Postpartum Nutrition: Rosemary Roasted-Vegetable Hummus With Semolina Fry Bread

Makes 12 servings  |   Prep time 20 minutes  |   Cook time 40 minutes

Ingredients

Hummus:

• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
• 2 parsnips, peeled and chopped
• 1 large golden beet, peeled and chopped
• 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 6 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
• 3 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ tsp. sea salt
• 2 15-oz. cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• Juice of ½ lemon
• ½ cup tahini
• ¼ cup low-sodium vegetable broth
• 3 ½ tbs. grassfed ghee, divided

Fry bread:

• ¼ tsp. active yeast
• 1 tbs. sea salt
• 1 tbs. cane sugar
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup plus 3 tbs. semolina flour
• 1 ½ cups warm water
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• ¼ cup grassfed butter or ghee, melted

Directions

For the hummus:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Remove rosemary leaves from the stem and toss the leaves into a baking dish with the vegetables, garlic, olive oil, and salt. Roast until tender, about 35 minutes.
3. Using a large food processor or a bowl and immersion blender, purée the vegetables.
4. Add the chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini, vegetable broth, and 3 tablespoons of the ghee, and blend until thick and smooth.
5. Drizzle the remaining ½ tablespoon of ghee on top, and serve with pita or crackers, or try our fry bread recipe.

For the fry bread:

1. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the yeast, salt, sugar, all-purpose flour, and 1 cup of the semolina flour. Add the water and mix until a shaggy dough forms.
2. Knead by hand for 10 minutes or in a mixer with a dough hook attachment for five minutes, until the dough forms a smooth ball.
3. Use a teaspoon or two of the olive oil to coat a baking sheet.
4. Divide the dough into 12 equal balls, place them on the baking sheet, and cover them with a tea towel. Let rest for 10 minutes.
5. Pour 3 tablespoons of the olive oil into a shallow bowl and use another tablespoon to oil a cutting board or countertop.
6. Working with one at a time, dip a dough ball into the bowl of olive oil, then use your hands to stretch it into an oval shape as thin as possible without tearing and lay it on the prepared cutting board or countertop.
7. Brush the dough with melted butter or ghee and sprinkle with a pinch of the remaining semolina.
8. Fold the left side into the center, then fold the right side to the far left edge to form a long rectangle (similar to the way you would fold a letter in thirds). Brush again with butter or ghee and sprinkle with another pinch of semolina. Fold the top into the center, then fold the bottom to the top edge to form a small square. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
9. Heat the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat in a cast-iron or nonstick skillet.
10. Stretch each piece of folded dough between your fingers until it’s roughly five inches on each side. Fry, turning and flipping frequently, until the outside is golden and crispy.

Watch how to make your fry bread:

The hummus and fry bread will both keep in the freezer for several months. Make them ahead of time and store in lunch or snack-size portions. Thaw hummus overnight in the refrigerator, and crisp the fry bread in the oven or a toaster.

Essential elements:

• Rosemary has anti-inflammatory properties and may help soothe anxiety.
• Chickpeas are a great plant-based source of iron, fiber, and crucial vitamins.
• Semolina is rich in protein, iron, and folate, which is crucial for brain development and can help support healthy cell growth.

For more nourishing food to help aid with postpartum healing and lactation, see “5 Meals for Postpartum Parents.”

Photography by: Terry Brennan; Food Styling: Betsy Nelson