Fresh Pea Hummus - vegan & gluten free

Hello and happy Monday! I hope the mommas out there had a good Mother's Day and felt loved and appreciated. Maybe you got a pasta necklace? or perhaps a fill-in-the-blank poem? My cousin got one that included a line about her smelling like jelly beans. That was my favorite part.

Now that we're fully into May, I hoping more of you out there have access to a nearby farmers' market. Perhaps you got a chance to go this weekend? (here are my top ten tips for having a great farmers' market experience) I have year-round ones available on Saturdays, but a local Thursday night one runs May-September only, and I got a chance to go for the first time last week. It felt so nice to be back! I got to check out my favorite farms and see the new booths. I learned that it's going to be a very short cherry season this year (#sadface) because winter here in the Bay Area was so weird (i.e. warm and dry). I forgot to ask if the same would be true of stone fruits like peaches, but I'd like to find that out this week (otherwise, I'm going to obsess about it, since we all know I'm somewhat in love with peaches). 

Anyway, among my purchases were my first peas of the season. Now, some people (ahem, mom.dad.) may express surprise at this since growing up I showed very little interest in peas. And I admit that they are still not my favorite vegetable in the world, but I've learned that fresh peas are dramatically better than frozen. They're sweet and tender and taste, well, pretty good. I like them raw in salads, mashed up into pesto, or, now, smooshed into hummus. Can you call it hummus if there are no garbanzo beans? 

This hummus is fast, easy, and you don't even need to turn on the stove. It's great with chips or as a sandwich topping. It's easily double-able, and if you don't have quite the right amount of an ingredient, don't sweat it. You can make it anyway, and it will still be tasty. 

Fresh Pea Hummus - vegan & gluten free
adapted from Whole Living

I think this would be good with several other variations, including using mint (or parsley or basil) instead of cilantro, or increasing only the volume of peas so that you taste them more. It's also tasty with roasted garlic in place of the raw. 

I found I didn't need to because my peas were fresh & tender, but should you wish to cook your peas, bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Add peas and cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Drain, then run under cold water or put into ice bath to stop cooking.

1 C fresh shelled peas
1/4 C fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp tahini
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 small clove minced garlic
1/8 tsp ground cumin
pinch of salt

In food processor (or blender), pulse peas, cilantro, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and cumin 30 to 40 seconds. Season with salt to taste.

Weekend Reading

Happy weekend, all! It's beautiful here, and on Friday I was able to sleep in and treat myself to raspberry pancakes. Oh, and I fed my cute jar addiction. I mean, really, could you have resisted those adorbables above? They were even half off. I swooned. It was a pretty darn good way to start my weekend.

What's new with you? Read anything good lately? I did, and, uh, it's kind of a long list this time. Maybe you'd better get that second cuppa? Here's what I've found (or curated) for you:

First of all, you know it's Mother's Day weekend, yes? No? Well, here's a last-minute friendly printable card. I also recommend a Kindle, or maybe some strawberry muffins. There, that gives you some high/low options. You are welcome. Oh, and Happy Mother's Day to my favorite mom :)

Tis the season - beautiful Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp Bars from the inimitable Smitten Kitchen. They are made right in the pan, and she has suggestions for vegan & gluten free versions

Oh. Man. Where has this been all my life? Another great Call Me Maybe

Will you make me some Hibiscus Concentrate? It sounds amazing for iced tea

An honest look at what would happen if everyone in the world stopped eating meat. Obviously impossible, but thought-provoking nonetheless

I first saw the photo on Instagram and decided to investigate further. It's crazy but true: a National Geographic photographer was arrested for taking photos, in America, of a factory farm. In this article, he wonders if it was worth it.

What ridiculous food day is your birthday? Mine is National Cheese Lover's Day. Mr Official Taster's is National Gumbo Day. Ironies abound.

Lindsay from Pinch of Yum addresses the age-old question that plagues every writer - what to write about

On why it matters that women do most of the housework.

“Women don’t want to talk about energy policy, they want to hear about impact on gas prices. They don’t want to talk about Obamacare, talk to them about getting to see their doctor.” It’s a wonder they have a woman problem, right?

No matter what you think about the issue, here's one brave woman's list of the five most surprising things about her abortion.

10 simple words every girl should learn.

Sadly unsurprising. A video asking "what is gluten?" of people who don't eat it.

Pizza makings - how some Italians are using food to fight back against the mafia 

A smart look at the gentrification of Oakland

Of course, what list is complete without a Buzzfeed quiz? This one's about your bucket list

These next few are articles I saved a ways back and then forgot about, so apologies if they seem somewhat dated. Or, "dated" in this fast paced world of ours

There's a proposal to ban all fishing in international waters for a few years in order to ensure species' continued survival

Thinking of starting an urban garden? Be sure to test your soil and investigate your land's history, since there's a lot of chemicals lurking

Do you live in the San Francisco area? Are you a ballet lover between the ages of 21 and 39? Then San Francisco Ballet wants to give you access to inexpensive tickets to great programs. Just sign up

From the New York Times, fake meat that finally tastes like chicken.

For more interesting links, check out all weekend reads here