Easy Trio of Hummus Appetizers
When it comes to Hummus, fresh and home-made is as good as it gets – and so easy to make!
The smooth and creamy pumpkin hummus is a delicious way to celebrate the fall and the tahini and garlic add a nice savory flavor. I was surprised at how the beautiful dark pumpkin seed oil really helped to bring out the nuttiness of this dish.
The Beet Hummus is made with black beans instead of the traditional chickpeas that most hummus is made from. I decided to BE BRAVE and try using two ingredients that I don’t cook with often, and I was delighted by the taste – in fact, the Beet Hummus has become my favorite of this trio. Remember to BE BRAVE and try switching out the beans you use when making hummus, each adds its own color and flavor, so use cannellini beans, pinto beans and more.
The Lemon hummus is more traditional and is a nice place to start, if you have never made hummus before. You may need to add more lemon juice if you use a plain EVOO instead of the Lemon EVOO I used, to get that really strong citrusy tang.
So, crack open a packet of pita bread, or slice up some red peppers, cucumbers, carrots and radishes and enjoy a healthy, protein filled snack.
Hummus 3 Ways — Pumpkin, Beet and Lemon Hummus
Ingredients
Savory Pumpkin Hummus
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons tahini
3-5 cloves of garlic
1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans) drained and rinsed
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 teaspoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)*
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (more to taste)
¼ cup toasted pumpkin seeds
1 pinch paprika
¼ cup dried cranberries (chopped)
O&V Pumpkin Seed Oil to drizzle *
Beet Hummus
1 package cooked beets (8 oz)
3-5 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
¼ cup tahini
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon salt (more to taste)
2 tablespoons lemon juice (more to taste)
2 tablespoons Aged balsamic vinegar *
1-2 tablespoons O&V Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) *
Lemon Hummus
1 (15 oz) can of Chickpeas (garbanzo beans) (drained, reserve a little of the liquid)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons O&V Lemon Olive oil *
Zest of one lemon
Lemon Juice to taste
Preparation
Savory Pumpkin Hummus
Pulse lemon juice, tahini, garlic and salt in a food processor until smooth. Add chickpeas and EVOO and pulse till smooth. Add pumpkin, cumin, cayenne and process till well blended. Transfer to a container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to let the flavors combine.
Fold in pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries. Garnish with a drizzle of pumpkin seed oil and a sprinkle of paprika
Beet Hummus
Pulse the beets, garlic, black beans in a food processor until fine. Add tahini, cumin, salt, lemon juice and balsamic vinegar and puree until smooth.
Drizzle in the EVOO in a slow stream while the processor is running.
Taste, and adjust salt and lemon juice as needed.
Lemon Hummus
In a food processor combine the beans, garlic, cumin, salt and olive oil. Blend on a low speed gradually adding the reserved liquid till the desired consistency is achieved. Add lemon juice to taste and fold in half the lemon zest. Garnish with remaining lemon zest, a little drizzle of lemon EVOO.
Serve all three with whole wheat pita bread, sliced radishes, carrot and red pepper sticks.
Notes
* I always love to use the high-quality products from our Oil & Vinegar franchise, and in these recipes, you will definitely taste the difference. The single estate EVOO and the Aged Balsamic add depth of flavor to the hummus. I particularly love the added layer of citrus from the Lemon EVOO and the Austrian Pumpkin Seed Oil adds a delicious nutty flavor. You can substitute products if you like, just remember to the better the quality of your ingredients, the healthier and tastier your dish will be.
Categories: Appetizer, Snacks & Sides, Lemon EVOO, Aged Balsamic, Pumpkin Seed Oil, Hummus, Lemon, Beet Hummus, Pumpkin Hummus, Cranberries, Chickpeas, Cumin, Tahini, Garbanzo Beans, Pita Chips
