Sprout Hummus

Here's an alternative to the 'normal' recipe, not that we need one, but I had a bag of mixed sprouts lying around.

I added the following in a blender:

1 cup mixed sprouts

some garlic cloves

4-5 teaspoons of roasted sesame seeds (or Tahini if you have some...I didn't)

a bit o' ginger

a spoon of ground cumin

juice of 1 lemon

some olive oil (you'll need some more to sprinkle on top as well)

water (for a paste-like consistency)

Blend it all into a smooth paste. top with some olive oil and serve with some toast or fresh salad.

Minty Fresh Mango Shake

Here's one for the summer:

2 juicy mangoes

Handful of mint leaves

Sugar / honey (only if the mangoes are not sweet enough)

Peel and dice the mangoes. You don't need to bother about aesthetics while doing this...it's all going to be mashed up. Pick out a handful of fresh mint leaves. Add some water to get it to shake-like consistency. If the mangoes are rich in flavour and you don't like everything syrupy sweet, then skip the added sugar...or go ahead and add honey for a healthier option. Blend the lot together with some ice and serve chilled.

Pumpkin Soup

As a start...here's something that gets me by on cold winter evening (even though 'cold' in this part of the world means 'fairly pleasant').

I don't really go much by measurements, rather by what I 'feel' like.

For the soup:

1 pumpkin

2 medium sized carrots

2 tomatoes

salt

pepper

Boil the pumpkin, carrots and tomatoes till tender. Don't throw away the water. I find it easier to remove the pumpkin skin after boiling (just make sure to clean it well before you put it in). This also lets all the nutrients (whatever they be) from the skin soak into the water. Use the water to blend in the veggies till smooth, then sieve it. Add more water till you get desired consistency and bring to boil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Here's the part that adds the magic:

Some butter

Bit o' ginger

Heat butter in a saucepan. Grate the ginger and fry for a minute. Mix this into the soup just before serving.

For the garnish:

Top with some Feta cheese, cream, and a sprig of parsley or coriander.

I love the strong taste of pepper and ginger in this soup. Both these ingredients are excellent throat pleasers, and a wonderful accompaniment on a cold winters day.