Guest Post: Southwestern Black Bean Hummus

Hi everyone! I’m Gabriela from Une Vie Saine. Like Ashley, I’m a New Yorker with an interest in running, health, and enjoying all that this wonderful city has to offer! unviesaine

Though my kitchen forte is undoubtedly baking, I do like to experiment with savory recipes as well. I come from a family of hummus-lovers, and while I used to think that the spread was difficult to make, in reality it’s incredibly easy. To change things up a bit, here’s my recipe for a black-bean based hummus.IMG_0314Southwestern Black Bean Hummus

1 15.5 oz can black beans, drained with liquid reserved
2 tablespoons tahini
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more, depending on spice preference)
¼ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon salt

Simply put all your ingredients into the food processor:IMG_0308

And blend until your desired consistency is reached, adding bean liquid to smooth if necessary. Makes approximately 3 cups.IMG_0317

The result is a thick, filling hummus with tons of spice and flavor. Served with tortilla chips, pita or crackers, it would make the perfect appetizer for a Mexican-themed meal!IMG_0319

Thank you so much to Ashley for the opportunity to guest post. Feel free to stop by Une Vie Saine any time for more hummus (or healthy cookie) recipes!

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You Really Should Enjoy Downtown Savannah…

Sometimes the world works in crazy ways.

We arrived at the airport yesterday, exactly one hour before our flight, only to find out that it had just been cancelled. While most of the Midwest and Northeast flights yesterday were cancelled due to weather reasons, ours was cancelled due to mechanical issues. However, these weather issues meant that there was no way they could rebook us on another flight yesterday.

Before he left the ticket counter, the kind ticket agent gave him a tip, "You really should enjoy downtown Savannah. It’s quite lovely this time of year."

Bo, my mom, and I each quickly embraced the idea of enjoying the sunshine and 70 degree weather for one more day!

Taxi and food vouchers in hand to use Tuesday morning, we decided to embrace the extra day and spend it enjoying downtown Savannah.  Luckily, my mom didn’t have any plans yesterday so she was able to enjoy the day with us.

IMG_0496 IMG_0498 IMG_0497 Our first stop was Soho South Cafe, one of our favorite lunch spots in downtown. A funky, hip art boutique and restaurant, their menu is extensive and always delicious. This is one of those restaurants where anything you order arrives just as your taste buds imagine.

IMG_0506 Soho South Cafe Savannah We each tried something different than normal, but also decided that we were in the mood for their famous sandwiches. They make their chicken and tuna salad in house as well as their pork. Armed with this knowledge, my mom and I decided to order the Waldorf style tuna salad sandwich and the chicken salad sandwich, sharing each of them.

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We weren’t able to finish either of these sandwiches due to their enormous size, but they were out of this world! The toppings (lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and sprouts) were piled high and both salads included apples, grapes, and the perfect level of seasoning!

Bo ordered their Cuban sandwich as it came highly recommended and is always one of his favorites.  As Cuban sandwich lovers know, this is often a risky sandwich to order at restaurants. It is either delicious, and spot on, or it is underwhelming served with one slice of cheese and a slice of ham.

As you can tell from the below picture, this Cuban was a gooey mess of ham and cheese.

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If you’re ever in Savannah, I highly recommend stopping by Soho South Cafe for a wonderful lunch break. They feature indoor and outdoor seating, a full beer and wine menu, a large assortment of sandwich and salad options, as well as some out of this world desserts!

After our lunch, we spent the afternoon walking around the historic downtown area and City Market.

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IMG_0525 IMG_0523 Garibaldi Seafood RestaurantA final vacation day wouldn’t be complete without a dessert stop, now would it? 🙂 Luckily, we came across a new to us cupcake shop. Mabel Francis Potter’s Cupcake Emporium has been in Savannah for 5 years, serving creative cupcakes and cookie cupcakes to locals and visitors alike. outside of Mabel Francis Potter's Cupcake EmporiumMabel Francis Potter's Cupcake Emporium

Unfortunately, a busier than normal holiday Monday caught them off guard yesterday. Therefore, they only had two flavors when we arrived- cotton candy or coconut.  The owner warned that the cotton candy is a child favorite due to it’s extreme sweetness. We tried the coconut, thinking it was a safer choice.IMG_0509IMG_0510Coconut Cupcake with Coconut Buttercream IcingThe coconut cupcake with coconut butter cream icing did not disappoint! The cake was very moist, one of my requirements for a good cupcake. The icing was a traditional butter cream with only a slight hint of coconut extract topped with fresh coconut.  While I was disappointed in their selection, the cupcake was perfect and my mom said she would definitely order cupcakes there in the future.

 

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Arnold Sandwich Thins Two Ways

 

This morning my mom and I enjoyed a wonderful 4.5 mile walk through around Wilmington Island. We enjoyed marsh views, early morning animal sightings, and even waved to Paula Deen as we passed her house.

By 9am our stomachs were growling for a warm, healthy, and filling breakfast. I knew I wanted to make something I can’t make at the office on a daily basis. I scoured my parents fridge and found the following ingredients:

  • Eggland’s Best Eggs
  • Laughing Cow Light Mozzarella cheese
  • Arnold Sandwich Thins
  • Kraft 2% slices
  • Tomatoes

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Isn’t my new placemat cute? I found 3 of these at Target in different fun, bright colors like aqua and yellow! IMG_0494I had a great idea for breakfast and quickly started working on a warm breakfast delight for my the two of us.

IMG_0493Instead of settling for an Arnold Sandwich thin one way, I used each individual thin as a base for a different type of breakfast sandwich.

The warm one included 2 egg whites, 1 egg, salt & pepper, Garlic Gold, and melted Kraft single atop an Arnold Thin.   

IMG_0490The second thin included a thin spread of Laughing Cow cheese and tomato slices.

IMG_0489These were exactly what I was craving and my mom loved the combination too!

What is your favorite breakfast sandwich?

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