Whipped cream cheese spread

I usually do some prep work over the weekend to make life on weekdays easier. One of the things I make is this whipped cream cheese spread.  Served with toasted bagels, this makes for a quick and tasty breakfast.

The ingredients I use vary from time to time, based on what vegetables I have on hand. The veggies that I use most commonly are onions, spring onions (the white and green parts can be used), bell peppers of different colors, and carrots.
The recipe, if you can call it that, is pretty simple. Take whipped cream cheese in a small mixing bowl. Add in the vegetables of your choice. Chop the vegetables as finely as you can to make it easy to spread. Add a dash of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix well. This stays good in the refrigerator for up to two days. It goes really well with bagels and can also be used as a sandwich spread.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing this BM
This also goes to This is for Valli's Kid’s Delight event, guest hosted by PJ themed on Quick / Innovative Breakfast

School lunch box - Day 4 and my recipe for hummus

Today, the little girl wanted to have food from the school canteen for one of her breaks. The canteen serves healthy, fresh, unprocessed food in keeping with the school's idea of promoting healthy eating habits in children. So, today's lunch box has only what she took for her 1st and 3rd breaks.

Breakfast break - Rava idli
Snack break - Carrot sticks with hummus

Hummus is a delectable, creamy spread which is the Middle East's gift to the rest of the world. I am in love with this spread and so is the little girl. She loves to eat it with carrot sticks. Rich in protein and with a subtle and delicate flavour, this is likely to be a hit with most kids. Needless to say, it is easy to make, generous to a fault and keeps well in the refrigerator for a few days.
 
To make hummus, you need:
Chick peas/kabuli chana - 1 cup, soaked in plenty of water overnight.
Garlic - 3 or 4 pods
White sesame seeds - 1 tbsp
Thick yogurt - 1/4 cup
Sesame oil - 2 tsp
Olive oil
Salt - to taste
Juice of one lemon

Cook the chick peas until very soft and tender. Drain off excess water and let it cool. Do not throw away the excess water. You can use it to grind the hummus.
In a dry blender jar, blend the sesame seeds and sesame oil to a paste. Add in the thick yogurt and blend again. Add the cooked chick peas, garlic, salt and lemon juice. Blend, adding the reserved water, if necessary, until you get a thick, creamy, smooth paste of spreadable consistency. Remove onto your serving bowl. Add a generous glug of olive oil. Mix well and serve as a dip with vegetable sticks or as a spread for different breads.