Beetroot and Walnut Hummus

One of the best things about being back at home is that making things from scratch is considerably easier (I'm in the market for a food processor if anyone has recommendations!). It has been lovely to be making hummus from scratch again, so I have been playing with some new flavours. I am particularly taken by this variation at the moment, and I hope you'll enjoy it too. The beetroot lends a subtle earthy flavour without being too strong, and the walnuts bring a wonderful texture to the hummus, being full of omega-3 fats and antioxidants. The hummus is based on a recipe that I posted about previously, with further variations that you can see here. There are also instructions on how to make your own tahini as an alternative to shop bought.

Ingredients

• 400g tin of chickpeas
• 1 garlic clove
• juice of half a lemon
• 2 tsp tahini
• 6 tbsp good virgin olive oil
• Half of a raw beetroot, chopped
• 75g walnuts
• Sea salt
• Black pepper

Blend the chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice, tahini and olive oil together in a food processor before grating in the beetroot and seasoning with salt and pepper. Finally, add the walnuts and use the pulse function to break up and mix them in without grinding the nuts too finely. Garnish with lemon and coriander if desired, and serve with a salad or good bread.