Pretty Pink Beet Hummus

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I'm really into beets. If you've been following my blog you may have seen a photo of the beet-centric juice I made for Valentine's Day. Also, take a moment to scroll up to the top of the screen. Do you see the vegetable that appears very prominently in my logo?  Yes, it's a beet! 

Yesterday, while rummaging through the fridge,  I realized that I was out of hummus but amply stocked up on beets.  Therein beet hummus was born. 

I generally follow a very standard hummus recipe. I found this gem from Inspired Taste about a year ago, and it has laid the foundation for consistently delicious hummus and bean dips. 

This new variation of hummus doesn't stray too far from it's origins, however, the addition of roasted beets adds a bit of sweetness and a huge pop of colour. Although homemade hummus is already a nutrient dense food,  this version now boasts the added health benefits associated with beets. Anti-inflammatory and rich in anti-oxidants, beets are also said to help lower blood pressure and assist with the body's ability to detoxify. 

Since this recipe only requires one beet, I recommend roasting it in your toaster oven. I put my beet on a small metal tray covered with parchment paper, and cooked it for about 45 minutes at 450°F. However, if you don't have a toaster oven, follow the instructions below for a regular oven. 

ROASTED BEET HUMMUS 

Ingredients: 

One large beet, greens removed, ends trimmed, and scrubbed clean 
One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, about 1 large lemon
1/4 cup tahini 
Half of a large garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt, depending on taste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger (optional) 
3 tablespoons water, or more, if necessary 

Procedure: 

Prehead oven to 400°F. Wrap your beet loosely in tin foil. Transfer the wrapped beet to a baking sheet. Roast for 45 minutes, or until you can easily pierce the beet with a fork. Once it's fork tender, remove the beet from the oven. Let the beet cool down enough to handle. Hold the beet in a paper towel and use the edges of the paper to rub the skin away. The skin should peel away easily. Once you've removed the skin, cut your roasted beet into smaller chunks and set them aside as you prep the rest of your hummus. 

In a food processor or high-powered blender, combine tahini and lemon juice. Mix for about 1 minute.  Using a spatula, scrape sides and continue to mix for another 30 seconds, or until the texture is smooth and light.

Add the olive oil, roasted beet, minced garlic, cumin, ginger (if you're using it) and the salt to the whipped tahini and lemon juice. Process for 30 seconds, scrape sides and bottom of bowl then process another 30 seconds.

Add half of the chickpeas and process for 1 minute. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl, add remaining chickpeas and process for 1 to 2 minutes or until thick and quite smooth.

Slowly add 3 tablespoons of water. Add more, if necessary, until desired consistency is reached.

Enjoy your beet hummus with cut up vegetables, corn chips, or use it in a vegetable wrap or sandwich. 

Curried Chickpea Sweet Potato Stew

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I was away in Vermont this weekend. I went with a group of friends for a skiing /snowboarding /snowshoeing/ outdoor adventuring get-away and we stayed in one of our favourite vacation rentals, the Octagon. This is the third time my group of friends has rented this gorgeous cabin in Enosburg Falls and I'm sure it won't be the last. 

Photo courtesy of my friend Marie-Pierre. She says the stew pairs nicely with a glass of red.

Prior to leaving Ottawa, we planned our our meals and divvied up breakfast, lunch and dinner responsibilities.  I was in charge of the meal for our first night.  I wanted to make something rich and hearty to make sure we were all adequately fuelled with healthy proteins, carbs and fats for our active weekend.  I also wanted to make something that was relatively quick and easy so that I wouldn't be spending my first night in Vermont slaving away in the kitchen.  Whenever I'm pressed for time and craving something filling, I always opt for a stew with side of healthy whole grains. This weekend I made a curried chickpea and sweet potato stew with brown rice. Since there were 12 of us, I made a HUGE batch and there was more than enough for all of us to have second helpings. In the recipe below, I reduced the portions quite a bit to make about 6 to 8 servings. 

This stew is very easy, BUT since there are so many veggies there is some chopping involved. To be quicker and efficient, I recommend chopping the items in the order they are listed below and to have most of the veggies chopped prior to starting the stew. I also recommend starting the rice just before you turn on the stove for the stew as it can take about 45 minutes to cook. 

I hope you like this stew as much as we did. Bon appétit!

CURRIED CHICKPEA SWEET POTATO STEW 

Makes 6 - 8 servings

Ingredients: 

1 tablespoon olive oil (normally I'd use coconut oil, but we didn't have any on hand)
1 medium sized onion, peeled and diced (I used a red onion)
1 medium sized carrot, peeled and cut in 1/4 inch half moons or rounds
1 rib of celery rough chopped 
2 cloves of garlic, minced 
1 inch of fresh ginger, peeled, and minced or grated 
1 bell pepper, diced 
1 tablespoon curry powder of your choice 
1/2 a pint of grape tomatoes, cut in half, or two medium sized tomatoes, roughly chopped 
2 medium sized sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes 
1 15 oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 cups of low sodium vegetable broth or water
1 14 oz can of unsweetened coconut milk (I used full fat, but light would also work) 
3 cups of baby kale (or any leafy greens of your choice), rinsed and roughly chopped
1 lemon or lime
1 handful of cilantro, rinsed and chopped, for garnish 
Salt & pepper
1.5 cups dry brown rice, cooked according to instructions on the package 

Directions

Heat a large soup pot on medium heat. Add oil to the pot.  Add onions, carrots and celery, with generous pinch of salt, and stir to combine. Cook until these ingredients are they are softened and the onion has become translucent. You may need to add a splash of water or veggie broth from time to time if the ingredients start burning or sticking to the bottom. Add garlic, ginger and bell pepper, stir to combine. In a minute or two, add the curry spice and stir to coat the ingredients. Add the tomatoes and leave them to simmer and soften for a few minutes. 

Add the sweet potatoes, chickpeas and broth (or water) and turn heat to high. When your stew starts to boil, reduce heat to a simmer. In about 20 minutes, or once the sweet potatoes are soft, add the can of coconut milk and stir well to combine.  Add your greens, stir to combine.  Squeeze the juice of half a lemon or 1 lime and stir.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve immediately with brown rice, and garnish with cilantro and a wedge of lemon or lime. A hot sauce of your choice would also give this stew a nice kick.