Ingredients

Hummus (store-bought or made from scratch – see below)
8 corn or flour tortillas
½ cup chopped green onions
1/2-1 cup favorite salsa

Directions

1. Spread a tortilla with 2 to 3 tablespoons of hummus and place in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat.

2. Sprinkle with chopped green onions and salsa. (You could also eliminate the salsa here and instead top the finished quesadilla with it.)

3. Top with a second tortilla, and cook until the bottom tortilla is warm and turning golden brown, about 3-5 minutes, depending on how high you have your flame. Turn and cook the second side for another few minutes, until it, too, is golden brown.

4. Remove from pan and cut in half or into triangles. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

Basic Hummus Recipe

1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
½ cup water-packed, roasted red peppers
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon tahini (sesame seed butter)
1-2 garlic cloves, peeled
¼ teaspoon cumin
Salt, to taste

Place the beans in a food processor or blender with roasted peppers, lemon juice, tahini, garlic, and cumin. Process until very smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. You may add a little water to thin it out. Salt to taste.

Serving suggestions and variations:

• Serve with a side of rice and beans.
• Great for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner – or just as a snack.
• Serve as party finger food; though they really are best served hot!
• For some extra spice, add minced jalapeno peppers to the hummus. Or add a pinch of cayenne.
• You can also serve these with guacamole and non-dairy sour cream.
• Non-dairy sour cream: Wildwood or Tofutti brand sour creams are both delicious. You can find them at Whole Foods or other large health food stores. (Or ask your grocer to carry them.) If you want to make your own, simply add one 12-ounce box of silken tofu to a blender or food processor along with 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice. Add a dash of cayenne for some color and "bite."

Copyright © 2007 Compassionate Cooks, LLC – All rights reserved

Summer Vegetable Risotto
Use this recipe as a model for many of your favorite seasonal vegetables, so long as those on the sturdy side (bell peppers, artichoke hearts, broccoli, beets) are precooked until not quite tender, either by blanching, steaming, or roasting. As a general rule, for every cup of rice, you will need about 3 cups of simmering broth.

Cooking time: The total cooking time from the first addition of liquid to the rice to the completion of the risotto containing vegetables is typically about twenty-five minutes. But let your taste buds be the guide. Risotto is not as complicated as many think. It just requires some time at the stove. Use that time as an opportunity to engage in "cooking meditation." It really is very therapeutic!
Makes 4 main course servings

INGREDIENTS
6 cups vegetable broth, plus additional (if necessary)
½ cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped, about 1 cup
3 garlic cloves, crushed or chopped
1 yellow summer squash, diced
1 or 2 zucchini squash, diced
4-5 ears corn enough for 3-1/2 cups kernels (you may used canned or frozen)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mixed herbs (basil, dill, sage, etc.)
1-1/2 cups arborio rice
Salt and pepper to taste
Toasted pine nuts (optional)
Yellow pear tomatoes, for garnish (optional)
Fresh herbs, finely chopped (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Remove husks and silk from corn. Working over a large bowl to catch the corn kernels and juices, cut kernels from corncobs with a sharp knife. (If using canned or frozen, just drain the water.)
2. Heat the broth in a large pot.
3. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over high heat and saute the zucchini and yellow squash until lightly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
4. Sauté the onion and garlic in the remaining oil until tender but not brown, about 5 minutes.
5. Add the rice and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
6. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add ½ cup of the simmering broth mixture to the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until almost all of the liquid has been absorbed. Continue adding the broth mixture ½ cup at a time, cooking and stirring until it is almost completely absorbed and the rice begins to soften, about 15 minutes.
7. When down to last two cups of liquid, add corn kernels. Continue cooking, adding liquid 1/2 cup at a time.
8. Stir in the squash and another ½ cup of the broth mixture. Continue to stir constantly until the liquid has almost been absorbed, until the mixture is creamy, not runny, the rice is tender yet firm to the bite, and the vegetables are heated through, about 5 minutes.
9. Remove from the heat and stir in the herbs. Serve at once, garnished with the pine nuts, pear tomatoes, and finely chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, parsley, and tarragon, if using.

Optional: Add non-dairy butter in the last 10 minutes of cooking. Earth Balance is the best non-dairy butter out there! No GMOs, no hydrogenated oil, no saturated fat, no animal protein, no cholesterol. Some variations (like the whipped) are organic.

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