by Joanne Reimer
As Covid restrictions lifted and Callanish began resuming in-person circles, I was asked to bake cookies and prepare dips for these groups. When Justine sent me the list of needs my initial impression was that’s a lot of cookies and dip!
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However, Justine has a way of making things doable, so with Lise Bérubé’s mantra of MOVE Because You Can, reframed by me to simply Because I Can, I jumped in.
As is the Callanish way, I gained as well as I gave. Delivering the food at Callanish and saying “hi” to whomever was around was a little drop of joy in my day. Contributing in some small, concrete way gave me a greater sense of purpose in the strange times we were living through. Not satisfied with making the standard hummus week after week, my creative side emerged and I tried several different hummus recipes. Curried Sweet Potato Hummus was well received and I have attached the recipe. I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge my husband, Gerry, who kindly tidies up the chaos of the kitchen after my cooking work is done.
A sincere thank you to the Callanish team and to Lise Bérubé, for channeling me into a space where I experience connection, creativity and a sense of purpose Because I Can, and because it brings me joy.
CURRIED SWEET POTATO HUMMUS
(Bon Appetit, March 29, 2017)
Makes about 2¼ cups
Ingredients
1 small sweet potato, scrubbed (about 4 oz)
1 can chickpeas (15½ oz), rinsed, drained
⅓ cup tahini, well-mixed
¼ cup fresh lime juice
1 garlic clove, finely grated or smashed to a paste with flat side of knife on cutting board
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp (or more) kosher salt
10 cranks freshly ground black pepper
⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp melted virgin coconut oil
Crushed roasted, salted cashews, crushed red pepper flakes, and olive oil (for serving)
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 425° F. Prick potato all over with a fork and wrap tightly in foil. Place on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and roast until the tines of a fork slide easily into the centre of potato, 60–70 minutes. Let sit until cool enough to handle.
Step 2
Meanwhile, process chickpeas, tahini, lime juice, garlic, curry powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne in a food processor until smooth.
Step 3
Halve potato lengthwise and scoop out a ½ cup (discard skin). Add to food processor and process until mixture is smooth, about 1 minute. With the motor running, stream in coconut oil, then continue to process until hummus is very light and creamy, 1–2 minutes longer. Taste and season with salt, if needed.
Step 4
Transfer hummus to a shallow bowl. Top with cashews and red pepper and drizzle with olive oil.
Joanne Reimer has been connected to Callanish since its inception in 1995 and has been a program assistant and baker at Callanish for the past several years. She brings many years of experience working in the healthcare system as a clinical nurse specialist in palliative care and researcher.