Flavorful Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

I avoid processed foods, but that doesn't mean that I eat only plain, "boring" foods.  I like a little pizzazz and flavor just as much as the next person.  I often find ideas for recipes by strolling through the aisles of the grocery store and drooling over the items that I no longer eat, then going home and figuring out how to make them.
So, I was standing in the store last week scrutinizing the labels on various brands of flavored hummus, trying to find one that fit my needs.  Suddenly, it hit me - I know how to roast a red pepper. I know how to make hummus.  Instead of trying to find a prepackaged hummus without processed ingredients, why don't I just make it myself?  And with that, I bought the ingredients, went home, and made this delicious dip.


FLAVORFUL ROASTED RED PEPPER HUMMUS

Ingredients:

1 can garbanzo beans
1 can navy beans (you can use two cans of garbanzos, but I find that these make the dip a bit creamier)
3 tbsp. tahini
2-4 garlic cloves
2-5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
sea salt, to taste
1 large red pepper
1/2 lemon for juice (optional)

1.  Preheat oven to 450.

2.  Place pepper on a lined baking sheet on middle oven rack. Bake for 15 minutes, flip, and bake an additional 15 minutes.

3.  Remove pepper from oven and place in a sealed bag.  Allow the pepper to steam itself until warm to the touch (not hot).  The steaming should make the skin easier to remove from the pepper.

4.  Cut off top of pepper and remove seeds.  Use tongs to peel skin from pepper.  Slice pepper into strips and set aside.

5.  Place beans, tahini, garlic, and 2 tbsp. oil into food processor.  Process until smooth.  Add pepper; process until smooth (feel free to save a little for garnish).  Continue adding oil until desired consistency is reached.

6.  Add salt to taste.  Add lemon juice, if desired.

7. Optional:  garnish with chopped pepper.

Place pepper on a lined baking sheet on middle oven rack.

Bake for 15 minutes, flip, and bake an additional 15 minutes.

Remove pepper from oven and place in a sealed bag.  Allow the pepper to steam itself until warm to the touch (not hot).  The steaming should make the skin easier to remove from the pepper.

Cut of top of pepper and remove seeds.  Use tongs to peel skin from pepper.
Slice pepper into strips and set aside.

Place beans, tahini, garlic, and 2 tbsp. oil into food processor.  Process until smooth.  

Add pepper; process until smooth (feel free to save a little for garnish).
Continue adding oil until desired consistency is reached.

ENJOY!!