Spicy Roasted Garlic and Walnut Hummus
This Spicy Walnut Hummus with Roasted Garlic is made without tahini and the nutty walnut taste is balanced perfectly by the spicy red pepper and mellow garlic flavor.
**This post was sponsored by California Walnuts. I was compensated for my time. All thoughts & opinions are my own**
Hi Friends!
In case you didn’t know, February is American Heart Month! Heart disease is the #1 killer of men and women in the United States. While there are some non-controllable factors that put you at increased risk for heart disease (gender, genetics, ethnicity, etc), there are several things you CAN control. Along with being physically active and not smoking, what you eat can have a big impact on your heart health. Making healthy food choices can help you manage your blood pressure, cholesterol and and blood sugar levels, all of which can reduce your risk for heart disease.
As an RD, I love sharing heart-healthy food choices so when California Walnuts reached out to me about partnering with them to spread the word about walnuts and heart health, I jumped at the chance. Did you know walnuts are certified by the American Heart Association as a heart-healthy food? An ounce of walnuts (approx 12-14 halves) gives you 4g of protein and 2g of fiber and they’re only nut to provide a significant source of alpha-linoleic acid (the plant-based omega-3 fatty acid).
More than two decades of research has shown that walnuts may help lower cardiovascular risk factors by decreasing LDL cholesterol by 9-16%, and diastolic blood pressure by 2-3 mmHg. These two factors are major contributors to heart disease risk, and cutting them is a critical step toward a healthier heart.
Spicy Roasted Garlic Walnut Hummus
Sounds pretty good, right? Even though California Walnuts has a GREAT recipe section on their website (check it out if you’re looking for some creative ways to add walnuts to your diet), I wanted to share a recipe of my own with you guys today as well!
As you know, hubby and I are big hummus fans. We always have some in the fridge, along with some chopped veggies, for snacking. I’ve made several different varieties of homemade hummus but I’ve never tried adding nuts! Walnuts have a definite nutty flavor so I decided to add a mellow garlic flavor thanks to some roasted garlic to help balance it out and then, as per usual, I kicked things up a notch by making it spicy!
Here’s how you make it:
Spicy Roasted Garlic and Walnut Hummus
Print Recipe
A simple homemade hummus that’s the perfect balance of nutty and spicy with hints of garlic flavor throughout.
- Yield: 1 1x
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 can chickpeas, low-sodium or no salt added (1¾ cups)
- ¼ cup reserved liquid from can of chickpeas
- 1 medium bulb roasted garlic (8–9 cloves)
- ¾ c raw walnuts
- 1 – 2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon water or lemon juice
Instructions
- Roast garlic and let cool slightly*
- In a food processor, combine walnuts and garlic and pulse until well chopped.
- Drain and rinse chickpeas, reserving ¼ cup liquid and add both to food processor.
- Add remaining ingredients and process until smooth.
- Add an additional Tablespoon liquid if you want an even smoother consistency.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
While I think hubby prefers to keep eating his daily nuts by the handful, this may be my new favorite way to enjoy them. I loved the flavor combo and the fact that you could actually taste the nuts in the hummus!
Let’s chat:
Are you a walnut lover? What’s your favorite way to use them?
Mine’s a three-way tie between toasting them to add to a salad, adding them to a banana muffin or this hummus!
[Tweet “A heart-healthy snack: Spicy Garlic Walnut Hummus from @LeanGrnBeanBlog and @CAwalnuts!”]
Enjoy!
–Lindsay–
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