Roasted squash hummus: a low FODMAP alternative with no chickpeas

Time:         prep. 5 mins
                   bak. squash 30 mins
Difficulty:  easy
Yields:       2 portions
Cost :         low

Do you like hummus? What a silly question! Of course you do, you just can’t help but love it: cheap, nutritious, healthy, sustainable and DELICIOUS (see my family’s recipe here).
So you may be asking yourself: “Dear CHE, why did you need to come up with this alternative, roasted squash hummus?”.

There are 2 reasons why I wanted to tell you about it:

1) Although legumes are very healthy and functional, they cannot be consumed by all people, especially those suffering from irritable bowel syndrome.
As CHE Food Revolution aims to be inclusive, I had to consider everyone.
Chickpeas, along with lentils, are much more digestible than beans in general; however, for someone who has to deal with FODMAPs (read below to find out more), they are not among the freely permitted foods, but, on the contrary, among those to be consumed in moderation. You know how it is, since using the word hummus in the same sentence together with moderation is a kind of oxymoron, roasted squash hummus, thanks to its taste very similar to “the original”, is the solution for those who have been “gritting their teeth for too long”.

2) If you have filled your house with pumpkins, because of its long shelf life and affordability, you will love this recipe for pumpkin hummus.
Being the squash fan that I am, I start to reinforce the stocks already at the end of the year: it lasts up to 5-6 months without problems and when I can’t risk its safety anymore, I cook it and put it in the freezer already portioned, so as to guarantee my culinary creations many more months.
Yes, roasted squash hummus can also be made with thawed roasted squash, and in my opinion this is a real revolution in the war against food waste (see here how you can fight it more efficiently).

What does the term FODMAP mean?

The term FODMAP is an acronym for Fermentable Oligosaccharides (fructans and galactans), Disaccharides (lactose), Monosaccharides (excess of fructose) and Polyols (maltitol, sorbitol).
These compounds occur naturally in most foods, in some much more than others, and can cause significant discomfort in people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
A low FODMAP diet is therefore very helpful in treating IBS, relieving symptoms and improving quality of life.
I will be producing a specific article on the subject shortly

Ingredients for roasted squash hummus

350 g of roasted squash (I used an Autumn Crown Squash, but you can use all types)
2 tablespoons of white tahini, in case you want a lower FODMAP; otherwise you can also use brown tahini (find out how to make it at home from sesame seeds here)
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 tablespoon of evo oil, plain or garlic-flavored (if you are not afraid of FODMAPs, I recommend using 1 clove of garlic grated together with the evo oil)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon chopped parsley for decoration
A few olives for decoration
Salt to taste
 

Directions

To make roasted squash hummus quickly, you should have the squash ready; otherwise, bake the lightly oiled squash slices in the oven at around 200 degrees for 30 minutes.
You can reduce the baking time and consequently the energy cut down the slices into small cubes. These squash cubes can also be steamed for about 25 to 30 minutes or cooked in a pressure cooker for 5 minutes from the whistle.
When the fork goes into the pulp without any obstacles, the pumpkin is cooked properly.
Once cooked, take it out of the oven and wait for it to cool down completely.
Use a fork (or a food processor) to puree the pumpkin.
Then add the tahini, lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil flavored with garlic, salt and cumin and mix well.
Et voila, the roasted squash hummus is ready in an instant; serve it with freshly chopped parsley, a drizzle of evo oil, olives and a sprinkling of extra cumin and chilli powder; finally, use it to make bruschetta (with or without gluten); to accompany main dishes; or to enrich your bowls or salads.

Tips for making garlic flavored evo oil

Garlic is a must in sustainable diets with few animal foods, as it makes every recipe tasty where it is used, and it is very cheap.
This pungent food is rich in antioxidants, also known as polyphenols, which protect the body from collagen-damaging free radicals.
However, it also contains high amounts of FODMAP, so it is not recommended for people with irritable bowel problems.

But there is a trick: if you can’t eat garlic, you could use its ‘scent’ to flavor your oil.
Since short-chain carbohydrates are soluble in water, but not in oil, they do not pass through the flavored oil.
Heat the oil gently in a small saucepan for about 2-3 minutes; add the crushed garlic and turn off the heat; leave the garlic in to release its flavors for about 1 hour and then strain the oil into a suitable recipient.
Use it within 3-4 days, or freeze it in single portions

Smart combos

Roasted squash hummus is a great side dish with character as it is.
But if you don’t have any particular health problems, to reward the name (hummus literally means chickpeas) and increase the nutrient content, you could also make it with 50 grams of chickpeas and 200 grams of pumpkin; the choice is yours alone.
A dish with a very strong flavor, it would be at its best with an equally ‘robust’ accompaniment, such as the (thankfully) vegan kokorec, which is a great imitation of a traditional Turkish street food made of lamb entrails; or another classic from my homeland, the doner kebab (without meat).
And as an appetizer? It would be perfect: a piece of bread, some olives and some vegetables bathed in lemon juice to increase iron absorption (read this article to find out how the miracle works); don’t forget a sprinkling of cumin and chilli.

Enjoy your meal and good revolution to all

You might also:

• Healthy fats, less healthy & bad fats: what they are & how to choose them
• Vegan and Glutenfree Chia Seed Pudding, with orange and cinnamon: an easy recipe with an enchanting taste