Pizza Hummus

 I would like you to meet someone. Her name is Morgan and she's pretty much my best friend. (Hi Morgan!) We met for the first time at Joey's family vacation last summer in Indiana and became the best of buds right away. She's energetic, adorable, smart and loves salad. Seriously.

This past fall we met up with Morgan and her family in Minnesota to watch Joey's brother play football. I arrived at the hotel late on Friday night, went swimming with everyone, and completely forgot about how hungry I was until 10 pm, when most of the usual restaurant options were closed. So Joey, Morgan and I headed to the grocery store in search of grub. What we ended up with was a bag of whole wheat pitas and a container of pizza hummus.

And while the pizza hummus didn't get Joey all that excited, Morgan and I couldn't get enough. I'm not ashamed to say we finished of the entire container in under ten minutes. But it wasn't until this week, when I picked up a container of Trader Joe's Tomato Basil Hummus that I realized I could make something similar at home for a whole lot less.

Pizza Hummus

Ingredients
*1 (8.5-oz.) jar sun dried tomatoes in oil
*1 (15-oz.) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
*2 Tablespoons marinara sauce
*Olive oil 
*1 tsp. Italian seasoning
*Salt and black pepper
*Additional olive oil (optional)

Instructions
*Place sun dried tomatoes and oil into the bowl of a food processor. Process for 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add in the chickpeas, marinara sauce and a long drizzle of olive oil (about 2 to 3 tablespoons), Italian seasoning and a sprinkle of salt and black pepper.
*Continue to process for another 5 to 6 minutes, until hummus is well blended and smooth, adding additional olive oil as necessary. Transfer to a resealable container and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Happy Cooking!

Madison

Favorite Veggie Sandwich with Parsley-Curry Hummus

There are few things in life that bring me as much peace and satisfaction as a fully-stocked fridge. Call me weird but the ritual of cleaning out the fridge and filling it with colorful produce, milk, Greek yogurt, and yummy extras is just so settling. Maybe it's knowing that I won't starve if all the grocery stores in Des Moines abruptly close. Or maybe it's because I know that I'll be able to make sandwiches like this.

Don't let the fact that it's healthy to the max scare you away, because it's also super tasty and complex, thanks to a layer of homemade Parsley-Curry Hummus, Dijon mustard and mashed avocado. Mashed avocado makes everything divine.

While we're on the topic of sandwich spreads, let's chat hummus: it's creamy, adaptable, healthy, expensive to buy and cheap to make at home. The bulk of the cost comes from two cans of garbanzo beans, which cost me $0.79 each, and it stores well in the fridge for weeks. Once you've tried this variety, try mixing it up with roasted red peppers, jarred olives, or fresh basil in place of the parsley.

Parsley-Curry Hummus
(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients
*2 (16-oz.) cans garbanzo beans (chick peas), rinsed and drained
*1/2 cup olive oil
*2 Tbsp. milk 
*1/2 cup Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
*1/2 tsp. salt
*1/2 tsp. curry powder
*1/2 tsp. paprika
*1/4 tsp. black pepper

Instructions
*Combine all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary, about 2 to 3 minutes.
*Refrigerate, covered, until ready to use.

Favorite Veggie Sandwich

*2 slices 100% Whole Wheat Bread
*1 Tbsp. Parsley-Curry Hummus or other hummus spread
*2 tsp. Dijon mustard
*1/2 of a medium avocado, mashed
*1/2 of a small tomato, sliced
*1/4 cup sprouts
*Lettuce leaves
*1/3 to 1/2 cup sliced cucumbers
*1 slice provolone or sharp cheddar cheese (optional)

Instructions
*Spread one slice of bread with the hummus. Spread the other side with the Dijon mustard, followed by the mashed avocado.
*Stack on the veggies and eat.

Happy Cooking!

Madison