Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

When you're a poor student AND a vegetarian you eat a lot of hummus, I mean tons. Dried chick peas are cheap and a jar of tahini will last you a long time. So I quickly learned to vary my hummus so as not to lose my mind with boredom.

I've added carrots, parsley, beets and spinach to hummus. I even recently tried a version with avocado (wasn't a huge fan, too much avocado and not enough hummus for me). But my favorite flavored version is roasted red peppers, particularly if they're fresh roasted. And when I was watching my pennies, buying a jar of peppers wasn't the best investment. When the summer abundance of red peppers arrived, I would roast up a bunch and keep them in a jar under a layer of olive oil.
Hummus is one of those go-to recipes I use for unexpected company or when I'm in the mood for a quick cold dinner. While it is traditionally served with pita - toasted or not - I often eat it with cut veggies like carrots, celery or even cucumber. I love the crisp coolness of veggies with the smoothness of the hummus.

This version includes a few tablespoons of yogurt because I like the smoothness it brings to the dip but you can easily leave it out and simply add more oil and keep it vegan.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

1 1/2 cups cooked chick peas
2 whole roasted red peppers
4-5 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons tahini
juice from 2 small lemons
2 teaspoons cayenne (use only 1 if you want less heat)
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons yogurt
1/2 cup olive oil

Place all in blender and process until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.

Hugs!

Recipes currently inspiring me:
Easy Chorizo and Potato Huaraches at Sticky Gooey Creamy Chewy
Homemade Nutella at Family Style Food
Asiago Crusted Baked Zucchini Sticks at Taste Space