t have a family reunion this summer.  Vegetarian Times features these recipes from this article on its website.  You can view them here.  You might want to pick up an issue to see the sweet potato pie and collard greens recipes.

Elsewhere in the issue, learn how to forage for wild food with noted Naturalist “Wildman” Steve Brill, try the green pea recipes in the “1 Food 5 Ways” feature and consider switching to the “Slim, Trim and Vegan” diet which features an eating plan and recipes to help readers ease diabetes and possibly lose weight.  Here’s a recipe to try from the “30 Minutes” section.  This month’s section highlights recipes that are “special occassion” but “let you have your fun in the sun” including this recipe for a chickpea dip created by Kathy Farrell-Kingsley.

Vegetarian Times Spicy Chickpea Dip

Makes about  3 cups

1 tsp. whole cumin seeds, lightly toasted over medium heat for 3 minutes in a small skillet, then ground into a fine powder

2 15-oz. cans of chickpeas, rinsed and drained

3 Tbs. lemon juice

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 tsp. hot paprika.

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

2 Tbs. olive oil

Salt

Pepper

In a food processor, blend ground cumin, chickpeas, lemon juice, garlic, paprika and cayenne pepper until very finely chopped.  With the machine running, add oil and process until smooth.  Transfer puree to bowl.  Add salt and pepper to taste and combine.  Serve at room temperature.

Photo Credit:  Vegetarian Times