Before we dig in… aren’t food puns fun?
So, the long story short is that I recently was given a 5 pound bag of fresh beets after a recent volunteer opportunity. Getting free produce is something I’m extremely grateful for and I’m always glad to participate in reducing food waste (which is a huge problem in this country). However, for someone who does not yet identify as a Massive Beet Lover, the first thought was “Oh man, now what do I do with all of these beets?”
Hummus, my friends.
It’s one of the easiest ways to “eat your beets” in a sorta sneaky way. Meaning, the beet contribution to the hummus flavor is subtle and the hummus texture remains familiar (assuming you’re a hummus fan) such that you and your taste buds won’t freak out.
An extra bonus was using the InstantPot to quickly cook the beets and a bag of dried garbanzos* from the cupboard. A little before and after glimpse (and there were leftover beets and garbanzos to add to my lunches):
I did search the interwebs for beet hummus recipes and settled on the more classic hummus recipe. This is super easy to make, you guys and gals.
Ingredients: (for yield of ~4 cups)
12 oz beets (340 gm), cooked with the skins removed (I used Michelle's tips)
2 c cooked garbanzo beans (330 gm) (I referenced Megan’s tips)
3 Tbsp tahini
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp iodized salt
1.5 tsp cumin
Preparation Steps:
Add all ingredients to a food processor and mix until thoroughly blended. You may want to pause and give it a few stirs. I found a small beet that wasn’t cooperating.
Taste and adjust to your liking. You might like more salt, cumin, and/or garlic. #easytoadjust
Let your eyes revel in this beauty and then use as a dipper for your favorite veggies, seeded crackers, or as a condiment on a sandwich. I like to add a few dollops on a salad.
*For higher altitude dwellers and Instant Pot users, I have found this chart helpful for adjusting cooking times.
Lots o’ beet hummus to enjoy.
And the color is funkalicious!
Note that the color of your beet hummus will vary depending on the kinds of beets you have. I didn’t have many of those deep dark red colors, so this batch turned out more pink in hue, which is groovy to my eyeballs.
Basic nutrition info for 4 Tbsp (~1/4 c amount):
80 calories
8 gm carbohydrate (2.5 gm fiber)
3 gm protein
4 gm fat
Beets are nothing to be afraid of, but they can take some getting used to and a willingness to try them in different forms and preparation methods to find what works best with your palate.
While the health potency impact of a few tablespoons of beet hummus is not the same as eating a couple cups of beets or drinking an 8 ounce glass of beetroot juice, I contend that “dripping in” small tolerable amounts of beets into your weekly routine is an excellent starting point for those who are beet-shy. Like most other vegetables, beets are an excellent anti-inflammatory food and one that contributes to building up our unbeetable selves. (See what I did there?)
-Dina