Simple & Seasonal Hummus Recipes

I strive to serve “healthier” appetizers, so I can feel good about what I’m feeding my guests. One of my favorite appetizers is hummus which is simple, delicious and healthy. Hummus is great with raw veggies, flaxseed crackers, or even to add extra flavor to your meals. Packed with protein, fiber, and antioxidants, you can feel good about serving hummus at your next gathering!

It’s simple to grab a ready-made version, but why not make your own and impress everyone at the table? Hummus might sound exotic, but it’s really very simple to make. Basic hummus requires 4 simple ingredients:  chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, and olive oil. Here is an easy recipe my whole family loves! Then, you can unleash your creativity and add other ingredients to make it your own. When adding the extra vegetables mention below, I generally follow a basic hummus recipe and add 2:1 chickpeas to the extra vegetable. For example, 2 cups of chickpeas to 1 cup of cooked beets.

Here are my favorite ways to use seasonal autumn veggies to make delicious versions of hummus:

– Beet Hummus

Beets hummus has an amazing color and taste! The best way to make beet hummus is to roast your beet ahead of time or buy them precooked. Then, add the cooked beets, garlic, olive oil, chickpeas, lemon juice, fresh rosemary, salt, pepper, and a couple of tablespoons of water to a blender or food processor and pulse until mixed through. Add some sliced almonds and fresh rosemary sprigs for the added wow-factor on your table.

– Savory Pumpkin Hummus

Ideally, you can make this with fresh oven roasted pumpkin. However, I often cheat and use puréed pumpkin instead. Add pumpkin to your blender or food processor with chickpeas, minced garlic, lemon juice, tahini, olive oil, ground cumin, salt, and a little water to form a nice, creamy texture. Sprinkle some roasted pumpkin seeds on top with a sprig of rosemary.

– Roasted Butternut Squash Hummus

First, roast your butternut squash with some garlic. Then, add to your food processor with fresh minced garlic, chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini, olive oil, parsley, and salt and pepper. To add a bit of warmth, add cinnamon and cumin, and finish with a pinch of smoked paprika.

– Sweet Potato Hummus

Sweet potatoes are such a versatile veggie. Once your sweet potatoes are cooked, blend with chickpeas, extra virgin olive oil, a chipotle pepper, and a couple of tablespoons of water to create a creamy texture. Drizzle olive oil on top before serving, and it’s ready to be enjoyed.

Add a regular hummus to contrast with these flavors and see which one is gone first! Serve with fresh veggies such as colorful bell peppers, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, celery, jicama, or snow peas for added antioxidants.

2020 has been a crazy year. With so many uncertainties, many of us turn to food for comfort and find ourselves emotional eating. After a long stressful day, it’s easy to grab the bag of chips or a glass of wine and plop down in front of Netflix. Before you realize it, the bag of chips is empty and you don’t even remember eating it. Having healthier snacks on hand is a great way to help you stop searching around the pantry for your favorite junk food.

If you are struggling with making healthy choices, and want to get off the emotional eating rollercoaster, check out the Effortless 3-Day Reset!

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