Available in either softbound or Kindle/Nook/etc. eBook at Amazon viviansharpe.com

NEXT MAIN MENU PREVIOUS Five-Spice Hummus with Sweet Potato Purée Yeah, hummus. Okay, the thing is that I ate probably 5,000,000 pounds of hummus in the 1990s because that was kind of what we had. Oh, and portobello mushroom sandwiches. Anyway, I went on a hummus strike for a few years after being momentarily star-struck by the embarrassment of riches now available to vegans but I have found my way back to humble hummus. After all, hummus is a really good thing: creamy, protein-rich, inexpensive and easy o make, excellent to add to everything from cucumbers to a spread on a sandwich. The thing with hummus, too, is that it’s very adaptable to different flavors and interpretation and that has been what’s gotten me back on a hummus kick lately. It started when I bought five-spice powder for another recipe and was simply intoxicated by the warm, complex aroma. It wasn’t long before I started connecting the dots to the garbanzo beans in my cupboard. I have long been adding puréed sweet potato to my hummus, originally as a way to reduce fat but then I discovered that it boosts the creaminess factor a few notches. Combined with five-spice powder in hummus, the sweet potato purée lends a subtle sweetness that goes well with the warming spices. Prepared like your regular hummus, these flavors add just a little “something-something” that makes this purée unique and memorable. Has your hummus game gotten a little stale? Give this a try.   Five-Spice Hummus with Sweet Potato Purée 15.5 ounces chickpeas, drained and rinsed ½ cup sweet potato purée ¼ cup tahini 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed 2 tablespoons water 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon five-spice powder 1/8 teaspoon cayenne (optional) Salt and pepper, to taste Heat 1/3 cup of your broth in a large skillet over medium-high heat for a minute. Add the diced onion and cook for a few minutes. Add the garlic, celery, peppers, tamari, cumin, oregano and cayenne, cooking until the peppers are softened, about six minutes. Move to your slow cooker, adding the crushed tomatoes and remaining vegetable broth. Combine in a food processor or blender; purée until you reach the desired smoothness. © 2013-2016, Vegan Street