Beetroot Hummus Recipe

Are you a hummus lover? If you said yes, you will love what is coming next.

This recipe is a little twist to your regular hummus, making it even more nutritious and full of anti-inflammatory compounds - Beetroot Hummus :)

It's pink, funky and tasty. And it's super easy to make, you've got to try it. So here's the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 400g of cooked chickpeas (from dry) or 1 can of chickpeas, drained

• 1-2 cloves of garlic

• juice of 1 lemon

• 2 tb of Olive oil

• 1 tsp of tahini (sesame paste) or sesame oil

• 1 medium fresh beetroot or more if like me, you like beetroots

Optional:

• 1 tb of yoghurt, light cream or a few tb of light coconut milk

• salt, paprika

• fresh herbs for serving

Method:

1. Start by cooking the beetroot first until tender. You can either boil the beetroot or if you want a little more of a smokey taste, you can roast it. If you choose to boil the beetroot, in a large pot over medium heat add water, a little bit of vinegar and salt. When the water is boiling, add the beetroot and let it cook for about 20-30 minutes. If you're opting to roast the beetroot, place the beetroot in foil paper. Preheat the oven on 180-190 Celsius and bake the beetroot for about 50-60 minutes. Whichever cooking method you choose to use, make sure the beetroot is tender by inserting a knife into the middle.

2. Peel the cooked beetroot and cut it into thick slices or rough cubes.

3. Add garlic, lemon juice and tahini in food processor and blend until you have a creamy paste.

4. Then add chickpeas, beetroot, olive oil and any other optional toppings to the processor and blend. Wait until you get a creamy texture. Season to taste.

5. Serve in a nice bowl and you've got some fancy dip to impress your guests. Bon appétit!

Nutritional benefits of beetroot:

• Beetroots are packed with nutrients: fibre, folate, manganese, potassium, iron and vitamin C.

• Beetroots and beetroot juice has been associated with enhanced exercise performance. They provide nitrites which are key components of nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is a potent vasodilator which improves blood circulation.

• Betanin is the compound in beetroots that gives it this strong red/purple color. This plant compound with other phytochemicals (chemicals from plant origin) may help in reducing inflammation in the body, notably joint inflammation.

You can check the health benefits of hummus here

If you've tried the recipe and liked it, don't forget to tag me on social media: on Facebook Fitforme by Anya Benoit and instagram fitforme.mu using the hashtag #fitformebyanya