Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Personally, I like to graze between meals to avoid turning into a crazed hypoglycemic madwoman while I'm trying to cook dinner.  But it can be really difficult to find a healthy, simple snack that is nutritious, tastes great, and is actually satisfying to get me through the hours between lunch and dinner.  From my education, I know that protein and healthy fats are the way to go for maximum satiety, and as a vegetarian I found hummus to be a great option to enhance my snacking experience.  There's just one small problem...store bought hummus is expensive, contains some weird ingredients ending in -ate that I can't pronounce, and in my humble opinion has a weird off-taste that I just don't like.  Looking at the label and ignoring the -ates, hummus is a very simple product made from chickpeas, oil, lemon juice, seasonings and tahini.  How hard can it be to make?

Turns out, its a piece of cake to make your own hummus.  Better yet, this recipe tastes fantastic, makes a huge batch, and is dirt cheap!  The average store brand of hummus retails for $4.99 for 8 ounces; I made this 16 ounce batch for just over $3.00.  Nutritionally speaking, chickpeas are a superfood.  They're an excellent source of fiber, protein, vitamin C, and are loaded with minerals including calcium, iron, magnesium and zinc.  So the question really is why wouldn't you take 10 minutes out of your busy day to whip together a batch of homemade hummus?  You can serve it with cut veggies, as a lowfat high protein spread for sandwiches instead of mayo, or my personal favorite with pretzels.  Enjoy!

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus,  Serves 16

2 cans Chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 T. Cashew Butter

2 T. Olive Oil

2 T. Lemon Juice

6 oz jar Roasted Red Peppers

1 T. Garlic, minced

1 tsp. Penzeys Adobo Seasoning or other Mexican Spice Mix

1/2 tsp. Cumin

1/2 tsp. Sea Salt

1/8 - 1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

Put all ingredients in the food processor or blender and process until smooth.  Store in refrigerator for up to one week and enjoy a little every day.

Just because Roasted Red Pepper happens to be my favorite flavor of hummus does not mean that's the only kind of hummus you should make.  Experiment by adding your favorite spices and vegetables to the first four ingredients listed in the recipe to find your own personal favorite flavors.  You could try this recipe using pesto, chipotle peppers, jalapenos, sun dried tomatoes, just garlic, or even spinach and artichokes - the sky truly is the limit with this recipe.