Gena’s Raw (Bean Free) Broccoli Hummus

In case you haven’t noticed, we Canadians are pretty obsessed with the weather.  It rules our schedules, our wardrobes and our moods.  Wake up to sunny skies and 26C (79 F), as we did a couple of weeks ago, and it’s going to be a good day.  Wake up to glum, sodden skies, and that scowl won’t leave your face for the next 18 hours.

The weather influences how early you have to leave for work, your choice of foot covering for the day, whether your hair will behave or not, and how long your dog-walk will be.  Good or bad, it can even inspire me to haiku:

Last week was summer.
This week, earmuffs have returned.
Oh, Canada–why?

 (If you’re in the mood for more random haiku–including the HH’s magnum opus from his childhood–see this post).

Despite the unseasonally inclement weather this week, I’ve been hankering after raw foods for some reason.  (I’ve also been dreaming of appearing on The Ellen Show, but that’s pretty much standard every week these days.)

Maybe I’m just classically conditioned to react this way at this time of year, thermostat to the contrary or not. It’s sort of like being hungry at 12:00 noon, even if I’ve eaten breakfast at 11:00 AM; my head says, “Oh, yeah! Time to eat!” and I heed the call, even if my tummy is still churning through my cereal.  (Still trying to work on that “listen-to-your-body-signals” thing).  Whatever; I decided to give in to the impulse, and whip up some broccoli hummus.

“Mum, are you suggesting that there’s something wrong with classical conditioning?  And does this mean all of our work with that nice Mr. Pavlov was for naught? But you will still give us those treats every time you ring a bell, won’t you? “

This is Gena’s fantabulous recipe, so I can’t really take  the cake  this man to be my lawfully wedded husband  the heat  the credit for it. However, I did minimally adapt it since, unlike Gena, I find it’s a rare hummus I can enjoy without a good hit of garlic included.  If you prefer yours without the added allicin, then by all means, leave it out.  I also substituted miso for the nutritional yeast, since I’m still adhering to ACD, of course.

The recipe is perfect in its simplicity, like a classic string of pearls, or a  Henry Moore sculpture, or Jessica Simpson.  I couldn’t believe how quickly it came together, and how scrumptious it was.  The zucchini confers both smoothness and creaminess, just as it does in Gena’s remarkably delicious zucchini dressing (which I’ve been making almost daily for the past couple of weeks) as well; and the tahini provides a bit more density and heft for spreading.

Even if you’re not a fan of broccoli, you’ll likely enjoy this, as the flavor is tempered by the tahini.  I’ve had the hummus spread on a raw collard wrap and on rice cakes–both work beautifully.  And between the broccoli and tahini, you’re getting a nice hit of calcium in each serving. All in all, a bowl of yum.

And if you squint really hard at that photo up top, you can pretend it’s a poetry-inspiring photo of  the sun, its rays emanating warmth and sunny dispositions across our Canadian skies this morning.

Last Year at this Time: Virtual Vacation by the Sea and Appetizers for Two

Two Years Ago: French Toast Soufflé with Summer Berries (pre-ACD recipe)

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