This hummus recipe came about because I was trying to make hummus, but I ran out of tahini, and happened to have a jar of almond butter lying around. Fortunately, the almond butter worked in a pinch, and I ended up with a hummus that was exceptionally high in protein and nutrients(thank you, almond butter). The texture of the hummus is very similar to a traditional one, albeit slightly denser since almond butter is thicker than tahini. That being said, I quite liked it. I served mine with some roasted cauliflower and almonds, which I roasted garlic with, and then blended that roasted garlic into the hummus, and some rainbow carrot wedges that I tossed with yuzu juice, sumac, and olive oil for that bright, fresh crunch that you would associate with crudite and hummus. I would say that this dish came together rather quickly, since a majority of your wait time would be on roasting cauliflower, almonds, and garlic, and the rest is a combination of cutting up carrots and blending chickpeas with other things. It is a quick, easy, and simple recipe to make if you are hosting a party, or if you need another side dish to round out your dinner table. Oh, and it’s completely vegan as well!

For the cauliflower:
1 head of cauliflower
2oz untoasted almonds
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
a pinch of salt
a pinch of paprika
a pinch of thyme

Cut the cauliflower into thumb-sized pieces. Toss all of your ingredients in a bowl. Spread the cauliflower, almonds, and garlic on a lined sheet tray and roast at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes. Reserve the garlic for the hummus.

For the rainbow carrots:
5-6 rainbow carrots, peeled, halved, and cut into trapezoid shapes
1 tsp yuzu or lemon juice
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
a pinch of salt
a pinch of sumac

Toss the carrots with the other ingredients.

For the hummus:
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves roasted garlic*
1 can chickpeas/garbanzo beans
2oz almond butter
a pinch of salt
a pinch of sumac
a pinch of oregano

Place all of the ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth, creamy, and pureed.

To assemble:
Start with the hummus on the bottom of a plate or bowl first. Then garnish the top with the carrots, cauliflower, and almonds. Drizzle the vinaigrette that you tossed the carrots with on top as desired.