Garlicky Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

I've been fiddling with this recipe for years to keep trying to make what I think is a really good hummus. This is probably going to be my final product for quite a while. Hummus is so versatile: you can use it as a dip or as a sandwich spread. And, it's healthy and tasty to boot! Hope you like this version as much as I do.

Garlicky Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

As a dip with fresh garden picked radishes, whole wheat pita chips, baby carrots, zucchini and celery. Yummy!

As a sandwich spread for a nice lunch or an easy dinner with chips and one of my mom's homemade pickles, of course!

Garlicky Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Ingredients:

1 - 15oz. can of garbanzo beans, drained
1 Tbs. tahini
1 and 1/2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 and 1/2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 cup roasted red bell peppers - I usually buy jarred peppers, unless I'm taking the time to roast them myself. A little liquid that clings to the peppers is all right.
4 or 5 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp. of salt

Directions:

Simply pour all the ingredients into a food processor (I hope you have one) and blend until it is a nice, smooth consistency. I like my hummus pretty smooth, so it may take a minute or more to achieve that. (If you don't have a food processor, soften the garbanzo beans and garlic by cooking them in water for a few minutes, then drain. Try mashing with a potato masher.) Makes a fantastic dip or sandwich spread. Feeds five hungry vegans.

Strawberry Cream Cheese

This is a very easy recipe, and it tastes good and looks beautiful, so I make it every now and then. It's a simple spread that we like to put on bagels for breakfast. Maybe you'll like it too.




Strawberry Cream Cheese
Ingredients:

1 8oz. container of Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese
5 large strawberries, washed
Cinnamon Raisin and Plain bagels

Directions:

In a medium bowl, scoop out the cream cheese. Dice the strawberries very small. With a fork, gently mix together the two ingredients. You can either toast or not toast the bagels beforehand, then spread the cream cheese over them. Open wide and enjoy. Feeds five hungry vegans.