This paleo friendly roasted tomato cashew hummus is creamy and decadent without the beans.
More tomatoes. More roasting. It’s getting a little broken record-ish over here, huh? Sorry. Except not really.
I don’t think I’ve really come outright and said it on here, but I’m doing a little paleo/SCD experiment in these parts. Besides a couple forkfuls of pasta, a bite of an apple cider donut and a Sunday afternoon ice cream cone, it’s been 16 days of strict no dairy, no legumes and no sugar. So far, I’ve determined two things:
1. Dairy and I might not be as bff as I thought (this is only slightly problematic as I have a shelf full of greek yogurt in my fridge right now) considering I think I’ve lost a pant size from lack of bloating alone.
2. I miss hummus. Like, a lot.
I don’t really understand the whole “say no to legumes” thing that paleo advocates much beyond the fact that they have phytates and apparently that’s bad for you. I’m playing by the rules for a month just to see what happens, what changes I see and how I feel, but I struggle to understand this one. Did cavemen know what the hell a phytate was? I doubt it. Beans were around then, who says they didn’t eat them? I need more convincing on this.
Hummus was my go to afternoon snack. It’s a lovely way to get in veggies without having to boringly munch on raw ones and I needed a replacement stat.
Enter cashews.
When you soak ‘em (soak your nuts, ha) they turn soft (double ha) and almost resemble a bean texture wise, so it actually results in a pretty similar consistency to hummus once you whirl everything around in the food processor for a few minutes.
Roasted garlic, roasted tomatoes, and basil just seal the deal.
Oh, and add 1 triscuit to that cheat list up above. Oops.
Roasted Tomato Cashew Hummus
Ingredients
- 4 plum tomatoes quartered
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
- 1/2 tablespoon honey
- salt & pepper
- 1 cup cashews soaked in water for at least 3 hours
- 1 tablespoon tahini
- 1/4 cup packed basil leaves
- 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease a baking sheet.
- Toss tomatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, honey and salt & pepper in a large bowl. Spread out onto baking sheet.
- Cut off tips of garlic cloves, drizzle in olive oil and wrap in aluminum foil. Place on baking sheet with tomatoes.
- Roast for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
- Place cashews in food processor and process for about 1-2 minutes until smooth.
- Add in all remaining ingredients and process for another minute until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Season with more salt & pepper to taste.
Nutrition Facts
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For the most precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator based on the actual ingredients you used in the recipe.
Gina Matsoukas is the writer, founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients as much as possible. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
Juanita Williams
Saturday 29th of April 2017
So excited to find this recipe. I am eating mostly paleo. I too wondered why legumes are out. Upon research, I found that in addition to the reasons listed above, legumes (and rice) are simply not the healthiest/effiecient way to get the nutrients the provide. Robb Wolf has a great chart on his site that lists the common misconceptions about nutrients and the best foods to provide them. He includes the most questioned ones like fiber, calcium, etc. The ones that people think they'll miss on the paleo diet. It's a very interesting and eye opening read.
Paleo Dip: The Amazing Cashew Dip by Gina M. - Paleo Diet Guru | Paleo Diet Guru
Thursday 20th of September 2012
[...] snack and I often eat my veggies with this dip for breakfast or snack throughout the day. Go here to view the recipe. Again, thank you Gina M. for this wonderful creation! Tweet [...]
Molly@ RunningLateMolls
Tuesday 11th of September 2012
This looks soo good! Are you still eating grains though? Triscuits would not be Paleo neither would grains- correct? Just curious and wondering if you are taking a differnet approach. I have been closer and closer to eating Paleo but have not cut out dairy (beans here and there) but know grains are a big no!
Running to the Kitchen
Tuesday 11th of September 2012
I'm not still eating grains. I'm doing paleo almost 100% strict except a handful of slip ups. I mentioned the triscuit was just as a prop in the picture and yes, I ate it. So 1 triscuit is added to the couple of cheats I've had. ;)
Ala
Wednesday 5th of September 2012
I totally agree with other commentors about the odd legumes bit--as far as I've heard, it's less about the individual components of the foods we consume and more about the lifestyle (moderation, balance, activity, etc.) that really matters. The Chinese have been eating vegetables and rice (a carb!) for nearly forever, and they're all a-okay to go! Have you read anything by Michael Pollan before? He's a prolific writer and wrote some terrific books on getting in touch with our food again (I loved Omnivore's Dilemma, but In Defense of Food is also great). That being said, I'd love to hear how the rest of this month goes for you--it'll be interesting to see how you feel by the end of it! Thanks for a very thoughtful post!
Running to the Kitchen
Wednesday 5th of September 2012
Ala, thanks for your comment. In regards to being healthy, I 100% agree about the lifestyle > the parts. I've read all of Michael Pollan's books and he's actually what started me on the path to whole foods about 3 years ago. This paleo thing is a challenge to myself b/c I'm curious of what the effects may be. It's a bit severe for my liking but I am curious what might happen if I totally eliminate dairy/added sugars/grains, etc. I think there is a difference between eating to be healthy (which is how I'd label Michael Pollan's approach & my approach before this paleo thing) and eating to be lean. My goal is to see if the combination of paleo + crossfit equates to lean. I've worked out and eaten whole foods for almost 3 years and I've never seen the kind of definition as I'm starting to see this month which is an interesting thing to me. So, that being said after the 30 days or so, I do plan on bringing some things (like beans) back into my diet for a more rounded out approach to food but I do think this was pretty eye opening for me about how I feel and what the effects are from eating dairy and grains. Sorry for the long-winded response!
Chrissy
Friday 31st of August 2012
Gina,
I just found your blog through Instagram. I haven't tried this hummus yet, but it sounds absolutely divine! I've made a Paleo hummus with zuchinni before and it was amazing...but this recipe sounds even better! As for the whole legume thing, I'm pretty sure that they're discouraged simply bc they're so high in carbs and not an efficient source of protein, unlike what so many people think. Good luck with the experiment. I allow myself raw/grass-fed full fat dairy- only pasteurized milk really bothers me. You should try homemade almond milk sometime; it's fabulous & is an excellent replacement in homemade lattes. ;) Oh, and your photography is beautiful!
Officially a new follower,
Chrissy
Running to the Kitchen
Friday 31st of August 2012
I've been meaning to make almond milk forever! I'm out of almonds right now but need stock up again and give it a shot. Thanks for stopping by :)