Wu-Wei, my friend, Wu-Wei.

Recipe: Unreasonably Large Peanut Buttery Cookies

Are you feeling freaked out right now? Does it feel like everything in your life is in flux and you’re grasping for solid ground? If so, you are not alone! Almost everyone I know, myself included, is being challenged in this way. So many people are changing jobs, moving, ending relationships, and making other life-changing decisions. We think that by engaging with the external and diving head-first into the frantic we can quell this restlessness. And what better circumstances than these to remind ourselves that when things feel crazy on the outside, we will be best served by turning INWARDS.

It’s this idea of non-action, or as Lao Tze (of TaodeJing fame) would say, “Wu-Wei.” Nothing outside of you will bring that inner peace you seek. If you don’t know what direction to go, nothing or no one can tell you. The guidance comes from within, and we can only hear it if we take the time to sit there, in our own stillness and silence, and listen. When you feel the pressure to act, bust out the “Wu-Wei” and DON’T. I don’t know what it is about us humans that makes us want to create more chaos in the midst of chaos, rather than take a time-out and assess our inner needs and the situation. Be wary of this tendency in yourself: if you find yourself turning to food (i.e., sugar), shopping, or general crazy-making, pull back! The energy right now is conducive to this, but you do not have to partake. In the midst of all of this uncertainty, awareness is absolutely key.

I posted about Dreena Burton’s Super Charge ME cookies a while back — which I love. But then I had these AMAZING peanut buttery, chocolate chippity cookies at this restaurant in Portland and was inspired to create replicas. Immediately. I used Dreena’s SCM recipe as my base and worked to produce what you see below. What I changed: more peanut butter, no oil, all oats, and whole peanuts. Oh, and apple sauce. Oh oh…and BIG. And don’t omit the peanuts. I made them the first time without and it’s just not the same.

 

Recipe: Unreasonably Large Peanut Buttery Cookies

1 cup oats
1 cup oat flour
1/4 tsp (rounded) sea salt
1/4 – 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 –1/3 cup raisins or chopped dried fruit
1/4 c peanuts
1/2 c chocolate chips
1 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup ground flax
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tbsp apple sauce

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). In a bowl, combine dry ingredients (including chocolate chips, raisins and peanuts) and stir well. In a separate bowl combine the rest of the ingredients and stir until well combined. Add wet mixture to dry, and stir until just well combined. Use a silicone baking sheet or parchment paper. The key to these cookies is BIG. Spoon batter onto baking sheet evenly space apart, and lightly flatten. You will likely only get about 7-8 cookies if you go for the big guns. Bake for 15 minutes and remove to cool. I left mine on the sheet until they firmed up.

Running

Recipe: Roasted Garlic Spread

I know what you’re thinking: this is a post about running to food and/or running from feelings. And you would not be wrong to think so, as that’s exactly the type of thing I would blog about; however, this post is ACTUALLY about running. That’s right: runners, shoe laces, cardio, sports bra – slappin’ on them shoes and hitting the trails – the real deal!

I started running again for the first time in four or so years, and for the first time ever, the desire to run was not motivated by the urgent need to burn off X number of calories or because I though my butt looked too big. My ears had started perking to various mentions of “running”, and a friend had recently mentioned how good it made her feel. My body started craving that exhilaration, the fresh air, the pumping of my heart, and the flowing of my blood. So a few weeks ago, I got out my runners, donned the running attire, and headed out with the pooch.

At first, it was really hard to approach running from a neutral place. As I got dressed with the intention to run, I noticed some of the old familiar ways of thinking about exercise in ED terms starting to surface and I had to resist the urge to size up my body in the mirror and think about what I could eat as a result of the calories I’d be burning! And the fearful part of me, the part that thinks that any day now all the hard work I’ve done on recovery will slip out from under me and I’ll be right back where I was, was telling me not to run. It was telling me I was re-entering the downward spiral into the vicious binge/purge cycle.

I decided to run anyway, on my own terms. I put zero expectations on myself: I dropped the idea that I had to run for X number of kilometres or minutes and decided I would run until I didn’t feel like running, and if I felt like walking, I would walk. There was no judgement, no right or wrong. The fact that I was running at all was a victory.

I’m really about trusting the body’s organic process. Just as my craving and tolerance for sweets has naturally lessened, I knew that when the time was right, my body would crave cardio again. If we listen and are receptive, we can trust that things just happen on their own time, without us trying to force them. So if it’s there for you, and it feels organic, why not explore a different way of being in your body? And, if it’s not, then don’t! While you’re at it, why not drop all the expectations and “shoulds” around it (I, in principle, tend not to do things with a “should” attached). Just as we can develop a healthy relationship with food, we can develop a healthy relationship with our body by simply listening to it.

Sometimes the simplest combinations can take us over the roof, of our palate, that is. This is so easy, but will take your bread eating experience to the next level. Roasting garlic is something you can do while you have the oven on cooking other things, if you think to do it. This spread is always nice to have on hand, so don’t feel like you have to plan ahead to make this. Just make it when it’s convenient. You won’t regret it!

Roasted Garlic Spread

1 bulb of garlic

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup Earth Balance spread

salt to taste

Pre-head oven to 375. Cut top off garlic head and drizzle some olive oil inside. Wrap in tin foil and bake for 45 min or until soft. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze out roasted garlic into Earth Balance and mash in with a fork. Then, slather on your favourite sourdough loaf and consume in large quantities.

Pass the Avoidance Please

Recipe: The “Bad” Watermelon Drink

Hey, as you pass the potato salad, can you also please pass the avoidance? That’s right – I’d like a nice big scoop on the side so I don’t have to sit with the feelings of anxiety I’m having on the inside. And while you’re at it, what else do you have going on? What’s in that bowl over there? Ah, that one is distraction? I LOVE distraction! I’ll take some of that too!

Sound familiar? I’m not saying it has to be all work and no play – and that you can’t have your potato salad and eat it too – but what I am saying is that it’s soooo easy to not go “there.” The choice is always ours to make.

As I settled back into life after two weeks of vacation, I noticed how quickly I was digging into the avoidance and distraction dishes because, frankly, I just didn’t want to sit with the stuff that was coming up for me. And to be honest, I don’t really want to – even now. Yet, in just knowing and acknowledging this, I know I am coming to a place where I will. I’ve taken steps to set up some support and I’ve arranged for some safe places to process – because I know I’m just not willing to go there on my own.

So if you are having second helpings of avoidance and distraction (along with everything else on your plate), cut yourself some slack, then take an action that will bring you closer to what’s going on inside, something that will serve as a little reassurance for you that you are taking care of yourself. It’s natural to want to avoid the uncomfortable feelings, so know this, but also know that you will feel so much better once you allow them.

 The “Bad” Watermelon Drink

I made the most lovely beverage yesterday – and I’m calling it “the” drink of the summer. Serve it up at every get together you have and it will amplify the love energy of your gathering just by the sheer enjoyment it brings! This was inspired by my lovely raw food friend and a case of “bad” watermelon. After two weeks of eating fresh, crispy, hydrating watermelon with a spoon, I foolishly bought one at the grocery store with the intention of recreating this bliss. Once I busted in, I discovered the watermelon was…well, soggy, for lack of a better word –soggy, and therefore completely unsatisfying. So I scooped out the flesh, squeezed in some lemon (I would have used lime if I had some) and a tsp of agave, and I blended. Oh did I blend. And the result was a margarita-like beverage that was so wonderfully refreshing and delicious. So try it. 

A Love Reminder

Recipe: Chef Juliano’s “Spheres of Bliss”

So much about addictive behaviour (particularly binge eating) is about trying to fill or numb the fact that we don’t feel FULL. We grasp outside of ourselves for the solution to our distress, to find love, or to find relief from our perceived seperateness from love. We take our search for love to the streets, knocking on doors see if there’s someone who will answer to let us know we are worth loving, when in fact, we don’t even need to leave home to experience love. If we stayed “home” (read: in our hearts) long enough, we would discover our inner wellspring of love, overflowing and eager to be channeled from our hearts and out into the world.

When it comes to romantic love, there’s a huge misconception out there that “the other” is responsible for making us feel loved — that without “the other,” we will not experience love, and that if someone does not love us, we must not be worth loving. What if I told you that whenever we experience the love of another person, it is really just the other person reflecting back the love that lives inside of us?

Love doesn’t come and go. It is a constant. It just is. It’s who we are. To paraphrase the sage advice that an Indian Shopkeeper imparted to a good friend of mine, “If you are in love, it is because you have it to give.” Any experience of love is really just an experience of the love that lives inside of you — and the best part is, you can dwell in that love any time. When we understand this, we can stop seeking. We can stop acting out of fear and desperation. We are able to stand in our power and live our truth, free from the fear and anxiety that arises when we buy into the belief that the supply of  love is finite and can only be found “out there.”

The recipe for inner peace is simple: Connect with your love essence, your true nature. Realize how full you truly are. And then share that love with the world.

My first experience of renowned raw food chef Juliano was at his restaurant in Santa Monica. There, I saw him in the raw flesh (haha). I also saw him in the numerous oversized posters that hung on the walls of his restaurant, looking intense and determined on his raw food mission. The dynamic in the kitchen was equally tense and determined. Raw food didn’t seem like it was supposed to be much fun. But then I found this recipe, the bliss child (or distant relative) of this very man. And now that same intensity and determination that I took for pretentiousness is suddenly a marker of a man dedicated to the cause of bringing bliss to the masses; I can’t help but love him. One bite of these “Spheres of Bliss” (as my one friend coined them) and you will be lining up outside of Chef Juliano’s door just to bow at his feet. Thank you to Alicia Silverstone, a chef Juliano insider, who shared her version of his recipe in her book The Kind Diet. 

A Fragment Within

Recipe: The Socca Revolution

Do you fragment? Naturally, we seek to be whole; fragmenting is a coping mechanism we subconsciously turn to to preserve the illusion of that wholeness. If there’s a part of your life or a choice you’ve made that doesn’t align with your inner truth,  then likely you’ve decided to fragment in some way to reconcile this discrepancy.

To some extent, fragmenting is necessary. Fragmenting can be a great way tool to help us gain perspective. It helps us detach from the emotions of a situation so that we can take inventory of what’s actually going on. As well, it can be a buffer to some really painful emotions. But the disassociation it creates can also enable us to keep living in that same situation as a means of coping.

Change is hard; it can be painful. And in many ways, we need to fragment to survive it. If you are fragmenting right now in some way in your life, gently give yourself the permission to do so with awareness and compassion. Check in with that fragmented part of you often. Is it ready to shift? Are you coming to some decisions around it? Creating this compassionate relationship with your fragment will serve to bring you back into alignment with your truth, versus further shutting down and detaching by judging yourself for coping in this way and avoiding the uncomfortable feelings you find here. After all, it is love that brings as back to wholeness, not harsh judgement! Visit this place with the knowing and intention that eventually, it will be right to call this part of yourself back into alignment. Trust the process! Every cell in your body already knows the way there.

I’ve been keeping the wonder that is Socca a secret to myself for far too long. It’s not like I invented this. Oh no, it’s more like a scene from Indiana Jones, where Indie adventures his way to a trove of treasure, just sitting there waiting to be discovered (sans annoying kid from the Temple of Doom). I was at once awestruck by its ease and delectableness. I will forever be indebted to these two ladies, who brought Socca into the light, blazing the way for vegan pilgrims like me; the below recipe is the first of their basic Socca recipe exploits. Socca has four ingredients, one of which is water. It is vegan, gluten free, and versatile. It’s like a crepe, flatbread, and a pizza crust all decided to get together for a reunion night. Anyway, try it for yourself. 

YOU: The Inside Story

Recipe: Chocolate Flax Granola

Our external circumstances and behaviours can be some of the best indicators as to what’s going on with us on the inside. Sometimes we need to do a little “recon” to get the inside scoop. There are a couple of ways to gather intel:

1.     Personal Observation – this is when we are able to separate from how we are feeling just enough to notice we are feeling it! For instance, if you find yourself in the middle of an
addictive behaviour, or that you are overly preoccupied by one thing, this is the act of stepping outside of the pattern and acknowledging that “okay, I’m doing this again. What else is going on.” In this way, we avoid over identifying with the behaviour or thought and can see that it is simply the manifestation of an underlying issue that needs your attention. You can then get to work on exploring what that issue is, via journaling, meditation, creative expression, connecting with nature, or whatever it is that helps bring you insight.

2.     Recognize that the Other Person is You – this can be a very insightful way of gathering information about where you are at in your life. Essentially, this is a process whereby you take
inventory of the people you are close to and those that you have emotionally invested in at this point in your life, be it friends, romantic partners, or co-workers. Anyone that triggers you on an emotional level, be it positive or negative. If you are getting triggered, there’s a reason why. Once you take inventory of these people and what’s being triggered in you, you will likely notice some similarities between the people doing the triggering, at both the present
moment and in your recent past. Do you keep meeting the same type of person, only with a different name? The next question to ask yourself is, “what is it about this person that I need to recognize in myself.” This is where it can get kinda dicey. You will need to be frank and candid with yourself, but you also want to stop short of over-identifying with someone else’s issues. You can usually know what information said person has to offer you about yourself by seeing what it is in them that triggers a charged emotional response in you.. You will likely see that this quality is something you need to embrace or heal within yourself.

3.     Trusted Feedback – changes in your behaviour in connection to your various life circumstances are completely natural. Where this can get tricky is if your behaviour becomes governed by specific situations, thus creating a pattern that even you may not be aware of.
Sometimes it takes a trusted third party to be able to make the connection between a change in ourselves and what’s going on on the outside. For this one, you need someone who knows you well enough to know when you are not quite acting like yourself. Someone honest and gentle, who can say “hey, I noticed you get like this when X is happening.” These people are treasures in our lives.

Getting your inside story is key to growth and healing. The key to self awareness is to remember that everything is information! Good luck!

Okay, so the word is out. Chocolate flax granola! It all began in Bellingham a couple of weeks ago, when I came across this local granola called Flax4Life. The ingredients were amazingly simple, and it was absolutely delicious. So of course I returned home and made my own version. And if you’re thinking “chocolate for breakfast!??” and recounting your childhood affair with Count Chocula and not feelin’ it, not to worry! This happens to make a great snack too! It’s not too sweet, with just the right hit of chocolate to make it “treat-worthy.”

The “I will, when” Syndrome

Recipe: Tapped in Tapenade

All of us have been or are guilty of the “I will, when” syndrome – the mindset where, based upon a list of excuses we have drawn up for ourselves, we become convinced that we couldn’t possibly live the life of heart and passion that lies dormant and waiting to spring awake inside us.

We have an inkling it is there. We know it when our heart leaps in our chest at the thought of pursuing a passion, or we get butterflies in our stomach when we daydream about a certain situation. But again and again, our fear of failure or sense of inadequacy causes us to shut down instead of step up to the challenges or callings that beckon us forth. We  default to “play it safe” mode because deep down we feel damaged, flawed, and undeserving. That we couldn’t possibly do a,b,c until we are x,y,z.

This is the part where I bust out my inner Tony Robbins. You DON’T have to have it all figured out before you start living your ideal life! The time is now! Nobody is perfect, and nobody (not even YOU) ever will be. So start where you are, exactly at this moment, and the rest will follow. And while you’re at it, go easy on yourself.

Yogi Bhajan always said to his students “Fake it ’til you make it.” And I can honestly say I would never have started teaching yoga if I did not take that advice to heart. And really, if not now, then when? When will you be “good enough” to live the life your heart yearns for? When will you be deserving of that relationship? That raise? The work-life schedule that works for you?

Drop the baggage, the self talk, the fear. My mentor always says “feel the fear and do it anyway.” Your life is waiting. And really, if not now, then when? Fake it ’til you make it baby. Be real, be authentic, and I promise you will make it. What ever “it” is for you, the time has come to go for it!

Looking to serve up something simple as a pre-dinner snackie? Why not try a tapenade? I had this at a restaurant last night and was impressed by how basic, yet satisfying it was.  Spread on spelt crackers or a toasted baguette, this is easy to make and a nice warm-up for the tastebuds. “Real” tapenade has anchovies, but this one is a vegan spin-off  and super tasty. 

The Hungry Kitty

Recipe: Ariel’s Bliss Balls

Ever feel like you are being followed around by a hungry, stray cat and the more you ignore it, the louder its cries of distress become? Okay, maybe not exactly – but stay with me. It’s cries become so aggravating that the issue soon becomes about avoiding the cat, rather than simply figuring out what it needs! Starting to sound familiar? Where I’m going with this is that feelings and food are kind of similar – think of feelings as the crying kitty and food as the avoidance strategy. Pretty soon, the issue becomes about the food (and the related behaviours – binge, purge, restrict, preoccupation) rather than the initial feelings that started the whole thing. The more you ignore them, the louder they get, and the more you turn to your food “things” to drown them out.

So, here’s a little exercise, which, if you are like me, you might feel a little resistance to because it’s going to take you to that place that you’ve put so much time and energy into avoiding! But just try it. This is especially helpful to do post-binge or anytime when you feel like your food is running the show. You will need a timer, loose comfortable clothing, and a place to sit where you won’t be disturbed. I sat on the edge of the bathtub after my morning shower.

Set your timer for five minutes. Close your eyes. And breathe.

That’s all there is to it! Chances are this will bring up some emotion. You might cry or whimper. Whatever your experience, just be with it. Feel connected to your SELF.

When the time goes off at the end of the five minutes, you can either call it a day, or set it for a few MORE minutes. That’s right. When I did this, I wanted MORE! Connecting felt so good, I wanted to stay in that place for longer. Or, the feelings may be so intense that five minutes is all you can handle. That’s fine. That’s why the timer is so important. It gives our feelings a safe container so they don’t take over and it gives us permission to feel them.

Imagine doing this every day, checking in. If you’ve already compiled a mental list of why you can’t take these five minutes for yourself, I assure you, YOU CAN. And after awhile, I bet that cat’s wailing will subside. I bet your food will calm down too.

I was at a vegetarian potluck last week, and one girl brought these delightful little balls of wholesome goodness – similar to the ones you can find in raw food or health stores for $2 a piece! I’ve been searching for the secret recipe to make these at home for a very long time, and when I bit into one of these, I knew I had found it. And yes, at first glance they may resemble the equally delicious Power Snacks, but these aren’t as sweet, and the tahini in them creates a taste and texture that is truly unique. Plus, there are no grains involved, just straight-up seeds, nuts and dried fruit. Go on. You know you want to.

The Emergency Tool Kit

Sometimes things feel wonky. We feel anxiety and panic. We may not know what’s going on with us. That’s okay. We don’t need to. We just need to get through.

Think about it this way: if your boat is flooding, are you going to waste precious moments trying to figure out what caused the leak? No way! You’re going to bail water like crazy and try to stay afloat! If things are feeling crazy, and you (or your food) are feeling on the verge of spinning out of control, you need to radio for backup to keep yourself safe and on solid ground - even if you have to hold on for dear life until it passes and you get there. This post is about how to hold on.

I’ve referred to these waves before. This is when it’s important to bust out your emergency toolkit and take stock (or create one if you don’t already have one). Afterall, you wouldn’t get into the boat without a life jacket and a bailing bucket now, would you?

Your toolkit is YOUR toolkit, and it’s going to look different than mine. Think calm. Think soothing. Think comfort. What brings those things to you in a deeply nurturing way?  Here are some of the things in my 9-11 toolkit if you need some ideas of what kinds of things can go in there:

• Bach’s Rescue Remedy (trust me on this one!)
• Sleep (sometimes you just need to crawl under the covers and call it a day)
• Reach out – contact a friend/therapist, someone who “gets it,” and by “it” I mean the eating stuff
• Distraction – find a healthy NON-FOOD related activity like watching a feel-good movie or reading a fun book.
• Long deep breathing
• Cuddle – your sweetie, your dog, your teddybear, a pillow, whatever!
• Pray – ask the universe, God, your higher self (whatever you believe in) for strength
• And finally, BE KIND.

This last one is a biggy. It’s about honouring where you are at and so much more. On a side note, Geneen Roth said something really profound on the Oprah show that relates to kindness: “We somehow believe that if we hate ourselves enough, if we shame ourselves enough, we’ll end up thin, happy, peaceful people…. Somehow if I torture myself enough, I’ll end up feeling great about myself and about my life, as if hatred leads to love and torture leads to contentment.” In other words, you need to step out of the judgement and into self kindness. This means that whatever you are experiencing is okay! You give yourself permission to have the experience, and you acknowledge that YOU are okay in spite of it. This kindness is something that needs to be incorporated all the time, and not just in those moments of crazy.

If things are feeling out of control, use your toolkit. The important thing to remember is that it will pass. You’ve gotten through before, and you will get through again. Get through first! Once you’ve reached safety, then you can go back and figure out what triggered you in the first place.

And now, a recipe that will change the way you eat cookies forever. I have never read so much positive banter about a recipe yet! This recipe kept cropping up on all sorts of different vegan blog sites and after making it myself, I understand why. You will never go back to your standard chocolate chippers after this one! These make a great snack in the afternoon when you are craving something sweet, yet substantial. Thanks Dreena, you are my new vegan hero!

Super-Charge Me! Cookies

Makes 11–12 cookies. Wheat-free (using spelt flour & oats).

1 cup quick oats
2/3 cup spelt flour
1/4 tsp (rounded) sea salt
1/4 – 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 –1/3 cup raisins or chopped dried fruit
3–4 tbsp carob or chocolate chips (optional; or use more dried fruit, nuts, or seeds)
1 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup flax meal (not flax seed)
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
3 tbsp almond butter (may use cashew, peanut, hemp seed butter)
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tbsp organic canola oil

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). In a bowl, combine oats, flour, salt, cinnamon, coconut, raisins, and carob or chocolate chips, sift in baking powder, and stir until well combined. In a separate bowl, combine flax meal, syrup, almond butter, and vanilla and stir until well combined. Stir in oil. Add wet mixture to dry, and stir until just well combined (do not overmix). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spoon batter onto baking sheet evenly space apart, and lightly flatten. Bake for 13 minutes (no longer, or they will dry out). Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 1 minute (no longer), then transfer to a cooling rack.

Recipe © copyright Dreena Burton (eat, drink & be vegan)

The need to be right

Do we need to be right, or do we need to forgive?

The need to be right can hold us in a state of paralysis – this barrier set up by a hurt, wounded ego can prevent us from taking the steps we need to open our hearts, forgive, and let go. Recently I was hurt. And I held on tight to this wounded part of me. She screamed out to be heard, to be condoled, and to be validated. Oh the injustice! I was wronged, can’t you see? But the more she dug her heels in, the further away from forgiveness I found myself. And, what for, really? Because when we withhold forgiveness, the only one who suffers is our self!

As I was full-on in victim-mode, I was further frustrated by the fact that I was so deeply affected. Wasn’t I above such “negative” emotions? How could this get to me so much? How could this incite so much hurt within me? Couldn’t I just “rise above” the whole thing? But I couldn’t. I wasn’t ready to let go. And let’s face it – I’m human! Sometimes that sensitive, wounded part of us gets triggered by something totally unrelated to what caused that initial wound. It needs to sting. It needs to smoulder for a bit.

People hurt us, they do. They always will, knowingly or unknowingly. It’s hard when they are someone close to us, someone who we trust and treasure in our lives. These wounds especially sting. If you hurt, hurt. Be hurt. If you need to go into victim mode for a period, then go. Wallow. Feel angry. Feel sorry for yourself. But then get over it. Most times our hurts become clouded by the need to be right because we feel so powerless in our wounded state. So if the need to be right is standing in the way of you forgiving and letting go, maybe that’s worth investigating. As long as we cling to the need to be right, our hearts can never fully open.

One final thing. Don’t mistake forgiveness for condoning someone’s actions, or that somehow you are “giving in.” Your hurt is likely very justified. And forgiving doesn’t mean you walk arm and arm down the street like old times and then the credits roll. It means you release the other into love. The form your relationship takes after that may be the same, or it may be different – but that’s for you to decide. You get to set the boundaries that feel okay. But you don’t need to hold yourself in purgatory for longer than is necessary for you to process and then release.

Got any old hurts? Ask yourself – how much of this is about your need to be right? If we can drop this insistence, we may be surprised at the love that finds us when we open our hearts and forgive.

BRY

“Thai” Hummus for Peace

This little ditty was inspired by a chickpea chutney made by my dear friend’s mom and a recipe for a cashew sauce I came across. If you are looking a variation on the old tried and true, give this a whirl (so-to-speak). A big bowl of  hummus with some pita wedges makes an excellent peace offering!

1 cup of chickpeas (cooked or canned)

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1 clove of garlic

1 inch piece of ginger, roughly chopped

1/2 cup coconut milk

1/2 tsp salt (less if using canned chickpeas with salt in them)

1/2  jalapeno (green) chili pepper, finally chopped (seeds removed for less spice)

juice of 1/2 a lime

Whirl together in your food processor until smooth. Serve sprinkled with dried coconut. Then, “dip” in!