With Roasted Beets and Cauliflower
Naturally Gluten Free, Hearty, and Healthy
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It's roasting season. You guys have no idea how happy that makes me. I love the way the house smells with roasting Fall/Winter veggies permeating the air. This colorful little dip packs a ton of flavor and even more nutrition. High in fiber, antioxidants, vitamin c, and even contains anti-inflammatory benefits! This hummus is bean free. Which is great because with as many benefits as beans have they do pack a hefty amount of calories per serving. What excites me most about this dip is that is is incredibly versatile. I have merely scratched the surface with its flavor potential, so feel free to play around with different herbs and toppings. My lemon basil combination gives it a nice bright fresh flavor but you could easily kick up the spice factor with some cayenne or sriracha, or even garlic it out with some sweet roasted garlic. Can be served with fresh veggies (for gluten free version) or chips/crackers of your choice.
This serving was meant for 6-8 people (Yielding about 2 1/2 cups):
-1/2 of a medium head of cauliflower
-1 1/2 med-large red beets
-2 Tbsp of Tahini sauce (I used the Trader Joe's "sauce" version. It's cheap and quick. Can use regular tahini and add in extra lemon juice and garlic)
-Juice of 1/2 a lemon
-1/4 cup of olive oil (or for less calories: 2Tbsp olive oil 2 Tbsp water)
-About a 1/2 cup of fresh basil (can omit if you don't have handy)
-About 2 tsp. of onion powder
-Couple tsp of lemon zest (optional)
-Salt/ Pepper to taste
-Cayenne/ Paprika (optional to taste)
-Medium clove of garlic (optional to taste)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Peel beets and remove excess roots and stem. (Leaves/stem can be juiced for nutritional benefits!) Slice beets into 1 inch thick rounds. Break apart cauliflower florets into finger food sized pieces. Arrange beets and cauliflower florets on a sheet pan and coat in olive oil. Use about 1 tbsp. Salt and pepper liberally and toss. Once evenly distributed cover sheet pan with foil and place in oven. Roast for 25-30 min with foil on. Remove foil and roast for an addition 5-10 min. Make sure to rotate veggies so they don't burn to pan. Cook until fork tender with some roasting char visible.
While veggies are roasting, to your blender/food processor (I used my Ninja and it worked beautifully), add fresh basil, tahini, lemon juice, onion powder, and other seasonings of choice. When veggies are ready to be added, pour in olive oil or oil/water blend slowly incorporating over top of veggies in blender. May need more or less liquid based on size of veggies used! Blend until smooth. Consistency should be just like that of a hummus: thick and hearty but still smooth!
Garnish with lemon zest and/or fresh basil sprig. Serve and devour!!
Calories for this batch totaling: 580 calories (when oil/water blend used!) That's under 100 calories per person when serving 6. Giving each person over 6 Tbsp of hummus for under 100 calories compared to the average serving of hummus being 2 Tbsp for around 120 calories. Yeah I'd say it's a good trade-off. Enjoy!!!
