Roasted Carrot Chickpea Hummus

If there’s one thing you should know, it’s I am a Trader Joe’s addict.

No, I don’t simply mean that I like to do my weekly grocery shopping there. We are way past that, the Joe and I.

Honestly, my love of Trader Joe’s came from not having it in my hometown. Going to my grandfather’s house meant passing the novelty that was Trader Joe’s and an introduction to all of the incredible eats that were there. After a wedding in which there was not enough food (seriously, what kind of wedding does not have enough food) I begged my mother to let us pick out dinner at Trader Joe's.

The distant obsession, however, did not turn into fandom until my freshman year of college. It was around that time I discovered my local Trader Joe's 30 blocks south of my apartment. And let me tell you, it was love at first sight.

The sights. The sounds. The free sample of watermelon feta salad. That is how a love is born. And compared to other grocery stores around the area, IT SO DARN CHEAP! I can buy everything I need (read: specaloos chocolate bars and edaname chips) and will not break the bank.

Plus, I’m pretty sure my friends love that I cannot stop talking about it.

This roasted carrot hummus recipe appeared when I bought way too many carrots at 89 cents at Trader Joes (four packages at finals to be exact. Who does that?) It’s creamy, sweet, and has just the right amount of spice. The roasted garlic is amazing in it also. Please do it.

Roasted Carrot Chickpea Hummus

Roasted Carrots:

• 4 medium carrots, chopped into 1 inch thick pieces
• 5 cloves of garlic, separated from bulb with skin on
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp cumin
• Salt and pepper

Hummus:

• 1 can (16 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• Juice of two lemons
• 3 tbsp tahini
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil, plus additional
• Za’atar, for serving
• Dippers, for serving

Preheat your over to 400degrees. In a small pan lined with foil, add your chopped carrots and garlic cloves. Spread them out, to make sure they evenly cover the pan. Drizzle olive oil and add cumin, salt, and pepper, tossing to combine. Roast for 20-25 minutes or until the carrots are soft.

Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender (I prefer the processor, but you gotta do what you gotta do) add the chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini, parsley, and olive oil. Blend on medium until your hummus is creamy and smooth. If the mixture does not mix completely, add a splash of water or a drizzle of oil.

Pull the cooked carrots out of the oven. Separate the garlic clove from the skin. The skin should just peel right off the garlic if it’s ready. Add the carrots and the garlic to the food processor and pulse until well blended. Spoon hummus into a bowl and, for serving, drizzle with olive oil and za’atar. Serve with your favorite dippers.

So delicious, you could just curl up in it.