Hummus with Smoked Paprika & Capers
Like most weekends, this past one came and went way too fast. I spent a large part of mine totally engrossed in a new book that finally came in for me at the library. That’s right – the library. Maybe it’s not a big deal to most people, but up until a few months ago, I had completely forgotten about the option to borrow a book, for FREE, before deciding whether or not I actually want to pony up the money for it. I may not have loved the library as a kid, but I sure do appreciate it now.
The vast majority of the time, I’ll borrow cookbooks and read them as if they’re captivating novels. I seldom make the actual recipes, but they definitely inspire my meals, and if nothing else, I just drool over the photos.
The book that took over my life this past weekend was one that I had initially written off because of the words “diet” and “cleanse” on the cover, but fortunately, I was inspired to give it a second look. Kris Carr’s Crazy Sexy Diet is much more of a lifestyle change than a fad cleanse, and she encourages a style of eating that I would consider several steps ahead of my day-to-day eating: vegan, mostly vegetables and some fruit, with little to no processed carbs or sugar. That last one is the kicker for me. I have a very demanding sweet tooth!
I’m still working my way through the book and soaking in everything (there is a ton of information from everything to food, to exercise, to supplements and body products), but I wanted to kick off this week with a recipe that’s more in line with the style of eating that makes me feel best. Plus, anything that involves chickpeas is a win in my book.
I didn’t have a specific flavor profile in mind when I set out to make this hummus, just that I really wanted to use capers. Somehow though, the combination of the briny capers, smoked paprika, and creamy tahini came together to create what I would consider an awesome substitue for tuna salad. Yep, I don’t know how it happened, but it did. And while I can’t say that I’ve ever craved tuna fish since going vegan, I will say that this hummus is pretty darn crave-worthy.
| Hummus with Smoked Paprika & Capers |
- 3 C. Cooked Chickpeas
- 1/4 C. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/3 C. + 2 Tbs. Water
- 3 Tbs. Capers
- 2 Tbs. Tahini
- Juice of 2 Lemons
- 1 Tsp. Smoked Paprika
- In your food processor, add the chickpeas, olive oil, water, capers, tahini, lemon juice, and smoked paprika.
- Process for 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides, until the hummus reaches your desired consistency.
- Serve with a sprinkle of smoked paprika and some baked tortilla chips, as a dip for veggie sticks, or as a spread on a sandwich.
