Hemp Seed Butter, Green Onion, and Garlic Dip: It IS easy being green ;)

April is always a busy time for me. I have projects to mark. Exams to concoct. Panicky statistics students to soothe. Exams to mark.

And this year there's the garden :)

The weather earlier this week was up to 15 degrees celsius. So out came the shovel. After about 1/2 an hour I waffled. This was challenging me physically and I feared slinking back into overwhelming helplessness. I went back to the safety of my kitchen and took a long drink of water. I contemplated the realism of what I was undertaking. Between the last slurp of my water and my short walk back to my abandoned shovel something else was planted....my own inner resolve to just try my best. I parcelled out my garden in my head and asked myself if I could just dig a small enough patch for the onion and garlic bulbs. Some of the bulbs were from the remnants of my garden of 2 years ago and some from my fridge - purchased last year but never planted -they will keep for two years I was told when I purchased them.

In about 4 hours work (2 hours each day it was warm) I managed to turn over and weed about 1/5 of my small 'farm' in my backyard. The yard was completely neglected last year so there is a lot of clearing out of old weeds and roots.

And here are a few of my babies in their freshly turned earth :)

All of this planting of onions had me hankering for a taste of 'fresh' spring onions. So I headed out to the local grocery store and got me some. This dip is very simple and absolutely delicious with the cucumbers, organic baby spinach and organic blue corn chips I had with it.

I can't wait to make it with REALLY fresh and completely local spring onions ;) Perhaps those cucumbers and spinach seeds will make it out there too. The perfect locavore-ish lunch!

Hemp Seed Butter, Green Onion, and Garlic Dip
The ingredients are given per serving. Adjust accordingly - you can make extra and keep it in the fridge.
2 - 3 Tbsp hemp nut butter $22.00/kg MB ManitobaHarvest
1 minced clove organic garlic $11.15/kg ON Karma
1 finely chopped spring onion, green part only $0.59/bunch USA local grocery store
Hot chili pepper/cayenne to taste
Sea salt to taste $1.06/kg ? Karma
splash of organic cider vinegar (Filsinger's ) $2.90/L ON Karma

Gluten Free Buckwheat Hemp Crackers

I found out two things tonight.

Firstly...making crackers is not that difficult. And - they are amazing!!

And secondly...I need a pastry cutter. I was never much of a pie person but if I'm gonna continue with any more cracker adventures then I'd be better off with one!

Gluten Free Buckwheat Hemp Crackers
2 cups organic dark buckwheat flour
2 tbsp hemp butter
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp organic sunflower oil
1 tsp sea salt
2/3 cup organic brown rice milk
white rice flour for rolling dough
garnish with additional sea salt if desired (up to 1 tsp)


Method:

Preheat oven to 425 F. Use ungreased cast iron cookie sheets for best heat distribution.

Combine all ingredients except the rice milk with a pastry cutter (or cut with a wooden spoon or your fingers). Mix this until the mixture looks a bit crumby.

Slowly stir in the rice milk until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. The mixture should be soft and you should be able to form a ball with the dough easily (it should not be runny or sticky).

Divide the dough into balls (2-4 depending on the size of your sheets). Lightly dust a dry surface with rice flour and roll the dough into a sheet 1/8" or thinner.

Trim the uneven edges (if desired) and use a spatula to lift the dough onto the sheets. Use a sharp knife or a pizza cutter to score the dough into desired cracker shapes.

Sprinkle the top with salt if desired and press into dough. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until the edges start turning up. Take sheets out of oven and turn over the crackers using tongs or gently with a spatula.

Return to the oven and bake an additional 5-7 minutes or until the edges are well browned. Remove from oven and cool crackers completely on racks.

Break crackers apart (if needed) and store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

All of the above items were purchased at Karma Co-op ;)