Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Dip, and Getting the Flavor Out of Life that You Put Into It

Life is a lot like food, isn't it?

It is open and ready—eager—to soak up all of the wonderful, amazing flavors that you're willing to infuse it with.

And it's been created to do just that.

When sweet, roasted red peppers, earthy olive oil, garlic, lemon, and a touch of savory and salty feta cheese are blended generously into a cool, smooth and creamy hummus dip, they infuse it with some vibrancy and a touch of smokiness, which makes for an experience that awakens the palette and offers an unforgettable and delicious taste bite after bite.

And so it can be with this life we live on a daily basis, this gift, if we choose to infuse it with those things that are sustaining, invigorating, and uplifting.

If we choose to infuse our existence with those things of an aromatic, flavorful, and heathy nature, what we get out of it, what we taste as a result of those glorious additions, is something extraordinarily delicious, satisfying, and conducive to an experience that is of the utmost quality.

We feel awakened, eager, and open to what is around the corner, and what the next bite will bring.

But if what we blend in is too bitter, too salty, or too sour, then there is no balance, and what we will primarily taste on our tongues will be something too harsh, and not at all comforting and inviting.

So infuse your life with what you would like to get out of it.

Infuse your life with love, kindness, mercy, forgiveness, and graciousness.

Blend in those elements, those ingredients, that will uplift you and raise you to a higher level, and allow for you to taste and savor something that you will enjoy experiencing and having melt away on your tongue.

May we trust that this daily life that we live, like food, just wants to absorb the best tasting, freshest, and most divine flavors that it can, so that what we get out of it will ultimately be the healthiest, most joyful, and most balanced existence that we can possibly have.

Taste what's good and pass it on.

Ingrid

Smoky Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Dip with Feta Cheese and Pine Nuts
by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

Yield: Serves about 6-8

Ingredients:

• 2 (15 ounce) cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• ½ cup roughly chopped roasted red peppers (from a jar), patted dry
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• 2 tablespoons (heaping) Greek yogurt, or sour cream
• 1 tablespoon finely crumbled feta cheese
• 2 small cloves garlic, smashed and peeled of papers
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup olive oil, divided use
• Pinch ground cumin, for garnish
• Pinch paprika, for garnish
• 1-2 teaspoons finely crumbled feta cheese, for garnish
• 1 teaspoon chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
• 1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts, for garnish
• Pita bread or flatbread, pita chips, cut veggies, etc. for dipping

Preparation:

-Add all of the ingredients up to and including the salt to the bowl of a food processor, and process until chunky-smooth; then, with the processor running, slowly begin to drizzle in the olive oil, reserving about 1 tablespoon worth to use as a garnish; process until completely smooth and well blended.

-Spoon the hummus into a bowl or container, and keep covered in fridge until ready to serve; then, to finish/garnish the hummus, drizzle over top the remaining tablespoon of the olive oil, add a couple of pinches of the ground cumin and the paprika, the teaspoon or two of feta crumbles, the chopped parsley, and the pine nuts for a little crunch.

-Serve cold with pita bread or flatbread, pita chips, or assorted cut veggies.