Roasted Red Pepper and Sun Dried Tomato Hummus

Ingredients

• 1 cup chickpeas (soaked and cooked, or canned*)
• ¼ cup roughly chopped roasted red pepper (freshly roasted or canned)
• 2 tbsp sundried tomato
• 3 tbsp tahini (the runny kind)**
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro (leaves + fine stems)
• 3 cloves garlic (small or large cloves, to taste)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
• ½ tsp cumin
• ¼ tsp smoked paprika (regular paprika works in a pinch)
• ½ tsp sea salt, or more to taste
• Optional, for garnish: extra virgin olive oil, toasted pine nuts, walnuts or pistachio, fresh cilantro, za’atar, smoked paprika, roasted chickpeas, sauteed mushrooms
• Optional, for dipping: fresh vegetables (e.g. carrots, bell peppers, cucumbers), crackers

*Removing the skins from canned chickpeas is helpful to minimize gas and bloating that can be caused from eating legumes. Simply empty the can of chickpeas into a large bowl of water, rise and drain to discard the aqua faba (the gelatinous liquid from the can), refill the bowl with water and then lightly rub the chickpeas between your hands until the skins come off. The skins will come off easily and float to the surface of the water. Discard skins and drain chickpeas.

**Middle Eastern tahini (Israel, Lebanon) is generally runny. (We’re partial to Soom tahini!)