Sunshine Mung Bean Spread w/ Gluten Free Za'tar Flatbread

meals in general have taken on a life of their own. when amesy was a teeny babe he slept quite often, and so in between those times i was able to get things done. while his naps are more routine these days, they're much less frequent, and shorter, so the need to get creative and make every moment count is essential in order to get anything done. if you follow me over on instagram then you might be aware of my new found love for meal prepping. before having a baby i always strived to dedicate a day during the week for preparing meal components but it was never an essential thing to get frank and i through the week. but now, especially with amesy starting to eat solids, a dedicated meal prep day is super crucial. having plenty of dips and spreads is another thing that is kind of vital around here. i use them to dress up a lunch/dinner bowl, or for a nourishing snack with cut veg and/or crackers or bread.

but more importantly, we're honoring two wonderful humans today, who are going to need all the feel-good snacks that people with a little one need to have. sonja and alex from a couple cooks, just welcomed their beautiful boy, larson ames to the world and i'm just overflowing with happiness for them. and if a new baby isn't sweet enough, sonja told me that larson's middle name, ames, was inspired by our little amesy which always brings tears of joy to my eyes every time i think about it. sonja is the first one to always organize and put together virtual baby showers for so many of us lucky ducks, she goes above and beyond, even when the days were trying. so i'm beyond delighted to share in this special occasion with her and alex, and so many other bloggers today. welcome, welcome, little larson! you are one lucky little guy! and thank you to melissa, sarah, and ashley for putting this baby shower together!

for this dip i used my favorite pulse: mung beans (also know as moong dal which is the split variety). essentially, pulses are the seeds of plants in the legume family, they include: chickpeas, lentils, beans and split peas. i love mung beans mostly because they're easy on the digestive system (especially when they're soaked or sprouted), but also because they're an all-star bean, packed with a great number of vitamins and minerals, plus they're a great source of protein. it varies week to week, but i usually prepare a few different pulses to eat throughout the week, but i'm upping my game even more so because this month but I’m doing my best this month to meet the nutritional guidelines for pulses, eating ½ cup serving of the nutritious ingredients 3 times per week. pulses are not only easy to make, and super versatile (i wrote an entire book on chickpea flour, so you know they can do a lot!), but they're a sustainable food that are drought tolerant, water efficient, and they enrich the soil where they grow making them a natural fertilizer.

this post was created in partnership with usa pulses & pulse canada. all thoughts and opinions, as always, are my own. thank your for supporting the sponsors that help keep dolly and oatmeal going!

check out the other #ACoupleAdopts recipes:

Flourishing Foodie | Avocado and Asparagus Tartines with Basil Pesto
The Full Helping | Individual Strawberry Chocolate Crisps
Snixy Kitchen | Roasted Lemon Mint Pesto Tartines, Two Ways
This Mess Is Ours | Coriander & Lime Scented Cashews
Making Thyme for Health | Hemp Ranch Hummus
Two Red Bowls | Buttered Eggs on Toast, with Radish & Parsley
Cookie and Kate | World’s Greatest Guacamole
Edible Perspective | Tropical Oatmeal Snack Cookies
Eat This Poem | Red Pepper and Walnut Hummus
Brooklyn Supper | Roasted Cauliflower Tacos with Cilantro-Avocado Sauce
Gather & Dine| Muffin Tin Granola Cups with Lemon Greek Yogurt and Berries
The Fauxmartha | Laura’s Sunshine Crackers
FoodieCrush | Baked Beet Chips

sunshine mung bean spread w/ gluten free za'atar flatbread

you can use any pulse here really, but be aware that there might be differences in consistency, and therefore you may need to add more or less tahini or water.

sunshine spread (makes about 2 cups)

1 1/2 cups cooked mung beans (i like using this sprouted variety)
1/2 cup tahini
1/2 cup filtered water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
sea salt & fresh pepper, to taste
sumac, for garnish
fresh dill and microgreens or pea shoots, for garnish

gluten free za'atar flatbread (makes four 5-6-inch flatbreads)

1 1/4 cup filtered warm water (105°-115°F)
1 teaspoon raw honey
1 packet instant yeast (approximately 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 cup chickpea flour
1 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup arrowroot powder
2 teaspoons psyllium husk powder
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing
1/4 cup za'atar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

method

in a blender or food processor, blend the mung beans, tahini, water, lemon juice, garlic, spices, and salt and pepper to taste. continue blending the mixture scraping down the sides of blender or bowl until the spread is smooth and creamy. add more water if needed to get your desired consistency. transfer the spread to a bowl, cover with cling wrap, and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
make the dough. in a bowl, whisk together the water and sugar until it is dissolved. sprinkle in the yeast and let it proof until the surface it foamy, about 10 minutes.
in a large bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients except the oil. use a wooden spoon to make a well in the center of the flour, then add the yeast mixture and olive oil. stir until dough is mixed. cover the bowl loosely with cling wrap and allow to dough to rise in a warm place (i preheat my oven to warm - about 150°F - and shut it off about 10 minutes before placing the dough inside) until the dough doubles in size, about 30-45 minutes.
preheat oven to 500°F and place a baking stone inside (or a cookie sheet). line a cookie sheet with parchment and set aside. divide the dough in half and wrap one half in cling wrap, place in the freezer for another time. place the other half of dough onto the prepared cookie sheet and dust with more brown rice flour. divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and use your fingers to press it out, using more flour if needed to prevent sticking, until you have four 5-6-inch rounds. cut any parchment hanging over (to prevent any extra paper from burning.) cover the dough with a clean dishcloth to puff up slightly, about 15-20 minutes.
whisk together the za'atar and oil, and spoon it over the dough rounds, using about 3-4 spoonfuls to sufficiently cover the tops. use the cookie sheet to carefully shuffle the parchment and doughs onto the baking stone. bake until golden brown, about 7-8 minutes. et the za'atar bread cool slightly.
serve 1 piece of za'atar bread with 1/2 cup mung bean spread, some sliced veggies, and olives.