Summer Yum

We’ve crossed the official starting line of summer.  Though South Florida is close to perpetual summer,  there are still specific summer elements that happen even here.

It’s hotter.

It’s humider.

We get to spend time with Thing 1 and Thing 2 because they are not in school.  Though they are working, so we don’t get ALL summer.

We get to see friends who are on vacation.

We get vacation.

I bought 2 new sundresses.  Well, the dresses are not completely related to summer.  See when you really enter the middle part of your life, there are certain changes your body has decidedly embraced.  Those changes, plus the fact it is perpetual summer here,  have influenced the style of  clothing I find myself choosing.  Shorts are functional for power walking the dog, yoga, cleaning the house.  But with leg skin that could use some ironing, skirts are my new shorts.  On the occasion I go out in public, capris were acceptable options until real summer showed up.  I might as well wrap my legs in Saran – for capris are capable of turning me into one hot drippy momma.  Enter – the Sundress.  Thing One, designated fashion police in our house, went shopping with me and I returned home with properly mid-life-bodystyle-fitting sundresses.

Pool parties.  I do so appreciate the pool in our little neighborhood.  It sits on a wide part of the intracoastal, one mile from the inlet.  It provides a place to swim laps, cool off, boat watch, and enjoy friends – especially friends with kids!  Water makes everyone hungry.   There must be snacks.  In an middle-of-life-eating-change, we are opting for a little less; sugar, fat, meat, junk, amount on our plate.  Food is my love language,  thus making and serving patio party snacks important.  I’m always on the lookout for both yummy and on the good-for-you list recipes.  I found this Spicy Black Bean Hummus (from Maureen Redmond, Easley, SC; in Cooking Light magazine, 2009) when wandering through older magazines a few months ago.  After the first taste – it became a “keeper.”

I’m sharing this summer yum with others who gather people around pools, lakes, oceans, or  backyard sprinklers and want to feed their hungry swimmers.

Spicy Black Bean Hummus

• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 2 Tlb fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tlb tahini
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 small jalapeño pepper, chopped
• Dash of crushed red pepper
• 2 tsp olive oil
• Dash of ground red pepper

Place garlic in a food processor; process until finely chopped.  Add lemon juice, tahini, cumin, salt, black beans, jalapeño, and crushed red pepper; process until smooth.  Spoon bean mixture into a medium bowl and drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle with ground red pepper.  Serve with pita chips, pretzels, carrots, sliced peppers, sugar snap peas.

(or if you are the owner of a Vitamix, throw all ingredients in and blend!)

Let me know if you and your people like it.  Feel free to pass on your summer snack “keepers!”