Quinoa greek salad with hummus and chocolate banana bread

This week I made one of my standby summer meals - Quinoa Tabbouleh - from an old Food and Wine magazine. Looks like it is too old to be included in their online recipes, but luckily I wrote it up a few years ago in the mamawiki. Rinsing and then toasting the quinoa before cooking it really improves the flavour and texture of this grain. I use this technique whenever I cook quinoa. I like serving this salad inside a pita bread pocket that I've spread with a dollup of hummus. Earlier this summer I tried a cooks illustrated recipe for hummus, which is the best recipe I've found. There are no surprises in the ingredients, it's all about the technique. This hummus is really silky and creamy, which comes from making an emulsion, like when you make mayo. I finished the meal off with another cooks illustrated recipe for banana chocolate bread. Must remember to take photos of my meals so this blog is more interesting. (Added photo!)

Restaurant-style hummus
From Cooks Illustrated, May 2008.
Makes 2 cups

3 Tbsp juice from 1 to 2 lemons
1/4 cup water
6 Tbsp tahini, stirred well
   (I use Krinos brand)
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 14 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 small garlic clove, minced (~ 1/2 tsp)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin
Pinch cayenne

Combine lemon juice with water in one bowl. Whisk together tahini with extra virgin olive oil. In food processor, process the chickpeas, garlic, salt, cumin, and cayenne, until almost fully ground, about 15 secs. Scrape down the bowl. With processor running, slowly pour in the lemon/water mix and process for 1 minute. Scrape down sides. With processor running, slowly pour in the tahini/oil mix amd process till smooth and creamy, about 15 secs. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 30 mins for flavours to meld. Keeps in airtight container in fridge for 5 days but I bet it won't last that long.

Banana-Chocolate Bread
From Cooks Illustrated, March 1998.
Makes one 9-inch loaf. 
2 cups all-purpose flour
10 Tbsp sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups toasted walnuts, chopped
2 1/2 oz bittersweet chocolate, grated
3 bananas, very ripe, mashed well
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 large eggs, beaten lightly
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp vanilla

Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom only of regular loaf pan, or grease and flour bottom and sides of nonstick 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan; set aside. Combine first five ingredients and chocolate together in large bowl; set aside.

Mix mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter, and vanilla with wooden spoon in medium bowl. Lightly fold banana mixture into dry ingredients with rubber spatula until just combined and batter looks thick and chunky. Scrape batter into prepared loaf pan; bake until loaf is golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.