Vegetarian Times Issue: August 1, 1998   p.35

This chickpea pesto makes a delectable filling for mushrooms or it can be served in the traditional manner by stirring it into warm pasta.



Ingredient List Serves 4 to 6

  • 2 Tbs. pine nuts
  • 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas, drained (reserve liquid)
  • 2 cups lightly packed basil leaves or a mix of basil and parsley
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 Tbs. chickpea cooking liquid
  • 1 Tbs. olive oil
  • Salt to taste
  • Grated Parmesan or Romano cheese (optional)
  • 12 to 16 medium to large mushrooms, or about 24 small mushrooms
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Toast pine nuts in dry skillet until aromatic and lightly colored. Be careful not to overcook. Combine pine nuts and chickpeas in food processor and grind. Add herbs and garlic and purée to a thick paste. Add chickpea liquid and process until blended. Add oil and process until incorporated. Add salt and mix. Sprinkle with cheese if desired.
  2. Remove mushroom stems and reserve for another use; clean mushroom caps. Fill caps with a tablespoonful (use a teaspoon for small mushrooms) of pesto.
  3. Place mushrooms in a baking dish. Bake until mushrooms are tender, about 15 minutes. Very large mushrooms may take longer to cook.
You can link to the recipe on the Vegetarian Times website here.

I made this for the New Year's Even party and these were a hit among vegetarians and non! They were pretty easy to make too.
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Vegetarian Times Issue: December 1, 1998   p.61
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 16-oz. can garbanzo beans, reserve liquid, rinse and drain
  • 3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. dark sesame oil
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
  • 3 Tbs. chopped fresh mint
  • 1 large or 2 medium seedless cucumbers, unpeeled
  • Mint sprigs for garnish

  1. In food processor, combine garlic and garbanzo beans; process until beans are coarsely chopped. With motor running, add olive oil and lemon juice through feed tube; process until almost smooth. Scrape down sides of bowl if necessary. Add sesame oil and salt; process until well blended. Stir in olives and mint. Cover; chill at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.
  2. Attractively score cucumber lengthwise with tines of fork. Cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. Using a metal measuring teaspoon or melon baller, scoop out a small indentation in each cucumber slice and spoon heaping teaspoon hummus into each cucumber cup.
  3. Arrange on serving platter. Serve immediately or cover and chill up to 1 hour before serving. Garnish platter with mint sprigs if desired.

You can link to the recipe on the Vegetarian Times website here.

This was one of the appetizer recipes I used for New Years Eve, you can see the blog post here. I wasn't sure what I was going to think of the mint but it actually just left a really nice aftertaste making you feel like your mouth was fresh. I'm a fan.
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