Summer’s Last Hurrah, Vitamix Recipe Hummus with Garlic

Every year, I am surprised September comes. Admittedly, though, this is less true now that I live in Tennessee. One great perk of the South is the slowness with which summer fades and, months later, autumn after it. Though the calendar ends our August and kids are undeniably back in school, the sun is still hot and the week’s weather report still predicts blazing temps. It’s September, but it’s summer, no matter what the store displays may say.

Nonetheless, it’s September. Can you believe it? Raised on decades of faithful Midwestern falls, my internal barometer already has me dreaming of pumpkin and stews and hearty roasts braising all afternoon. At the grocery store last week, the gourds may as well have been the Sirens calling out to Odysseus. I wanted them; I needed them. Then I remembered how hot and sweaty I still felt from walking the few hundred feet from my car to the store, and I looked away. At the end of August, I wrote an article for a client about fall activities and, ever since, I’ve been wanting to roast a butternut squash and cradle a cup of cider. The long established dream of Hunter Wellingtons, a wish that dates back to the pre-Tim days, has already been exacerbated by the British novels I keep reading back to back. Do you already know the dreamy Elizabeth Goudge, by the way? Such a delight! I’m ever writing down little phrases and poignant thoughts tucked into a description or dialogue. Anyway, the seasonal outlook ahead of a cozy, rainy season isn’t helping matters much. My mind is moving fall-ward, homeward, blankets-ward. Bring on the fall.

If, however, you’re in less a hurry for summer to stop, I’ve got a quick and fast recipe for you. This Vitamix-recipe hummus is the perfect go-to snack for whipping together in a few moments, packing in a container and heading out to the park or pool. Likewise, after the recipe, I’m linking to a handful of summer recipes we’ve tried and loved over the last season. Whether you’re still feeling the balmy days of summer or you’re cuddled up in fun flannels in the north, these are light, bright recipe ideas to keep on hand for lazy days, fall or otherwise. Hope you enjoy!

(quick note! the Vitamix giveaway is still running, now through September 21.)

Vitamix Recipe: Hummus with Garlic

To further illustrate the versatility of the Vitamix, here’s a quick and easy garlic hummus recipe. For those of you with little ones, I should add Rocco’s as big a fan as we are of this smooth, savory spread.

Ingredients:

2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans), one drained
1/4 cup tahini
1/8 cup olive oil
1/8 cup lemon juice (from about one lemon)
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 teaspoons cumin
Salt, to taste

Directions:

Place all ingredients besides the salt in the Vitamix. Blend, increasing from low to high speed, until mixture is totally smooth. Use the taper if necessary. Season to taste with salt!

Some Favorite Summer Recipes This Year

(Another way to follow along with recipes we’ve tried and loved is on Pinterest, just FYI, where I’m foodloves.)

• Not Without Salt’s White Bean Salad with Peas and Mint: Not only does this salad require mere minutes of prep time and no cooking, but also it creates a refreshing, satisfying summer salad that’s perfect with crusty bread.
• USA Weekend’s Easy Batter Fruit Cobbler, as posted on All Recipes : Summer peaches are still available around here, and it only took two to make this lightning-fast cobbler recipe, subbing einkorn flour and coconut sugar to our tastes. This fast-prep recipe can also transition nicely into the seasons to come, as it works with any cobbler fruits.
• Cast Iron Tortilla Pizza from Serious Eats: What drew me into this recipe was the promise of FAST as well as the resulting tortilla pizza’s likeness to the frozen pizzas of my teenage years. Every bit as easy and crispy as promised.
• Panzanella: In all seriousness, I’ve never met a panzanella I didn’t like, but still we’ve made several this summer that I’ll remember. Ina Garten’s version adds bell peppers and cucumbers (we left out the capers) to traditional tomatoes and basil, and it’s addictively good. GOOP’s summer panzanella works seasonal favorites like raw corn and heirloom tomatoes into the meal. Also, this stone fruit panzanella from Yummy Mummy Kitchen wasn’t filling enough to be a meal, but it was delightful and packed with juicy, sweet flavor.