Red Pepper Hummus

WOW, this is my first posting in 2010! Sorry that I have been slackin’. So I recently discovered that I really like hummus; when I was younger I was afraid to try it because it looked weird. {ha ha, I am so glad I grew out of that stage}

I adapted this recipe from the Weight Watchers from Pantry to Plate book. At first the recipe was a little bland, so I added some more cayenne to give it a kick! It was a good healthy snack with a bit of kick. Here is the original recipe.

RED PEPPER HUMMUS
Points Value: 2
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: None
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 4

Ingredients:
1 small garlic cloves
1 (15½-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup chopped rinsed roasted red bell pepper
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon tahini
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
Pinch cayenne

Instructions:
1. With the motor running, add the garlic to a food processor through the feed tube and process until finely chopped. Add the chickpeas, roasted peppers, water, tahini, lemon juice, salt and cayenne and process, stopping once to scrape down the sides of the bowl until smooth.

2. Transfer to a bowl; stir in more water 1 tablespoon at a time if the hummus is too thick to spread easily. (The hummus may be prepared and refrigerated, covered, for up to 3 days.)

Special Notes:
Hummus is classically served with vegetable dippers or toasted pita wedges, but you can also use it to make attractive hors d’oeuvres: Put a half tablespoon of the mixture on each of 32 cucumber slices and garnish each with a parsley leaf or dill sprig; 4 pieces will have a POINTS value of 1

Recipe Source:
Weight Watchers From Pantry to Plate

Print this recipe.

The ingredients…


Before the food processor…


Final product…


I hope you enjoy the recipe; happy cooking.

GRILLED VEGETABLES

Grilling vegetables on the grill is one of the best things about summer time. I am a huge fan of veggies and it’s been quite a chore to get my husband to eat them…so I combined a few of my favorite recipes to come up with this flavorful mix of grilled veggies.

Grilled Vegetables
Points Value: 1
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 – 15 minutes
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 4


Ingredients:
1 Red Bell Pepper
1 Yellow Bell Pepper
1 Orange Bell Pepper
1 Yellow Squash
2 Zucchinis
3 tablespoons of Light Olive Oil
1 tablespoon of Balsamic Vinegar
1 teaspoon of Minced Garlic
½ teaspoon of Oregano
Salt
Pepper

Instructions:
1. Slice up vegetables and place them into a mixing bowl.
2. Mix the oil, vinegar, garlic and oregano in a small bowl. Combine the marinade with the vegetables and toss to coat. Salt and Pepper the vegetables to taste.
3. Salt and Pepper the vegetables to taste
4. Place the vegetables in the microwave for 3 to 5 minutes to pre-cook.
5. Place the vegetables into either aluminum foil or grilling basket, and place onto grill.
6. Cook the vegetables until tender, tossing them frequently.

Ingredients…


Tossed and coated…



Ready for the grill…



Final Product…


CLICK HERE for a printable version of the Grilled Vegetable Recipe.

ASPARAGUS WITH BALSAMIC BUTTER

I was FINALLY able to dig up this recipe…since it is one of my favorites, I know how to make it without the exact instructions but I wanted to make sure that I provided all info to those of you that follow my blog. I love fresh vegetables as a side with my dinner; it seems to be the only way that I can get the husband to eat vegetables. But I digress, I had some asparagus that we got from Door to Door Organics and I decided to make it as our side dish. Again, since this was for guests I was a bit limited on my picture taking, but I do have a shot of the final product. Here is the recipe that I used…

ASPARAGUS WITH BALSAMIC BUTTER
Points Value: 0
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 minutes
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 4

Ingredients:
1 1/4 pound asparagus
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
1 tablespoon light stick butter
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:
1. Snap off tough ends of asparagus. Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a large skillet; add asparagus. Cook 4 to 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and place on a serving platter.

2. While asparagus cooks, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat; coat pan with cooking spray. Add shallots’ sauté 1 to 2 minutes or until soft. Remove from heat; stir in butter and balsamic vinegar. Pour balsamic butter over asparagus, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss well. Yields 4 servings (serving size: ¼ of asparagus).

Recipe Source:
Weight Watchers Easy Weeknight Favorites Cookbook

The final product…


Like I said earlier…one my favorites!

CLICK HERE for a printable version of the Asparagus with Balsamic Butter.

Enjoy!