When it comes to eating healthfully, breakfast (for me) is no problem. In the morning, I’m super motivated and ready to begin each day with the best intentions. Lunch is also pretty good, the perk of working from home a lot. But, by mid-afternoon my motivation wanes and my cravings for junk food spike, especially around that 3pm hour. I know I’m not the only one, either. Healthy snacking is the most common challenge I hear about from my weekly meal clients who are trying to eat well, too. With the new year in full swing and so many of us still working to achieve various healthy goals, it seems like the best time to share my recipe for avocado-sweet pea hummus and baked corn chips.
I love chips and dip (pretty sure I’ve mentioned that once or twice here on the blog already) so it’s really important for me to have a healthier version on hand to get that same satisfaction and fend off more serious cravings. That’s where this recipe comes in extremely handy. Did you know how easy it is to bake your own corn chips? Sure, in a perfect world I’d avoid chips at all times, but we all know it’s not always easy to quit cold turkey. The good news is that by baking them myself I avoid the deep fried variety and use a very tiny amount of oil. Even better, I can only make so many at a time, which means my portion size is automatically limited.
As for the hummus, I blend together tahini, avocado and frozen peas for a gorgeous, nutrient-dense dip alternative. Even though it says hummus, it feels more like guacamole! What I love is that all three ingredients are extremely healthy with heart-smart fat, high fiber and protein. If you haven’t worked with tahini before, it looks similar to peanut butter, and even separates in the container the same way that healthy peanut butters usually do. It needs a good stir to incorporate the oil and the solids before measuring. Just like I do when I make traditional hummus, I blend it for a few minutes in the food processor with cold water, lemon juice and garlic until it’s light and fluffy.
At first, your tahini will be dark and thick and clumpy, like the photo above. But eventually, after a few minutes of processing, it will become airy and pale in color like the photo below! Cool, eh?
After the tahini is nicely whipped, the avocado and peas get added and blended together until smooth. Then, I add fresh cilantro and pulse to blend the fresh herb. I like the leaves to stay a little chunky, but that’s just my personal preference.
And that’s really all it takes. You can store this in the fridge for up to a week and use it as a healthy snack option, or spread it on sandwiches, or serve it alongside salmon or chicken or falafel as a main course. So not only is it delicious, but it’s also very versatile, which is the best kind of recipe!
Heart healthy ingredients like tahini, avocado and green peas get blended together into a rich, creamy, delectable dip or spread, perfect for healthy snacking.
Ingredients
Scale
4 corn tortillas
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
1/4 cup tahini
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, peeled
3–4 tablespoons ice cold water
1 1/2 cups green peas, frozen
1 avocado
1 handful fresh cilantro
kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Finishing Toppings:
1 tablespoon freshly torn cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
a few sprinkles of hot sauce, optional
1 tablespoon crumbled queso fresco, optional
Instructions
To bake the chips, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare one or two sheet pans with a layer of parchment paper.
Cut the corn tortillas into 6 wedges. Place in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt, then toss to coat evenly. Arrange in a single layer on the prepared sheet pans.
Place the sheet trays in the preheated oven and bake until crispy, about 10-15 minutes.
Measure the tahini into the bowl of a food processor along with the peeled garlic clove and lemon juice. Turn on the blade and while it’s running, drizzle in 3 tablespoons of ice cold water. Let motor run for about 3-5 minutes until tahini is light and fluffy. Stop and scrape the sides a few times as well as the corners of the bowl to ensure all the tahini is getting whipped evenly.
Add the peas and the avocado and puree again until mixture is homogenous and smooth. If peas are totally frozen, this may take a few minutes.
Add handful of cilantro, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pulse to incorporate the seasonings. Check taste and adjust final seasoning with salt, pepper, or lemon juice as necessary.
Scoop avocado-sweet pea hummus into a bowl and serve with crispy baked tortilla chips.
Notes
The tahini flavor is very prominent, hence the hummus nomenclature. However, if you don’t have tahini or prefer to skip it, the avocado and peas will blend nicely together on their own.
This dish makes a great dip as well as a spread for sandwiches or a topping for salmon or chicken, or with falafel!
YUM! Nothing like a good homemade dip. Solves all the afternoon cravings!
Agreed! 🙂 Let me know if you try this recipe. Happy snacking!