Chili Garlic Pumpkin Hummus

Around my circle of friends and family, it’s no secret that I am a complete junkie for some chili garlic sauce. I put it on everything. Anything. Sometimes I eat it straight from a teeny tiny spoon. I have absolutely no shame when it comes to this addictive condiment.

Whatever I put chili garlic sauce on only becomes that much better. It’s sort of like salt… except spicy, and garlicky. Two of my favorite tastes. Works in this example too. Pumpkin, during Autumn months, pretty much makes everything–including hummus–better. So, it only makes sense that adding a little chili garlic sauce would have to make that already better hummus, even better. Ya know?

Plus, it’s orange, so serving with purple cauliflower makes for a show stopping Halloween party tray addition.

The key to making this dip’s texture smooth and creamy and not so much like pumpkin pie filling is to blend it in your food processor (or blender if you prefer) for a long time. At least 5 minutes, and I’d shoot for 7 to be safe. Also, be sure to start with just a little water and add as needed, since some varieties of canned pumpkin seem to have more liquid than others.

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Fava Bean Dip with Caramelized Onions

fava bean dip

I am about to say something I thought I would NEVER say… I found a dip that I love more than hummus.  It sort of chokes me up to admit that, but it’s true.

I was browsing the internet trying to figure out a way to use my bag of dried fava beans, when I came across a mention of a “hummus”  using favas.  The idea was intriguing, so I ran to the kitchen, proceeding as though I was making hummus (minus the tahini).  From what I saw briefly on the web, it seems like a popular way to use fava beans.  I was too impatient to research and just let my imagination lead the way. Thoughts of a new and exciting staple food danced wildly in my head…

The outcome was good.  Very very good.  But, sadly, “staple” it will not be.  It just took too damn long to make.  And, my fingers sort of hurt from skinning all those beans.

I could just suck it up and admit that some of life’s finer pleasures take a little more time and effort to produce.  Then I think about how easy it is to soak and cook some chickpeas and end up with some killer hummus in no time. :\

Would I make this dip again? Absolutely.  Will it replace my daily hummus?  Not unless my husband is willing to dedicate an hour of his day to the prep-work of the beans.

I would really like to try this using fresh favas.

Here’s how I did it:

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Hummus Pizza with Roasted Peppers

hummus pizza

If you love hummus and have never had the pleasure of using it as a base for your pizza, I highly recommend trying it out.  It works especially well with roasted peppers and an abundance of ingredients.  I decided to roast my own peppers and make my own crust, so I opted for the deli-bought hummus -high in cumin content.  The more flavorful the hummus the yummier the pizza.  The crust recipe below compliments the hummus quite nicely.  But feel free to save lots of time by purchasing crust, hummus, and roasted peppers in lieu of making your own.  I am happy to say that this pizza was a sensation last night for dinner.

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