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I can’t remember the first time I tasted Hummus, but I can tell you that ever since that day, I’ve been completely hooked.  I love the creamy texture and the rich flavor and I always feel like I’m eating a bit healthy when I have some.

There’s a great restaurant in Houston called Fadi’s Mediterranean Grill.  My husband first took me to Fadi’s right after we moved to Houston about ten years ago.  It’s at Fadi’s that I tasted the absolute best hummus I’ve ever had.  Not only do they make exceptional hummus but their Baba Ganoush and their Stuffed Grape Leaves (Dolmas) are to die for!  When my husband and I go to Fadi’s I always bring a container of the hummus home to enjoy later (usually that evening!).  If you’re ever in Houston, you have to visit Fadi’s!!

Back to my hummus…

When I first decided to try to make hummus at home I searched the internet for recipes.  The first hummus recipe I made was Melissa d’Arabian’s Black Bean Hummus.  It a terrific hummus recipe and so easy to make. Her recipe inspired me to recreate my favorite type of hummus which is made with roasted red peppers.  Sure, it’s simple enough to pick up a container of hummus at the store, but you’ll find it’s so easy and so much cheaper to make your own.  In addition, the flavors are so much deeper and richer in homemade hummus, you just can’t duplicate it in a store bought brand.

For my recipe of Roasted Red Pepper and Chickpea Hummus, I decided to roast my own red peppers.  Roasting your own red peppers for this recipe is so easy.  Of course, you can always pick up a jar of roasted red peppers from your grocery store, but I urge you to give roasting them yourself a try.  They taste so much better.

This Roasted Red Pepper and Chickpea Hummus is not only healthy, it tastes great too.  Serve it with pita chips or a lovely assortment of crudites such as carrots, celery, cucumbers and peppers.

INGREDIENTS FOR ROASTED RED PEPPER AND CHICKPEA HUMMUS

1 roasted red pepper  *(See below for directions on how to roast red peppers)

1 16 ounce can Garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained

1 clove of garlic

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon coriander

1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

pinch of pepper

DIRECTIONS

Place the roasted red peppers and the chickpeas in the base of a food processor.  Add the remaining ingredients and process well until you get a smooth texture.

Remove from the food processor and serve with chips, naan or an assortment of vegetables for dipping.

**To roast red peppers: First, wash the peppers well and make sure all the stickers are peeled off, slice them into strips, about 1 inch in length and remove the seed.  Place in a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Roast them in the oven at a temperature of 425 degrees F for 30 minutes. When you remove the peppers from the oven, you won’t have the charred skins, so I don’t peel them.

A side note:  Red peppers can also be roasted on the grill.  I’ve never roasted them this way before but you can find the instructions here.   I’ve always had success with mine in the oven.