Ingredient swaps

Swapping ingredients in a recipe is one of the easiest things you can do to turn an old boring recipe into a new and exciting one.  I've been ingredient swapping for years and it can take a dish to a whole new level.  Some classic swaps that I've done are using applesauce or peanut butter for butter, sour cream or half and half for cream, seafood for red meat, cauliflower or celery root for potatoes, hummus for a thickening agent in soups, and meatloaf for round steak in beef stroganoff. 

Here are 2 recipes that I've made recently with ingredient swaps.  The first is a simple vegetable soup that uses hummus and the second are muffins that uses peanut butter in place of the butter.

Broccoli Hummus Soup

2 full head of broccoli, cut into florets
1 medium onion, diced
3 cups chicken or veggie stock
small container of garlic hummus (8 oz)
1/3 cup sour cream
crushed red pepper (as much as you like)
5 teaspoons fresh minced herbs (thyme, parsley, basil- you can use 1 or a mix)
salt/pepper for taste
Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 425
Spread the broccoli florets and diced onion on a sheet pan
Sprinkle with olive oil, salt, and pepper
Roast for 15-20 min. until broccoli is softened

Place broccoli and onion in a dutch oven or a large pot
Add chicken or veggie stock, hummus, sour cream, crushed red pepper, herbs, salt, and pepper
Blend with a stand blender, hand blender, or food processor
Heat soup and simmer for a few minutes until it's heated through
Taste for salt and pepper
Serve hot with grated Parmesan on top

Peanut Butter, Banana, Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
heaping 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter (do not use natural)
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
3 bananas mashed with fork
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup mini chocolate chips (you can add more if you like)

Heat oven to 350 and line muffin pans with 15 liners
Sift flour, baking soda, and salt together and set aside
In another bowl, mix peanut butter and sugar
Add eggs one at a time and mix thoroughly
Add bananas and vanilla and mix
Add dry ingredients and mix only until combined
Fold in the chocolate chips 
Divide batter into 15 muffin liners
Bake 15-25 min. depending on your oven, until a toothpick comes out clean
Place muffins on a cooling rack to cool all of the way