Red Pepper Hummus

It's too hot to eat a lot at dinner time, but we do need protein to go with the salads and corn on the cob that are the mainstay of summer eating.

Hummus is a versatile protein source that keeps fresh in the fridge for a week or so. It can be scooped up with pita or crudités. When thinned with water, olive oil and lemon juice it can be used to dress sturdy salads of romaine or cabbage.

I have a go-to hummus recipe you can find here. Add more garlic, lemon juice or salt to taste, and be aware that it makes a large amount.

The other day I decided to try something different.

I pulled a roasted red pepper from the freezer, cooked 1/3 cup of chickpeas until very tender, and whirled them together in the food processor. I added a little lemon juice, salt and pepper, scooped it into a bowl and sprinkled small basil leaves on top.

It made a light colorful hummus that we spread on whole wheat sourdough flatbreads. I think calling it hummus is a misnomer because it has no tahini or garlic. But Larry recoils when I call something bean dip. Maybe chickpea-red pepper spread would be a better name.