Roasted Red Pepper Hummus is easy to make. It is important to note that there are many variations, and many recipes out there. PEERtrainer's version goes a little easier on the calories and fat than others we have seen out there.
The biggest variable in any hummus recipe is the Tahini, which is simply toasted and ground sesame seeds that is usually mixed with a little Olive Oil. Sesame seeds are highly nutritious, but combined with Olive Oil become a food that you do need to account for.
For those of you following the PEERtrainer Cheat System, we do make sure you account for the fat in nuts and oil. Some recipes call for a full half cup of Tahini. Others that seek to reduce the calories only include one or two tablespoons of Tahini in the recipe. (There are also those who suggest removing Tahini entirely, and we don't recommend that because sesame contains some interesting nutrients which are often hard to get. But in a pinch you can go without it.)
From a taste perspective, the best Roasted Red Pepper Hummus that we have ever tasted is made by a company called Falafel King, based in Boulder, Colorado. Three things to note about the Falafel King version. First is that Tahini is the second ingredient after chick peas. There are 47 calories in a one ounce serving of their hummus, and 470 calories in the entire 10 ounce container.
The second thing to note is that water is the fourth ingredient. This is a critically important point, because what sets Falafel King Hummus apart from literally every other brand out there is the creaminess and the flavor. It would appear that the addition of a little water in the recipe helps to add a creamier texture. In contrast, a brand like Sabra tastes like paste.
The third thing to note about the Falafel King version is that unlike other recipes we have seen, Cumin is the lone spice in the ingredient list. We have contacted the company and will see if we are able to glean some more of their secrets. If you are lucky enough to live in Utah, Colorado, Kansas or New Mexico, you can find their products in stores, and there will really be no need to make your own.
For the others out there, read on!
Ingredients In Roasted Red Pepper Hummus:
1 15 ounce can of Chickpeas (also called Garbanzo Beans). Bonus points for Organic
2 Heaping Tablespoons of Tahini
1/2 Cup of Roasted Red Pepper strips. (Either jarred or roasted on your grill or in your oven)
1/3 Cup of Water
2 Garlic Cloves
1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil (Flax Seed Oil is an alternative oil high in Omega-3's)
1 Lemon (for the juice)
1 Teaspoon of Sea Salt. (If you haven't made the shift to Sea Salt, please do so)
1/2 Teaspoon of Cumin
Directions To Make Roasted Red Pepper Hummus:
Simply combine all the ingredients in a blender, Vitamix or food processor and blend until creamy.
If you want to make a spicy version of this hummus, add 4-6 dried Red Chiles to the mix. It will change the texture of the hummus a little and give it a little oomph.
Estimated Calorie and Nutrition Information:
A 1/4 cup serving will have roughly 130 calories, 8 grams of fat, 6 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber.
Chickpeas are an excellent source of fiber and also contain calcium, magnesium, potassium and folate. These are all very good for you and have been shown to improve heart health and reduce cholesterol. For people with Type 2 Diabetes or Metabolic Syndrome a nutrient dense, high fiber diet will help to control blood sugar levels, and will put you on the path towards reversal of these conditions.
Red Peppers contain high amounts of Vitamin A and Vitamin C. According to Jonny Bowden, they are "one of the few foods around that contain lycophene, a member of the carotenoid family that has been shown in quite a bit of research to be associated with lower risk of prostate cancer."
Sesame Seeds are rich in copper and magnesium. You can visit the sesame seed link to learn more about the health details. That page also contains a link that takes you back to this page.
How To Make The Indian Version Of This Recipe:
This was posted in the comments section below, we love Indian food!
Indian Version is called Red Pepper Chutney. I like it because of fresh ingriedients. Here goes: Heat 1/2 tspoon O.Oil, crackle cumin seeds, whole sesame seeds, dry roasted peanuts, add chopped garlic, dry red chillies, and diced fresh red pepper, salt and saute. Set aside to cool. The indian version uses Jaggery/molasses and tamarind paste, but you can use a pinch of dark brown sugar and squeeze of fresh lime juice to balance tastes and result in a sweet, tangy, spict concoction. Add to a blender, adjust water to make a craemy paste. Stays good for over a week in the fridge. Njoy!
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Indian Version is called Red Pepper Chutney.
I like it because of fresh ingriedients. Here goes:
Heat 1/2 tspoon O.Oil, crackle cumin seeds, whole sesame seeds, dry roasted peanuts, add chopped galic, dry red chillies, and diced fresh red pepper, salt and saute. Set aside to cool. The indian version uses Jaggery/molasses and tamarind paste, but you can use a pinch of dark brown sugar and squeeze of fresh lime juice to balance tastes and result in a sweet, tangy, spict concoction. Add to a blender, adjust water to make a craemy paste. Stays good for over a week in the fridge. Njoy!
Posted by: GG | 03/13/2011 at 02:40 PM
I don't buy canned beans, I soak and cook my own. Moreover, in my country they don't sell beans in ounce cans. How many cups of home-cooked garbanzos (volume of cooked beans) would be equivalent to a 15-oz can?
Posted by: Margaret | 03/14/2011 at 01:12 PM
Margaret: about 2 cups
Posted by: Soron | 03/14/2011 at 01:50 PM
15 oz can is about 2 cups beans. I also cook my own beans. They taste so much better than canned, and freeze well. I use some of the water that the beans were cooked in for my hummus so it is not diluted of flavor. A whole eggplant, pierced with fork & roasted until it collapses, cool & scoop out flesh can also be added to hummus to cut back calories, increase cumin & garlic to accomodate mild eggplant.
Posted by: Jen Siskind | 03/14/2011 at 03:40 PM
Thank you fir this recipe! It sounds so good!!
Posted by: Kim | 03/14/2011 at 06:03 PM
Another low-fat hummus recipe!
All of this is done in the food processor:
4-5 garlic cloves minced (I just grab a scoop of Trader Joe's crushed garlic that I keep in the fridge)
2 (15oz) cans of chickpeas or white beans, rinsed
1/4c plain, fat-free yogurt
1/4c lemon juice
2 tbs olive oil
ground pepper (adds taste and flecks of color)
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
I also throw in my frozen, chopped chives
I have thrown in dried roasted red pepper flakes and after a day, they
soften and add nice colored flecks. I haven't added enough to affect the
flavor though--that will be my next experiment!
Posted by: Sue | 03/15/2011 at 09:52 AM
Simply made special Hummus making easier... and healthier
Posted by: Seema | 03/16/2011 at 08:35 AM