Ode to Kale.
This recipe takes the classic loved hummus dish and makes it fun to look at almost as much as it is fun to eat.
I was recently thinking back to when kale first made it’s way into the proverbial foodie world. I am not even sure when it became so popular, but all I know is that it’s like the grandfather of superfoods. It’s the Gandalf to the acai, spirulina, goji berry, maca world. I have admittedly fallen into that category of foodie obsessed. I love kale. I love it because I know it’s healing and nutritious but also because it just looks so darn interesting. Anything that is interesting to eat is well, interesting to eat. But above the health benefits, it can make food the coolest color. Just like most all other categorized “superfoods.” Really! If you haven’t thought about it, here’s your chance. Kale makes the most brilliant green. Acai makes the brightest purple that you can’t get from beets or blueberries. Beets though… beets make a brilliant magenta, goji berry makes red, blueberries with some baking soda actually make blue, and spirulina is just the deepest forest green by nature. I love dying foods with nature’s gifts. I fall more and more in love with food because of its magnificent powers. And kale, well, kale makes the color green which is my favorite color so I am already biased to kale.
I just spent far too long looking up random facts about kale. It’s a powerful curse to have Google right at your fingertips. You can pretty much find the answer to any question imaginable. But if you are like me, you find yourself getting lost into surfdom and spending hours (which seem like minutes) researching random information like facts about kale, for instance.
Fact:
Did you know? In 2008, 539 babies in the US were named kale.
National kale day is October 2nd.
O, I have one more for you… Bon Appetite deemed 2012 as the year of the kale.
So does this mean that kale has peaked? Like it’s on its way to some kind of midlife crisis with beets or turmeric? I think I disagree. Perhaps 2012 was the year that kale made its grand entrance. But kale is still winning in my book. And it definitely makes this spicy hummus a win.
I grew up with the motto, “Eat something green with every meal.” I can still hear my mom saying it to me. When I end up with something like fruit for breakfast, I get that little voice in my ear that makes me go downstairs to my lanai and grab some greens to sauté up alongside my fruit. And now, whether by force, guilt, or because I actually love all vegetables, I love anything green. So much so that I try to sneak it into anything. Like hummus. And why not? Why not make boring old mashed chickpeas be bright green with some Omega 3s and Vitamin B tossed in?
This hummus dish is every radish or pita chip’s dream. It’s slightly lemony with a bite, and it’s packed full of nutrients that regular old hummus doesn’t have. I have made this for countless dinners and appetizers, and everyone loves it. It’s interesting. It tastes like hummus. And it’s green. What more could you want?
So dig in :).
hannah @homecooked.love
Yields About 2 cups
Classic hummus dish spiced up with some color and fun that even the non veggie eaters with love. Perfect for the kiddos.
5 minPrep Time
5 minTotal Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 2 cups kale, rinsed and stemmed
- 1 cup chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons tahini
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 cup kale, stem removed
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients into blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
- If you need a little more liquid to help it move, add more olive oil by the tablespoon.
- Drizzle a little more olive oil on top to serve and sprinkle some cayenne pepper for an extra kick.
Notes
Keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Enjoy with pita, veggies, chips, falafel, or by the spoonful 🙂
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