Hello, Homemade Hummus!

The reign of the mighty Ranch dressing is a thing of the past for many health-conscious eaters, who are seeking out less fattening and more nourishing alternative ways to dress up veggies. I am a particularly huge fan of hummus, particularly this roasted red pepper version by Sabra.

Thus, my eyes bulged when I spied a simple recipe for said favorite condiment in the latest issue of Cooking Light. I already had tahini on hand from that one time we made falafel from scratch, and the rest I had on hand in my pantry. I found it difficult to mimic the perfectly smooth texture of commercially prepared hummus with a home food processor, but the product tasted great so I didn't mind terribly.

Break out the bell peppers, tomatoes, carrots, and cucumbers, or spread hummus on a sandwich, and you'll find the Mediterranean diet to be quite enjoyable.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Courtesy of Cooking Light

1/3 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup chopped bottled roasted red bell peppers, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

Preparation:

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth.