Hands down, the Middle East is one of my favourite regions in the world to visit. I loved sleeping on rooftops, shopping the magical bazaars, and sampling the amazing cuisine. Just as you would be served a bread basket here at home, a bowl of creamy hummus and freshly made pita is the Middle Eastern way of welcoming you into their restaurant. Their hummus is rich with flavours that we could only hope to replicate. I think this may be partially due to their top quality olive oils that are equally aromatic as they are rich in flavour. So what do I do when I can’t replicate their delicious hummus – create a ‘chickpea spread’ instead. This Healthy Oil-Free Hummus with Sundried Tomatoes knows that it will always be overshadowed by its creamy hummus cousin, but coming in second isn’t so bad either.
“Dehydrating fruits and vegetables is a great way to preserve excess crop, and allows you to enjoy seasonal produce all year round. This can be done in a dehydrator, or in an oven at a very low heat.“
Last summer my dehydrator turned our surplus of cherry tomatoes into beautiful little sundried tomatoes. With the new seasons harvest just around the corner, finding new ways to use sundried tomatoes can make old recipes new and exciting. As this recipe doesn’t have any liquid, it lacks the consistency of traditional hummus and is more akin to peanut butter. When paired with a few crackers, it makes it the perfect afternoon snack. If your looking for a more traditional style hummus, my favourite go-to recipe is Trent and Lara’s Roasted Garlic Hummus.
Fresh Bread in the Morning – Kurdishstan Iraq
Healthy Oil-Free Hummus with Sundried Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 1 can chickpeas drained and rinsed*
- 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes roughly chopped**
- 1 clove garlic chopped
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- 2 heaped tbsp tahini
- sea salt to taste
- 1-2 tbsp water optional
Instructions
- Add all ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth. A few chunks of sundried tomato adds a nice texture. Taste and season with salt as necessary. If the mixture is too thick for your liking, water and re-blend to thin it out.
- Serve with crackers, vegetable sticks or as a spread on sandwiches.
Notes
**the sundried tomatoes used in this recipe were not packed in oil.
Make it seasonal: Omit the lemon, use a small amount of apple cider vinegar for acidity.
Add more protein: Add in 4 tbsp hemp hearts before blending.
Boost the vegetables: Serve on top of sliced cucumber rounds.
Nutrition
Rachel Dickens, The Conscious Dietitian, is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator. She graduated with her Masters in Nutrition and Dietetics in 2010 from Griffith University. She strives to provide evidence-based nutrition information with a focus on plant-based nutrition, and share some of her favourite seasonal recipes and sustainable eating tips.
Elsa | the whinery
June 10, 2015 at 7:37 pmThis looks delicious! it incorporates some of my favourite things (chickpeas and sundried tomatoes), what a yummy combination. I’m going to have to try this! :-)