Red Roasted Beet Hummus

One of my favorite recipes that I make on repeat, especially for my friends, family, and a great party pleaser!

Ingredients:

1 small roasted beet ( instructions below)

• 1 15-oz. can cooked chickpeas (mostly drained )

• 1 large Zested lemon

• 1/2 large lemon (juiced)

• 1 lg pinch salt and black pepper

• 2 large cloves garlic minced or microplaned

• 1 Tbsp of creamy tahini

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

To prepare roasted beet:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

Trim off the stem and most of the root from the beet and scrub it underwater.

Wrap beet in foil, drizzle on a bit of olive or avocado oil, wrap tightly, (place the small package on a small sheet pan to catch any drippings) and roast for one hour. It should be tender and soft enough for a knife to go through.

Open carefully the foil package in the sink . Take the beet and run cold water over it as you peel off the skin with your hands. It will be hot so be careful, but I find peeling the skin off while the beets are warm is the easiest.

Set in the fridge (in a bowl to catch juice) to cool to room temperature.

Instructions:

Once your beet has cooled and is peeled, quarter it and place it in your food processor and blend / pulse until only small bits remain (scrap down sides during this process)

Add remaining ingredients except for olive oil and blend until smooth.

Drizzle in olive oil slowly from above as the hummus is mixing. Scraping down sides as needed.

Taste and adjust, adding more salt, lemon juice, or olive oil if needed. If it’s too thick, add a bit of water.

I like it a bit on the thicker side!

Will keep in the fridge for up to 5-7 days! ………….enjoy xoxoxo

Creamy White Bean and Herb Dip

A creamy, delicious, refreshing dip that has highlights of lemon and herbs. Great as a dip or used in a wrap or sandwich.

Ingredients :

1 can (15oz) cannellini beans

1/4 cup tahini (best to use a thinner consistency)

3 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp lemon zest

1/2 tsp salt

1-2 cloves garlic grated or pressed

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp of water if needed

1/4 cup chopped herbs of choice ( dill, basil, parsley, rosemary, or thyme)

Instructions:

In a food processor add drained and rinsed beans, tahini, lemon zest lemon juice, salt, garlic, and olive oil (reserve herbs for later).

Pulse to combine then blend until creamy (scrape down sides as needed) Blend less time if you like a chunkier texture. If you prefer smooth, blend for longer. Add slowly a tbsp of water at a time to thin if needed.

Add your chopped herbs and pulse again to combine.

Taste and adjust flavor as needed. Add more olive oil for creaminess, lemon for tartness, salt, or water to thin. (it will thicken when chilled)

Enjoy immediately, or you can chill. Drizzle olive oil, a squeeze of lemon and sprinkle herbs on top before serving.

Note: If you want to try this without tahini, just add another 1/2 cup of white beans and a touch more lemon, olive oil, garlic etc

Perfect Pesto ( Garlic free/ GF / DF )

The Perfect Pesto that makes every BODY feel good..inside and out!

Ingredients

4 cups fresh basil leaves

3/4 cup raw walnuts

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 teaspoon salt/ pepper (to taste)

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend for several minutes until your basil pesto becomes creamy.

Store in refrigerator for up to a week. You can also freeze by filling ice cube trays.

Great as a sauce for any entree ie: zoodles, salad, spaghetti squash, tofu, proteins, potatoes and more.