Basil Dressing.

Ingredients (yield 1/2 cup):

• 2 Tbsp cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsp apple or orange juice
• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 100 grams Silken Tofu

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Cover and refrigerate. Use within one week.

My Hummus!

This Middle-Eastern nutritious side dish, made of pureed chickpeas (or garbanzo beans), Tahini, garlic, and olive oil is becoming more and more popular. Use it for pita bread/chips, vegetable crudités, on your toasts to add a punch. Better yet, try it on our homemade muffins and this dynamite duo have the complete set of essential amino acids we need.

Ingredients: 

• 1 can of 16 oz chickpeas, rinsed and drained or cook your own beans
• 1 clove of garlic, chopped
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of Tahini sesame paste
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• Juice of one lemon
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Put the chickpeas, Tahini, garlic, cumin and lemon juice in a food processor. Pulse a few times and with the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil slowly until all is incorporated into a smooth paste. 
2. Season with salt and pepper and serve. 

Notes:

• Tahini is a sesame seeds paste that tastes like peanut butter. If you can't find it, substitute it with peanut butter.
• Sprinkle chopped scallions, chives or flat parsley to garnish if desired.
• Beans and wheat complement each other to complete the set of essential amino acids that human body requires. That is a good reason to love peanut butter on bread (smiley).

My Guacamole!

To me, guacamole is at its best with a few fresh ingredients that are in season. The basic essentials are garlic, jalapeno, lemon or lime and avocado. You can adjust and add more on top of that.

Ingredients (yield 2 cups): 

• 2 ripe avocados, pitted and diced
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 cup minced red onion
• 1 tablespoons minced jalapeno
• juice of one lemon or lime
• pinch of cayenne
• kosher salt to taste
• Chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Smash the garlic against the cutting board with the side of a knife and remove the skin. Add a pinch of salt to the garlic and mince finely. Use the side of the knife to grind the paste finer into a paste, using the salt to act as an abrasive. (or use a pestle and mortar for the job). 
2. Transfer the paste to a bowl and add the onion, jalapeno, and avocado. Mash up the avocado but remain slightly chunky.
3. Stir in the lemon juice and cilantro. Season with salt and cayenne to taste.

Notes:

• Add freshly diced tomatoes or red bell peppers.
• Use it as filling to make Devil's Eggs.
• Use it with baked wonton wraps for appetizers.
• Use it for Bruschettas.
• Use it in quesadillas, wraps and sandwiches.

My Classic Pesto Sauce.

Store-bought pesto sauce can never taste as good as a homemade batch and it only takes 3 minutes to make it if you have a food processor.

Use it on pastas, sandwiches, or in soups and salad dressings.

Add enough oil so there is a thin layer of oil float on top of the sauce to keep it fresh and green, before you retire them to the refrigerator. The oil will keep the basil from oxidizing and darkening.

Ingredients: 

• 3 cups fresh basil leaves, coarsely torn
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons pin nuts or walnuts
• salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Put everything except the oil in a food processor and pulse until the basil is chopped.
2. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until all is incorporated to a pasty consistency.
3. Enjoy.

Homemade Crème Fraiche!

Ingredients: 

• 1 cups heavy whipping cream (at least 36-40% milk fat.)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cultured buttermilk (real buttermilk with a live culture in it.)

Directions:

1. Clean a jar thoroughly and sterilize it in boiling water for 10 min. Let it dry completely before using. 
2. Pour the heavy cream into the clean jar and add the buttermilk.
3. Mix together and cover with cheesecloth (I use twine to tie it up), a coffee filter or something breathable.
4. Leave it at a warm spot (about 70°F - 75°F) for 24 hours until thickened.
5. Keep refrigerated for 24 hours before using. It lasts about a week or two.

Notes:

• You can slightly warm the cream up first before mixing in the buttermilk to speed up the process. Basically the warmer it is, the faster the reaction is. 
• Unlike sour cream, the cream won't curdle and break when cooked.
• It's tart and tangy with a deeper flavor and a nutty note, better than sour cream.

Artichoke Dip.

Ingredients (yield 5-6 servings): 

• Whole wheat ortilla or pita bread, cut into wedges to make chips
• One 12-oz jar of artichoke hearts in water, drained and chopped
• One box of chopped frozen spinach, thawed
• 4 to 6 frozen or roasted green chiles, rinsed, drained and chopped (adjust to your liking of heat)
• One small onion, finely chopped
• Two cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise (homemade recipe)
• 2 tablespoons of creme fraiche or whipped cream cheese
• 1/2 tablespoon oil or butter
• Juice from one lemon
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Spread bread wedges on two baking sheets and bake at 400°F for 5 to 6 minutes until crisp.
2. Heat up the oil in a skillet or saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic to cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the artichokes, spinach, chiles, mayonnaise, cream cheese, and lemon juice. Cook and stir constantly for 5 minutes until hot. 
3. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with tortilla wedges, chips, pita bread, toasted baguette, breadsticks, you name it and dip in!

Notes:

• Use the dip for toasted artisan bread, vegetable sticks.
• Use the dip to make sandwiches.

Homemade Mustard!

Ingredients (yield 1 cup about 250g):

• 1/3 cup (55g) mustard seeds
• 1/3 cup (80ml) white wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup (80ml) dry white wine (or water)
• 1 tablespoon caster sugar or turbinado sugar 
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• big pinch of cayenne
• 2-4 tablespoons warm water, if necessary
• optional: 1-3 teaspoons prepared horseradish, to taste

Directions:

1. Combine all the ingredients, except the horseradish, in a stainless-steel bowl. Cover, and let stand for 2-3 days.
2. Put the ingredients in a blender and whiz until as smooth as possible. Add 2 to 4 tablespoons of water if the mustard is too thick. Blend in the horseradish, if using.

To store: The mustard will keep for up to 6 months refrigerated, although it’s best if used within one month.

Homemade Mayonnaise - Cheaper and More Delicious!

The good thing about making your mayo is that you could use good high quality olive oil that is good for your health.

Ingredients (yield about 2 cups): 

• 1 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil 
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice from half of a lemon
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon sugar
• pinch of black pepper

Directions:

1. Dump the egg yolks into a tall container, a mason jar, or the beaker that comes with the stick blender (immersion hand blender). Add lemon juice, white wine vinegar, salt, sugar, Dijon mustard into egg yolk. Top with a cup of olive oil and 1/2 cup vegetable oil. Let it settle for 10 second.
2. Stick the hand blender to the very bottom of the container or beaker. Start very gentle and slow and just pulse 5 second to begin with. Pulse slowly at 5 second intervals until you see the white thick cloudy emulsion starts to form from the bottom after the first 10 to 20 seconds. Then move the blender around to whip the whole thing into thick mayo.
3. Just a few second and voila! There you have your homemade mayonnaise.

Note:

• This recipe is on the tangy side. If you like a sweeter mayo, reduce the wine vinegar to 2 teaspoons. 
• You can also make it in the food processor following the same drill.

Herb Mayonnaise.

Ingredients (yield 1 cup):

• 1 cup mayonnaise (how to homemade healthier version)
• 4 fresh basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons of fresh dill
• 2 tablespoons of fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Sea salt and ground black pepper to season

Directions:

1. Combine the mayonnaise, parsley, dill, lemon juice, basil, salt, and pepper in a blender and pulse at 5 second intervals until the mayonnaise is smooth and green.
2. Serve or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to one week.