Black Bean Hummus

Sorry that I’ve left you hanging friends.  I have some pretty big news.  No no, I didn’t win the lottery.  Nope, did not meet the man of my dreams and am currently siting on a beach in Fiji honeymooning.

I’m moving.

BAM.

Not anywhere particularly exciting.  Actually, I’m only moving one neighborhood over and about 4 miles away from my old apartment.  What is exciting is that this is the first time I’ll have my “own place.”  Probably shouldn’t have said that on the internet, now creepers are going to be coming after me and my single self.  Regardless, Queen Anne, get ready for my arrival! 

So you probably know what that means, almost everything I own is in a box, waiting to go in a box, or somewhat unpacked at my new place.  Basically, my cooking is pretty much non-existent at the moment.  I’ve been sustaining life on some bean soup I made an embarrassingly long time ago, Amy’s frozen meals and lots of coffee.  Lots.

But this black bean “hummus” (it’s really more like a black bean dip, but who’s calling the PC police here) is from a few weeks ago.  My friend Julie & her family hosted a glass sale out of their home to raise money for her dad & brother to go to Russia. John McComish (Julie’s dad) is an extremely talented local glass artist and he went to Russia to install some glass work at an orphanage.  I really recommend you check his stuff out: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hot-Glass-Seattle/209400679084056

Food.  Right.  To help nourish the shoppers, Julie and I cooked and catered for the event.  She made some delicious “faux-mosas” (samosa filling in phyllo dough), I made the black bean dip, cut up some veggies, laid out some tortilla chips & we attempted to make gluten free macaroons (they failed MISERABLY).

The original recipe called for 2 tablespoons of tahini but as we didn’t have any of hand, and Julie conveniently doesn’t like tahini, we did without.  I think it made the texture a little thicker and the bean flavor a little more prominent, two things I was completely ok with.

In other news, I am starting the re-integration process for gluten & dairy!  Today (and today only) I get to eat AS MUCH GLUTEN as I WANT!  (insert evil, maniacal here)

Black Bean Hummus

Adapted from Sweet Pea's Kitchen

Ingredients:

• 1/2  cup  chopped fresh cilantro, divided
• 2  tablespoons  tahini, stirred well
• 2  tablespoons  water
• 2  tablespoons  fresh lime juice
• 1  tablespoon  extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4  teaspoon  ground cumin
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1  (15-ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1  garlic clove, peeled
• 1/2  small jalapeño pepper, seeded
• 3  (6-inch) pitas

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. In the bowl of a food processor, process cilantro, tahini, water, lime juice, olive oil, cumin, salt, black beans, garlic and jalapeño  until combined. Scrape down the bowl and continue to process until the hummus is smooth and creamy.
3. Transfer hummus to a serving bowl, sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cilantro. Cover with plastic wrap until ready to serve.
4. Cut each pita into 8 wedges. Arrange on a baking sheet. Bake at 425° for 6 minutes, turning once.