A Very Green New Year

I have grocery shopped at stores near and far,
Even shopped at Costco without a car.
But upon moving to New Orleans I shed a tear,
Oh no! No Trader Joe's is here!

How I miss their rooibus tea,
Give me their frozen vegetable tamales I plea!
Without TJ's Tuscan Pain bread my heart is cold,
I miss their blue cheese with its lovely mold.

$1.99 for greek yogurt was a brilliant deal,
On weeknights their lentil soup was often a meal.
I yearn for their brie wedges and pickled beans,
And life would be easier with their pre-washed greens.

But here I sit in the Crescent City,
With no TJ's near me - such a pity.
So if I want these treats in my mits,
I must remake my favorites using my wits!


Does Trader Joe's still made edamame hummus? That stuff was good enough to eat with a spoon. OR SO I HAVE HEARD.

In any case, after receiving the cutest little food processor you ever did see from Erik, I test drove it with this recipe. I'm in love with the color - who doesn't need something bright and green on January 2nd? So you had too many spritz, indulged on that pre-dinner cheese tray a little too hard, you sprained your ankle and haven't moved at a pace faster than a shuffle in a month. NO MATTER. Eat this green stuff with some carrot sticks and all will be forgiven.

Now there are a lot of recipes out there for what basically amounts to smashing up soy beans with olive oil and spices. Try to think of it like that and do not be afraid to EXPERIMENT.

Edamame Hummus with Roasted Sesame Seeds


1/4 cup sesame seeds
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups edamame (if frozen thaw through first by heating them in boiling water for about 3 minutes)
1 tablespoon chopped garlic (I used dehydrated minced garlic from Penzey's)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Optional: other spices (I used 1 tablespoon of Penzey's Sunny Paris)
Water as needed

Place sesame seeds on a baking sheet and roast at 350 briefly. Make sure seeds don't brown and shake the few times - this should only take about 3-4 minutes so be careful!
After sesame seeds have cooled combine them in the food processor with the rest of the ingredients. Turn on your food processor and just let it run, scraping down the sides if necessary to keep everything moving. At this point you may need to add some water to get the thickness how you want it. It takes several minutes to get the mixture smooth so be patient and hope your neighbors aren't aiming death stares at you through the wall.
When the mixture is smooth taste again to make sure the salt/pepper/spice level is right.