Two New Takes on Hummus, the Healthy, Protein-Rich Dip
February 5, 2020
Hummus is not only delicious but also highly nutritious and oh-so-versatile. This incredibly popular Middle Eastern dip and spread is a great source of plant-based protein, providing a whopping 7.9 grams per serving. Author and home chef Catherine Gill serves up healthy hummus in a variety of out of the box recipes in her latest cookbook, The Complete Hummus Cookbook.
Here are two recipes from Gill’s all-in-one guide to the many, many ways that hummus can improve your diet and enrich one’s life.
Hummus Stuffed Baked Shell Pasta
Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 1 (16-ounce) package jumbo shell pastas, cooked according to package instructions and drained
- 3 cups tomato marinara sauce
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained or equivalent cooked chickpeas
- 2 tablespoons tahini¼ cup lemon juice or juice from 1 large lemon
½ garlic clove, peeled - 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1–2 tablespoons water
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray (not required, but recommended). Pour 1 cup of the marinara sauce evenly on the bottom of the baking dish and top with cooked pasta shells. Using a food processor, blend remaining ingredients until the desired consistency is reached and hummus is well-combined. Spoon hummus filling into pasta shells then top with remaining 2 cups of marinara sauce. Cover and bake for 30–35 minutes, then allow to set for a few minutes before serving.
Tip: This dish can also be topped with vegan cheese; however, it is definitely not lacking in flavor without the cheese. The nutritional yeast does a great job adding cheesiness to this homemade hummus filling and is beyond satisfying!
Pumpkin Spice Hummus
Serves 8
Ingredients:
- ½ cup canned pumpkin puree
- ½ cup canned chickpeas, drained or equivalent cooked chickpeas
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- ⅛ cup lemon juice or juice from half large lemon
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground clove
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1–2 tablespoons water
Directions:
Using a food processor, blend all ingredients until the desired consistency is reached and hummus is well-combined. Add more water to make hummus less thick or more salt to taste, if desired.
Tip: This hummus looks lovely with a little sprinkle of cinnamon on top and few pepitas (raw pumpkin seeds) on top as garnish!
