Red Pepper Hummus with Pan Grilled Asparagus

Hummus – a Middle Eastern classic, which also happens to be super versatile has become a daily fare for many folks around the globe. In addition to dining out at a Mediterranean restaurant once a week, some form of Mediterranean deliciousness is a must for dinner at my home. Hummus is my favorite because not only it is delicious but it takes the least amount of time to prepare, and is loaded with all sorts of goodness needed for our healthy being. It is rich in protein and fiber, helps fight hunger cravings (which in turn prevents excessive snacking) and assists in balancing blood sugar levels.
I happened to have a lone red bell pepper in the fridge, so I decided to make roasted red pepper hummus. Usually, I roast the peppers in the oven but this time I didn’t feel like turning the oven on for roasting one pepper, so I just roasted it in a pan on the stove top. Instead of serving hummus with pita (to avoid unnecessary carbs overload), I served it with pan grilled asparagus. Asparagus boasts amazing flavor on its own, but serving it alongside this creamy dreamy hummus takes it to a whole new level.

Ingredients

For Hummus:
2- 3 Garlic Cloves, roughly chopped
1 Teaspoon Extra-Virgin Olive Oil + more for drizzling
1 (15 ounce) Can Organic Garbanzo Beans, rinsed and drained
1 Tablespoon Tahini
Juice and zest of 1 Lemon
1 Organic Red Bell Pepper, sliced in quarters
1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
Salt to Taste
1/4 Teaspoon Sumac
Fresh cilantro or Parsley for Garnish
For Pan Grilled Asparagus:
1/2 Pound Asparagus Spears, trimmed and cut into 2-3 inch pieces
1/2 Teaspoon Olive Oil
1 Garlic Clove, minced
1/4 Teaspoon Dried Parsley
1/8 Teaspoon Sea Salt

Process

1. Steam the asparagus pieces for 3- 4 minutes or until crisp-tender.
2. Place a non stick pan over high heat and add half teaspoon of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add minced garlic and asparagus and stir for a minute. Continue cooking over high heat for another 2 minutes, or until the asparagus is cooked but still firm and bright green. Turn the heat off, sprinkle sea salt and dried parsley and toss to coat the asparagus evenly. Take the asparagus out in a plate and set aside.
3. Heat the same pan (coat with extra olive oil if needed) on Med-High heat. Once heated, add the chopped red pepper and roughly chopped garlic, and cook uncovered for a minute. Stir and cook for additional two minutes or until the skin of the pepper starts to blister and garlic is fragrant. Turn off the heat,cover the pan and set aside to cool.
4. Add garlic, red bell peppers (skin on), garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, cumin, salt, and a teaspoon of EVOO to the blender and process until smooth. Add more water or lemon juice for thinner consistency.
5. Take Hummus out in a serving dish, drizzle some more EVOO, lemon zest, sumac and fresh herbs. Serve with pan grilled asparagus.

Enjoy! 🙂