Zucchini Hummus Recipe!

I have brought this dip to a few holiday parties and everyone seems to love it! It is a healthier alternative to traditional hummus made from chickpeas.  Plus, I have not had much luck with the whole soaking, boiling, cooking chickpeas.  Those suckers do NOT want to get soft!

Recipe:

1 1/2 cups zucchini (peeled and sliced)
1/2 c. raw tahini paste (or 1/4 c. raw tahini sauce)
juice from 1 lemon (organic)
2 tsp. chopped fresh parsley (or dried parsley flakes work too)
3-4 garlic cloves
2 tbsp.  extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. paprika
pinch cayenne pepper
1 tsp. sea salt

Place ingredients in blender (Vitamix preferred or other high speed blender) and blend on high for 15 seconds.  pour into bowl, cover and chill for 2 hours.  Top with paprika, parsley flakes and pine nuts and a bit of olive oil.

Note: Raw tahini paste is best to use in this recipe, but I had a hard time finding it (they don't have it at Sprouts or Trader Joe's.  I use 1/4 c. tahini sauce.)  I tried adding xantham gum to one batch to increase thickness, and the result was a gummy bouncy texture that I did not like at all! So try to find the tahini paste at Mother's market or your local health food store!