The light chickpea and bell pepper hummus is a variant of the classic chickpea hummus.
A light and flavorful chickpea and bell pepper cream.
Preparation times
Vary based on the use of dried or already cooked chickpeas.
The hummus is a dish of Middle Eastern origin.
It is traditionally served as an appetizer or used as a spreadable cream and sauce warm, at room temperature, or cold.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Portions: 2 People
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients
- cooked, boiled chickpeas (or canned chickpeas for 2 people)
- 2 bull's horn bell peppers (red or yellow)
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch mixed peppercorns (with grinder)
- leaves basil
- 1 pinch ground turmeric
- 1 pinch smoked paprika
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil (raw)
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp mixed seeds (salad mix)
Suggested Tools
- Baking Tray 10×11 inches
- Parchment Paper
- Chopper or Mixer
Preparation
Recommended servings according to healthy eating guidelines
– fresh, soaked, or canned legumes: 5.3 oz;
– dried legumes: 1.8 oz.
The weights are always personal.
Prepare the chickpeas following the procedure described in Cooking chickpeas in a pressure cooker | easy and digestible base recipe or, if you have them ready in the freezer, defrost a double portion.
Alternatively, use pre-cooked canned chickpeas.
Remember to rinse them well under running water: canned legumes often contain additives, salt, and sometimes sugar.
Among the types of packaging, glass jars are preferable to tin containers as they are less prone to deterioration.
Drain the chickpeas and set aside a couple of tablespoons if you wish to add them whole at the end of the preparation.
Wash the bell peppers thoroughly.
Remove the stem, divide each bell pepper in half, and empty the inside: remove the seeds and white parts with the help of a knife.
Cut into strips.Line a baking tray – wide, the peppers should not overlap – with a sheet of parchment paper.
Place the peppers on the tray with the skin side down and the inner side up in a single layer to avoid overlapping them.
Season with a pinch of salt and grind the pepper.Preheat the oven.
Bake in a ventilated oven at 392°F for 30 minutes, then let them rest for 10 minutes in the turned-off oven.Wait for them to cool before using.
Wash and dry the basil leaves, patting them gently with a paper towel.
Thaina is one of the traditional ingredients of hummus.
It’s a sesame seed-based sauce so dense and nutritious that it’s called sesame butter: sesame seeds are toasted, ground, and mixed with oil.
I prepared my light chickpea and bell pepper hummus without thaina, replacing it with a mix of seeds.
Alternatively, you can simply add a couple of tablespoons of toasted mixed seeds.Put in the mixer:
– chickpeas;
– basil;
– bell peppers;
– a pinch of salt;
– a pinch of pepper;
– turmeric;
– smoked paprika;
– oil;
– lemon juice;
and blend until you obtain a smooth and velvety cream.If the chickpea and bell pepper cream turns out too thick, add a little more oil and lemon juice.
Transfer the hummus to a deep plate or bowl and spread it using the back of a spoon.
Top with whole chickpeas if you set them aside, the seed mix, a pinch of mixed pepper, and a drizzle of raw oil, basil leaves.
Your light chickpea and bell pepper hummus is ready.
Enjoy your meal!
It is traditionally served as an appetizer or used as a spreadable cream and sauce warm, at room temperature, or cold.
– sauce for raw vegetables for pinzimonio or appetizers;
– sauce for dressing cold pasta, rice salad, or grains;
– spread for crepes, flatbreads, wraps;
– spread for bruschetta, crostini, and canapés;
– filling for vol-au-vent or canapés.
Storage, tips, and variations
Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for a couple of days.
You can season your chickpea hummus with the herbs and spices you prefer.
You can add garlic and onion.
You can replace the turmeric with saffron.
You can make your bell pepper hummus using other types of legumes.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Tips on pairing legumes
Recommended pairings:
– legumes + grains [example: bread, pasta, or rice], preferably choose whole grains;
– legumes + proteins.
Respect the proportions and combinations indicated in your diet plan.
For more information on the topic, read the article by clicking the following link: Pairing legumes in the diet.Bell peppers and glycemia
Bell peppers are among the vegetables that in case of hyperglycemia, prediabetes, and type 2 diabetes might cause a rise in blood sugar, so they should be consumed in moderate amounts and it’s advisable to monitor their glycemic response.
Bell peppers slightly change their sugar content based on their ripeness:
– green peppers are less ripe and less sweet but also harder to digest;
– yellow and orange peppers are ripe and have a more delicate flavor;
– red peppers are the ripest and sweetest with a slightly higher carbohydrate and sugar content.
At the same time, the riper peppers are more digestible.
For more information on the topic, read the article by clicking the following link: Bell peppers and glycemia: watch out for the degree of ripeness and quantity.
