There I was at Trader Joe’s eyeing the dips to go along with my delicious and somehow healthy flaxseed tortilla chips. I reached for the traditional hummus cartons and read a few labels before being introduced to the layered hummus. When you dip your chip a variety of tasty flavors come together to form deliciousness. So of course, I wanted to make my own homemade version.

Make Your Own Chickpeas

I’ve gotten away from canned beans because of exposure to BPA found in the lining of cans. Additionally, dried beans make digestion oh so much better and if you eat a lot of beans, you know what I mean. They also taste better–no more of that metallic flavor that comes from eating something from the can. But if you choose the canned variety, I certainly wouldn’t be one to judge especially in a pinch.

To make beans, soak overnight. If the water is soaked up in the beans, refill it. Drain beans. Add to a large pot and cover with 2 inches of water. Turn the water up to a boil. Once boiling, turn down to simmer and cook for two hours. When the top is coated with white foam, be sure to spoon off the layer.

Roasting Red Peppers

I went with roasted red pepper, traditional, and collard hummus. The collards are loaded with nutrients and they make the hummus greener than just plain herbs do and the coloring is obviously an important element here.

Roasted a red pepper is quite simple actually. All you have to do is place it directly on the burner until the entire outside is charred as shown in the picture. Once charred, place it in a paper bag and use the bag to pull the outside charring off. If this doesn’t work completely, you can peel the remaining black bits off with your fingers.

Layered Hummus Dip

2 pounds cooked chickpeas
1 lemon, juiced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 cup tahini
1 tbsp sea salt
1/2 cup organic extra virgin olive oil
1/2 roasted red pepper, sliced
6 collard leaves, stems removed, washed

Method

1. Add chickpeas, lemon juice, garlic, tahini, and sea salt to a food processor. Drizzle in olive oil gradually and combine well.

2. Separate hummus into three different bowls. Add one bowl back into the food processor. Add in roasted pepper and combine well. Remove from the food processor and wash clean.

3. Add another bowl of plain hummus back into the food processor. This time add in collards and combine well.

4. Layer the three kinds of hummus into a glass container that makes it easy to see the layers. Serve with tortilla chips, veggies, or pita.

Read More: Raw Zucchini and Garlic Hummus

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