Pumpkin and Red Lentil Dal Hummus

When I was a kid, dip was only option veggies were served with in my house.  Of course, as with many kids, I had little veggies with my dip (if you know what I am saying).  Now, there is nothing wrong with a little dip with your veggies, after all, you do need a little fat to absorb the nutrients in them.  But if I had been offered a flavorful healthier option, I know I would have taken it.

Hummus is my current favorite; I love it with raw veggies of any sort. It packs protein, so it really is a win win!  If I had been offered this as a veggie dip, I would like to think I would have given up regular old dip long ago.  I consider it a staple now in my fridge, and keep a big batch of it on hand as a sandwich spread and veggie dip.  Although I have many different recipes that I enjoy making, this is my favorite for the fall months!

Author: Amy Lyons O’Neil

Amy has worked for Fresh and Natural Foods since 2006 contributing to the variety of healthful foods we offer. She graduated with a degree in studio art from Bethel University in 2007, but in her senior year of college, found that her passion was with the art of food. She later used her photography and culinary skills to create a vegan food and recipe blog, Fragrant Vanilla Cake. She has also written 3 cookbooks. She specializes in vegan and vegetarian recipes. Local, fresh and organic food has always been her focus in whatever she creates.

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Servings: 24 | Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Ready in: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup red lentils
• 2 1/2 cups filtered water
• 4 cups pumpkin puree (canned is fine)
• 1/2 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 Tbsp sea salt
• 1 tsp dried ginger
• 2 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tsp ground cumin seed
• 1/4 tsp ground chipotle or cayenne pepper
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced

Instructions

Combine lentils and water in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook until lentils are soft and almost mushy about 20-25 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly, then pour into a food processor, along with all other ingredients and process until smooth. Keeps in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.