Hummus Bread {Gluten-free, Vegan}

Made with hummus and tahini added to the dough, this is one of the most captivating breads I have made for quite a while, and it's quite filling too even though it is a fairly light bread. The flavors of hummus and tahini don't overwhelm the taste of the bread but add the lovely Middle Eastern savor of chickpeas and sesame. It is very easy to make, is yeast-free, and does not require a lot of kneading, and once it is cool, one slice is quite substantial. Its earthy flavor is nicely enhanced with butter and a sprinkle of mixed seeds, and the bread toasts well too. I believe that this bread will become a staple in my kitchen.

I haven't been making gluten-free breads for very long, but the more I experiment, the more I enjoy the gluten-free baking experience even though I do not have an intolerance to gluten myself. I used a combination of sorghum, buckwheat and brown rice flours in this loaf, but it should work well with any gluten-free grain flour. The leavening comes from baking powder and baking salt instead of yeast.

For this recipe, I made a batch of hummus with za'atar, but any basic hummus recipe will do, and it is a great way to use up any leftover hummus. The za'atar can easily be left out of the hummus recipe, though I did add some for some extra flavor because this bread is open to a multitude of seasonings.

Fudgy Chickpea Tahini Brownies {Vegan}

I usually resist labeling a recipe as "best-ever", but I am tempted to say that these really are the best-ever fudgy brownies I have made to date — which is a tall order, considering how many tempting brownies recipes I have made over the years. And they take little time at all either — really a fuss-free fudge.

Sweetened only with dates and a small amount of maple syrup, the perhaps surprising ingredient is cooked chickpeas, but the blended chickpeas are what give these brownies a delightfully creamy texture that it just the right density — not too heavy and not too light, with just a little extra bite from dried cherries. And it doesn't hurt that the chickpeas give you an additional boost of protein too. Tahini is another ingredient that I have found works wonders in desserts not only to bind ingredients but also to add the distinctive earthy and nutty flavor of sesame. And the only flour used in these brownies is almond flour, making them gluten-free as well as vegan.