Mediterranean
Hummus & Rainbow Veggie Sticks
Silky homemade hummus with a rainbow of crunchy vegetable sticks: the snack plate that beats a packet every time.
~15 mintotal~240 kcalper serving~10g protein~19g carbs~14g fat
Estimated. Worked out from the ingredients using the UK food composition tables, so treat it as a guide rather than a measurement. A typical recipe lands within about a quarter of the true figure. Makes about 4.
Ingredients
- 400g chickpeas, drained
- 2 tbsp tahini
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp cumin
- Salt
- To dip: carrot, cucumber, pepper and celery sticks
Cooking Steps
Blend the chickpeas, tahini, lemon, garlic, olive oil, cumin and salt until silky, adding water to loosen.
Taste and adjust lemon and salt.
Drizzle with olive oil and a dust of paprika.
Serve with the rainbow veggie sticks.
Optional Enhancements
- Roasted red pepper or beetroot hummus
- Wholegrain pitta triangles
- Top with pine nuts
Plant & Growing Tips
Lemon
- Grow in a large pot in a sunny, sheltered spot, ensuring well-draining soil.
- Water deeply when the top few inches of soil are dry and feed regularly with a citrus-specific fertilizer.
Garlic
- Plant individual cloves pointy-side up in well-drained soil in autumn or early spring, about 1-2 inches deep and 4-6 inches apart.
- It thrives in full sun and needs consistent moisture during active growth.
Carrot
- Sow seeds directly into deeply dug, stone-free soil in full sun after the last frost, ensuring consistent moisture for germination.
- Thin seedlings to 2-4 inches apart to allow roots to develop properly.
Cucumber
- Plant seeds or seedlings in full sun after all danger of frost has passed, providing a trellis or support for vining varieties.
- Keep soil consistently moist and rich in organic matter.
Pepper
- Start seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before the last frost, transplanting to a sunny, sheltered spot with well-drained soil once temperatures are consistently warm.
- Provide consistent water and consider staking taller plants.
Natural Pest Control
- Aphids (Lemon, Cucumber, Pepper): Blast off with a strong jet of water or use insecticidal soap.
- Carrot Rust Fly: Use row covers from sowing to harvest to prevent flies from laying eggs near carrots.
- Cucumber Beetles: Use floating row covers early in the season to protect young plants; hand-pick adults.
- Slugs/Snails (Carrot, Pepper): Use beer traps or copper tape barriers around beds.
Harvest
Lemon
- Pick when fruits are fully yellow, firm, and detach easily from the branch with a gentle twist.
Garlic
- Harvest when the lower third to half of the leaves have turned yellow and started to dry, usually in mid-summer.
Carrot
- Pull when roots are desired size (typically 1-2 inches in diameter at the top), checking a few to ensure maturity.
- Harvest promptly to prevent roots from becoming woody or splitting.
Cucumber
- Pick when firm and uniformly colored, before seeds fully develop and turn yellow inside.
- Harvest frequently to encourage continuous production.
Pepper
- Harvest when fruits reach full size and desired color (green, red, yellow), cutting them from the plant with a sharp knife.
- Leaving some to ripen on the plant will intensify their flavor and color.
Storing & Freezing
Hummus keeps 4 days refrigerated.
