Roasted pepper Hummus with pita chips
2 cups chick peas* (drain liquid)
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2/3 cup water (add slowly to desired consistency)
¼ cup olive oil
½ cup roasted red peppers (if desired)
1 clove garlic, pre-baked in oven for about 10 minutes
1 Tablespoon fresh organic parsley or basil
4 or 5 organic scallions, whites only
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon cumin
In a hand blender or food processor, combine 1 cup chickpeas with remaining ingredients and beat until smooth. Add remaining chickpeas to make a soft paste-like consistency. If too thin, add more chickpeas; if too thick, add more water. Serve chilled.
*This will take more than one can of chickpeas.
Pita chips
1 loaf organic pita bread
olive oil for coating
salt to taste
Pre-heat oven to 400. Pull apart the double-sided pita bread; then cut into six triangles. With a pastry brush, coat each side of pita bread with oil. Spread over an ungreased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with salt, if desired.
Bake until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
Roasted red peppers
If you do not want to buy a jar of roasted red peppers, you can always make it fresh. Cut one fresh red Bell pepper into long strips. Coat the strips in olive oil and bake (at 425°) on a low rack until edges start to brown. Use only 2 or 3 strips for the hummus, leaving the remainder to dip, if desired.