Funky Avocado Toast

FUNKY AVOCADO TOAST

Why be basic when you can be funky?

Ingredients:

1/2 avocado
1/3-1/2 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
2 garlic cloves
1/2 lime
1/4 red onion
1 Tbsp. minced ginger
Olive oil
Turmeric
Salt
Pepper
Red chili pepper flakes (or small chili pepper of your choosing)
2 sliced radishes, sliced cherry tomatoes, or other toppings
Your favorite bread

Directions:

1.  Toast slices of bread.
2.  Meanwhile, heat 1/2 of olive oil in saute pan over medium-high heat.  Add garbanzo beans.  Stir, sprinkle with turmeric, salt, red chili pepper flakes, and black pepper to taste (approximately 1/2 teaspoon each).  Saute until just starting to brown.  Let cool for a few minutes.
3.  Use a stick (immersion) blender or food processor to blend garbanzo bean mix with garlic, avocado, lime, onion, ginger, (and chili pepper if not using flakes) and enough olive oil to reach desired consistency.
4.  Spread on toast and top with radishes or other toppings.

Notes:

*Garlic and ginger and avocado and olive oil and garbanzo beans and turmeric are so, so good for you - but I know you know that.
*There are so many tasty ways to experiment with this - use Meyer lemon instead of lime, add smoked paprika, add 1 tablespoon tahini, etc.

New Years "Good Luck" Goulash

New Years "Good Luck" Goulash
Serves 3-4

{sorry no pic - ate it all up before I could take one!}

Ingredients:

1 lb. dried black eyed peas
10 oz. collard greens, stems removed
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1-2 onions, chopped
1-2 large sweet potatoes, skinned and chopped
4 garlic cloves
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup veggie broth
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Optional:  1 tsp. Tabasco Sauce
Optional:  brown rice for serving

Directions:

1.  Rinse and drain black eyed peas well.  Add to large cast iron pot/Dutch oven with 6 cups water, garlic cloves, and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer partially covered about 45 minutes, or until tender but not mushy or falling apart.

2.  15 minutes before the black eyed peas are done, stir in the sweet potatoes. 

3.  Drain and rinse the black eyed peas and sweet potatoes in cold water and set aside.  Remove the bay leaf.

4.  Rinse and dry pot.  Heat olive oil over medium heat, add onion, saute about 5-6 minutes until soft but not mushy. 

5.  Layer collard greens on top of onion.  Add black eyed peas and sweet potatoes on top, but don't stir.  Pour orange juice, veggie broth, and vinegar (and Tabasco, if using) over mixture.  Sprinkle with paprika, and with salt and pepper to taste.

6.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cook for 5-10 minutes as-is, then stir gently.  Cook for another 10-15 minutes, until collard greens are cooked but not wilted and veggies are not mushy.

7.  Serve hot, over rice and with additional Tabasco, if desired. 

8.  Enjoy good luck (& good health!) the whole year through!  :)