Chicken Run Veggie Tray (Printable version)

A vibrant platter featuring fresh vegetables with creamy ranch-flavored hummus dip, ideal for sharing.

# Needed ingredients:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 cup baby carrots
02 - 1 cup cucumber sticks
03 - 1 cup red bell pepper strips
04 - 1 cup yellow bell pepper strips
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes
06 - 1 cup sugar snap peas
07 - 1/2 cup black olives, pitted

→ Ranch Hummus Dip

08 - 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
09 - 1/4 cup tahini
10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
12 - 1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
13 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
14 - 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
15 - 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
16 - 1/2 teaspoon dried chives
17 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
18 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
19 - 2 to 4 tablespoons cold water

# How to make it:

01 - Wash and cut all vegetables into sticks or strips. Arrange on a large serving platter in playful shapes resembling chickens or decorative patterns, using pitted black olives as eyes or embellishments as desired.
02 - Combine drained chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, onion powder, dill, parsley, chives, salt, and black pepper in a food processor. Blend until smooth, gradually adding cold water until achieving a creamy, dippable consistency.
03 - Transfer prepared hummus to a serving bowl and position it at the center of the vegetable arrangement.
04 - Present immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • Kids will actually eat their vegetables when they're part of a playful edible scene instead of just a sad bowl on the side.
  • The ranch hummus is so creamy and addictive that even skeptical veggie avoiders find themselves reaching for carrot after carrot without thinking about it.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing and draining the canned chickpeas thoroughly, otherwise the hummus will taste metallic and the texture will be grainy instead of silky.
  • Add that cold water slowly because you can always add more, but you can't take it back, and overwatered hummus loses all its substance and elegance.
03 -
  • If your food processor is small, you can make this by hand using a fork and some elbow grease, mashing the chickpeas thoroughly and then whisking in the other ingredients one by one.
  • The secret to hummus that doesn't taste gritty is patience during blending, letting the food processor run longer than you think necessary until the texture is completely velvety.
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