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.