12 Days of Meyer - Day 6: Meyer Hummus

Being on a low glycemic diet these days pushes me to make better snack choices. I have always loved hummus but when I realized that homemade tastes much better then the store bought, as well as being cheaper, then why not, right? This recipe is not traditional as I leave out the tahini, but you can certainly add some if you like.

Meyer Lemon Hummus

(Makes approximately 1 1/2 cups of Hummus)

In your blender, blend the following until a paste is made, fine or coarse - your preference.

1 1/2 cups of cooked Garbanzo Beans (chick peas). I like to cook my own but you can use canned.
Zest of 1 Meyer Lemon
1/3 cup fresh juice of a Meyer Lemon
1/3 cup good extra virgin olive oil
1 clove of fresh garlic
1 tsp of salt (more if you prefer)
Black pepper (to taste)

Place in a dish and serve with pita wedges or raw veggies.

12 Days Of Meyer - Day 5: All Purpose Household Cleaner

All-purpose cleaning solution: combine lemon juice, vinegar and water in a spray bottle. You can use this for all of your counter tops or shower/tub cleaning. It does a decent job on windows too.

Cut a lemon in half and sprinkle baking soda on the cut section. Use the lemon to scrub dishes, surfaces, and stains. I cleaned my whole stove-top with one lemon half and 1/4 cup of baking soda.

To make furniture polish, mix one part lemon juice and two parts olive oil.

12 Days of Meyer - Day 4: Meyer Thyme Butter

Compound butters can be the perfect finish to top off a grilled steak or fish filet. They are easy to make and will keep in the fridge for several weeks. In a bowl, take one stick of softened butter, zest of a whole lemon and 1 teaspoon of the juice. Add in some fresh thyme (to your liking) and stir it all up. Remove butter from bowl and spoon onto parchment paper or plastic wrap. Roll into a log, using the edge of a baking sheet to form a tight log. Chill for 2 hours before serving. Or, you can keep in a bowl and use right away. I like to spread some on sprouted toast alongside hard-boiled eggs for breakfast.

12 Days of Meyer - Day 3: Meyer Muffins

Ingredients
2 Cups unbleached flour
1/2 Cup sugar, plus 2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 Teaspoon salt
1/2 Cup butter
1/2 Cup fresh lemon juice
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons of Meyer lemon zest
12 Thin 1/4 inch slices of Meyer lemons

Streusel Topping
4 Tablespoons of softened butter
1/3 Cup of sugar
1/3 Cup of flour

In a separate bowl, combine the above and with your fingertips mix until incorporated and crumbly. Set aside.

Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin tins (or line with papers). Combine flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, zest and salt; blend well. Melt butter and cool. Stir in lemon juice and eggs. Stir egg mixture into dry ingredients and blend until well moistened. Spoon into greased muffin tins, sprinkle top of batter with 2 tablespoons streusel topping. Place one lemon slice on top of each muffin.

Bake 15-20 minutes until lightly browned, but do not over bake!

12 Days of Meyer - Day 2: Meyer Water

What? You think lemon water is lemon water? I beg to differ. The beauty of Meyer lemons is that they have a unique flavor all their own. Meyers have hints of mild citrus with a slight tang and a touch of floral. Because they are so mild they provide a whole new flavor in recipes. And water is no exception. So if you need to boost your immune system and quench your thirst, try marinating some Meyer slices overnight in a pitcher in the fridge. You never know - you might just forget all about those sugary sodas... I'm jus' sayin'!