Here are three things that will help you eat your five portions of fruits and vegetables each day.
Hummus
Javaneh Hemmat, originally from United Arab Emirates, runs Nashville-based Hummus Chick, offering tahini dressings, spices and hummus in three flavors: classic, smoky chipotle, and roasted garlic and cilantro. This might be the creamiest hummus we’ve ever tried. Our guests enjoyed all the flavors, but roasted garlic and cilantro might be our favorite. Besides using it as a dip for raw vegetables, you can drizzle it on roasted vegetables or spread some on a slice of sourdough and top with fresh tomatoes, avocados or sprouts.
$4.99 per 8-ounce container. Available at Whole Foods Market. hummuschick.com
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Labneh
When Karim Kahlil moved to Atlanta, he was disappointed that the only labneh he could find was made with thickeners and preservatives, nothing like the naturally thickened spread made by culturing pasteurized milk with salt that he was used to. He started making it at home and now his Yaza Foods sells labneh in three flavors: plain, spicy chili, and za’atar and olive oil. You can use it in place of sour cream to top a baked potato, as the foundation for a tomato and cucumber salad, or as a dip for raw vegetables.
$6 per 12-ounce container. Available at Buford Highway Farmers Market, Dtox locations and Mediterranean Bakery. yazafoods.com
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Kale salad dressing
Kale is a nutrition superstar, but, like many, Asiah Alghanee’s son was not a fan. Then she mixed some of her favorite ingredients into a dressing and served it over kale from her garden. He loved it and Decatur-based Mama Power Foods was born. Her thick dressing combines olive oil, nutritional yeast, agave nectar, sesame oil, liquid amino acids, sundried tomatoes, cayenne and garlic. The recipe on her website suggests combining kale with slivered red onion, and we enjoyed it with pumpkin seeds for a little bit of crunch, as well as on raw broccoli and cauliflower salads.
$12 per 12-ounce bottle. Available at Mutana Market, Nuts n’ Berries, Oyun Botanical Gardens, Sevananda and Wadada Healthy Market & Juice Bar. mamapowerfoods.com
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