March Recipe: White Bean and Sun-dried Tomato Hummus

This is a great spin on hummus that stems from my Italian roots!  I love using white cannellini beans because they are buttery and so versatile, while the sun-dried tomatoes add a nice sweetness and bite!  Serve this dip chilled with chopped carrots, endive leaves, and whole wheat pita crackers!  This could even make a great spread for Bruschetta with slice mozzarella cheese or the base for a vegetable sandwich.

 Key nutrients and tricks:

• White beans are a great source of plant-based protein at 7-8g per 1 cup.
• Artichokes are a super food in my opinion! They are full of fiber, vitamin K, folic acid and contain many antioxidants.
• Artichokes can be beneficial for digestion since compounds in artichokes called cynarin can help reduce bloating and promote intestinal movement.
• The sun-dried tomatoes add a nice richness and sweetness to this hummus! You can either use dried ones in a bag, or some that are marinated in olive oil.  Find these in your cheese and olive section…more on Grocery Shopping 101 next week!
• If you don’t have Cannellini beans, navy beans or garbanzo beans work well.

Ingredients

1  15oz. can of small white beans or Cannellini beans

1  6.5 oz. jar of marinated artichoke hearts, quartered

1 garlic clove, chopped

2 tsp. lemon juice

2-3 Tbsp. tahini

1 cup of fresh basil leaves

½ Tbsp. dried parsley

1-1 ½ tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. pepper

3 Tbsp. olive oil

¾ cup julienned sun dried tomatoes

Directions

1. Drain the white beans in a colander and rinse with cold water. In a food processor, add the beans, artichokes, garlic, lemon juice, tahini, basil, dried parsley, salt, pepper, and olive oil.
2. Pulse until combined and then blend until desired hummus consistency. Add in the sun-dried tomatoes and pulse again until there are no chunks and all of the ingredients are incorporated.
3. Scoop into a container and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving.