Roasted Beet Hummus Pizza

I think I am pumped about Valentine’s Day. Can you tell? Maybe because there might be a possibility I might have a Valentine’s baby. Hmmmm. Either way, the hubby and I have been preparing furiously making sure everything is ready for our new baby.

It is incredible realizing one does not have enough furniture like drawers for the baby and the toddler. How much can one accumulate? I guess the more bodies become part of the family the more it is required. We bought some drawers for our toddler and I am in the process of washing and drying all the newborn clothes.

Oh yes, we are having another girl!

I think I might be celebrating pink. I never liked the color pink until my first baby girl was born. I had my nails painted pink and I bought a pink cellphone cover. I did a whole 360. It is nice to know we did not have to buy anymore clothing. It was beautiful going through the newborn clothing and seeing how tiny a baby can be. She will be here soon!

So pink hummus? I really tried convincing the hubby to taste some of this hummus but he has something against beets. Even though he likes hummus, beets are not. I made a double batch of hummus because Julianne LOVES hummus with veggies and rice crackers. She can eat spoons of it,

Since the veggie intake varies daily with Julianne, I try adding it to different meals in puree or dip form. This recipe was really easy and SO delicious! You can make this for a Valentine’s Day lunch or for a light dinner. It will set such a mood and little is required. Even though I used pita rounds you can use your own pizza crust recipe.

I made a similar pizza for Thanksgiving one year called Caramelized Red Onion, Spinach, and Pumpkin Hummus Pizza. It is actually one of the most popular recipes on my website and is listed on the left side of my website. Of course you would have to modify the recipe as I wrote it but it would just be fine. A warm pizza with hummus is amazing and does not require any cheese. If you wanted cheese I would feta cheese sprinkled on top of the salad portion of the pizza.

The other ingredient that seals the deal for me is the balsamic glaze. I did not make it but I bought a huge bottle of it at Home Goods for super cheap. Can you tell I like Home Goods? It totally skips a step and saves time. Perfect for busy families. I still need to drizzle some on strawberries….yum!

Make the hummus at least and snack on it daily. You are getting your daily iron and protein with this. Enjoy!

Roasted Beet Hummus and Pizza

by Noelle Kelly

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Ingredients (10-12 people)

For roasted beet hummus

1 large beet, peeled and cubed
olive oil
sea salt
black pepper
4 cups chickpeas, cooked
2 Tablespoons tahini paste (Sesame seed paste)
3 garlic cloves
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika

For pizzas

10-12 whole wheat pita rounds, 6-8 inches wide
10 cups mixed greens
olive oil
balsamic glaze, store-bought
sesame seeds

Instructions

Roasting Beets

Heat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Peel beet and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces. Drizzle with olive oil (1-2 Tbsp) and sprinkle salt and pepper. Cook for 15-20 minutes.

Allow the beets to cool.

Chickpeas

You can use canned beans but crock pot beans are the best and make the most creamy hummus.

Soak 1 1/2 to 2 cups dry chickpeas overnight. Place in crock pot, cover in water, place 2 pieces of kombu (seaweed) the next day on high and cook for 3-4 hours. Keep a 1/2 cup of chickpea liquid for blending.

Cool the chickpeas.

Blending

If available, use a high-powered blender like a Vitamix or Blendtec. It makes for the creamiest hummus. I have made it in a food processor and it is not the same.

Add all the ingredients including the beets and chickpeas and blend until smooth. Use hummus immediately or refrigerate.

For pizzas

use 6-8 inch pita bread rounds (hummus makes for 10-12 pizzas)

Add 1/4-1/2 cup roasted beet hummus to each pita

Bake in oven for 10 minutes on 400 degrees.

Toss mixed greens a little olive oil and sea salt and mix in some balsamic glaze.

Place on top of the hummus pita pizza. Drizzle with more balsamic glaze and sprinkle with sesame seeds.