Ingredients
- 2 medium-sized Red beets
- 1 cup cooked chickpeas
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 Meyer lemon
- ยผ cup Extra Virgin olive oil
- ยฝ tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Wash and trim 2 red beets and wrap them in tinfoil. Place them on a baking sheet and roast them for about an hour at 375 degrees until they are super tender. NOTE: If you buy your beets with the greens on them, don't toss them! Those greens are not only delicious but at one time, they were the preferred portion of the plant. Just cook them up as you would spinach or Swiss chard. I sautรฉ them with garlic and olive oil.
- FACT: Did you know that beets were considered an aphrodisiac by the ancient Romans? And they were on to something. Because of their nitrates, these tasty little gems can increase blood flow... all the way down there. Also, they contain high amounts of boron, which is directly related to human sex hormone production. Sounds like the only thing this hummus recipe is missing is some Barry White.
- In a small fry pan, add 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds and cook them over a medium-high heat for about 5 minutes until toasted. Toss the seeds frequently to prevent them from burning. As they cook, they will release their natural oils and begin to stick together more, so have a spatula ready.
- When the red beets are fully cooked (you can tell by poking them with a knife), remove them from the oven and let cool. Then peel and cube them.
- Add the following ingredients to your food processor: 1 cup of chickpeas, 1 clove of garlic, the toasted sesame seeds, the roasted beets, 1/4 cup olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Puree.
- Add 1/2 of the juice of 1 lemon to the mixture and puree it. Add more lemon juice as needed. FACT: What's in a name? Well, in 1908, USDA employee Frank Nicholas Meyer brought a little fruit back from China that looked like an orange-yellow lemon but tasted much sweeter. Many believe the fruit is a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange.
- Enjoy! I like to garnish mine with parsley and sesame seeds.
Storage Tips:
How to Store Beets
Cut the greens off the tops of fresh beets, leaving 2 inches of stem. Seal unwashed beets in an airtight bag and refrigerate. Fresh beets will keep for weeks stored this way.
How to Store Beet Greens
Wrap beet greens in a damp paper towel. Place greens in an airtight bag and refrigerate. Use within 3 days.
Jerry’s Hacks:
Fight Food Waste
Root greens, like those from beets and carrots, can be chopped up in salads, blended into smoothies, or used in homemade pesto.
Hummus Options
When making regular hummus, if you don’t have Tahini, you can easily substitute peanut butter.