This recipe was inspired by a raw food book called “I am Grateful ” – Recipes and Lifestyle of Cafe Gratitude by Terces Engelhart. All the recipes in this book and on the menu in their cafe have self-affirming names like “I am adoring”, “I am loved” or “I am fulfilled”. This hummus is “I am Happy”. Terces says, “The Cafe Gratitude menu allows you to start practising saying something new and affirming about yourself by simply placing your order and encouraging customers to order what they want in life. Then, when the servers bring their food and drinks, they place them down, saying, ” You are adoring, “You are loved,” or “You are fulfilled,” and, of course, “You are happy!”
So when you make this hummus, say to yourself, “I AM HAPPY!!!” What a great way to approach food. The book was a present given to me by Anna when she returned from a trip to California. She said the food in this restaurant was amazing, joy-filled and delicious. There is also a recipe using the left-over almond pulp and finely chopped pine nuts. This mixture can be used in nori rolls instead of rice. I haven’t tried this yet, but it does sound delicious, even more so by adding sprouts, avocado and grated carrot.
You can be creative and add all sorts of things to this hummus to give it a different colour, taste and texture.
almond sunflower hummus
Makes about 1½ cups
ingredients
½ cup sunflower seeds (soaked for at least 4 hours)
¼ cup almond pulp from making almond milk ( If using whole almonds, soak overnight with the sunflower seeds and peel before grinding)
1 medium zucchini (about 1 cup of sliced zucchini rounds)
⅓ – ½ cup raw tahini
zest & juice of one lemon
1 tsp grated fresh turmeric
1 tsp cumin powder (cumin seeds, dry roasted and then ground roughly in a mortar & pestle)
¼ cup almond milk/water
2 Tbsp fresh coriander
salt & pepper to taste
preparation
1. In a food processor, process the almond pulp and soaked sunflower seeds until roughly ground.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and begin again to puree the ingredients, adding the almond milk until you reach a creamy texture (or one you desire).
3. Taste the hummus and adjust any desired ingredients – lemon juice, cumin, olive oil.
4. Drizzle with olive oil, dust with more cumin, and sprinkle with hot paprika.
‘Can you see the source of happiness is being happy?’ …Cafe Gratitude…
Goodness shared from Stacey
