For my birthday this year my wonderful Yummy Hubby and kiddies gave me a morning away at the spa for a facial. It had been years since my last facial and just what I needed to de-stress. Us moms (and dads) of littles give and give and give, and often forget to have a moment to ourselves to regroup. The spa staff was so warm and attentive that it made me realize what a difference the quality of service can make. After my treatment my esthetician brought me complimentary fruit and a fresh plate of veggies and hummus. She invited me to stay and relax in the spa for as long as I liked before heading back home to my sweet monkeys. The caring hospitality and attention to detail made all the difference in a rejuvenating spa day. I only hope I can make my own guests feel as welcome when they come to my house. One recipe I love to make when girlfriends come over is hummus. It’s a great make-ahead snack that is tasty and good for you. Homemade hummus is incredibly easy – it’s just a can of garbanzo beans, a spoon of tahini, some lemon juice and olive oil. From there you can spice it up however you like. One of my favorites is the Edamame Hummus in my cookbook, but I also love adding beets. The color is an incredible magenta. It’s so vibrant that’s almost hard to believe came from nature and not a neon food dye.

You can roast beets yourself for the best possible flavor. I love to roast beets when I have time on weekends to use in salads all week, but I have also found these peeled and steamed beets from the grocery store to be very convenient. My girls even like them in lunchboxes.

Add this beautiful hummus to your must-make file. Up next on my must-make list is nut butter like they make at Big Spoon Roasters. I’ve just stayed up way past my bedtime devouring the stories from food artisans on Bon Appetit’s Out of the Kitchenseries.
Beet Hummus Recipe
Ingredients:
  • 1 (15 oz.) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed (or 1 ½ cups cooked beans)
  • 1 small to medium beet, roasted, peeled and quartered
  • 1 tablespoon tahini
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • extra virgin olive oil

Instructions
1. Place beans, beet, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and salt into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times. With the processor running, pour olive oil slowly through the feed tube until the hummus is smooth and has reached the desired consistency.
2. Spoon into a bowl and enjoy with pita chips or veggies for dipping.


    Want to meet purveyors who are making a difference with their customers? Check outBonAppetit.com’s “Out of the Kitchen”, an ongoing exploration of the relationships that build and sustain the food industry. See how hyper-local food markets operate and how their focus on quality and service keep customers coming back for more.