Spicy Slow-Roasted Tomato Hummus & Pita Chips

It's been a while since I posted an actual recipe, so here goes:
Sometime in 2010, I made an incredibly delicious spicy tomato hummus that looked like vomit but tasted like heaven (coining the term heavom).  Since then, I've been on a quest to recreate the recipe since I didn't write the original down.  Finally, two years later, I think I've approximated it (more or less).  I give you: Spicy Slow-Roasted Tomato Hummus with Homemade Pita Chips!

STEP 1: SLOW-ROASTED TOMATOES

Slow-roasted tomatoes are really very easy - it's kind of the same process as making raisins out of grapes - you're just slowly drying the tomatoes out.  They range from hot and flavorful to sun-dried, depending on how long you leave them in the oven for.  Basically, you just put those suckers on a baking pan, coat them in olive oil, salt, and pepper (you can add other spices or garlic if you want to get fancy).  Then, you leave the tomatoes in the oven for a very long time (2-3 hours) at a very low temperature (around 200-250 degrees Fahrenheit).  Just check on them after the two hour mark and take them out when they're at the desired chewiness.  I'll usually use 1 package of dumpstered cherry tomatoes for this, but any type will suffice.  You can also use slow-roasted tomatoes in breakfast dishes (divine with a poached egg), bruscettas, tomato sauce, etc.  Add some garlic in the pan to roast for fun. 

STEP 2: SLOW-ROASTED TOMATO HUMMUS

 Using the slow-roasted tomatoes, the next step can either be very hard or very easy, depending on whether or not you have a food processor.  If you do, you're in luck - you get the easy road.  Otherwise, get ready - you're in for a lot of cutting, mashing, and pain.

Ingredients:
- 1 can chickpeas
- Your slow-roasted tomatoes
- Juice from 1/2 an orange (or OJ from the carton in a pinch) - this is crucial as it brightens the flavor of the hummus considerably
- Juice from 1/2 a lemon or lime
- 2 tbsp tahini (the first time I did this, I made my own tahini, which involves roasting sesame seeds and painstakingly hand-crushing them while adding olive oil.  I don't recommend making your own tahini unless you're a sadist)
- 2-5 tbsp olive oil
-1-2 cloves roasted garlic (optional)
- 1-3 cloves fresh, peeled garlic
- 1-3 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)
- 1 tsp cumin (to taste)
- salt & pepper to taste
- If you're not using tomatoes, sometimes a tsp or two of water will be needed.

Throw it all in the food processor.  Otherwise, have fun mashing and mixing the ingredients.  If you choose this route, there's a high likelihood that you will be crying by the end of the process.

Makes roughly 6-8oz. 

STEP 3: HOMEMADE PITA CHIPS

Homemade pita chips are perfect for when your pita bread is starting to go slightly stale, or if you got way too much from the dumpster.  You can use pita chips like any regular salty snack by themselves, or you can use them for dipping in hummus, salsa, or cream cheese based dips.  It's really simple (I wonder why people buy pita chips at all): cut your pita into 8ths, then use a brush to brush olive oil on each side of each chip, laying your chips on a tin foil-covered baking sheet when you're finished.  Add salt, pepper, and whatever else (garlic powder, basil, oregano) to taste.  Next, put your pita wedges in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10-20 minutes, depending on your oven.  Check on them every so often to make sure they aren't burning, and flip them about half way through.

Items not dumpstered or donated: Olive oil, spices, tahini

June Bounty & The Unfortunate Truth About Dumpster Divers

I was away for a big part of June and July, meaning I did buckle down and buy some canned food to go camping with and didn't have a big opportunity to dumpster while I was in West Virginia (although I did scope out the dumpsters there for next time - there were 3 great ones in the town I stay in)!

So, here's my pretty meager list of dumpster bounty from June:  

6/15
- 1 cucumber
- 1 red pepper
- 1 red onion
- 1 bundle spinach
- 1 bundle bok choy
- 1 honeydew melon
- 4 bananas
- 4 golden russet potatoes
- 1 (very small) head broccoli
- 6 sweet potatoes (I gave a few away)
- 9 red delicious apples (I also gave some of these away)

So, I don't usually dumpster earlier in the evening when stores are still open, but this particular evening I did.  I went into the store right afterward since I needed a head of garlic.  Coming back to my car (I always park near the dumpster), I saw another fellow dumpster diver!  For some reason, I had always assumed that I was the only dumpster diver in the small, suburban town I had been living in, since I had only seen people I had introduced to diving at the dumpsters I frequented.  I was so excited to see another diver!  I was completely creepy and watched him dumpster from my car since I was so surprised to see another person!  He wasn't your usual, younger, hippy-vibe kind of dude.  Instead, he was older, fat, wearing flannel, suspenders, and a trucker cap (very blue-collar).  He took some produce out and went on his way.

A universal part of dumpster ethics is this: you always leave something for others when you dumpster because you never know who else is diving the same dumpsters as you are.

This also brings up another odd reality of my dumpstering; I'm fortunate in the fact that I could probably make ends meet if I had to buy groceries.  I might have to apply for food stamps again, but I could probably work out feeding myself within my job's pay scale.  Not everyone can do that.  With unemployment rates higher than ever and people with big enough families to feed where food stamps might not cut it, dumpstering is on the rise.   

The unfortunate truth is that most of the dumpster divers I know (and most of the dumpster diving population in general) don't actually NEED to do it.  Some have trust funds, some have well-paying jobs and it's an ethical choice, and some are the stereotypical artist/musician collecting unemployment who could definitely get a better-paying job given their education.  I personally started when I was unemployed and trying to save money, but also felt really good about the idea that I was saving waste from a landfill.  When I started dumpstering, it was a matter of survival, but now I continue to do it with environmental and thrifty motivations, not because I would starve if I stopped.

Many dumpster divers I know view dumpstering as a rebellious act to subvert consumerist culture, not as a necessity for survival.  Seeing this blue-collar guy with 2 kids in his van dumpstering right after I did filled me with guilt.  I had left plenty of food in the dumpster, but the truth was, I probably took the best produce there was.  There's something that feels selfish about dumpstering if you don't have to.  I saw the guy in the trucker hat dumpstering, but it was still early evening - how many more cars with kids were going to pull up to the dumpster after him?  How many more families NEEDED the food that I was taking?  My wish to save the environment is rendered frivolous compared to a family's instinct to feed themselves and survive.  I would guess that sitting around the dinner table, that man's family isn't discussing how great it feels to be reducing greenhouse gases by virtue of the meal they prepared, or how awesome it feels to stick it to capitalist America over green beans.

The balance is hard to strike.  I'm not going to stop dumpstering, because I DO still want to save the environment (and my own money).  However, I need to consider others a bit more when I'm picking my produce out...

My feelings surrounding this subject aren't completely clear yet, but this experience has definitely produced a shift in my dumpstering practice since it happened.  We'll see how the future progresses.

May Bounty

So, May was also not a particularly fruitful dumpster bounty month for me either since I moved to a new house and also was away for about week in West Virginia (where I brought dumpstered food to make breakfast for some friends; they loved it).  I'll be back up there pretty soon, though, so I'll try to post a West Virginia-style Trash to Table road trip story sometime soon.

Tuesday 5/15 – I tried Trader Joe’s first, but the dumpster was literally too full to pull anything out of without being really conspicuous.  It was a bummer to see it all go to waste.  Instead, I hit up the Food Lion and still came out on top.

-       6 pkgs broccolini

-       1 head broccoli

-       1 yellow onion

-       3 large white potatoes

-       1 turnip

-       1 carrot

-       1 light green pepper

-       2 green bell peppers

-       1 bottle liquid aminos (basically healthier soy sauce)

-       1 pkg strawberries

-       1 head lettuce

-       4 pkgs white mushrooms

-       1 golden delicious apple

-       4 vine-ripe tomatoes

Tofu Stir-Fry

Surprisingly enough, I made this 4 or 5 times before I was able to nab a picture of it. Why? Probably because I eat it so quickly.

So, the cool thing about stir fries is that they are really easy to make and you can use basically any protein (I dumpster tofu most often) and any vegetables that you have on hand or froze.  It's especially good for mixing frozen veggies with fresh, since it hides the freezer taste that sometimes accompanies veggies that have been in the freezer a little too long. It's a dumpster diver's paradise.  The stir fry below features marinated tofu, previously frozen green beans, orange bell pepper, corn, zucchini, and red onion.

TOFU (or meat) MARINADE

<u>Ingredients:</u>
- 1 block extra-firm tofu - best when previously frozen, thawed, and then pressed to get out all the liquid with paper towels (I'll cut it up first and then squeeze it to get out even more moisture before marinating it)
- 4 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp Mirin (find it in the Asian section of your supermarket - it's pretty much a dumpster chupacabra.  Don't hold your breath for this ingredient)
- 2 Tbsp Rice vinegar (same as the mirin)
- 1 Tbsp honey (vegans can use agave nectar or some other sweetener)
- 2 Tbsp grated ginger
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil (I've dumpstered this once)
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped
- 1 tsp sririacha sauce (or other hot chili sauce you have - more or less depending on how spicy you want it)
- Scallions (optional)

Thoroughly mix all these ingredients, then fold the tofu into it so it's liberally covered with everything.  Let it sit for a minimum of 20 minutes (time to cut your veggies) or overnight in the fridge.

ACTUAL STIR-FRY

<u>Ingredients:</u>
- 2 tbsp canola, safflower, or vegetable oil (I like using veggie oil the best)
- VEGGIES

Put oil in a pan or wok.
Get your pan or wok super-hot.
Put in your marinated tofu - you want a browning sear on the outside, but you don't want it to burn.  Stir fry for about 2 minutes, making sure each side gets browned (otherwise the tofu is in danger of falling apart).  Then, push it up to the side of the wok (if you're using a pan, just shift it to the outside edge). 
Add your veggies in the order of which take the longest to cook (carrots, mushrooms, peppers, bok choy stems, etc.) to whichever take the shortest (frozen pre-cooked veggies, corn, bok choy leaves, etc.). 
Once they cook up a bit, add the remainder of your marinade for extra flavor.  Keep cooking until the veggies are cooked, but still have a bit of crunch (taste testing is a great way to tell if they're ready).

You can eat a stir-fry straight (I do this), or make it last a little longer by putting it over rice or pasta.  It's a large initial investment of buying ingredients from the grocery store, but once you buy those basics (which are all pretty cheap), they last you MANY, MANY more meals, so it's worth it.

Items not dumpstered or donated: Ginger, garlic, sesame oil, mirin, rice vinegar, vegetable oil

Thai Mushroom Ginger Coconut Curry

I first ate this dish when I was living in Prague.  My Danish friend and schoolmate Nicolai had me over for dinner, and was trying to explain to me how to make the dish since I thought it was so delicious.  Unfortunately, he didn't know the words for some of the mushroom types, but I eventually deciphered his recipe, which is actually quite simple once you know what mushrooms you're looking for.

Very rarely will you dumpster ALL the mushrooms that are in this soup, so don't feel horrible if you're missing some.  I just lucked out and happened to dumpster most of the ingredients prior to making it.

Ingredients:
- 1/2 pkg white mushrooms
- 1 pkg shitake mushrooms
- 1/2 pkg baby bella mushrooms
- 1 pkg oyster mushrooms
- 1 yellow onion
- As much ginger as your puny mouth can handle
- 1-3 cloves garlic (you can do more if you want)
- A handful of 3-minute noodles (rice noodles or ramen are ideal, but I've used spaghetti and it's worked out fine - spaghetti is pictured above since I was saving my rice noodles for a batch of pho)
- 1 can sweetened coconut milk (If it's unsweetened, just add a teaspoon or two of sugar) (coconut milk is a rare but exciting dumpster find in my experience)
- Water
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Fresh basil
- Fresh cilantro (optional)
- Green or red curry paste (optional)

Cut up the ginger into very small chunks (but don't grate it or mince it).  Throw pieces into about 2-3 cups of boiling water for 15 minutes (you don't want it all to evaporate, though or else you'll lose the gingery flavor the water takes on).
ADD SALT.  This step is important.  If you don't, your mushrooms and pasta won't be as flavorful.
Add your onion, garlic, and mushrooms to the water and let it reduce a little bit - until there's about 1 cup left.
Next, add coconut milk and bring to a low simmer again.  If you're using real noodles vs. quickly cooking ones, you'll need to bring the liquid to a bit more of a boil.
Add your noodles.  If you're using real noodles, cook until the noodles are tender.  Otherwise, just drop your ramen or rice noodles in for about a minute, then take it off the heat.
Add to taste - go overboard on the basil and add maybe just a teaspoon of green curry for the best results.

Ingredients not dumpstered or donated: Ginger, salt & pepper

Zucchini Noodles

My favorite vegan/raw food restaurant does a mean zucchini noodle dish that I'm super into.  So, when I dumpstered 5 zucchini and didn't feel like making zucchini bread or ratatouille, I decided to try making zucchini noodles for the first time instead.

<u>Ingredients:</u>
- 4 zucchini
- flavorful sauce of some sort (I used my pesto cream sauce recipe, but substituted peanuts and a little sesame oil in my pesto instead of cashews, since that's what I had)

Zucchini noodles are painfully easy to make.  There are cool contraptions you can buy to make it look more like pasta, but you basically just need a vegetable peeler and some time to accomplish a more fettuccine-type noodle.  You peel the skin off, then just keep peeling around the whole zucchini longways until you get to the seeds at the core.  At that point, you can cut the core up for a salad, stir fry, or ratatouille so you're using the vegetable in more ways than one!

Once you've made the zucchini noodles according to the directions above, you can make up some kind of sauce (I made a pesto cream sauce to keep it in the raw food category.  If you're vegan, you could just do pesto plus a tomato or something).  It's a pretty flavorful dish.

One thing to mention, though - the zucchini noodles lose their moisture if you salt them and leave them in the fridge over time, so try to eat them all up after one or two meals or they can get kind of gross...

Items not dumpstered or donated: cream, sesame oil, garlic

April Bounty

April was a ridiculously busy month for me, meaning I ended up eating out a little and made my dumpster bounty last a loooonnnggggggg time somehow since I only dumpstered once.

4/9
I ended up sharing some of this with a friend, but kept most/all of it.
Note: All the meat was frozen or super-cold to the touch, so I took it. Given how warm it's been getting, I normally wouldn't take meat this late in the year unless it was frozen...
- 2 pkg beef oxtails (frozen to make pho later!)
- 1 pkg beef ribs (marinated and grilled later)
- 1 pkg beef chuck steaks (2 per pkg)
- 1 pkg of MY FAVORITE BRAND OF BACON THAT WAS MONTHS AWAY FROM THE EXPIRATION DATE! This is dumpster magic.
- 5 zucchini
- 1 itty bitty head of broccoli
- 1 ear of corn
- 1 bunch of spring onions
- 1 bunch collards
- 1 bunch red leaf lettuce
- 2 bunches of radishe
- 4 bananas (used for oatmeal breakfasts!)
- 1 bunch celery
- 2 orange bell peppers
- 2 green bell peppers


And somehow, along with dried or frozen goods that I already had plus eating out a bit, I made this last a full month.  I'm pretty proud of myself on that front.

I'm about to move back into the city, which makes me a bit nervous for my dumpstering habits.  There are still a few good ones near my work, but I'll need to explore some closer to home...look forward to an entry on how to find new dumpsters!!