Tag Archives: chickpeas

Sweet Potato Hummus

17 Sunday Jun 2012

Posted by in Appetizers, Bloggerific, Easy, Entertaining, Healthy, Side Dish

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After making this, I doubt I will ever buy store bought hummus again. It is far too easy to make your own, and far more satisfying! Spicy Sriracha really takes this recipe up a notch. It doesn’t make the hummus super spicy, but it balances the sweet potato and other flavors in this hummus.

Recipe
Sweet Potato Hummus
(Makes about 4 cups hummus, recipe originally from Power Foods)

  • 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 1 can garbanzo beans (15.5 oz), rinsed until no foam appears and then drained well
  • 1/4 C fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/8 C tahini sauce (can use up to 1/4 cup, I liked it with a little less)
  • 2 T extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling on top of hummus
  • 2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
  • salt, fresh ground black pepper, and SRIRACHA to taste
  • water for thinning, 2-4 T
  • 1/2 tsp. paprika or Sumac for garnish (optional)
Peel sweet potatoes and cut into small cubes.  Place in microwave-safe bowl, cover with vented lid or cling wrap, and microwave on high until sweet potatoes are soft.  (About 10-12 minutes).
While sweet potatoes cook, drain garbanzo beans into a colander placed in the sink and rinse with cold water until no more foam appears.  Let garbanzos drain.
Put cooked sweet potatoes, garbanzo beans, lemon juice, tahini, 2 T olive oil, ground cumin, garlic, salt, and pepper into food processor bowl, with processor fitted with steel blade.  Process until the mixture is fairly smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of bowl a few times.  If the mixture seems too thick, thin with a few tablespoons of water until it is the consistency you want. Add a squirt of sriracha to spice things up a bit. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and/or pepper if desired.
Serve at room temperature or chilled , with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of paprika if you wish.  Taste great with rice crackers, whole wheat pita triangles, veggie dippers, or whole grain chips.  Hummus will keep in the fridge for at least a week.

Sweet Potato Hummus with rice crackers and veggie dippers

Roasted Chickpeas with Feta, Mint, and Lemon

31 Thursday May 2012

Posted by in Appetizers, Easy, Healthy, Side Dish

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Healthy. Fast. And so easy. I made this dish for the first time while doing about 10 other things. So basically, you can make this with your eyes closed (I am not the world’s greatest multi-tasker).
What caught my eye originally was the mint. Now that summer is upon us, I have to find ways to use the herbs in my garden. Some herbs tend to do better than others…and as many of you know mint tends to grow so abundantly some almost consider it a weed (a very delicious one). The mint adds the perfect touch to this easy side dish. When the garbanzo beans come out of the oven hot and garlicky and smelling amazing, you almost want to just puree everything into hummus right there. Don’t do it though. Try it this way just this once and you won’t be disappointed.

Roasted Chickpeas with Feta, Mint, and Lemon
(Makes 4-5 servings; recipe adapted from The Bon Appetit Cookbook: Fast Easy Fresh.)

  • 2 cans (15 oz. can) chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
  • 2 T olive oil
  • 2 fresh garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
  • 3/4 – 1 cup crumbled Feta
  • 1/2 – 3/4 cup chopped fresh mint
  • lemon wedges to squeeze over finished dish
Preheat oven to 375F.  Dump chickpeas into a colander placed in the sink and rinse with cold water until no more foam appears.  Let chickpeas drain at least 5 minutes.
Mix together the olive oil, finely minced garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and fresh ground black pepper.  Spray a large rectangular baking dish with nonstick spray (11 X 7 or slightly larger).  Put drained chickpeas into baking dish, add olive oil mixture and stir until the chickpeas are well coated with oil, then put in the oven and roast 15-18 minutes.
While chickpeas are roasting, wash mint, spin dry or dry with paper towels, and coarsely chop.  Crumble Feta.  Start to check chickpeas after 15 minutes, and as soon as they are hot and barely beginning to crisp on top remove from oven.
Spoon chickpeas into a serving dish.  Let chickpeas cool 5 minutes, then stir in crumbled Feta and chopped mint.  Season with more salt and fresh ground black pepper if desired.  Serve warm, with lemon wedges to squeeze over the finished dish.