Lima Bean “Hummus”

I love hummus…have it in my fridge at all times (almost always homemade).  It’s the perfect snack (it holds me over when I get home from dance late at night until I get dinner ready).  It makes a great spread for a sandwich (I love veggie & hummus toasts, tartines if you want to sound fancy, for lunch.  This one looks really good, so does this one!).  It helps me eat more veggies (I dip carrots, red bell, cucumbers…hardly ever pita, I save that for restaurants!).

I also love lima beans.  So why not combine the two?  Although this isn’t technically hummus, that’s what I’m calling it (lima bean dip doesn’t sound as appealing!).  I kept it pretty simple…it’s flavored with lemon juice, salt, and pepper only (garlic would be a nice addition too). 

It comes together really quickly.  Frozen lima beans cook for about 20 minutes and then everything goes in the food processor.  The end.

And I’m sure its no surprise, but lima beans are really good for you!  Fiber, manganese, folate, potassium, iron…what more could you want???

Lima Bean “Hummus”

makes 10 1/4-cup servings

1 16oz bag frozen lima beans
1/4 cup juice from 1-2 lemons
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

In boiling, salted water, boil lima beans until tender, about 20 minutes.  Drain.

Process the lima beans in a food processor until smooth. Scrape down bowl with a rubber spatula.  With the food processor running, slowly add the lemon juice.  Process for 1 minute and then scrape down the sides again. 

Again, with the food processor running add the olive oil.  Process until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary.  If the hummus is too thick add more lemon juice or water*.  Add black pepper and taste for salt...you might not need any because the beans were cooked in salted water…process one last time.

The hummus can be refrigerated for up to a week.

Per serving (1/4 cup) – 110 calories, 6 g fat (1 g saturated), 12 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 3.5 g protein (exchanges: 1 fat, 1 starch)

* The “hummus” really thickens as it cools…so make sure it’s a little on the runny side after you finish processing.

What I Eat (Day 3)

• breakfast: overnight oats…1/2 cup Dorset Fruit, Nut, & Fiber Cereal soaked overnight in about 1 cup yogurt (1/2 FAGE 0%, 1/2 Wallaby Vanilla), plus a peach added this morning; a fig; water; iced latte (1/2%1/2, condensed milk, skim, Cool Brew)
• lunch: carrots with edamame hummus; chicken sandwich (Great Harvest Woodstock Bread, roasted chicken, cream cheese, cucumber, avocado, lettuce, black pepper); a fig; water
• snack: 1/2 of another latte…without the condensed milk
• dinner: apple; Mexican quinoa salad over romaine (quinoa, cilantro, corn, black beans, tomatoes, lemon juice, olive oil)

Another non-stop day!  I was at the studio from 8:30 – 1 and then 3 – 9:30, teaching, choreographing, more teaching, and then Saintsations…I should just move in.  And no workout 2 days in a row!  I need to get to Boot Camp in the morning. 
  
I ate breakfast before I left for the studio and brought the latte with me.  But when I got home at 1ish, I was starving.  Lots of dancing and not enough food!  Carrots with edamame hummus held me over while I made my sandwich.  I love having food ready to go in the fridge for this reason.  The hummus is very similar to the one I make with chickpeas…I just swap boiled edamame for the chickpeas.  It was inspired by this recipe.
  
Notice that I didn’t sweeten my coffee the second time around.  I try not to drink very many sweetened beverages and definitely no more than one in a day.  But honestly, I like lattes unsweetened…it makes the half and half more prominent…yum!

Lots of veggies today…my oncology RD friend (who emailed me in disapproval of my low intake yesterday) will definitely approve today.  Carrots, edamame, cucumber, avocado, romaine, corn, beans, tomatoes!  Fruits and veggies are one of the best things you can do to prevent cancer, right Danielle???  I try to have a vegetable based meal everyday…and I succeed on most days too.

I haven’t had dessert yet, but sitting here typing about food is making me want some!  Granola with milk maybe?  See ya tomorrow!