"Beet" the Blues Hummus

 

"The more color we include on our plates, the more health promoting properties we get from our foods".  Hummus made with garbanzo beans, is rich in protein and soluble fibers.  Adding a beet to the recipe means adding the powerful antioxidant Anthocyanin studied for the ability to fight heart disease, cancer and even Alzheimer's Disease. The red water that leached from the beet as I cooked it helped to process and smooth the small amount of beans, garlic, seeds and beet chunks in the mini food processor.  My grocery store now sells beets by the pound rather than by a group (which means I can buy 1 beet at a time).

Beet Hummus

(Serves 3-about 2 tablespoons each)

Cook beans in 2 cups water.  Drain and rinse.
1/4 cup dry garbanzo beans

Cook beets in water in microwave, about 5 minutes.
1 beet, peeled and cut in chunks

Reserve the cooking water from the beet.  Combine the cooked beans and beet in a mini food processor.  Add sesame seeds, sesame oil, lemon juice, garlic and syrup.  Process until smooth, adding little bits of the beet water to the mix until desired smoothness and consistency is reached.
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 teaspoon brown rice syrup