Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

I will admit, I have been rather lazy buying the pre-made hummus.  Today, I decided to make my own.  I think the taste is so much better.  The consistency is smoother and I can control the ingredients I add.  I like to have hummus on whole wheat bread with a slice of romaine lettuce and a side of baked kale chips for a quick lunch.  For this recipe I used roasted red peppers I bought in the deli at the grocery store.  You could roast them yourself, of course, or purchase them in the jar, or leave them out all together – but I love the flavor of the peppers.  I add them at the end and pulse them in the food processor to keep some of their texture.

What you Need:

• 1 can (15 oz) low sodium chick peas/garbanzo beans
• 1/4 cup of liquid from the beans
• juice from 1/2 lemon (you can add more or less to taste)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Tahini
• 2 cloves crushed garlic
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes (omit if you don”t want the heat)
• 3/4 cup roasted red peppers

Directions:

1. Drain beans, reserving 1/4 cup of liquid
2. Combine beans, lemon juice, tahini, garlic, reserve liquid and olive oil in food processor
3. Blend for 2 minutes until all ingredients are combined and consistency is smooth
4. Add roasted red peppers and pulse to chop and combine peppers

Store in refrigerator for 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

Serves 6

Nutritional Information (per serving)

Tagged as: Tahini, cayenne pepper, chick peas, garbanzo beans, hummus, low calorie, low sodium, red pepper flakes, red peppers