Smoky Hummus

Smooth, smoky and tasty; this hummus tastes like summer. I hesitate to liken this hummus to "barbecue" flavour since it can mean so many different things.  But, it's kind of like barbecue potato chips (my weakness).

Start with the spice blend and the basic hummus ingredients:  garlic powder, smoky paprika, onion powder, salt, olive oil and lemon juice.  I use tinned chickpeas, but I always make sure to wash them.  This rinses away the thickeners and some of the gas producing compounds.

Add all the spices, the oil and lemon juice to a food processor, or high powered blender.  (I used a Vitamix).  Then add a bit of water ~250ml, and half the chickpeas.  It's important to add only half if you're using a blender.  It allows the ingredients to liquify, which makes it easier for the rest of the chickpeas to integrate in the blender.

Puree until the ingredients are liquified, then add the last half of the chickpeas.  Blend until smooth, adjusting the seasoning and liquid (oil and water) to suit your tastes.

Enjoy this smooth, smoky spread with pita bread, or in a veggie wrap.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

The garden is slowing down, but there are still lots of peppers.  I roasted a few and added them to my usual hummus recipe.

The base is chickpeas, red pepper, onion and lemon juice.  Start by grilling or roasting the peppers and onions.  They're ready when the skin slides easily off the peppers.

I season my hummus with sea salt, smoky paprika, sesame seeds, sriracha, onion powder and garlic powder.

Chuck it all in a blender, or food processor, and blend until smooth.

Edamame and Chick Pea Hummus

A delicious vegan and gluten-free side dish packed with protein and fibre, this hummus is made from a purée of garbanzos and green soybeans.

First, take equal portions of cooked and cooled chick peas and edamame.  Caned or frozen are the easiest to make use of.

Add to a powerful blender and grind on low with water, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and seasonings (garlic, onion powder, etc) until well mixed.  Then, ultra puree the mix until smooth.  A similar result can be achieved with a food processor, but lower powered blenders (less than 1kw) will probably require adding more water to the mix.

Garnish with olive oil, a few whole beans and paprika.  Serve with tortilla chips or fresh vegetables.