Zucchini Hummus Recipe

Hummus is extremely nutritious and one of the best options to keep you full. You can combine it with any dishes, both meat and vegetable. In addition, hummus is rich in substances that slow down the processes of oxidation and aging of living organisms, so that it has a preventive effect on the human body. While some people prefer authentic hummus, others experiment with ingredients and add different vegetables which give a richer taste and flavor to this delicacy. Look at these fantastic hummus recipes and have fun preparing them! Hummus Recipes - what are the benefits? Without any doubt, hummus is one of the most popular dishes for vegetarians and vegans. It is not only nutritious but very beneficial to health and one can be creative with additional ingredients in hummus recipes. Hummus is high in iron and vitamin C, as well as significant amounts of vitamin B6. Chickpeas are a good source of protein and fiber. Tahini consists of sesame seeds, which is an excellent source of the amino acid methionine, supplementing the proteins in chickpeas. Depending on the recipe, hummus carries varying amounts of monounsaturated fat. Vegetarians and vegans often suffer from protein deficiency. Eating high-protein foods like hummus eliminates this problem. Hummus is a great way to get extra protein, especially for those who don't consume animal or fish protein. The fiber found in hummus is well known for its beneficial properties in maintaining a healthy digestive system. It also helps control appetite and blood sugar and reduce the risks of obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome and hemorrhoids. Thanks to the main ingredient in hummus, chickpeas, this snack contains polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats that are considered beneficial to our health. They improve blood cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. While hummus is a very healthy snack, that doesn't mean it can be consumed in large quantities. This is not a dietary product due to its rather large calorie content. Of course, one should know that despite the fact that hummus has many benefits, there are some considerations which you need to keep in mind. Hummus should not be consumed in case that a person has individual intolerance to any of the ingredients. Hummus should not be consumed by those people who are prone to flatulence from legumes. As a snack, hummus is eaten with flat bread, chips or crackers. Hummus is also served with chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, cilantro, parsley, caramelized onions, fried mushrooms, chickpeas, olive oil, hard-boiled eggs, peppers, olives, pickled cucumbers, and pine nuts. Hummus recipes - Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Recipe Ingredients: ¾ cup chickpea water 1¼ cup of dry chickpeas, soaked overnight (3 cups cooked) 1/3 cup tahini 2 fire-roasted red peppers 3 tbsp lemon juice ½-¾ tsp salt 1 tsp smoked sweet paprika ½ tsp hot chilli powder 1-2 garlic cloves, pressed Toppings (optional) red pepper flakes sesame seeds fresh parsley or coriander, chopped drizzle of olive oil Instructions: Rinse your chickpeas after an overnight soak and put them into a large pot with plenty of fresh water. Bring them to the boil and simmer until very tender. Once cooked, rinse them under cold water to help loosen the skin. Peel the chickpeas by rubbing them between your hands. Add all the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Store in an airtight container in the fridge, it keeps for about 3-4 days. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, toasted bread or pita bread. Hummus recipes - Roasted Carrot Hummus Recipe Ingredients: 2 medium carrots, sliced 1½ teaspoons onion powder 1½ teaspoons curry powder 1 clove garlic, minced 1 15-ounce (425g) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained 3 tablespoons lime juice Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro Instructions: In a skillet bring the first four ingredients – carrots, onion powder, curry powder and garlic- and ¼ cup water to simmering. Cook, covered, over medium-low 10 minutes or until carrots are tender. Transfer carrot mixture to a blender or food processor. Add chickpeas and lime juice. Cover and blend or process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Add cilantro; cover and pulse until just combined. Chill, covered, until ready to serve. Hummus recipes - Roasted Beet Hummus Recipe Ingredients: 1 roasted beet peeled and chopped 1 can chickpeas drained 2/3 cup tahini 1/3 cup of lemon juice and zest of ¼ lemon 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1/3 cup olive oil 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon kosher salt chopped parsley, pine nuts, thinly sliced radishes – for topping Instructions: Combine the chickpeas, tahini, beet, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle parsley, nuts, drizzle some olive oil and serve. Hummus recipes - Pumpkin Hummus Ingredients: 8 oz (220g) pumpkin, peeled and cut into 3cm pieces 2 garlic cloves, peeled 2 tbsp olive oil sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste 8 oz (220g) canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 tbsp tahini ½ tsp ground cumin ½ lemon, juiced ½ tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary, to taste pumpkin seeds, roughly chopped, to garnish. Instructions: Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a baking tray with baking paper. Place the pumpkin and garlic cloves in a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and toss well to coat. Transfer to the lined baking tray and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until tender. Set aside to cool. Place the pumpkin, garlic, chickpeas, tahini, cumin, lemon juice and remaining oil in a food processor and process until creamy. If the mixture is too thick, add 2 teaspoons of water at a time until the desired consistency is reached. Stir in the rosemary and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the pumpkin hummus in a serving bowl and top with the pumpkin seeds. Serve with toasted pita bread. Hummus recipes - Avocado Hummus Ingredients: 1 large ripe avocado 1 15½ -ounce can chickpeas, rinsed, drained ⅓ cup tahini ¼ cup fresh lime juice 1 garlic clove ¾ teaspoon salt freshly ground black pepper, to taste ¼ teaspoon ground cumin 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling Roasted corn, for topping Instructions: Process avocado, chickpeas, tahini, lime juice, garlic, salt, pepper and cumin in a food processor until smooth. With the motor running, stream in 2 Tbsp. oil, then continue to process until hummus is very light and creamy. Taste and season with salt, if needed. If the mixture is too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons at a time, and puree, adding more water if needed until desired consistency is achieved. Transfer to an airtight container, cover surface with plastic, and chill. When ready to serve, transfer hummus to a bowl. Top with roasted corn and cilantro and drizzle with more oil. Harissa Hummus Recipe Ingredients: 2 tablespoons harissa powder 3 cups chickpeas, cooked, drained and liquid reserved 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons tahini 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 cloves garlic 8 Kalamata olives 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 1/8 teaspoon harissa powder, or to taste Instructions: Combine harissa powder and 1 teaspoon chickpea liquid in a bowl. Whisk until a smooth paste forms, adding more liquid as needed. Set aside. Reserve about 1/2 cup of whole chickpeas for garnish. Add remaining chickpeas to the bowl of a food processor. Add 1/3 cup olive oil, tahini, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and garlic; blend until smooth. Mix in the harissa paste and more chickpea liquid if needed, to maintain a creamy consistency. Taste and adjust olive oil and lemon juice. Transfer hummus to a serving bowl. Top with reserved chickpeas, olives, cilantro, harissa powder, and any remaining olive oil. Serve at room temperature. Zucchini Hummus Ingredients: 2 medium zucchini 1-2 garlic cloves, chopped ½ lemon, zested and juiced 2 tbsp tahini 1 15 ounce (425g) can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1/4 cup of olive oil , plus extra to garnish pinch of smoked paprika 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste Instructions: Heat a chargrill pan or barbeque grill-plate over medium-high heat. Cut the zucchini lengthwise into 1 cm thick strips and spray lightly with oil spray. Grill the zucchini slices for 2-3 minutes each side or until tender. Remove from the heat and set aside on a plate to cool for 2-3 minutes. Place the zucchini, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, tahini, chickpeas, oil, paprika, parsley and mint in a food processor and process until creamy. Season with salt and pepper. To serve, place the zucchini hummus in a serving bowl. Drizzle some extra olive oil. Serve with toasted pita triangles on the side. Roasted Eggplant Hummus Ingredients: 1 medium eggplant 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon tahini 2 cloves of garlic 1 tsp lemon zest 1 lemon, juiced 1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained Salt and pepper to taste Fresh, chopped parsley for garnish Pomegranate seeds optional for garnish Instructions: Preheat the oven to 420F/220C. Cut the eggplant in half. Rub the cut side of the eggplant with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and place it on a roasting pan, cut side down. Roast the eggplant until tender, 25-30 minutes and let cool. Scoop the inside of the eggplant and discard the skin. In a food processor, combine the roasted eggplant with the remaining olive oil and other ingredients. Puree to desired consistency. Transfer to a bowl, top with pomegranate seeds and serve. Sweet Potato Hummus Ingredients: 1 can chickpeas, cooked and drained 1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed 2 tablespoons tahini paste 2 cloves garlic 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 2 teaspoons ground cumin Salt and black pepper, to taste Instructions: Preheat your oven to 180°C (356°F). Spread the sweet potato cubes on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle some salt. Roast until the sweet potato is tender and golden. Place all of your ingredients in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth, add a dash of water if needed and blend until you reach the desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning. Transfer to a bowl and garnish with olive oil, seeds, herbs, sesame or nigella seeds, smoked paprika, pomegranate seeds or anything that you like. Serve with toasted pita bread. Hummus recipes - Caramelized Onion Hummus Ingredients: For Caramelized Onion: 1 large onion ½ tbsp balsamic vinegar ½ tsp brown sugar ½ tbsp olive oil For Hummus: 1 15-ounce (425g) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 2 tbsp tahini 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice 1 clove garlic, chopped 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil ½ tsp fine sea salt 1½ tsp turmeric powder ½ tsp smoked paprika powder 1½ tbsp. cold water Instructions: Finely slice the onion and place in a saucepan set over a medium heat, stirring frequently. When the onion becomes transparent, add the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar to the pan and stir through. Turn the heat down slightly and leave to soften and caramelize, stirring intermittently. Once the onion is cooked, remove from the heat and cool for a couple of minutes. Reserve a heaped teaspoon of caramelized onion to use as garnish. Place all the ingredients into a blender or a food processor. Process or blend until really smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary. Taste and adjust the flavor. If the hummus is too thick, add a tablespoon of cold water. Transfer the hummus to a serving bowl and garnish with the reserved chickpeas, onion, and a pinch of turmeric and paprika. Serve with sliced toasted pitta bread.