Hummus

This has always been one of my favorite snacks/side dishes, there are so many great hummus recipes and I pretty much like all of them, but this is how I make it.

Ingredients:

2 cans chick peas/garbanzo beans

splash of olive oil

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 cloves garlic 

1 tablespoon salt

½ teaspoon dried oregano

Preparation

1. Put chick peas into blender, add enough liquid from the can to cover the blades, hold on to the rest in case you need to adjust the consistency at the end
2. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth, add more liquid if needed
3. It can be garnished with a sprig of fresh herbs (such as oregano or basil) and some kalamata olives if desired

The finished product! Goes great with fresh veggies

Here’s a shopping list to use for donations to Chagrin Falls Park Food Pantry, remember to print out and include the recipe!

2 cans chick peas/garbanzo beans

bottle olive oil

bottle lemon juice

garlic

salt

dried oregano

Avocado Salad

I’m starting off easy with my favorite avocado salad, dressed with a simple vinaigrette.

Ingredients:

Salad:

Any type of greens (I like spinach)

1 Tomato

A few slices purple onion

1 Avocado

Vinaigrette:

            6 tablespoons olive oil

            2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

            1 teaspoon salt

            1 minced garlic clove

            ½ teaspoon dried oregano

            ground pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Combine all vinaigrette ingredients
2. Thinly slice avocado, onion, and tomato
3. Combine sliced vegetables with vinaigrette and allow to marinate while greens are prepared
4. Rinse and dry greens
5. Place greens in salad bowl, drain vinaigrette over the greens and toss
6. Arrange marinated vegetables over tossed greens, serve immediately

Enjoy! 

If you want to share this with the Chagrin Falls Park Food Pantry please print out this page and include it with your donation!

Donation Shopping List:

1. Salad sized package of greens
2. 1 purple onion
3. 1 tomato
4. 1 avocado
5. 1 bottle olive oil
6. 1 bottle apple cider vinegar
7. salt and pepper
8. garlic
9. dried oregano

Two Birds, One Stone

After a year of dorm life (and food) I'm moving into a house off campus this fall. Since I will have my own kitchen, I can cook for myself while I'm at college. This summer I want to practice some of my favorite recipes so I'll be ready to feed myself all year. But I don't want it to just be about me. Every week that I prepare one of my favorite recipes I'm going to donate a duplicate set of ingredients to the Chagrin Falls Park Food Pantry.

Food pantries usually get prepackaged or processed foods. That's good, because those things can stay on the shelf without going bad. But it also means less fresh foods, and sometimes a lack of foods that contribute to a cohesive meal or recipe.

Hence, "two birds with one stone," I want to practice cooking and I also want to help the Food Pantry. I'll post my recipes and anyone reading along can try them out too. If you can, buy a duplicate set of ingredients and drop them off at the Chagrin Falls Park Food Pantry (or your local food bank).

If you would like to help out, take your donations of food to the Chagrin Falls Park Community Center at 7060 Woodland Avenue (off of South Franklin St, just past South Franklin Circle retirement community if you are coming from the direction of the village). The Community Center is on the left. Park out front and go in the main doors. Someone should be at the desk on weekdays between 9 and 5. Let them know if anything in the bag needs refrigeration or freezing. They have plenty of room for those things.

Thanks! -Kaleigh