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

Sweet and Spicy Nut Mix

A little sweet, a touch of heat ( optional) and a hint of fresh rosemary. A perfect snack or party favorite! Make sure you buy raw, unsalted fresh nuts! This makes approx 5 1/2 cups to enjoy ( but not at one time!)

Ingredients:

2 cups raw walnut halves or pecans

2 cups of whole raw almonds

1 1/2 cup pepitas

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons unsalted butter( if salted adjust salt measurement) Vegan option: use olive oil

1 teaspoon of flake salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper. For less spice use cinnamon or pumpkin spice

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat so the maple syrup doesn’t get stuck to the pan (this is important).

Pour the almonds, pecans and pepitas in a bowl and set it aside.

In another bowl, combine the optional rosemary (or any other added seasonings), maple syrup, melted butter, salt, vanilla, and cayenne (if you’re using). Gently combine nuts and toss until coated

Put the nut mixture on the prepared baking sheet. Spread the mixture in a single layer on the pan.

Place in the oven, stirring after the first 10 minutes and then every 5 minutes , until the nuts are a deep golden color, 23 to 25 minutes. (The maple syrup coating will be a little sticky right out of the oven, but will harden as the nuts cool.)

Remove the pan from the oven and stir the nuts one more time, spreading them into an even layer across the pan. Let them cool down for about 10 minutes.

Let the nut mixture cool completely on the pan. Store in a glass jar at room temperature.