With the holiday season fast approaching many people have recently asked me if there are some healthier food options for holiday entertaining. My answers is always an enthusiastic, “Yes!”

The best news is that healthy options can still be very quick and easy to prepare. For a fun, attractive way to serve hummus or other dips, hollow out a small red or green cabbage to use as a bowl. Place it on a serving tray surrounded with pita chips or a variety of veggie sticks.

I recently served a hummus trio at an open house and had many requests for the recipes. Here is a recipe for roasted red pepper hummus. You can find recipes for my traditional hummus and black bean hummus by clicking on the links or going to the recipes category.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

• 1 medium garlic clove
• 15 oz. can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 large roasted red pepper*
• 1 large lemon, juiced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

Mince the garlic in a clean, dry bowl of a food processor. Add the roasted red pepper, lemon juice, tahini, cumin, cayenne and salt. Process until smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste. Add water and /or olive oil to adjust to desired consistency. Garnish with finely chopped parsley.

*Instructions on how to roast a red pepper here.

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