Photo by Lorelle Del Matto
Pumpkin Hummus with Fig Olive Gremolata
Hummus is hot. Sales reached 695.5 million in 2014, a number that has doubled since 2009 (Reference 1,2).
It’s become a staple in many homes, including mine. Not only is hummus scooped onto pita bread and chips, it is replacing butter and mayonnaise in wraps, sandwiches and more.
Arabic for “chickpeas” and the spread made with chickpeas, sesame paste and other ingredients, hummus has Middle Eastern roots going back to ancient times. (Reference 3). It’s no wonder hummus has kept a place on humanity’s plate for millennia – it’s tasty and nourishing.
Like other beans, chickpeas (garbanzo beans), are touted as superfoods because they are rich in fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals. One hundred grams (3.5 ounces) of the humble bean supplies as much protein as an ounce of meat, 25% of your Daily Value for fiber, folate and a variety of key vitamins and minerals. The other key hummus ingredient, sesame paste, is nutrient-packed, too, offering up healthful poly- and mono-unsaturated fats, protein, B vitamins andminerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, selenium and zinc.
A visit your market’s refrigerated spread aisle shows how hummus choices have expanded to include varieties based on white beans, lentils, beets and more, mashed up with sweet to spicy flavors, and other seasonings.
I got creative with hummus in my kitchen this fall by combining chickpeas with a favorite seasonal flavor, pumpkin. According to a CNBC report (Reference 4) a whopping 37% of consumers purchased pumpkin-flavored products last year, contributing to sales growth of over 11% in the past year.
Pumpkin gives the hummus a rich golden color thanks to the pigment beta carotene, a powerful antioxidant and vitamin A precursor which may have health-promoting benefits like protection against heart disease, cancer and asthma (Reference 5).
Link to my recipe, Pumpkin Hummus with Fig Olive Gremolata , created for Valley Fig Growers to launch their FABULOUS FIG Recipe series in the Fig Focus Newsletter. It makes for healthful and satisfying munching from Halloween to Thanksgiving.
Click here to subscribe to the Fig Focus Newsletter and receive upcoming recipes delivered to your inbox.
References
- Food Navigator http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/R-D/Eat-Well-Embrace-Life-We-want-to-be-the-Chobani-of-hummus
- Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hummus
- Medical News Today http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/279610.php
© 2015 Lorelle Del Matto
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