A warming winter taco meal is everyone’s favourite. Our delicious hummus made from heart-healthy lima beans and spinach is an excellent way to fill up on healthy plant proteins. Lima beans help lower cholesterol and provide heathy fibre. Coupled with a medley of diced veggies, it becomes an über-healthy crowd pleaser!
Taco Tower Crowd Pleaser with Lima Bean Spinach Hummus and Vegetable Medley
Ingredients
- 10 oz (300 g) box frozen lima beans
- 1/2 sweet onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 4 cups (1 L) lightly packed fresh baby spinach leaves
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
- Finely grated zest and juice from 1 lime
- 1 tsp (5 mL) ground cumin
- 1 tsp (5 mL) chili powder
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) sea salt
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) cayenne
- 12 oz (350 g) bag unsalted tortilla chips
- 1 cup (250 mL) grated Monterey Jack cheese
- 2 firm tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 3 jalapeno peppers, thinly sliced, plus extra if you wish
- 1/3 cup (80 mL) sliced black Kalamata olives, divided
- 4 whole green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped cilantro, plus extra
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) full-fat plain yogurt
- Fresh lime wedges (optional)
Nutrition
Per serving:
- calories374
- protein12g
- fat15g
- saturated fat5g
- trans fat0g
- carbohydrates49g
- sugars3g
- fibre6g
- sodium327mg
Directions
01
Fill medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Stir in lima beans, onion, and garlic. Return to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes, until fork tender.
02
Just before beans have finished cooking, place spinach in sieve and plunge sieve into top of saucepan containing lima beans. Stir spinach in basket until blanched but still bright green. Shake spinach in basket, removing as much water as possible, and then place in high-speed blender or food processor.
03
Strain beans, onion, and garlic, reserving a little of the liquid, and add to spinach. Add oil, lime zest and juice, and the rest of hummus seasonings. Whirl, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally, until mixture is smooth. Add a splash of reserved water if needed to make mixture very creamy. Set aside.
04
Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C). Line pizza pan or baking sheet with parchment paper. Place a couple generous handfuls of chips on baking sheet in 9 in (23 cm) circle, avoiding gaps. Add dollops of hummus and scatter with 1/4 of grated cheese, 2 Tbsp (30 mL) sliced olives, 1/3 of tomatoes, 1/3 of yellow pepper, and 1 sliced jalapeno pepper. Repeat layers 2 more times, ending tower with green onions and cheese. If any hummus is left over, set aside for dipping.
05
Place pan in oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly. Scatter with cilantro and drizzle with yogurt. Serve with fresh lime wedges, if you wish.
READ THIS NEXT
SEE MORE »
GF Almond Tahini Ice Cream Cookie Cake
Ice cream cakes and/or cookies are everyone’s favourite. And here’s a great option for a delicious “Dad’s” cookie cake that’s gluten free! A simple-to-make cookie cake that’s made even easier when the dough is tossed together in a food processor. End a delicious Dad’s Day meal with this deliciously cool and creamy sweet dessert. Best beer? Extra yum when served with small glasses of chocolate-flavoured stout or porter. When Dad loves his cookies We made this delicious dessert into a cake, but it can easily be made into individual ice cream cookies. Roll out dough into 1/4 in (6 mm) thickness and cut into 2 in (5 cm) rounds. Bake, cool, and chill. Once chilled, spoon ice cream in between chilled cookies. Freeze until firm. Drizzle with melted chocolate or dip into melted chocolate.
Pork Tenderloin with Espresso BBQ Sauce
Coffee-flavoured BBQ sauce? Why not? It’s a strikingly flavourful combo—sweet, tangy, bold, and rich. It can be used not only on pork but on a variety of other meats. We marinated tenderloin in it and doubled up on the smoky flavour by grilling it on a cedar plank. Serve with a side order of grilled broccolini for extra yum. Best beer? You can’t go wrong with an IPA or a honey lager to complement this flavourful dish. Looking for an easy way to grill broccolini? Toss with a little oil and season with salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Near the end of grilling, place broccolini beside plank with tenderloin on hot grill for about 6 or 7 minutes. Using tongs, turn a few times until tender and lightly charred. Place on platter with sliced pork and drizzle with lemon juice and some shaved Parmesan.
Everything-But-Meat Salad
If there’s a vegan or vegetarian in the crowd, then this dish will be sure to please. Chock full of complementary textures and flavours, it not only qualifies as eye candy, but is also a substantial stand-alone meal—a stunning meal in a dish! Best beer? Serve this salad with an IPA or pale ale. For a more adventurous sip, it’s equally delicious with a Belgian pale or dark ale. Endlessly customizable When it comes to this powerhouse salad, the sky’s the limit. Swap out apples with orange wedges, or mix up your greens by substituting spinach for endive. Bump up the protein with some canned chickpeas or black beans, if you wish. Or cut up some corn tortillas into bite-sized strips, fry in pan until crisp, then toss over salad for added crunch.
Grilled New Potatoes and Lentils with Creamy Lemon Dressing
Early summer potatoes, cooked and grilled, are just the ticket for this fabulous salad. Coupled with lentils, they’re a delicious add-on to any meal plan. This recipe offers an added bonus: it can be made in stages, so you’re not cooking all afternoon. Best beer? You can’t go wrong serving this dreamy salad with a simple and uncomplicated pale ale. Variety is the spice of potato-salad life Potato salad lends itself to any number of variations, and this recipe doesn’t disappoint. Try swapping out microgreens for baby spinach leaves. Another interesting slant: crisp up (optional) prosciutto on the grill before breaking into bite-sized pieces and scattering over the salad.