Hello out there!

Sorry for the radio silence these last two weeks–I had a lot going on the last week of my vacation in Texas, and then caught a cold immediately after returning to NYC. Oy. I’m far from 100%, but I just *had* to get a new recipe on here before this week ended. And so, here we are.

I had more than my fill of heavy holiday food this year, so I’m taking a bit of a break from all the sugar this month. Don’t fret–I have about six new sweets lined up and ready to go for February 😊 Until then though, I’m planning to stay on the savory side.

Today, I’m bringing you one of my favorite healthy snacks: Chipotle-Sweet Potato Hummus with Homemade Pita Chips. Oh, is this stuff good. The hummus is made with the usual suspects: chickpeas, tahini (sesame seed paste), garlic, lemon, and salt, in addition to sweet potato and chipotle chile powder. Its rich, lightly sweet, and smoky flavor is absolute heaven on crispy pita chips!

You can feel good about eating this hummus, too–in addition to being rich in vitamins and full of protein and fiber, it’s made without an excess of olive oil. Don’t get me wrong, I love olive oil, but I’ve found that I prefer it to be drizzled over the top rather than whirled into my hummus.

For years, I made hummus with oil. It was delicious, but any refrigerated leftovers became hard and crumbly. I don’t know about you, but I think hummus should be soft and luxurious. After seeing the method used on The Amateur Gourmet, I swapped olive oil for chickpea canning liquid (aka aquafaba), and the rest is history. Using the canning liquid instead of the usual olive oil means there is no hardened fat in my refrigerated leftover hummus, leaving it soft and smooth for days. And since olive oil is drizzled over the top before serving, there’s definitely no lack of flavor!

Chipotle-Sweet Potato Hummus is a great spread for sandwiches and dip for raw vegetables, but I love it on pita chips. You could, of course, use any of the excellent brands out there, but why not make your own? My homemade pita chips come together in a flash and require only three ingredients. Simply brush wedges of pita with olive oil, sprinkle them with salt, and bake for 12-15 minutes, until crisp. That’s it! Once they’re cool enough to handle, pair them with some hummus and enjoy 😊

Chipotle-Sweet Potato Hummus
makes about 2 cups

2 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed and dried
1 15-ounce can low-sodium chickpeas (beans and liquid)
1 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
3/4 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Preheat oven to 400F. Stab sweet potatoes several times with a fork. Wrap sweet potatoes individually in foil. Bake directly on the rack for 45-60 minutes, until tender. Let cool until you can handle them. Slice sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. Remove and discard the skins.

Open the can of chickpeas. Drain canning liquid into a small bowl, and reserve. Rinse chickpeas with water.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine sweet potato, chickpeas, minced garlic, tahini, lemon juice, chipotle powder, and salt. Add 6 tablespoons of the chickpea canning liquid. Process ingredients until smooth. Add more chickpea liquid by the tablespoon until the desired consistency is reached.

Remove hummus to a serving bowl. Serve at room temperature or cold with a drizzle of olive oil.

Chipotle-Sweet Potato Hummus will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Homemade Pita Chips
makes 32 chips, about 3-4 servings

4 whole pitas (I used whole wheat)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Kosher or sea salt, for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

Slice pitas into eighths. Arrange wedges in an even layer on prepared pan. Brush each wedge with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake 12-15 minutes, until crisp.

Let pita chips cool until they can be handled, 5-10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Pita chips will keep in an airtight container at room temperature.