We may have a slight obsession with hummus. But can you blame us? A good sauce or dip is the easiest and most delicious way to add some excitement and flavor to your dishes. Prior to the SCD lifestyle, one of our favorite snacks was gluten-free pretzels and hummus. Now, our crunchy dipping implements are fresh veggies, almond flour crackers, and Epic pork rinds (yes, SCD legal!). Hummus even makes a great salad dressing. Just drizzle a little extra olive oil and a squeeze of lemon on top and voila!
There are many options for store bought hummus, but nothing compares to homemade. And my VERY FAVORITE homemade hummus is this Lemon Garlic Red Lentil Hummus!
Red lentils have amazing health benefits
Lentils are high in protein- almost 18 grams per cup!
They are an excellent source of fiber.
Lentils are rich in B vitamins and iron.
A Versatile Food Even Kids Will Love
Your kids will absolutely devour this snack. It is a great example of “if you display it, they will come”. Vegetables are colorful and appealing. I can’t tell you how many times I put a platter of cut up veggies and hummus out for a crowd (adults and kids alike) and in minutes, there is hardly anything left. Or if you’re feeling very creative, get crafty with your kids’ plates. This “camera sandwich” that I made for my son was an idea out of the super fun book Insanewiches. Red Lentil Hummus also made an appearance at our dinner table this week, complementing our Greek inspired chicken.
When following the SCD diet, don’t forget to soak those lentils!
Because of the way lentils break down in the body, they are allowed on the SCD diet, while chickpeas are not. There is one caveat though: the lentils must be soaked overnight prior to cooking. This allows them to be digested easily. For convenience, I soak and cook and entire bag of lentils at a time. I measure out 1 1/4 cup portions and freeze.
If you have 10 minutes (after you’ve prepared the lentils in advance), you have time to whip up this light, lemon-garlic dip. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get that vibrant veggie platter put together for your next snack!
Protein and fiber packed red lentils create the perfect creamy base for this lemony, garlicy hummus. After preparing batches of lentils in advance, it only takes 10 minutes to whip up this middle eastern inspired dip.
Ingredients
Scale
1 1/4 cups Red lentils- soaked overnight and boiled
1 Garlic clove diced
1 1/2 Tbsp Lemon juice- fresh squeezed
2 Tbsp Olive oil
1 Tbsp Tahini
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4–1/2 tsp Smoked paprika
Instructions
To Prepare Lentils:
If you are following the SCD diet, lentils are legal only when soaked overnight. Place lentils in a glass bowl and cover with water. Leave an inch of water, at least, above the lentils. They will expand.
Cover and place in the refrigerator overnight.
Drain lentil and prepare according to the package instructions.
To Make Hummus:
Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender, food processor or use an immersion blender.
Puree until completely smooth.
To garnish, drizzle a little extra olive oil and sprinkle smoked paprika on top.
Serve with veggies or crackers, top salads or complement main dishes. Enjoy!
Notes
* If you are not following the SCD diet, soaking the lentils is not required. Just prepare the lentils as the package instructs.
* To save time for future batches, measure out 1 1/4 cup portions and freeze.
I just whipped up this hummus today and absolutely love it! It’s smoother and creamier than any hummus I’ve made before with chickpeas. I love the flavor of the smoked paprika combined with the lentils. Question…I wasn’t sure after after cooking my lentils if I should strain off the extra cooking liquid or not. I did, but then my hummus was kind of thick, so I added more lemon juice to get a dippable consistency. Do you drain your lentils?
Yes! The smoked paprika makes all the difference…even more than if you just use plan paprika.
When I cook my lentils, I use just enough liquid so that the lentils absorb ALL of the water. In fact, that’s how I know they are done…when all of the liquid is gone. But great thinking using extra lemon juice to thin it out! I would guess some extra olive oil would do the trick too if you feel like it is getting too lemon-y.
My favorite dip, hands down.
Great with raw veggies!
★★★★★
One of my grand kids favorite dips!
★★★★★
I just whipped up this hummus today and absolutely love it! It’s smoother and creamier than any hummus I’ve made before with chickpeas. I love the flavor of the smoked paprika combined with the lentils. Question…I wasn’t sure after after cooking my lentils if I should strain off the extra cooking liquid or not. I did, but then my hummus was kind of thick, so I added more lemon juice to get a dippable consistency. Do you drain your lentils?
★★★★★
Yes! The smoked paprika makes all the difference…even more than if you just use plan paprika.
When I cook my lentils, I use just enough liquid so that the lentils absorb ALL of the water. In fact, that’s how I know they are done…when all of the liquid is gone. But great thinking using extra lemon juice to thin it out! I would guess some extra olive oil would do the trick too if you feel like it is getting too lemon-y.