Meatless Monday: Sweet Potato Hummus

Once a week why not try a meatless menu? You’ll have plenty of company at MeatlessMonday.com every week–check out the site for inspiration! Also, visit Midnight Maniac Meatless Monday for more meatless recipes.

One of the staples of a meatless diet is hummus, which is traditionally made with chickpeas (garbanzo beans), olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and tahini (sesame paste). I found a recipe for sweet potato hummus and just had to try it. Sweet potatoes are a good source of beta-carotene; added fat, such as olive oil or tahini, helps the body absorb even more beta-carotene. Research shows that steamed or boiled sweet potatoes help regulate blood sugar.

The hummus recipe was an instant hit at our house; last evening we served it with my husband’s pasta salad and homemade pita bread. The original recipe by Chef Debra Paquette of Restaurant Zola in Nashville, Tennessee can be found at What’s Cooking America. Here’s my version:

Sweet Potato Hummus

Sweet Potato Hummus

Ingredients:

4 medium sweet potatoes

2 teaspoons ground cumin seed

juice of 2 lemons

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 tablespoons tahini

1 tablespoon maple syrup (can be sugar-free)

Bake sweet potatoes in conventional or microwave oven. After they cool, remove the skins and mash the potatoes in a medium size bowl.

Place sweet potatoes and all other ingredients in a blender or food processor. Stir to combine ingredients and blend until mixture is fluffy. Place the finished hummus in a bowl, and adjust seasonings to taste if needed. Hummus is always delicious with pita bread…try it and enjoy!

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