Super colourful roasted beet hummus

Hello everybody!

My name is Linda and I’m the founder of local online magazine and community, Orla Collective! What is it about? Well, quite simply: about “living differently in Luxembourg”. A few years ago, my partner David and I became interested in finding ways to live healthier, happier and also in a way that is kind to both our bodies and the planet. 

In the process, both of us became true foodies, health geeks, and grew fond of recycling, making our own things and learning more and more about living more sustainably.

However, we knew we were not alone, and wanted to find a way to connect with other like-minded people, so that’s why we made Orla Collective a collaborative, participatory project, where everyone is invited to share their own experiments with living a more mindful life. 

Within Orla, and with the help of our lovely contributors, we blog about everything related to this lifestyle: eco-inspiration, health tips, feel-food posts, homemade & zero-waste crafting ideas, and so many more topics. We also offer workshops and brunches from time to time, which are a great way to keep the community together and create new friendships. 

Today I’m going to share one of my latest recipes with you. It’s a delicious roasted beetroot hummus, which is not only really tasty but also incredibly colorful and a great way to wow your guests if you are looking for a healthy appetizer!

I was never a fan of beetroot, and it was actually very hard for me to start liking this vegetable. I knew it was an extremely healthy, detoxifying superfood, but it often tasted like earth to me, which pulled me off. 

But then I tried a technique which is often used to make kids love their veggies: just find ways to make it taste fun & delicious! And it worked. 

I went from disliking to loving beetroots, by trying scrumptious beetroot burgers with my friend Vesela (find the recipe on our blog: orlacollective.com), sweet & tangy colorful beetroot juices, and of course, beetroot hummus.

What better way to make beetroot tasty than adding it in a hummus?

Hummus is my favorite spread. It’s delicious and very nutritious: it’s protein-rich, high in iron, fiber, folic acid, zinc and magnesium thanks to the lovely chickpeas and tahini. It’s also great for the immune system thanks to the garlic & lemon, which are both anti-viral. Adding roasted beetroots in there gives it a sweet, caramelized flavor and a beautifully vibrant pink color!

Ingredients:

- 2 beetroots- 350g canned chickpeas, drained- 2 garlic cloves, peeled- 2 tablespoons tahini- 1 large lemon, juiced- 2 teaspoons cumin- 2 tablespoons olive oil- 4 tablespoons water- Salt, to taste

Directions:

1) First, you will be roasting your beetroots, which takes a bit of time. You can also do this a day before if it’s better for your schedule. Preheat your oven to 180°C. Peel and chop beetroots in medium chunks, put them in an oven-proof dish, toss with just a little bit of olive oil and then roast them in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes. When they are ready, remove them from the oven and let cool for another 10 minutes or so.

2) Now put the beetroot, chickpeas, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, cumin, olive oil and water in your food processor and blend thoroughly, till you get a nice thick creamy texture. Scrape the sides and blend again to make sure everything is well blended.

3) Isn’t the colour lovely? At this point, you can adjust the hummus to your taste. I typically add about a little less than a teaspoon of salt for seasoning, but you may need to add a little bit more as the beetroots in this hummus make it taste a little sweet. If you would like it a little bit more zesty, add a little more lemon juice, and of course, if you think your hummus is a little too thick, feel free to add a tablespoon or two of water and blend again. Just feel free to taste it and make it perfect for your taste!

4) When you’re done, serve the hummus in a lovely little bowl and serve it with some crispy pita breads (quick recipe below), or freshly chopped carrot, cucumber, celery or zucchini sticks.

BONUS: How to prepare the yummiest crispy pita breads

Slice your pita breads in halves. Heat some olive oil in a pan on medium high heat, and if you like garlic, add some of it finely chopped. When the oil is hot, put your pita breads in the pan, fry each side for 1 minute, just make sure it doesn’t burn but get beautifully golden! When ready, take out of the pan, feel free to blot some of the oil away with cooking paper, and sprinkle with oregano and sea salt. Those will be perfect to eat your hummus on!

TIP: Where to buy really great Tahini in Luxembourg

If you are looking for authentic, wholegrain tahini at a good price, look no further. David Copeland, fellow health foodie and contributor at Orla, sells wonderful tahini and lots of other quality whole foods in bulk here: www.consciousfoods.lu.

Enjoy it! Love, Linda

Check out Orla Collective's other articles in their own dossier: Living differently in Luxembourg

For more information about Orla Collective visit their website: www.orlacollective.com