Faux Yumm Bowls

I was lucky to live in Oregon for four and a half years while attending the best college in America, the University of Oregon (go Ducks!). The state is home to many great restaurants, one of which is Café Yumm!. Now, I only ate Café Yumm! once in college and I didn't really like it. And it wasn't until I moved away and came back for a visit that I tried my first Yumm Bowl. A delicious, protein filled plate of rice, beans, veggies, and cheese that is ultimately enhanced by the presence of Yumm Sauce. It's tangy, nutty, and creamy, like hummus on steroids, and quite amazing. I dream about Yumm Sauce, which you can only purchase in Oregon or in bulk online, so I set to figuring out how to make my own. Yumm Sauce is a little high in fat, and has a few ingredients that I couldn't get my hands on (nutritional yeast, anyone?), so I came up with my own faux recipe and created Yumm Bowls for us this week. My lower calorie sauce was really tasty, though clearly an impostor to anyone who has had the real thing, and can go on salads, as a dip for veggies or crackers, or even as a sandwich spread. Enjoy!

Café Yumm! Sauce and Bowls

(Makes enough for 4 large bowls and 2 cups of sauce)

Yumm! Sauce:
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup garbanzo beans
1/2 cup cannellini beans
1/2 cup almond flour/meal
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon cumin

Mix together lemon juice and water in a measuring cup. Set aside.
In a blender or food processor, add the rest of the ingredients. Pour a tablespoon or so of the lemon juice and water to give a little moisture and blend for 30 seconds or until a paste is starting to form.
While the blender is running on a medium setting, pour the rest of the lemon juice and water into the blender and puree until desired thickness.
Pour into sealed container and refrigerate for 1 hour before using. I poured mine into a few small mason jars.

Yumm! Bowls:
2 cups brown rice, cooked
1 can low sodium black beans, drained
1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup salsa
2 avocados, diced
1 quart cherry tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup plain yogurt
Black olives and cilantro for garnish (optional)
Zoë's additions:
Butter lettuce (one bag), for a little crunch.
Ground turkey (1.25 pounds, extra lean) because Jeff eats a lot :) I made it with a couple shakes of garlic powder, onion powder, and freshly ground black pepper.

To assemble your Yumm! Bowl:
Sprinkle lettuce on your plate (optional).
Place a scoop of rice, turkey (optional), and black beans on top.
Drizzle Yumm Sauce over everything.
Top with cheese, salsa, avocado, tomato, and yogurt.