[1] Exceptional-quality almond milk is available in original unsweetened plus 10 flavors (both photos courtesy Califia Farms).

[2] In additions to coffee creamers, there are three flavors of “half and half.”

[3] Enjoy creamy foods guilt-free (here’s the recipe for this Thai butternut squash soup).

There are many quality brands of dairy-free creamers made from nuts and plants. One that we have a weakness for is Califia Farms.

The California-based brand has bent over backwards to create a dairy-free line of products that offers just about everything in plant-based versions. There are:

 
In addition, there are:

 
The line is extensive. For example, in three products alone:

 
There are also seasonal flavors (mint cocoa, pumpkin, etc.).

In fact, there are so many products that you have to head to CalifiaFarms.com and see them for yourself.
 
 
A GREAT PRODUCT LINE

The reason the products are so good are the nuts. The better the almonds, for example, the better the almond milk.

And the curvy bottles always make us smile.

The products are all non-GMO. Everything is made with natural ingredients, with a focus on reduced sugar in products that typically contain them, and with unsweetened products. The line is carrageeenan-free* and certified kosher by OU.

Many Americans seek to add more plant-based products to their diets.

 
 
WHERE TO FIND CALIIFA

*Some people avoid the thickener and emulsifier carrageenan. While it is a natural ingredient made from red seaweed, some evidence suggests that carrageenan triggers inflammation and gastrointestinal ulcerations. Here’s more information about it. Califia replaced the carrageenan a different natural thickener, locust bean gum, which is extracted from the seeds of the carob tree.

Over the last two decades, hummus has evolved from a mezze at Middle Eastern and Mediterranean restaurants to the hottest, most nutritious dip and spread at supermarkets nationwide. It’s the darling of nutritionists, nutritious and versatile, and a better-for-you snack.

It also is welcome to vegans, kosher consumers, and the lactose intolerant.

Hummus is a thick paste that originated in the Middle East (see the history below). The classic recipe has two main ingredients, ground chickpeas (garbanzo beans) and tahini, a paste of toasted sesame seeds; along with olive oil, lemon, and garlic.

The word hummus is Arabic, meaning chickpeas. The full name of the spread is hummus bi tahina, chickpeas with tahini.

> Check out 18 hummus recipes below, including non-traditional uses such as dessert hummus and hummus sushi.

> Also below, the history of hummus.
 
 
WAVE 1: HUMMUS EXPANDS IN THE U.S.

Americans, most of whom first discovered hummus served with pita, a Middle Eastern flatbread, turned it into a general dip for crudités and tortilla chips, and a sandwich spread. If you didn’t order it at a restaurant or live near a neighborhood with an international market that carried it, you made your own hummus: the recipe couldn’t be easier.
 
 
WAVE 2: FLAVORED HUMMUS

As American cooks have riffed on the original recipe, hummus first became flavored. New ones seem to appear monthly to keep customers interested, often as limited editions that may then become permanent parts of the line.

First there were Middle-Eastern-related flavors: Artichoke, Garlic, Red Pepper, Spinach, Za’atar (and other spices).

Then, the door opened: Beet, Caramelized Onion, Carrot, Cucumber, Everything (like an “everything” bagel), Horseradish, Sundried tomato, Lemon Rosemary Red Pepper, Sweet Roasted Red Peppers, Vine Ripened Tomato & Basil, and Zesty Spice & Garlic, among others.

Fusion flavors include Cilantro, Chimichurri, Edamame, Guacamole, Kalamata Olive, Lemongrass Chili, Pumpkin, Ranch, and Sriracha/Thai Chili.

The lesson is: If you like a particular flavor, try stirring it into hummus.
 
 
WAVE 3: HUMMUS WITHOUT CHICKPEAS

The Eat Well hummus brand pioneered the use of other legumes and pulses* in a supermarket brand, with spreads made from:

 
The sophisticated flavors of these “other bean hummus” varieties, all part of the Mediterranean Diet, provide wonderful alternatives to classic hummus.

Like chickpeas, beans and legumes contribute protein, fiber, and healthy (monounsaturated) fat, low in sodium, and cholesterol free.

Another innovation was to add Greek yogurt to classic chickpea hummus. It lowers the fat by 50% and the calories by 33%.

Other brands followed suit, and now these variations can be found in markets nationwide.

Restaurant chefs, as well, have been contributing to the variety.

 
Hummus fever has engendered the preparation of other purées.

 
So lesson #2: Don’t hesitate to make hummus with other legumes—including a mix of legumes. And adapt the concept to turning puréed vegetables into dips and spreads.

You can also use flavored olive oil instead of plain; add another layer of flavor with nut oil (almond, hazelnut, walnut, etc.).
 
 
USES FOR HUMMMUS

Beyond snacking with vegetables or chips, you can use hummus in every meal of the day. Use it in its paste form, or dilute it into a sauce with olive oil.

 
 
THE HISTORY OF HUMMUS

Chickpeas, sesame, lemon, and garlic have been eaten in the Levant† for millennia. Though widely consumed, chickpeas were cooked in stews and other hot dishes. Puréed chickpeas eaten cold with tahini do not appear before the Abbasid period (750 to 1517 C.E.) in Egypt and the Levant†.

The earliest known recipes for a dish similar to hummus are in 13th-century cookbooks from Cairo. Some food historians believe the paste appeared a century earlier, prepared by Saladin, the first sultan of the Ayyubid dynasty (1174–1193). If so, it was more likely created by a cook in his kitchen, the idea of the warlord Saladin-as-cook being tough to swallow.

Recipes for cold purée of chickpeas without tahini, but with vinegar, oil, pickled lemons, herbs, and spices—but no garlic—appear in medieval cookbooks; as do recipes with nuts vinegar (though not lemon), with many spices and herbs.

Whomever and however, we’re grateful that it came to be part of our [almost] daily diet.
 
 
MORE HUMMUS RECIPES

[1] Flavor fusion: New flavors of hummus include ingredients not native to the Mediterranean, like this pumpkin hummus (photo © Good Eggs)

[2] Hummus tacos. Here’s the recipe, along with hummus nachos, from Mountain Mama Cooks.

[3] New uses for hummus: hummus pizza (photo © The Purple Carrot plant-based meal delivery).

[4] Hummus canapés a.k.a. “bites” (photo © Lantana Hummus).

[5] Hummus salad. Here’s the recipe from Zoe’s Kitchen.

[6] Hummus sushi with bell pepper and cucumber. Here’s how to make your own. (photo © Genji Sushi).

[7] Turkey cranberry sauce wrap with hummus (photo © She Wears Many Hats).

* The term pulse is used for crops harvested solely for the dry seed, such as lentils; as opposed to green peas, which are eaten fresh like vegetable crops, and can be eaten in younger forms, e.g. pea shoots.

†The Levant is an English term that first appeared in 1497. It originally referred to the “Mediterranean lands east of Italy.” The historical area comprises modern-day Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria. Among other popular foods, Levantine cuisine gave birth to baklava, falafel, kebabs, mezze (including tabbouleh, hummus, and baba ghanoush), pita and za’atar, among other dishes that are enjoyed in the U.S. and around the world.

[1] Grapefruit and goat cheese crostini. Enjoy them with a glass of sparkling rosé (photo © Fit Mitten Kitchen).

[2] Sliced red grapefruit (photo © Fit Mitten Kitchen).

[3] Fill an avocado half with red grapefruit, plain or lightly tossed with flavored olive oil or a sweet vinaigrette (photo © Rio Star).

[4] A grapefruit fizz (photo © Belvedere Vodka).

It’s red grapefruit season: the sweetest and most colorful of the grapefruit varieties.

After tasting it, you won’t even want pink grapefruit anymore.

Red grapefruit started as a mutation of pink grapefruit. It was originally discovered growing on a pink grapefruit tree in Texas. (Pink grapefruit itself was a mutation of white grapefruit.)

Since then, it has been embraced even by people who don’t like tart white grapefruit. There are a number of different brands, such as Ruby Red and Rio Star. Bonus: The darker the flesh, the more antioxidants.

You can read more about red grapefruit by following the links below. First, we tempt you with this delicious appetizer, an easy recipe from Fit Mitten Kitchen.

Serve them with a rosé sparkling wine (Martini and Yellowtail are two of our favorite, affordable brands).
 
 
RECIPE: GOAT CHEESE, AVOCADO & GRAPEFRUIT CROSTINI

Prep time is 20 minutes. Here’s the difference between crostini and bruschetta.

Ingredients For 18-24 Pieces

 
Preparation

1. LINE a cooling rack with paper towels. Cut the grapefruits into segments: Here’s how to segment a grapefruit in 60 seconds. Carefully place the segments on the paper towels and set aside.

2. PREHEAT the oven to 325°F, or toast in a toaster oven. Slice the baguette on the bias, about 1″ thick. Place the slices directly on the rack and toast until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. When finished, remove from the oven and place on a serving tray.

While the baguette is toasting, slice the avocados into thin slices.

3. SPREAD about ½ tablespoon of goat cheese on each crostini slice, then layer on avocado slice, then the grapefruit segment. Rub the fresh basil leaves between your fingertips to release the fragrant aroma, then garnish the crostini. Add the optional honey and serve immediately.
 
 
MORE ABOUT RED GRAPEFRUIT

 
MORE GRAPEFRUIT RECIPES

Fresh herbs add punches of flavor to any savory dish—and some sweet ones*.

They also help to cut back on salt, which is a cheaper way to counter blandness in recipes.

Fresh herbs are worth what they cost; but to get your money out of them, take an easy step to preserve their life in the fridge. Here’s our favorite tip:

When you buy fresh herbs, they’ll last longer if you keep them hydrated.

You can buy an “herb keeper” like the one in the photo #1, but you don’t need one. It’s simple to create a makeshift herb hydrator.

Most herbs stored this way are good for up to two weeks.
 
 
HOW TO PRESERVE FRESH HERBS

1. PAT the leaves dry. The leaves will last longer if completely dry.

2. DON’T cut the roots: They absorb the water. You can rinse off the dirt if you like. If there are no roots, snip off the ends of the stems so they’ll better absorb water.

3. PLACE the herbs, roots down, in a glass (tumbler) of water (photo #2). The fill should be about one-third up the stems. The roots/ends must be wet at all times, so check every couple of days and add more water as needed.

4. COVER the glass and herbs with a plastic bag before refrigerating. You can affix the bag to the glass with an elastic band if you like. Instead of a glass, you can use a quart-size plastic take-out container with a lid.

5. DRAIN and change the water when it gets murky.

If you don’t have room in the fridge for the glass or the quart container, wrap the fresh herbs in damp paper towels and place in the plastic bag. Tuck them your produce drawer. It’s not as effective as Plan A, but it will help extend the life of the herbs.

Most importantly: USE those herbs!

Parsley, for example, can be mixed into scrambled eggs, garnish soup at lunch, snipped onto potatoes or into salads, mixed into vegetables and grains at dinner.

[1] This Cuisipro Herb Keeper is available at Williams-Sonoma (online only).

[2] Fresh mint in a glass of water (photo courtesy Suvir Saran | Indian Home Cooking).

Check out this article on using herbs, including herb-and-food pairings and the difference between herbs and spices.
 
 
THE EXCEPTION WITH BASIL

Big, leafy basil prefers to be kept at room temperature. Follow the drill above; just keep the basil on the counter.

________________

*Think of basil with peaches and other stone fruits; rosemary with apples, chocolate and strawberries; tarragon and mint ice cream or sorbet. Check out these desserts with herbs.

[1] Zucchini and onion hash browns (photo courtesy Tasty).

[2] Grated zucchini using a box grater (photo courtesy DVO).

[3] Grated carrots using a food processor (photo courtesy Once Upon A Chef).

If your palate says Hash Browns! but your mind says Cut Carbs!, here’s a solution: Substitute grated carrots, zucchini and/or chopped spinach—or a combination—for the potatoes.

You save the potato carbs and, because these hash browns are baked, not sautéed/pan fried*, you save the fat, too.

This recipe, adapted from Tasty, uses an egg and grated cheese to bind the grated vegetables. You can serve them with eggs and/or breakfast meats, enjoy them as a vegetarian lunch with condiments of choice and a salad, or serve them as a side with dinner.
 
 
RECIPE: ZUCCHINI, CARROT OR OTHER VEGETABLE HASH BROWNS

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 400°F/200°C. Place a baking sheet in the oven as it heats. This added heat will make the hash browns crisper.

2. USING a food processor with the coarse grating blade, or the coarse side of a box grater, grate the zucchini or carrots, as well as the onion, on the coarse side. If using spinach, see the *footnote below.

3. PLACE the grated zucchini in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt. Blend and set aside for 20 minutes; the salt will draw moisture from the zucchini. Then transfer the zucchini to paper towels and press lightly to remove the remaining moisture.

4. RETURN the zucchini to the bowl and toss in the remaining ingredients. Mix until well combined. Form the mixture into 6 patties.

5. REMOVE the baking sheet from the oven and line with parchment. Place the patties on the baking sheet. Bake for 35 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden brown.

5. REMOVE from the oven. If the patties are too soft, let them cool for 10 minutes, to set.

*Sautés and pan-frys are almost identical. The only meaningful difference is that in a sauté, the food is cut into small pieces, like sautéed mushrooms. A pan fry denotes larger pieces, like a chicken breast.

†When sliced, 1 medium zucchini yields about 1 to 1.25 cups. If grated, it yields about 2/3 cup of tamped down zucchini. Thus, 2 medium zucchini equals 1-1/2 cups of grated zucchini. It takes about 2.75 medium carrots to obtain 1 cup of grated carrots. Thus, plan on 3-1/2 carrots. One package (10 ounces) of frozen chopped spinach yields about 1-1/2 cups after cooking, but to eliminate all the water and tamp down, plan on two packages. Information from How Much Is In.