It's An Issue Of Safety

On Friday, (01/24/2014) the Winnipeg Police Board agreed to study a proposal by city councillor Ross Eadie (Mynarski ward) to install red light cameras at crosswalks. He says that over the years, there has been a growing number of incidents - near misses, accidents and fatalities at crosswalks in the city. Eadie (who is completely blind) says he has nearly been hit three times in recent years. (Click the hyperlinks to see news stories from CBC CTV and The Winnipeg Free Press )

Opponents to red light cameras claim that one of the biggest flaws in the red light camera system is that the ticket is sent to the registered owner of the vehicle rather than the person driving it at the time of the infraction.

Point noted. However, being the registered owner of a vehicle implies that you are accountable/responsible for said vehicle and what happens with/to it. That also means making responsible choices in whom you allow to drive that vehicle and keeping track of who is behind the wheel at any given time.

Drivers are loudly crying foul to this new red light camera idea and claiming it is just another tax grab for the city. In their minds, many drivers feel that the onus is on the pedestrians to make sure the coast is clear before stepping off the curb.

To a degree drivers are right. However, just as we cannot label all drivers as bad, we cannot label all pedestrians as careless in their attempts to safely cross the street. Then again, IF everyone were to obey the laws, then there wouldn't be a need for red light cameras at all!

This post isn't about how much it could cost the city to install these cameras or how much money this could make. 

This post is about overall safety and respect for both drivers and pedestrians.

I suspect many drivers will dismiss my views as naive or out of touch with the realities of being behind the wheel - but I'd ask them to at least pause and consider another point of view.

In full disclosure, I have never driven a vehicle. I am in my mid fifties, have always had low vision and been legally blind since 1990. I have lived in various areas of the city since 1980 and rely on public transit for most of my travels. Like Mr. Eadie, I too have had a few close calls at crosswalks (and some intersections).

Frankly, I hate crosswalks. I avoid them like the plague! IF I have the time and sidewalks are good, I'll walk a couple extra blocks to a controlled intersection rather than using crosswalks. In my experience, drivers tend to treat crosswalks as an annoying slow down. Unfortunately, not all pedestrians can walk that extra distance to a safer intersection to cross, so are at the mercy of respectful drivers.

I know how to use a crosswalk. I know how to activate the blinking lights above the signs so that drivers know I want to cross. I wait for vehicles to stop before I attempt to cross. That can mean waiting several seconds and having to stop at the meridian to press another button and waiting before crossing.

There are thousands of citizens who rely on these crosswalks to get them safely across a busy street on a daily basis. Granted, not all pedestrians are as responsible or cautious as I am while using one. There are those who don't bother to push the button or to take the extra seconds to ensure traffic has fully stopped.

That being said, drivers also have to take responsibility here.

Driving is a privilege - NOT a right. You have to have a valid licence to operate a motor vehicle. That means that you have supposedly passed a written test and driving exam that ensures you are knowledgeable in how to safely operate a vehicle and that you understand the laws. By signing you licence you are agreeing to respect and obey the laws set out by local governments. 

There are of course many good drivers in this city who respect both the power of the vehicle and the rights of other citizens in vehicles and on foot that they may cross paths with.

There are many drivers who tend to think that the laws don't apply to them or that they can skirt the laws if the coast is clear.

There are also some drivers for whom getting behind the wheel is like playing a time management video game. The object is to drive from point A to point B in the shortest time possible while completing as many tasks as possible such as eating food, drinking a beverage, listening to loud music, changing the radio station, texting, talking on the phone and personal grooming - all while encountering obstacles such as red lights, cross walks, flashing lights on school buses and of course the lowly pedestrian!

Distracted drivers are a menace to everyone on the roads - including themselves.

Drivers tend to forget what it is like to be a pedestrian. They've gotten so used to parking a vehicle and walking into their home or across a parking lot to a business that they just don't get the possible issues that can arise for a pedestrian.

Just as all drivers are not created equal - neither are pedestrians. Pedestrians come in all shapes, sizes, ages and abilities. FYI - we aren't all jaywalkers, texting, talking on cells or listening to an IPod.

There are people with mobility issues who take a bit longer to cross. Some are hearing impaired, use canes, crutches, walkers or wheelchairs.

For those of us who are visually impaired, we wait for audio cues that vehicles have stopped before we can safely step off the curb. BTW, some of those new vehicles are SO quiet we can't hear them coming which is a whole other danger!

For those of us with a disability, we take our lives in our own hands every time we step off a curb - regardless of whether it is a crosswalk or a fully lighted intersection! Now that is scary!

I believe that drivers who do break the laws at crosswalks and intersections need to stop and think how they would feel if their actions had caused injury or death to someone they loved.

They should also be given a reality check from the pedestrian point of view.

Suit them up with various disabilities to simulate what crossing a street is like for those of us who do it. Put them somewhere on Portage, Pembina, Henderson, Main or any other busy street in the city and let them get a real taste for the challenge! Better yet, have them do it in rush hour and/or mid winter when they have to navigate the snowbanks at crosswalks and intersections!

Years ago, I went through volunteer training at the CNIB. That involved being blindfolded and completing various tasks (indoors and outdoors) to better understand what blind people go through. Even though I was already legally blind at the time, I found the blindfolds and some of the tasks unnerving! Other organizations offer similar simulations to understand the effects of deafness, using a wheelchair, crutches, cane, walker and general aging.

After being immersed in a few of those circumstances, I suspect that most drivers would come away with a new perspective and a more respectful view of pedestrians. If that didn't give them a wakeup call then I fear only severe injury or the senseless loss of a loved one would!

Would red light cameras make a difference at crosswalks? It couldn't hurt to try! It also wouldn't hurt to re-educate drivers and pedestrians about safety issues in using crosswalks and intersections.

Like drivers, we pedestrians are just trying to safely get from Point A to Point B.

We need to find a way to be mutually responsible and respectful to each other's rights and ability to share the city streets, intersections and corridors.

dn

A Change In Time On A Cool Morning

For the last few years, I've been getting up VERY early once every week or two to go grocery shopping at the Superstore on Kenaston at Grant. I don't like rising at 4:40AM and walking out of my building by 6 but I've done it. Traffic is light and my bus connections are good. I could be at the store by 6:30 and back on a bus home by 7:10. If early rush hour traffic wasn't too bad, I'd be walking in my door by 7:40. Other advantages to that early shop were that the produce was fresh, the store wasn't crowded and the morning staff there knew me and were more than willing to offer assistance finding things if I needed it.

Thanks to our recent bitterly cold weather, I hadn't been out much, so my perishables were getting a bit sparse. So, this past Tuesday morning, I set out on my usual early trek to stock up.

As I crossed Grant, a westbound vehicle was turning into the parking lot. By the time I reached the store entrance, the driver was also approaching the door. We were both surprised to find the door locked and a sign indicating that the store only opened at 7:00AM!

HUH? When did that happen? I'd been there just before New Year's and nothing was said.

As we stood there in -25C windchill, we talked for a couple minutes about the unforeseen change. He and his wife had just returned from a month long trip to Mexico so their cupboards were rather bare - especially of fresh products. I said it wasn't worth turning around to go home as it was a half hour (including transfer) each way. I began to mentally calculate my options as we talked.

A couple minutes into our conversation, he said that he was going back to his car to wait rather than standing out in the cold. As he started to walk away, he turned and said that I was welcome to come and sit in the car with him till the store opened at 7.

What to do?

I was dressed for short waits at bus stops (5-7 minutes) but I wasn't dressed for, let alone thrilled that I may have to stand there for 30 minutes.

There isn't a lot of shelter by the store and with the windchill as high as it was, I could have gotten hypothermia and/or a very nasty cold before the store opened. There is a bus shelter not too far away, which is supposedly heated but frankly, those aren't much warmer than standing outside. I'd have stayed standing rather than sitting on a cold bench at a shelter as a cold seat would have left me vulnerable to a bladder infection. (It's happened in cold weather before and I wasn't about to risk that after effect again!) If I'd have caught a bus, I would have only gone a few stops before having to get off, cross the street at an unfamiliar intersection (possibly one without stop lights making it riskier) then wait for another bus and come back. Streets and sidewalks had many icy patches and a fresh dusting of snow overtop making them very slippery. Not all intersections have been plowed properly so a risk of falling (I've already fallen twice this winter and certainly not wanting to fall again) I know my way between the bus stops and Superstore but not familiar with many other businesses in the area - especially any that would be open at 6:30AM. Not to mention that at this time of year, it is after 8AM before the sun rises and the orange tinged street lights aren't conducive to safe visually impaired navigation.

Being legally blind, I've learned to trust my instincts about people over the years. Believe me there are many people I wouldn't dream of getting in a vehicle with! Heck, there are people I don't even want to sit near me on a bus or be in an elevator with! Some people just give off a bad vibe.

Winnipeg is a very friendly city and known for acts of kindness. The store is located in an area with low crime rates.

My spidey senses weren't going off. I didn't feel threatened at all - more gratitude for a strangers kindness. As I said, we had only talked for a couple of minutes before the car was mentioned.

I had contemplated my options and took a calculated risk. I asked if he was sure and when he said yes, I said thank you and walked behind him to the car.

He turned on the seat warmers and we continued to talk. He told me more about his trip and the experiences bussing and shopping. I told him a bit of my trip to Mesa last January. We talked about the competitive grocery market here in Winnipeg and how some store takeovers and closings were effecting customers who relied on nearby stores. Of course we talked about the weather! Somewhere along the line, we also thought to introduce ourselves - first names only though. We talked of neighbourhoods and careers but nothing overly personal. All in all, it was a comfortable, casual conversation.

About 6:50, he noted that the Gas Bar in the parking lot was now open and that if it was okay, he wanted to drive over and fill up the tank so he or his wife wouldn't have to do it later. That may have set off alarm bells for some, but the fact that he told me what was on his mind rather than just starting the car and driving over eased any apprehensions I may have had otherwise.

The store finally opened its doors at 7:00. I thanked him once again for his kindness as we walked towards the entrance.

I learned from staff that the new hours started the first Monday of January. The opening was moved from 6 to 7 as there wasn't enough business to justify staffing for that early hour. The change has been noted on their web site and in flyers. I check the website weekly, but only the flyer section - not my store hours. A number of customers have been caught off guard by the change. Oh well!

Once my shopping was done, I managed to make semi decent connections home - despite not having access to my bus timetables. I walked in my door by 8:25 - about 45 minutes later than I used to.

Since then, I have re-calculated my bus timings - both to and from Superstore. AND for future early morning grocery shopping trips, I can now set my alarm to 5:20 and still be there shortly after 7!

So, all's well that ends well for that early morning adventure!

Yes, this story could have gone in a very different direction. As I shared the story with various friends,  some thought I was a tough cookie, but also knew me well enough to know I have good instincts and would never intentionally put myself in harm's way. There were also those who cried "stranger danger!" They are right of course, but I reminded them that my spidey senses weren't going off. On a Tuesday morning at 6:30AM with a nippy -25 windchill in a Winnipeg neighbourhood with a low crime rate, it felt like a reasonably safe chance to take.

Would I do it again? That will all depend on the circumstances and what my instincts tell me.

dn

A New Year To Start Anew

Well another year has passed.

For many, 2013 is a year to forget. Illnesses that sidelined some for weeks or months. Many have had to deal with the heartbreaking loss of loved ones.

There were tragic accidents like the train derailment in Quebec. There were floods in Calgary and surrounding areas. Then there was the massive ice storm that took out power for much of Toronto and surrounding areas for several days in December. Atlantic Canada has also been hit with a number of nasty storms.

Here in Manitoba, much of December was spent in a very bitter deep freeze. The temps didn't even rise above -20C on many days. Add in the windchill factor and it felt more like -40'sC most of the time.

How cold has it been? We actually hit -48C with the windchill on the morning of Tuesday, December 31! United Airlines was even cancelling flights in/out of Winnipeg thanks to the cold! That same day, temps were warmer at the North Pole and on Mars!

We've had brief reprieves from the bone-chilling temps but the warm up just doesn't last! 2014 has also gotten off to a nippy start but hopefully that won't continue all winter!

2013 also seemed to be a year of politicians and celebrities behaving badly. Okay, there are always some politicians and celebrities behaving badly - it just seemed that more of them got caught this past year!

Musician/composer, John Sheard put together a witty retrospective of this past year (from a Canadian perspective) that he and Stewart McLean (Vinyl Cafe) performed during the recent Vinyl Cafe Christmas tour. I wasn't able to embed the video here, but click on this link to watch the video:

VinylCafe Concert Finale -- 'Reflections on 2013 in Song'

If only we could find humour in all of what happens in this world!

Throughout the world, there were many heartbreaking stories of loss and devastation from natural disasters. Wars and civil unrest abound as people continue to fight for freedom and equality/

There were all too many manmade horrors of terrorism, shootings, and unjust treatment of fellow human beings and animals. Whether these were revealed to be in part due to lack of diagnosis/treatment for mental illnesses or were self justified by misguided religious beliefs, it is a sad commentary on how fractured and troubled some segments of society have become.

The world and the actions of it citizens can be depressing at times. The amount of bad news seems to grow every year.

It isn't all doom and gloom. There is plenty of good news if we only choose to see it.

Thankfully, there are countless unsung heroes who strive to make this a better place to live. Those who do little things every day to make life better for those around them. Those who step up and lend a helping hand when no one else seems to care. There are those who step outside their comfort zone and even risk their lives for strangers in dire need. Not just the professionals, but also the private citizens who run towards accidents/disasters while others are running to escape. Those who witness grave injustice and stand up for what is right.

Where would any of us be if not for these people?

There are also those wonderful souls who pay it forward. When something nice is done for them, they in turn do something nice for someone else - often a complete stranger. A simple gesture of kindness can go a long way to creating a healthier society and a more grateful world.

We are only a few days into a brand new year. We have all started anew.

Some have made resolutions and many have already been broken but it doesn't mean we can't continue to try.

I don't make resolutions anymore. I just take each day as it comes and do the best that I can with what I have been given. I'm far from perfect and it's not that I don't have goals or things I'd like to change - I do. I just allow myself to move at my own pace and make adjustments to my life as needed.

Each and every day is a new beginning. There is always opportunity to make a difference.

We all have the potential to make better lives - not only for ourselves but also for those around us if we'd only make a little effort.

It doesn't take a lot to make a difference for someone else. You don't have to make big donations of time, money, products or services - though those can certainly help if you have them to give! A simple gesture of paying for the person behind you in the drive thru or at a coffee shop can start a chain of paying it forward. Let someone with less items go ahead of you at the checkout. Hold the elevator or open a door for someone, Offer your seat on the bus. Allow a vehicle to merge into traffic ahead of you. A simple acknowledgement of "hello" or "good morning" can make a whole day for someone feeling down.

There is so much in this world that we cannot control. No matter how hard we try, we can't always foresee or predict what may happen to others. However, we can make a difference in how we react.

Let 2014 be a year of good will and paying it forward!

dn 

Some Seasonal Smiles!

It's only a few more days till Christmas.

Is your holiday shopping done? Are you ready for the big guy to make his rounds? Are you up for more holiday gatherings with family and friends?

Hate me if you must, but I've been done the decorating, cards, gifts, wrapping and baking since December 1! The gifts have been sent and most of the baking has been delivered. I'll see more friends and family after the holidays or early in the new year. I did the last of the pre-Christmas grocery shopping this past Friday morning. Now I can pretty much hibernate for the next week! I'll check the post-Christmas sales online but I won't be venturing to the malls till the new year!

I'm quite content to hibernate this time of year. The malls are packed and the weather here in "Winterpeg" is truly frightful!

So, for those of you who are also all tucked in for the season and especially for those in these last days of pre-Christmas frenzy, here is a little humour to keep you somewhat sane!

cartoon by John Baynham

For some of my past holiday humour, you can check these posts:

A Little Holiday Humour

MaxineOn Christmas

A Bit Of Holiday Levity

You will find more laughs at these sites and many more!

Aunty Acid

http://www.auntyacid.com/

http://www.gocomics.com/aunty-acid#.UrXJTfRDsYE

https://www.facebook.com/auntyacid

Maxine

http://www.hallmark.com/online/maxine/

http://www.hallmark.com/online/maxine/crabby-road/

https://www.facebook.com/maxine?fref=ts

Off The Mark

http://www.offthemark.com/

http://www.gocomics.com/offthemark#.UrXJcPRDsYE

https://www.facebook.com/offthemarkcomic?fref=ts

Rubes

http://www.rubescartoons.com/

http://www.gocomics.com/rubes/#.UrXJifRDsYF

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rubes-Cartoons/328840137360?fref=ts

Merry Humbug!

Happy New Year!

dn

This Recipe MAY Be Addictive!!

The recipe I want to share today may well be one of my BEST creations EVER!!

The idea came to me while I was making buns for a family gathering on our Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada but I didn't have time to play with the idea till the following week.

There are tons of recipes online for pull-apart breads which are also known as monkey breads. Small balls of dough are dipped in melted butter/margarine then in a coating mix. They are then layered in a Bundt pan - usually with some kind of cheese in between the layers - then baked. When they are done, you invert the baked bread onto a serving plate and place a container with a complimentary flavoured liquid in the center to dip the baked bread pieces into.

So, what's my idea?

Well, what "IF" you could make a pull-apart bread that tasted like stuffing???

I did a search for such a recipe but didn't come up with anything close to what I had in mind so I decided to try and create it!

The idea of using a pre-made dough only briefly crossed my mind. I dismissed the idea, as I knew I wanted to add a few flavourful ingredients to the dough to make it taste like stuffing. Adding additional ingredients to a pre-made dough isn't always easy as recipes vary greatly. Some dough's are more forgiving than others. It would be much easier to make my dough from scratch.

The French Bread recipe on the Mennonite Girls Can Cook site is simple and very versatile. It can be readily adapted for many different versions. I've made a half recipe (one loaf) of it a couple of times and enjoyed the flavour. It would be the basis of my dough - with a few additional ingredients of course.

I have always LOVED my mom's bread stuffing! I could (and admittedly have) eat it uncooked and cooked by the handful! It is a simple recipe of bread cubes, rolled oats, onion, poultry seasoning, salt, pepper and margarine. Mom always made enough to stuff a bird plus do an extra side-dish of it to satisfy our stuffing loving family! When she did it as a side-dish, she'd add chicken bouillon powder to some hot water for the required moisture and additional flavour.

Okay, I had the concept and my base recipes as a rough guide. All I had to do was play with the quantities and hope that the result would be as mouth wateringly delicious as I imagined it could be!

The first attempt actually turned out surprisingly well. The only major glitch in my prep was my guess of how much coating mix to make. I was way off! I had to stop half way through the dipping process and mix another batch of coating!!

It smelled amazing as it baked!  As for the taste test?  It was about 3/4 of the way to what I imagined. I had added some seasoning to the dough itself, but it needed more. The poultry seasoning flavour had always saturated without overwhelming my mom's stuffing and I wanted that same effect for the dough - not just plain bread dipped in a seasoning mix. The coating mix needed a bit of tweaking - mostly in the quantity.

The second time I made it, I upped the seasoning in the dough with much better results! The coating mix was slightly more than doubled. I also switched from Monterey Jack cheese to Havarti in between the layers. Both cheeses worked well as they are quite mild and thus add to, rather than distract from the seasonings.

I didn't bother making gravy for dipping the first time I made this. Frankly, I'm not a big gravy fan - a bit on my turkey/chicken is enough for me - rather than covering my stuffing and/or potatoes as well. However, the second time I made this, I did prepare a package of low sodium gravy mix to give it a more thorough test and also to serve to a couple of taste testers.

The results? The taste testers thought it was amazing and that it tasted EXACTLY like stuffing!!

YES!!!

So now I'm sharing this recipe with you! You should allow about two hours from start to serving. It will take far less time for this to be devoured!! 

Be forewarned however, that this may well be very addictive! Once you and your guests start eating this, you probably won't want to stop! Even when your stomach says it is stuffed, you may find yourself reaching for just one more piece!!!

OMG! Lovin' Stuffin' Pull Aparts

Bread Dough:

1 Tablespoon white sugar

1 Tablespoon cooking oil (I use Canola oil)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cups hot tap water

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

2 1/4 - 2 1/2 cups flour, divided (I used a combo of all purpose and whole wheat)

1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning

2 Tablespoon oat bran OR 1/4 cup oat flour (both are available at bulk food stores)

1 Tablespoon instant yeast

Coating:

3/4 cup quick rolled oats

4 teaspoons low sodium chicken bouillon powder*

2 1/4 teaspoons poultry seasoning

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon basil

pinch black pepper

2/3 cup finely chopped onion (divided)

1/2 cup margarine or butter, melted

1 1/3 cup grated Monterey Jack or Havarti cheese

1 or 2 packages of low sodium turkey or chicken gravy mix*

Preparation:

Dough - Combine the sugar, oil, salt and water. Add the onion and stir. Add 1 cup of flour and mix to combine. Mix the poultry seasoning, oat (bran OR flour - NOT BOTH) and yeast with 1/2 cup flour and add that while dough is still very soft. Add enough flour to make a soft dough that is not sticky if you handle it with lightly floured hands. Form into a ball in the mixing bowl then cover with a tea towel and set in a draft free area to rise. Let the dough rise until double in size, about 30-45 minutes.

While the dough is rising, combine the coating ingredients - except the onions - in a small bowl and set aside. Melt the margarine so it is ready for dipping. Grate the cheese and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 375F Spray a Bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray such as Pam. Sprinkle a teaspoon or so of the onions and about 1 - 2 tablespoons of the cheese evenly in the bottom of the Bundt pan. Add the rest of the onions to the coating mix and stir to combine. Pour about 1/3 of the coating mix onto a small plate for dipping. (Add more to the plate as needed - this way the coating mix doesn't get saturated with the melted margarine that is on the dough balls.)

Punch down the dough. Place on a lightly floured surface. Tear small pieces of dough and roll into balls about 3/4 inch in diameter. Note: Try to keep the pieces uniform in size to avoid over or undercooked pieces in the baking process. Roll all the balls first. (I generally get between 40 and 45 when I make this. That makes for a nice sized piece for dipping when baked)

Then separately, dip each ball - first in the melted butter - then in the coating mix. (Note: I dip the balls in the melted margarine with one hand then drop it in the coating. I role it in the coating with the other hand. That way you aren't getting coating mix in the margarine or too much margarine in the coating!) Place each coated ball in the prepared Bundt pan until you have a single layer. Don't overcrowd the balls as they need room to rise and spread while baking. Sprinkle first layer with about 1/3 of the grated cheese. Then proceed with second layer, staggering the balls (as in brick layers). Pour any remaining butter and coating over the balls. Sprinkle the top with remaining cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes. Set pan on cooling rack.

While the bread is cooling in the pan on the rack (about 5 - 10 minutes), prepare a package of gravy mix per package instructions. You may want to prepare two packages of gravy mix, depending on how much you love gravy! Invert the bread to a serving plate. Transfer some of the hot gravy to a small round bowl/glass (I used an old fashioned glass) that I bought at the Dollar Store) and place the gravy bowl/glass in the middle of the bread for dipping. Refill the gravy as needed.

Servings? That will vary greatly, but probably as little as 4 to as many as 8 depending on how addictive this is to those eating it! In the unlikely event that there is some bread left over, cover and store in the fridge. It is great cold or you can pull off chunks and heat for a few seconds in the microwave.

*Note: You could switch out the chicken bouillon powder and the chicken/turkey gravy mixes for vegetarian versions.

Enjoy!

dn

dn's Sweet Potato Hummus

Last month, during our Canadian Thanksgiving, I sampled a store bought "Sweet Potato Hummus" at a family gathering. I was surprised at how delicious it was and decided to try and duplicate the recipe.

As usual, I found numerous versions online. Most were quite similar with slight variations in the spices and quantities. The recipe that I finally decided to use as a base starter for my version is from Betty Crocker

I adjusted the tahini and spice quantities downwards. Tahini can make a recipe bitter if you add to much. I also felt that the spices called for would be a little too overpowering and I didn't want something quite as spicy as this sounded. I also added more garlic and the zest of the lemon as it brings extra flavour.

The first time I made this recipe, I used Tahini. I always have cumin in the spice cupboard and had recently bought some of the spices - smoked paprika, coriander and sea salt at a local bulk food store to try in some other recipes, so I was pretty much ready to give it a test.

It smelled delicious but the taste was even better! The flavour was smoky and not overpoweringly hot or spicy. I only gave it a quick taste that first day as many recipes suggested that the flavours needed time to blend and recommended refrigerating overnight before serving. They were right! It was even better the second day!

I took some to a couple of friends for sampling - along with some of my homemadepita chips and a few celery sticks. I received this message later that day: " OMG that dip should be served at restaurants!"

I tried the recipe again this past week. This time, I used cashews rather than tahini. I wasn't sure about the quantity of cashews but guessed at 1/2 cup. It worked perfectly! The other thing I did differently this second time, was saving the liquid from the baked sweet potatoes to re-add in place of any additional water needed at the end of the processing. I measured the liquid that I added to the raw sweet potatoes so that whatever liquid was left over would be concentrated and loaded with the flavour from the sweet potatoes. It would therefore add to the overall flavour - not dilute it like plain water would.

I gave samples of the dip (along with some homemade pita chips) to several people to try. They all thought it was YUMMY!! One of the people admitted they really weren't a fan of sweet potatoes but was willing to give it a try given that they liked the other ingredients. I talked with them a couple days later and they said they were surprised at how delicious this was! They really liked it and wouldn't have known it was sweet potato if I hadn't told them!

Sweet Potatoes and Yams are readily available at very reasonable prices during the autumn and winter months, so why not take advantage and try a new recipe!? Sweet Potato Hummus is a great addition to your holiday gathering or any time of year!

So here is my version of "Sweet Potato Hummus" You choose whether to use tahini or cashews!

dn's Sweet Potato Hummus   

1 orange-fleshed sweet potato (about 1 lb/454g)

1 lemon

1 can (19 oz/540 ml) chick peas, drained, rinsed

1 1/2 Tablespoons tahini OR 1/2 cup cashews

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 teaspoons fine sea salt

1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika

3/4 teaspoon ground coriander

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

3 - 4 Tablespoons water - as needed

 Peel the sweet potato and cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Place in an oven proof dish and add 1/4 cup water and a pinch of salt. Cover and bake in 350F oven for about 30 minutes or until fork tender. Allow to cool slightly. 

Drain the excess liquid into a small bowl and reserve. If you pre-weighed the sweet potato you don't have to bother measuring by cup - otherwise mash and measure to know how much you really have. You should get approx 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 cups.

Zest the lemon then juice, removing seeds. You should get about 1/4 cup lemon juice.

Add the cooled sweet potatoes, zest, lemon juice, chick peas, tahini/cashews (either or - NOT both!) garlic, sea salt, smoked paprika, coriander and cumin to a food processor. Cover and pulse a few times then blend till smooth (about 2-3 minutes), stopping to wipe down the sides a couple times. Add reserved cooking liquid, 1 Tablespoon at a time - processing in between each to thoroughly combine till desired consistency. (Note that the amount of liquid/water needed will vary depending on the amount of sweet potato and lemon juice added.)  

Transfer to a sealable container and chill several hours or overnight before serving to allow the flavours to blend. Serve with pita chips and raw veggies. Makes about 3 cups.

Notes:

- When I made this, I used part of a sweet potato as the ones I had were well over a pound. The piece I cut off, was about 19 oz/540g so I ended up with a bit over 1 1/2 cups when mashed.

- Baking the sweet potato in a covered dish gives it a nicer richer flavour than boiling or microwaving it. Well worth the extra time to do it in the oven!

- If your sweet potato weighs less or measures less once mashed, you may want to reduce the spices just a smidgen - i.e. scant measures rather than the full ones listed, This of course, depends on how spicy you like things! You can always add more spice but you can't take it out once it is in so give it a taste to make sure before adding more!

- When I zest a lemon, I go pretty much to the white flesh with my zester so get quite a bit more zest than most people do.

- Cut back a bit on the salt if you use salted cashews.

- Also, I believe something would be lost in the flavour if you used sweet paprika rather than the smoky variety.

Enjoy!

dn