How’s it going friends? I’m so excited about today’s recipe, I know I say that almost all the time, but it’s true! Today we reinvent hummus: we make it low-carb, rich in healthy fats, and vegan. This is my Low-Carb Cauliflower Hummus Recipe.
Hummus without Hummus
Fun fact: in Arabic, Hummus translates to chickpeas (literally). I grew up in Morocco and didn’t really have much hummus, or chickpeas for that matter. Actually, the first time I had hummus was here in Montreal (so figure I was about 18).
I remember being confused by the name of the dip as I was standing in front of the menu in a downtown falafel fast-food restaurant. I ordered falafel, and then the most perplexing question was asked:
“Do you want some hummus with your falafel?”
I thought that the dude was asking me if I want chickpeas to go with my falafel.
Add to my confusion: the Falafel-dude didn’t say “hummus” with an English, North-American accent. He was middle-eastern, and his Arabic pronunciation was spot-on. All of those facts led to me having that dumb look on my face that said: “I’m sorry what?”
This entire story was just to tell you that, yeah, hummus made without chickpeas is kind of a weird idea. Because hummus = chickpeas. Back to the recipe:
Let’s get this straight: hummus in North-America means creamy, nutty dip.
We do everything differently here anyway.
Keto Hummus
In order to reduce the carbohydrates that are naturally present in the classic version of hummus, I of course had to swap chickpeas for a less carb-heavy alternative: the mighty cauliflower.
Cauliflower is an amazing veggie, as it packs a ton of nutrients to a surprisingly low carb-count.
The second swap is tahini to almond butter. Tahini (sesame paste) is the classic choice for hummus, but I am a die-hard fan of almond butter and that is why I chose to use it.
I find that almond butter makes for a much creamier hummus not to mention that its delicate flavour compliments the cauliflower perfectly without overpowering it.
Enough talk, let’s jump to the recipe :
Low-Carb Cauliflower Hummus
Quick and easy recipe for a cauliflower hummus.
Ingredients
- 1 large cauliflower head
- 1 lemon
- 1/4 olive oil extra virgin
- 1/2 tsp salt or more, depending how salty you like your food
- 2 tbsp almond butter
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1 garlic clove finely chopped
Plus: Cayenne and olive oil to garnish
Instructions
Cut the florets from your cauliflower head and place them in a large heatproof glass bowl. Cut them as you would cut brocoli to make "bite sized" pieces, or a bit bigger, just so they're somewhat even (for the cooking). Microwave your cauliflower for 10-12 minutes on high heat or until it's completely cooked through. This will depend on the size of your cuts and the power of your microwave.
Move your cooked cauliflower to a large food processor, add olive oil, garlic, almond butter, salt, black pepper and cumin. Juice your lemon and add the juice to the contents in your food processor. Blend until completely smooth. Taste and add salt if needed. If you like your hummus a little more zesty add a little more lemon juice.
Serve in a bowl or a large plate topped with olive oil and a good pinch of cayenne. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
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