I don’t know about you, but I’m suffering from the January doldrums, at least as far as food is concerned.It could be the post-sugar-rush leftover from the holidays, or maybe it’s the cold weather that has me seeking out new flavor combinations.Regardless of what it is, hummus with a few wedges of good naan bread seems to do the trick.I’ve been making hummus for a while now, but I’ve yet to come across a recipe as satisfying as this one – the sweet potato yields a creamy texture and an extra depth of flavor that I’d been missing.If you want to give the dip an even richer, smokier taste, you can try roasting the sweet potato before adding it.
Sweet Potato and Chickpea Hummus
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into small chunks
1 16 ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained – you can also use dried chickpeas but remember to soak them overnight
¼ cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
½ tbsp cumin
½ tsp cinnamon
4 tbsp olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Dash of cayenne pepper, if desired
Salt and pepper to taste
Place cut sweet potato into a small saucepan and add enough water to cover.Bring to a boil on high temperature, then reduce heat and allow to simmer until the potato is tender, about 15 minutes.Drain and place the potato inside the cup of a large-capacity food processor.
Add all of the other ingredients, tightly close the lid of the food processor cup, and pulse until mixture is thick and creamy.Remove; stir into bowl and begin dipping!Naan or pita bread works very well, or you can spread hummus on crackers or crisp flatbread, or use it as a filler in sandwiches.It also is a perfect dip for sliced raw veggies. Feel free to garnish your hummus with fresh sprouts – fenugreek, alfalfa, or anything you are currently growing or have on hand!
Hummus will store up to 1 week in the fridge in an airtight container.
What flavor combinations and/or new recipes are you trying out this month?
(Recipe adapted from http://www.wholeliving.com/133217/sweet-potato-hummus)
