GF Vegan Hummus Pasta!

Spring produce is so fantastic!. So fresh and vibrant! Nothing beats the outrageous flavor of an organic zucchini or asparagus come Springtime.

yum-tastic!

Another great Spring treat are all the flowers! My mom picked up a bunch of flowers to plant in the backyard today. The colors are just outstanding. Everything is so healthy and bursting with life!

gluten-free AND vegan!

Inspired by the beautiful Springtime blooms outside, I decided to make a veg-tastic pasta dish tonight with gorgeous zucchini, red peppers, mushrooms, and red onions. I wanted it to be delicious, but in the spirit of Spring, I didn’t want the sauce to be heavy. Sooooo, I made a scrumptious, creamy and decadent pasta sauce that was light, yet satisfying. How??

With Hummus.

The basil brings it all together!

Yes, the humble chickpea got the starring role in this yummy pasta sauce. Hummus is packed with protein and delicious creamy flavor, without the heavy aftermath of say, an alfredo or cream sauce.

the velvety hummus sauce beautifully coats the pasta and veggies!

Here’s what you need:

Hummus:
1 can of chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
1 clove of garlic, roughly chopped
juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp Tahini (sesame seed paste — found at most supermarkets)
salt to taste — probably 1/2 – 3/4 tsp
about 1/4 cup water — to reach desired consistency
dash of paprika
scant 1/4 tsp cumin

Fire up your food processor for this hummus! This first step is totally*optional* — Peel your chickpeas. Chickpeas have an outer shell-membrane that comes off if you pinch the bean. I find that the consistency of the hummus is much smoother and creamy like Sabra Hummus if you take the tedious time to do this. But it is completely optional! OK — Put everything –minus the water– in your food processor and give it a whirl for about 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides every 30 seconds or so. While it is whirling away, slowly drizzle in your water. Add enough to get to your desired consistency. It will be smooth and luxurious!

Let that hang out while you cook your pasta and prepare your veggies.

decadent and creamy, yet guilt free!

Here’s what you need:

1 zucchini, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 red pepper, chopped into bite-sized pieces
6 mushrooms, sliced
1/2 red onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 big handfuls of spinach, chopped
splash of veg stock
dried basil
fresh basil
reserved pasta water — 1/2 – 3/4 cup

Saute your onion in 1 tsp EVOO with salt, pepper, and dried basil. Let that soften for about 4-5 minutes. Then, add your mushrooms and let them cook down and release their moisture — about 4-5 minutes. Then, add your zucchini and peppers. Allow them to cook for about 6 minutes, until they become slighty tender, but still with a firm bite. Then, add your garlic and stir for a minute. Finally, add your spinach and a splash of veg stock to wilt the spinach. Stir in your cooked pasta and hummus. Thin out the hummus with about 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta and toss everything to coat.  Reseason with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with fresh basil. YUM!

so many gorgeous colors! Red, Green, Purple! -- Eat the rainbow everyday!

This meal was delicious! It had a wonderful, almost Greek flavor with the garlicy hummus. It was so enjoyable with the bright zucchini, sweet peppers, earthy mushrooms and fresh basil! The sauce was creamy and velvety — simply luxurious if you ask me! The zucchini was wonderful in this because it was almost juicy! When you bit into it, there was a fresh, succulent explosion of sweet zucchini that beautifully complimented the thick, creamy, garlic hummus sauce.

mmmm!

What’s your favorite aspect of Spring? The flowers? Birds? Spring Break? Produce?

such a delicious forkful!

My food processor made this hummus pasta. It is truly my favorite kitchen tool. Invaluable. Here's the one I use:

Until Tomorrow!