A Recipe - Because Why Not? {Lethbridge Accredited Food Photography}

I’m back in my kitchen. As an accredited food photographer with the Professional Photographers of Canada (PPOC.ca), I have spent a lot of time in my kitchen. Along with the skill of lighting food and products, there's a whole skill of food styling that I had to learn. I enjoyed working with food and learning about what a truly creative medium it is.  I also had to up my cooking game quite a bit. I cooked for a family of five for decades, but family cooking is a different ball-game than stepping into the culinary creative arts. For some of my own recipes, check out @Earthlingspantry on Instagram.

Most of my food photography highlights plant-based eating. I've been a vegetarian/vegan by choice 88% of my 50 years on this Earth. I think plant-based foods are simply beautiful and gifted from the Earth. 

In an effort to include some healthful color in my food, I made this beet hummus. This is a beet hummus from the Two Spoons cookbook. You can find their blog here.

Hummus is a healthy addition to one’s plant-based diet. In this recipe, the beets, olive oil, sesame seeds/tahini, and chick peas all have properties that fight inflammation. The chick peas are high in protein and help regulate glycemic levels. The beets also have cancer-fighting compounds and properties that help regulate blood pressure as well.

A good hummus also has a decent amount of garlic in it.  Researchers are also diving into the health benefits of garlic.

I couldn’t find a link to this recipe, so I’m just going to type it out here.  Please check out her blog. After decades of eating meatless, I think her recipes are a tasty addition to the domain of plant-based cooking. The only changes I made to this recipe is that I ran the garlic through my garlic press vs chopped them, and I zested a lemon and added the zest. I also blended in chopped fresh basil vs use it as a garnish. (OMG, so good)

2 small red beets, stems removed and scrubbed clean

2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/3 cup tahini

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup lemon juice (and I added the zest of 1 lemon as well)

½ teas. Sea salt

Peel and chop beets into quarters and boil until fork-tender.  In a food processor, add remaining ingredients and process for 5 minutes or until smooth. Add cooked beets and process another few minutes until smooth and completely mixed. Refrigerate. Serve with chopped vegetables or flat bread to dip into the hummus.