Beet Hummus

Last week I realized I had some beets lingering in my vegetable drawer and I searched around for some way to put them to use. I came across this easy hummus and had everything in my pantry except for Tahini so I gave it a whirl. On first taste it seemed to be overpowered by the cumin and I dismissed it. Jenny, a friend who was over at the time gave it a thumbs up though so I held on to it. Yesterday I revisited the hummus for an afternoon snack and liked it quite a lot. It's not a super bold flavor so I added some pink sea salt which also gave it a nice little crunch ! But I like their idea of goat cheese and / or mint. Could be a pretty appetizer. If you're a beet + cumin fan you'll enjoy this, and its a beautiful purple.

Beet Hummus ::

• 1/2 pound beets (about 4 medium sized beets), scrubbed clean, cooked, peeled, and cubed*
• 2 Tbsp tahini sesame seed paste
• 5 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 small clove garlic, chopped
• 1 Tbsp ground cumin
• 1 Tbsp lemon zest (zest from approx. 2 lemons)
• Generous pinch of sea salt or Kosher salt
• Fresh ground pepper to taste

To cook the beets, cut off any tops, scrub the roots clean, put them in a covered dish with about 1/4-inch of water in a 375°F oven, and cook until easily penetrated with a knife or fork. Alternatively, cover with water in a saucepan and simmer until tender, about 1/2 hour. Peel once they have cooled.

Place all ingredients in a food processor (or blender) and pulse until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings and ingredients as desired.

Chill and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.

Eat with pita chips, or with sliced cucumber or celery, or on a crostini with goat cheese and shaved mint.

Makes 2 cups.

In other news it's Easter weekend ! These candy colored almonds caught my eye in the check out line of Whole Foods. I love these retro colors together. I got a few weird looks for taking off the plastic top, taking a picture, and returning them to the shelf, but now you have a fun spring palette if you need one ! Enjoy the beautiful weather. Happy Easter !!