Citrus Spiced Pumpkin Hummus

For me, using a recipe is sort of like using a cheat sheet on a test. If everyone had one, then anyone could do it. (The only exception is baking, where not using a recipe is just silly... unless, of course, you're the thrill seeker type and don't mind the occasional chocolate chip paper weight). But cooking should be about creating, and sometimes that means failing too.

That said, I came across a recipe for Pumpkin Hummus on La Fuji Mama's blog, and thought it sounded so different and (most importantly), delicious. I really want to put my own twist on it, so I kind of just used the unique idea as my starting point and crossed my fingers that I could figure it out sans recipe. After a lot of taste testing, critiques (good AND bad) from my sisters, and a couple of tweaks, I think I came up with a really great recipe. It's a perfect holiday dip that gets an unexpected twist from the pumpkin and orange.

Citrus Spiced Pumpkin Hummus

[1] can garbanzo beans

[1] can pumpkin puree

[½] cup sesame tahini

[½] cup orange juice

Juice ½ lemon

[1] tbsp lemon zest

[1] tbsp orange zest

 [½] tsp allspice

[½] tsp fresh ground nutmeg

[1] tsp cinnamon

[1] garlic clove, minced

salt

pepper

Making hummus is just about as easy as it gets. You literally just put everything into a food processor and blend until it becomes a lovely, creamy, and delicious dip. 

I was worried at first the pumpkin would be overpowering so I only added half at first, but it really does need the whole can. You can really taste the orange flavor, too, and the sweetness of the orange juice works perfectly with the spices and the sesame tahini. It's a savory/sweet dip that I plated with pita crackers, cheddar cheese, and baby carrots.