Roasted red pepper and pumpkin hummus

This low FODMAP roasted red pepper & pumpkin hummus is one of my favourites. It is perfect on low FODMAP toast for breakfast, as a dip for snacks, or as a delicious salad bowl topping!

Looking for a healthy snack to stave off the mid afternoon munchies? Low FODMAP roasted red pepper & pumpkin hummus is the perfect option.  This hummus lets you mix up your snacks as it goes really well with many different flavours. You can also take hummus to work by popping it into a reusable plastic container.

Store bought hummus is usually not FODMAP friendly so you might be wondering how my hummus is low FODMAP…. I use a mixture of pumpkin, canned chickpeas and red pepper (capsicum) to make sure the FODMAP load stays within safe limits. I also flavour the hummus using garlic infused oil and spices instead of garlic cloves. The recipe is at the bottom of the page. 

4 Ways to Enjoy Hummus

1.Classic Hummus & Veggie Sticks

Veggie sticks are a classic way to eat hummus and are a great way to boost your veggie intake for the day. Cut a small carrot and some cucumber into sticks and dip it in a serve of hummus. Seal the veggies in an airtight container to keep them fresh.

2.Smashed Egg & Hummus on Toast

If you have a bad case of the mid afternoon munchies, then hummus on low FODMAP toast with a smashed boiled egg is a great way to fill up. I like shredding a few leaves of baby spinach and sprinkling those over the toast as well.

3.Boiled Eggs Filled with Hummus

Need a protein hit? Hard boil a couple of eggs, scoop out the yolk (and eat it!), and then fill the eggs up with hummus. These hummus filled eggs make a great flavoursome snack. Hard-boil the eggs the night before to make a quick grab and go snack.

4.Hummus & Rice Crackers with Smoked Chicken

This is one of my favourite ways to have hummus. Simply smoother 10 rice crackers with hummus, then top with smoked chicken and spring onion. Prep your snack in advance by cutting up the spring onion and smoked chicken. Then store it in a sealed container in the fridge. Check that your smoked chicken is not seasoned with onion and garlic.

Roasted Red Pepper & Pumpkin Hummus

Serves: 12 people (3 Tbsp per serve)   

Cook: 15 minutes 

Buying tips: Make sure you buy canned chickpeas in water. Canned chickpeas contain lower levels of FODMAPs because the oligosaccharides leach into the water. Make sure you rinse them well.  Garlic infused oil is often located in the oil section of your local supermarket. Ideally, try and use a Jap pumpkin orspaghetti squash. You can use butternut pumpkin but you will need to divide the dip into 15 serves to say within the low FODMAP limits.

Gluten free option: If you are highly sensitive to wheat/gluten make sure you buy gluten free paprika and cumin. This is not necessary for the low FODMAP diet.

INGREDIENTS

• 200g (7.05oz) canned chickpeas 
• 1 large red pepper (capsicum/bell pepper)
• 400g (14.11oz) Jap pumpkin (spaghetti squash or butternut pumpkin – see buying tips)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp garlic infused oil
• 1 tbsp water
• 3 tbsp lemon juice (1 to 2 medium lemons)
• 1 & 1/2 tsp ground paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• Salt & pepper
• Dry chilli flakes (optional)

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 190ºC (374ºF) bake function. Deseed the red pepper (capsicum) and slice into strips. Place into a roasting tray and drizzle in olive oil. Place in the oven once it has heated, and roast for about 10 minutes, until the edges start to brown. 
2. While the oven heats, prepare the pumpkin by peeling, removing the seeds and cutting into small pieces. Place in a microwave proof bowl, add 4 tablespoons of water, and cover with a microwave proof plate. Place in the microwave and cook on high for 7 to 9 minutes, until soft. Be careful not to burn yourself when removing the pumpkin from the microwave. 
3. While the red pepper and pumpkin cooks, prepare the rest of the dip ingredients. Drain and rinse the canned chickpeas using a sieve. Measure out 200g of chickpeas (about 1 cup). 
4. Place the chickpeas into a food processor (or blender if you have a powerful one). Squeeze the juice out of the lemons. Add the olive oil, garlic infused oil, water, lemon juice, paprika, and cumin. Season with a couple of grinds of salt and black pepper. Once the pumpkin and red pepper are cooked, add them to the food processor.
5. Process for 3 to 4 minutes until smooth. Sprinkle with a pinch of chilli flakes if desired.
6. This dip is fantastic on gluten free bread, crackers and carrot sticks, or you can mix it with salad ingredients and quinoa to make a tasty lunch!
7. You can store it in the fridge for up to five days.

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