Sprouted Hummus with Roasted Garlic and Red Peppers
I have always loved hummus but it was difficult for me to digest. One of the most miraculous things I discovered on my healing journey, was the ability to sprout grains and legumes at home. This made a whole list of foods which were previously irritating to my digestion, available for me to eat! Lots of my clients report difficulties in digesting legumes - I love teaching them how to sprout at home and offering lots of delicious ways to use the sprouts creatively in recipes!
Sprouting chickpeas offers several health advantages over eating them cooked or canned. The sprouting process increases the levels of essential nutrients like protein, vitamins, and minerals, making them more bioavailable for absorption. The reduction of anti-nutrients, such as phytic acid, further facilitates this. Sprouted chickpeas are also easier on the digestive system due to lower levels of complex carbohydrates and the presence of digestive enzymes. Additionally, the fiber content is heightened in sprouted chickpeas, which aids in gut health, regulates blood sugar, and promotes a feeling of fullness, aiding in weight management. Incorporating sprouted chickpeas into your diet can thus offer enhanced nutritional and digestive benefits.
Ingredients
2 cups of sprouted chick peas
1/4 cup tahini
1 red pepper
2 green onions, chopped
1 3/4 cups water
1 head of garlic
juice of half a lemon
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
black pepper and sea salt, to taste
Garnishes: sumac, parsley, paprika, sesame seeds
Directions
Roast the garlic: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel and discard the papery outer layers of the whole garlic bulb. Leave intact the skins of the individual cloves of garlic Chop off the top of the bulb to expose all the little garlic chunks inside. Wrap in aluminum foil and drizzle some olive oil all over the clove, rubbing it to coat the bulb. You can use a special dish called a garlic roaster if you plan on roasting garlic often, to avoid using aluminum foil. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Allow to cool and then squeeze the garlic out of the paper, or pick it out with a fork.
Roast the peppers: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut your pepper in half, removing stems, seeds, and membranes. Lay the peppers on silicone mat lined baking sheet, cut side down. Once the skins are blackened remove the peppers from the oven. You will need to check on them as all peppers are different. let the peppers cool for a few minutes until comfortable enough to handle and then peel the skins off and discard them. They’ll slip off easily.
Steam the chickpeas: While the garlic and peppers are roasting, steam the chickpeas for 5-7 minutes- steaming is optional although it is preferred by most for this recipe. To add extra flavour, keep the water used for steaming for the next step.
Blend all ingredients: Combine all of the ingredients, including the 1 3/4 cups of water, in a food processor or blender and mix until smooth.
Garnish: with some sumac or paprika, chopped parsley, sesame seeds, and a small drizzle of olive oil
Enjoy with slice veggies like celery and cucumber for dipping, baked almond flour tortillas (which turn into delicious chips! simply bake until golden at 350 degrees, break apart and enjoy!) or add a few spoonfuls to a salad.
