Beet Hummus

Steam the beets

1. Steam the beets by adding 2 inches of water to a large pot on the stove over high heat. Bring the water to a boil.
2. Trim the stems and greens off of the beets, then scrub the beets clean.
3. Add the beets to a steamer basket above the boiling water on the stove. Make sure that the beets do not touch the water.
4. Cover the pot, keep the stove on high and steam the beets for 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of the beets. After 30 minutes, remove the lid and pierce one of the beets with a fork. If it’s easy to slide the fork in and out of the beet, that means it’s cooked and you can turn the heat off on the stove.
5. Use tongs to remove the beets from the steamer basket. Run them under cold water, then use your hands to peel the beets. The skin of the beets will easily slide off after they’re steamed.
6. Place the peeled, steamed beets on a cutting board to cool. Once cooled, dice the beets into 1 inch cubes.

Prepare the hummus

1. Remove 2 tablespoons of the liquid from the can of garbanzo beans and set it aside.
2. Drain the rest of the liquid from the can of beans, rinse them, then add them to a food processor.
3. Add the beets to the food processor with the garbanzo beans. Add the 2 tablespoons of liquid reserved from the can of beans with the tahini, minced garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt.
4. Place the lid on the food processor and turn it on. As the hummus blends, pour the olive oil in the opening of the lid in the food processor. This way it will easily blend into the hummus.
5. Continue blending for 30-60 seconds, or until the hummus is smooth and creamy.
6. I recommend storing the hummus in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving. This will allow the flavors to meld together.
7. Before serving, you can optionally top the beet hummus with fresh chopped parsley, lemon zest, flaky sea salt and za’atar.