Our Smoothie Blender Unfolds Another Feature.

A welcome addition to our homemade staples.

Maybe it is because The Bob and I have been watching a lot of cooking shows lately or it is because we've evolved in the culinary department. Just the other night Bob made, no created would be a better description, a bean curry that was out of this world. He ate three plates of it and I a humble two.

As we've discovered our love for lentils, chickpeas and co, we have become more inventive and creative. The cooking department ( staffed by one staff member during the week! ) has embraced a schedule of sorts. A pot of lentils, chickpeas, runner beans, rice or bulgur wheat is cooked every night and put aside for lunches or snacks.

A healthy and cheap way of making lunches. A 500 g bag of dried chickpeas costs less than two euros and makes many a delicious meal. These cold beans tend to make the base of the salads I compose for Bob's lunch bag. Add onions, garlic and vegetables and a big meal is made. Not that I am comparing notes, but I am pretty sure that among his co-workers yours truly has left the other wives in the dust when it comes to homemade lunches.

Last night was the chickpeas' turn and this morning I was wondering how to make hummus. Bob looked up a recipe but it needed tahini which we don't have nor have a chance to buy locally. When I returned from an errand, I again looked up recipes and one of them said to substitute peanut butter in lieu of tahini.

Our blender has a small container that lends itself perfectly for making pesto, hummus and peanut butter. With increasing exuberance I put the cooked lentils, juice of a lemon, generous helping of garlic, a teaspoon of peanut butter, oil, spicy paprika power and salt before putting the blender to the test. My gosh, it is delicious. Looks and tastes much better than store bought hummus and I have to stop eating it as I still want there to be a taste left over for my honey once he returns from work.

Isn't it silly how we tend to rather buy ready made stuff deeming it too difficult to emulate ourselves when it is often just the opposite. The hummus deli has opened...

Rather proud of my first attempt...needs a bit more oil perhaps for smoothness but the flavour is great.

Bob had better be home soon...!

Biggi