Roasted eggplant hummus

I experiment with different flavors of hummus, since I usually eat it for lunch with vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and the occasional pita chips or veggie straws.  In the past I have made hummus with avocado and roasted red peppers.  Other times I used a can of artichokes hearts.  The only two that need cooking before combining all the ingredients are the eggplant and the red peppers.  I roast the red peppers the way I roast the eggplant.   You don't even have to peel the skin once the peppers are roasted.  It will  blend in with the rest of the ingredients in the food processor.  As for the avocado, I only use one.  The same with the canned artichoke hearts.  I make sure I drain them before I put them in the food processor.  Enjoy! 

For the roasted eggplant

1 lbs eggplant

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Wash the eggplant.  Cut it in cubes and toss it with olive oil and salt and pepper.  Spread it in a cookie sheet lined with wax paper.  Roast at 400°F oven for half hour.  Remove from the oven. 

For the hummus

1 can-15 oz each chickpeas

1 clove garlic 

3 tbsp tahini (sesame paste)

¼  cup reserved juice from the chickpeas 

½ cup lemon juice (about 1 and ½ lemons) depending on taste

¼ cup olive oil

In a food processor add the chick peas, garlic, tahini and roasted eggplant.  Blend till smooth adding the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste and the juice from the chick peas.  Blend well till smooth.  Refrigerate till ready to use. 

Nutrition Facts (24 servings = 1oz/serving)

Servings 24.0

Amount Per Serving

calories 90

Total Fat 4 g

Saturated Fat 1 g

Monounsaturated Fat 1 g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g

Trans Fat 0 g

Cholesterol 0 mg

Sodium 16 mg

Potassium 185 mg

Total Carbohydrate 12 g

Dietary Fiber 4 g

Sugars 2 g

Protein 4 g

Hummus with Sun-dried tomatoes and Sour dough bread toasts

Hummus is not very popular in Greece.  It originated in the Middle East, but more and more restaurants in Greece begin to offer hummus as an appetizer dish.  Chickpeas or garbanzo beans are popular in Greece, but they are used mostly for soups or mixed with cooked rice.  On the other hand, tahini or sesame paste, can be found in Greece.  (Greek tahini is even exported in the US.  On occasion, I will find it in the whole food stores).  From what I remember from my grandmother, tahini was sometimes used to sooth stomach ulcers or upset stomach.  I am not quite sure of its medicinal powers but for someone to eat it just plain has to acquire quite a taste. 

I think tahini (sesame paste) tastes better when it is mixed with chickpeas, garlic and lemon juice.  Thus, I give you my variation of hummus with sun-dried tomatoes.  

Enjoy!!!

Hummus with Sun Dried Tomatoes           

Forty Five (45) servings approximately (about 2 tbsp per serving)

2 cans-15 oz each chickpeas

1 tsp garlic (about 2 cloves garlic) crushed or chopped

¼ cup sun dried tomatoes packed in olive oil

6 tbsp tahini (sesame paste)*

1 cup reserved juice from the chickpeas (there will be about 1 ½ cups liquid from the canned chickpeas) or you can substitute 1 cup of water. 

½ cup lemon juice (about 1 and ½ lemons)

¼ cup olive oil

Drain and rinse the chickpeas reserving the liquid.

In a food processor, or blender, pulverize (grind) together the chickpeas, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and tahini.  Add one (1) cup of the reserved liquid from the chickpeas while blending.  Add the lemon juice alternating with the olive oil while blending.  It should come to a thick consistency.  If you prefer a thinner consistency, add more of the reserved liquid from the canned chickpeas.  Garnish the hummus with sun dried tomato pieces and a drizzle of olive oil (per picture).  You can serve right away, or refrigerate and serve later, with sour dough and rosemary toasts or vegetables. 

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size                                                     1 serving(30.8g) (approximately 2 tbsp)

Amount Per Serving

            Calories                                                            47

Calories from Fat                                                          23                    % Daily Value^*

Total Fat                                                                       2.6g                             4%

Saturated Fat                                                               0.4g                             2%

Cholesterol                                                                   0mg                             0%

Sodium                                                                         61mg                           3%

Total Carbohydrates                                                     5.1g                             2%

Dietary Fiber                                                                 1.1g                             4%

Sugars                                                                         0.1g

Protein                                                                         1.3g

*Tahini or sesame paste can be found in any whole foods stores and even supermarkets.

Sour dough bread with olive oil and rosemary toasts                                                              

Fourteen (14) pieces

3 slices of a day old sour dough bread cut in quarters (I was able to loosely fill a 4-cup measuring cup)

¼ cup olive oil

1 tsp dried rosemary (crush the rosemary between your fingers to break up the pieces)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cut the bread into quarters (it depends how big the slices are.  My bread was a sour dough bowl bread.  Since the slices were quite large, I was able to use just 3 slices and make about 14 pieces). 

Put the pieces on a cooking sheet and brush both sides with olive oil.  Sprinkle with the crushed dried rosemary.  Place on the top rack in a 400 degree Fahrenheit preheated oven and bake until golden brown.  By turning the oven to 400 degrees instead of broiling, both sides of the bread will toast to a golden brown. 

Remove from the oven and serve with hummus.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size                                                     1serving(9.5g)

Amount Per Serving

                        Calories                                               52

Calories from Fat                                                          37                    % Daily Value^*

Total Fat                                                                       4.1g                 6%

Saturated Fat                                                               0.5g                 3%

Cholesterol                                                                   0mg                 0%

Sodium                                                                         29mg               1%

Total Carbohydrates                                                     3.5g                 1%

Dietary Fiber                                                                 0.3g                 1%

Sugars                                                                         0.2g

Protein                                                                         0.4g