Pumpkin Hummus

I just returned from my second vacation to New Zealand. Pumpkin and kumara (sweet potato) are eaten frequently in that country. Here is an easy to prepare and tasty hummus recipe that helps incorporate more cancer-fighting carotenoids from pumpkin or sweet potato (kumara) into your diet.

• 1 cup cooked and drained garbanzo beans (or chick-peas)
• 1/2 cup cooked and pureed pumpkin
• 1/4 cup Tahini (ground sesame seeds)
• 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (or to taste)

Pumpkin Hummus (cont.)

Put all ingredients into your food processor and mix until smooth. Hummus is a beautiful very light orange color. Makes ~1-1/2 cups. Recipe can easily be doubled.

I use hummus on everything: as a sandwich spread, topping for baked potatoes, spread on crackers, and as a vegetable dip. This amount lasts less than a week in our home.

Note: I purchase dry garbanzo beans in the grocery store and cook my own at home, freezing them in 1-cup portions. This method is far cheaper than purchasing canned, plus I don’t have to rinse off all the high-salt liquid.