Fava Forever

I love Fava Beans, but they're not really beans at all. Nope. They are peas. Very large, nutritious, flavorful peas that we call beans. With high levels of iron, fiber, and protein, and low levels of cholesterol, sodium, and fat, Fava Beans have a special place in my pantry.

Oddly enough, the first time I ate Fava Beans I was at an Italian restaurant in Costa Rica. While I did not enjoy Costa Rican Cuisine one little bit, I LOVED the Fava Bean salad we ate in Montezuma.

Buying fresh Fava Beans can be a total pain. When we lived in Seattle, I bought some from Pikes Place Market, and prepared the "beans" for HOURS, and then came up with nothing even close to the delectable dish I had in our travels. But the other day, I found a place on the Whole Foods shelf that contained dried Fava Beans. Oh, I was excited. I still am excited, because I made two delicious, nutritious dishes that both my husband AND my baby love.

Fava Bean Hummus:

2 c Dried Fava beans, cooked

1/4 c Tahini

2-4 T Fresh Lemon Juice

4-5 T Apple Cider Vinegar

1 T Garlic Salt

2 t sea salt

2 t Cumin

3 T Olive Oil

water

So I honestly did not measure this recipe, because I wan't sure how I wanted it to taste. This my guestimation from memory. Taste your food, and a little first and know that you can always add more. I add everything in my food processor, except for the oil and the water. When everything is combined and the processor is still on, I slowly add some oil, and then I add about 1/2 cup of water. I just keep tasting and altering until I achieve something wonderfully delicious.

Fava Bean Stir Fry

2 c Fava beans, cooked

1 T olive oil

1 yellow onion. chopped

1 T cumin

1/2 T nutmeg

1/4 T Cinnamon

1 T garlic powder

1 acorn squash, cubed and pealed

2 carrots, sliced

5 leaves of Kale, sliced

2 T Honey

2-4 T Stock

Heat oil over medium high heat, then add onion. Cook for about 5-8 minutes, or until translucent. Add spices and squash. Cook for about 10 min, then add carrots, kale, honey, and stock. Cover and cook until squash is tender.

For Mylah, I chop up the mixture and melt cheese on top. I give it to her on a plate and she goes to town. Yummy!