A Colorful, Nutrient-Dense Hummus Garden To Make Eating Your Vegetables Actually Fun
There's something about a well-plated meal that makes it even more enticing to eat. Just think of a perfectly twirled plate of spaghetti or a sugar-dusted cake. But what if we carried this idea into eating our fruits and vegetables? Just picture it: a hummus and vegetable garden.
We know, veggies already come from a garden, and you've always been told not to play with your food. But this food scrap hummus garden from registered dietitian nutritionist, chef, and cookbook author Jackie Newgent, RDN, CDN, makes for a compelling case: Laying out your vegetables in a more creative way might actually make them more appetizing, leading you to eat more of the foods that best fuel your body. Not to mention, it's the perfect way to use veggies that may have been sitting in your fridge for a while (less waste, so win-win).
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Complete with a range of nutritious and flavorful ingredients such as hummus (hello, fiber and healthy fats!), grape tomatoes, bell peppers, and paprika for a little extra pizzazz, this hummus garden will make for the perfect cookout staple to impress your guests and make healthy eating feel that much more accessible.
Want to take the nutritional value of this side dish to the next level? We recommend adding in a tablespoon of mbg's organic veggies+, either mixed in or sprinkled on top, to act as the grass in your garden. This USDA-certified organic greens powder houses 31 powerful ingredients from leafy greens to sea veggies that will blend perfectly with your existing vegetables for a variety of vitamins and minerals—plus pre- and probiotics to promote a healthy gut microbiome, and digestive enzymes to aid in digestion.*
Whether you have an event that you want to bring a summery and delicious dish to or are simply looking to make vegetables feel more inviting, this hummus garden is the perfect avenue to dress up your meal and add some fun to healthy eating.
Food Scrap Hummus Garden
Ingredients
- 1 container of hummus (or make your own!)
- 1 handful of parsley, cilantro, or basil
- Sprinkle of black sesame seeds
- Sliced bell peppers
- 1 handful grape tomatoes
- Radishes
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Zest of ½ lemon
- Handful of pine nuts
- Ground paprika
- 1 tablespoon organic veggies+ (mbg addition)
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Method
- Spread the hummus onto a serving dish.
- Arrange the herbs or leafy veggie toppings (as stems and leaves).
- Sprinkle with the sesame seeds (as soil).
- Add the veggie toppings (as flowers).
- Sprinkle with desired optional toppings, and serve.
Merrell Readman is the Associate Food & Health Editor at mindbodygreen. Readman is a Fordham University graduate with a degree in journalism and a minor in film and television. She has covered beauty, health, and well-being throughout her editorial career, and formerly worked at SheFinds. Her byline has also appeared in Women’s Health. In her current role, she writes and edits for the health, movement, and food sections of mindbodygreen. Readman currently lives in New York City.