Spiced Pumpkin Hummus

Hummus is loved all over the world for its hearty texture, nutty and tangy flavour, and diversity in its use.

At home we eat hummus most days. With vegetables, on toast, in salad bowls, or to accompany meat. I especially love making it for my little person with different flavour combinations, as it’s a terrific way to sneak in vegetables, herbs and spices. Plus the health benefits from chickpeas, tahini and extra virgin olive oil are endless, so i’m more than happy for her to eat it straight from a spoon.

The biggest difference with home-made hummus versus commercially brought hummus, is the use of vegetable oils (canola, safflower, sunflower, soy, ect). Vegetable oils are cheap, and have a very mild flavour, so it’s a favourable choice for food companies to use. However in large amounts, vegetables oils are toxic and pro-inflammatory.

Some commercially made hummus, and dips in general, also often contain gums, thickeners, flavour enhancers, preservatives and regulators. None of which benefit our health.

This spiced pumpkin hummus recipe contains zero junk, but is packed full of fibre, protein, calcium, magnesium, polyunsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants. Providing a host of health benefits including;

  • Weight management

  • Healthy glucose metabolism

  • Cardiovascular health

  • Digestive support

One of my favourite things about hummus. Is how simple it is to make, and how easy it is to change the flavour. Other flavours are I like are;

  • Roast beetroot

  • Jalapeño

  • Green (all the herbs)


Ingredients

1 can chickpeas (drained & washed)

1 cup spiced roast pumpkin *see below

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

2-3 tbsp tahini

Juice of 1 lemon

S&P to taste

Spiced pumpkin

1 butternut pumpkin

2 garlic cloves

1/2 tsp each

  • turmeric

  • cumin

  • garam masala

1 tbsp olive oil

Method

Spiced pumpkin

  1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees. Remove skin and seeds from pumpkin, chop into cubes and lay on a lined baking tray.

  2. In a small bowl combine all spices. Then coat the pumpkin with olive oil and spice mix.

  3. Roast for 25mins, then add garlic cloves and continue to roast for another 10-15min or until well cooked and some parts have gone dark brown. Time will depend on oven and how big pumpkin pieces are.

  4. Allow to cool in fridge before using for humus.

Hummus

  1. In a food processor, combine 1 cup of roast pumpkin and all other ingredients.

  2. Adjust flavour to liking with additional pumpkin, lemon, olive oil, tahini and S&P

  3. Keep in fridge for 1 week, or freeze for up to 3months.

*Serves 10 | 125cals per serve


Georgie Gorman