Hummus provides delicious flavour along with fibre in vegetarian pizza

Hummus is a healthy Lebanese spread made from chickpeas. It provides a source of fibre, protein and potassium. Enjoy as a spread on sandwiches or pizzas or as a dip with vegtables, crackers or pita bread.

Ready-made hummus can be bought in grocery stores. Here is a vegetarian recipe for pizza from "Hold the Salt!" by dietitian Maureen Tilley of Dartmouth, N.S. (Formac Publishing Co.).

Hummus and Vegetable Pita Pizza

Pita Pizza

4 whole-wheat pita breads, each 18 cm (7 inches) in diameter

125 ml ( 1/2 cup) hummus

10 ml (2 tsp) vegetable oil

1 red pepper, cut into thin strips

1 green pepper, cut into thin strips

3 green onions, chopped

6 mushrooms, thinly sliced

50 ml ( 1/4 cup) grated Parmesan cheese

Chopped cilantro, to taste

Hummus

500 ml (2 cups) chickpeas

2 to 3 cloves garlic

15 ml (1 tbsp) tahini or peanut butter

30 ml (2 tbsp) lemon juice

50 ml ( 1/4 cup) fat-free plain yogurt

Pepper, to taste

Hummus: In a food processor or blender, blend all hummus ingredients until smooth.

Pizza: in oven, broil pita bread on each side for several minutes until crispy (check frequently to avoid burning). Place pitas on a baking pan; spread 30 ml (2 tbsp) of hummus on top of each pita. Heat oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add vegetables and saute until tender, about 4 minutes; remove from heat. Top pitas with sauteed vegetables, followed by grated cheese. Return to oven and broil for 4 to 5 minutes or until heated through.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional information per serving: 219 calories, 32 g carbohydrates, 6 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 5 g fibre, 9 g protein, 225 mg sodium.